"Raavi bohot ho gaya. Ab bas kar." Kirti put down the vodka glass which Raavi had picked up.

Raavi was already quite intoxicated. She was trying to keep up with Rishita and Kaveri. But high heels and alcohol didn't really go together. She kept losing her balance, but luckily Kirti was always by her side, holding her so she wouldn't fall. Finally, she managed to get Raavi seated in one of the booths.

"Tu aur nahi piyegi Raavi." Kirti said.

"Okayyyyy Kirti babyyyy." Raavi giggled.

"Raavi tum thik ho na?" Dev suddenly came and sat in front of her.

"Main bilkul thik hu Dev. Main toh perfect hu." Raavi said with a slight slur.

Rishita was slightly annoyed to see Dev with Raavi. She still hadn't said yes to Dev, but she liked him, and he knew that. So he shouldn't be focused on Raavi especially on her birthday. Raavi had a crush on Dev and it made her really mad. Who invited her to the party? She joined them in the booth and sat beside Dev.

"Are you okay Raavi?" She asked.

"I'm fine Rish. Tumhari party bohot amazing hai."

Kaveri brought a tray of drinks for the gang, and she was joined by Rimi and Aman. Kirti wanted to leave with Raavi. It was getting late and Raavi was too drunk to go home. Who knew how her Maasi would react?

"Raavi main tujhe iss haal mein ghar kaise le jaungi? Tu bohot drunk hai. Aur teri Maasi shayad mera murder karegi." Kaveri whispered in her ear.

Raavi nodded. She could feel how drunk she was. There was no way Kaveri could drop her home. She excused herself and went to the washroom. She took out her phone and dialled the first number that came to her head. He picked up on the first ring.

"Raat ko kyu paka rahi hai?" Shiva asked.

"Shivaaaaaaa, hi." Raavi giggled.

"Tu thik hai na?" Shiva asked.

"Mujhe ghar drop kar de." Raavi said.

"Kyu? Dev waha nahi hain?"

"Shiva main bohot drunk hu. Dev se nahi hoga. Tu jaldi aa. Maasi ko sambhalne ki duty teri." Raavi cut the call, and went to back to the table.

"Shiva aa raha hai. Tu tension mat le." She whispered to Kirti.

"We're going to play a round of 'never have I ever!" Kaveri shouted.

"I love that game." Rimi said, and explained the rules to everyone.

"Okay I'll go first. Never have I ever puked after drinking." Kaveri laughed.

Dev, Rishita, Aman and Rimi took a shot. Raavi was drinking for the first time and she hadn't puked. So she was safe.

"Never have I ever cheated in any exam." Rimi said.

Raavi, Rishita, Aman and Kaveri took shots.

"Raavi I think tumhe aur nahi peeni chahiye. Tum kaafi drunk ho." Dev said.

"Main thik hu Dev." Raavi said.

Rishita was getting annoyed by Dev's concern for her. "Dev woh adult hain. Bachhi nahi. I'm sure she understands her tolerance level."

Raavi stood up and gave Rishita a hug. "Yeh aisa hi hai. Bas yeh nahi, iski puri family. Especially Shiva. Woh toh humesha mujhe order deta rehta hai."

It was Raavi's turn. "Never have I ever bunked school."

Everyone took a shot except Dev and Rimi.

"Never have I ever.. kissed anyone." Rishita said, looking at Dev. She was hoping for her first kiss today on her 22nd birthday.

Kaveri, Aman and Rimi took their shots. Raavi was absent mindedly playing with her glass.

"Don't say tumne kisiko kiss kiya hai." Kaveri started laughing. "Humari sati savitri Raavi toh shayad kisiko hug karne se bhi pehle usse shaadi karne ki demand karegi."

Raavi's eyebrows furrowed. How dare they? She picked up her glass and downed it in one go. Kaveri stopped laughing.

"Ab jhooth toh mat bol." Rimi said.

"Main jhooth nahi bolti Rimi." Raavi said. "Maine kiss bhi kiya hai aur bhi bohot kuch kiya hai. Jo tum logo ne nahi kiya. In fact, maine saaaabbb kiya hai"

"What do you mean? Kya kiya hai tumne?" Kaveri asked.

Raavi thought for a second. What was better than kissing? She got her answer. "S-E-X!"

Kirti wanted to slam her head against the table. The whole group was stunned. Raavi just looked too proud of herself.

"Yeah, right!" Rimi laughed.

Raavi's smile disappeared when realised no one believed her. Rishita, Rimi and Kaveri were laughing and Dev was just looking at her with pity. Nope this was worse than being called a behenji. Now they would think of her as some desperate lying wannabe.

"Tum logo ko believe nahi karna toh mat karo." Raavi decided to act nonchalant. "Tum logo ke believe karne na karne se sach nahi badal jata."

"Aur kiya hai toh kiske saath kiya hai?" Rishita asked. "Tumhara toh koi boyfriend hi nahi hai."

"Shiva!" Raavi blurted out the first name that came to her mind. "Shiva ke saath..... S-E-X maine. Hum dono ne. Kiss bhi. Sab kuch." Raavi giggled. The thought of doing it with Shiva made her giggle.

Again the table was stunned. Dev was looking at her like he was about to go into a coma. Kirti almost had a heart attack. Rimi felt a fire in her heart, because she always harboured a secret crush on Shiva. Raavi just kept giggling.

It was just then Shiva entered the party. He spotted Raavi in the booth and went to her. Parties weren't his scene and the loud music was already giving him a headache.

"Maami ki behen ki beti!"

Raavi smiled as she saw Shiva. She got up and hugged him tightly. "Mera Shiva aa gayaaaaa."

Shiva was stunned to see Raavi in this condition. He put his arm around her waist to support her. She had put her whole body weight on him. He had never seen her wear such dress either. Not that she looked bad, she just didn't look like her usual self.

"Main tere baare mein hi baat kar rahi thi." Raavi said.

"Abhi baat karne ki zaroorat nahi. Ghar chalte hai. 10 baj gaye hain." Shiva told her.

Raavi kept her hands around his neck and she rested her head on his arm. He had put an arm around her waist protectively to hold her up. They didn't realise how closely the group was observing them. Rimi's eyes were fixed on Shiva's hand on her waist. She was jealous. Kaveri was almost sure what Raavi told them was the truth. They seemed too comfortable with each other physically.

"Dev, main ise ghar chodke aata hu. Tu pehle pahucha toh bhabhi ko bata dena." Shiva said.

Dev couldn't react after Raavi's huge revelation. All this while he thought Shiva hated her, but Raavi's revelation... He didn't even want to think about it.

Shiva escorted Raavi outside while she was leaning onto him. She almost stumbled on the stairs but he caught her. He picked her up and carried her downstairs. Raavi sat down on the bench near where his bike was parked.

"Shiva 5 minute de. Ruk na..." Suddenly she was beginning to feel really sick.

"Raavi, jab handle nahi hoti toh itna pi kyu? Pehli baar drink kiya toh limit mein karti."

Raavi held her stomach. She was beginning to feel extremely nauseous. Her insides were burning. She grabbed onto Shiva's sleeve. The intoxication was making her feel scared as well as sick. Shiva began to pat her back.

"Shiva mujhe shayad ulti..." Raavi rushed to go back to the washroom but she hurled as she took just a few steps. Shiva came upto her and held her hair back.

He made her sit on the bench and offered her some water. Raavi wrapped her arms around him once more and began to cry.

"Ae gadheri, ab ro kyu rahi hai? Sab thik hai."

"Sorry Shiva."

"Sorry maami ko bolna." Shiva took out a clip from her purse and tied her hair.

"Kaveri aur Rimi ko laga main sharab nahi pi sakti. Toh maine pi li." Raavi explained.

"Toh tu unn do gadheriyon ko galat prove karne ke liye sharab ki tanker gatak gayi? Yeh kaha ki samajhdari hai?"

"Isiliye toh sorry bol rahi hu."

Shiva wiped away the running mascara which smudged when she was crying.

"Yeh heel utar. Chal nahi paa rahi tu." Shiva said.

Raavi took off her heels. "Bohot uncomfortable hai. Dekh!" Raavi showed him her little toe which was now bleeding. "Pure 2k ke joote hain."

"Tujhse yahi ummeed thi." Shiva picked up her heels and threw them in the trash can. Raavi was surprised.

"2k ke joote the!!! Fek kaise diya?"

"Joote chalne ke kaam aate hai. Agar uske liye hi kaam na aaye toh phir koi kaam ke nahi." Raavi was about to argue but he stopped her. "Bas. Ab ghar chal chup chap."

***

Maami opened the door when she heard the doorbell ring. Raavi had promised to come home by ten and now it was eleven. Prafulla was ready to shout at Raavi, but she was too stunned to see Shiva in the doorway, carrying Raavi in his arms.

"Shiva, tu?" Prafulla asked.

Shiva didn't reply. He came in and started going upstairs to her room. She had fallen asleep midway. There was no way except this to drop her home.

"Yeh Raavi ko kya ho gaya?" Prafulla asked. "Tu kaha se la raha hai meri bachhi ko? Main tujhse baat kar rahi hu Shiva! Kya hua meri Raavi ko?"

Shiva entered her room and gently placed her on the bed. Maami realised just then what Raavi was wearing. She screamed in horror and quickly covered her with a blanket. Leaning in, she caught the whiff on alcohol on her breath. Prafulla gasped.

"Meri beti aise haal mein tere saath kaha thi?" Maami asked.

Shiva simply glared at her. "Woh so rahi hai toh achha hoga tu use sone de. Pareshan mat kar. Jo puchna hai kal apni beti se hi puch lena."

Shiva left quickly completely ignoring Maami who was still shouting at him.