CHAPTER 21 : HANGOVER

                 Avni woke up to a splitting headache and the buzzing noise of her phone. Through her heavy lids she peeked into her phone which was flooded with messages and calls from work and her mom , which only added on to the intensity of her headache. The only thing appealing to her senses was the strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee that was making its way to her from what seemed to be her own kitchen. Unsure of how that was possible or why she was having this shattering headache she lept out of her bed and stepped into her living room .

What she saw next jolted her heavy eyelids wide open , her mouth following suit. There he was , Mr Neil freaking Khanna , standing in her kitchen making coffee and if that wasn't enough to startle her , he was standing there with shirt unbuttoned. He had paired up a faded blue denims with white shirt which was unbuttoned till the very last button and his hair was wet and frazzled which was very unlikely of him.

" What is happening here ? Why are you in my kitchen , looking like that ? "she spoke with difficulty.

" Good morning Sunshine !! Did you sleep well ?"

" Did you just call me 'sunshine ' !!! " The temperature in the room was soaring higher as was her headache. She sat herself down on the couch before dizziness also made its way to her. " Why are you being so sweet ?!!  And what's with the shirt dude ?"

" What's wrong with it ?" He looked down at his shirt cluelessly as if it was all in Avni's head or something.

" You are missing buttons ...not one or two.....the whole set !!! What's with the show off ?!" this time she pointed her finger at his perfectly chiseled body which he apparently had no intention of hiding.

" Oh this !! Why do you think ? Don't you remember ?" he winked with mischief in his eyes.

" Remember what exactly ? I have no memory of your shirt unbuttoning itself " she replied still pressing on her temple.

" You don't remember anything about last night ,do you ?How can you forget something so .....so...." his eyes were now smouldering.

" So ? what are you insinuating ?"

" So hot ! Or should I say memorable." He stepped closer to the couch so that Avni could catch the intensity in his eyes as well as the beads of sweat settled on his perfect abs.

" Nothing like that happened ok ? Now shut up !" she looked away annoyed .

" Are you sure though ?" the curve of his smile wasn't going away that easy.

" Yeah !! I was drunk not drugged !! I would remember if ....if... anything like that happended !" She looked him in the eyes this time not caring for her head pounding away .

" Anything like what ? "he smirked .

" You know very well what I mean ."

" I do ? Why don't you make it clearer ." He moved a step closer.

"Nothing happened between us . Now stop bothering me. I have a headache not amnesia. " She tried hard to show her confidence.

" Oh really ? Then you are saying you also remember everything you said last night ?"

She did remember bits and parts of it ; it wasn't vivid or plausible but it wasn't all gone. She remembered blabbering away to Neil but the words  didn't come back to her  " No...Not....not ever...every... everything " she stammered. " But that did not happen " she had enough confidence to say this straight.

"Okay. If you are so sure " . The moment the words left his lips he could she her visibly relaxed , sinking back on the couch.
" So don't you want get a up, close and personal look at my abs now ? " He spoke with a deeper almost piercing voice, slowly taking all the time in the world . " I hope you also remember how much you wanted to inspect my plastic body last night , Avni." Before she could scramble her lost memories some more she could see Neil closing in on the couch. His smouldering eyes never leaving her alone.

" What happened Avni ? Why are you backing up now ? Don't you want to touch my hairs now like you did yesterday? Is this real enough or do you want a more clearer sight". He inched closer to her as she shrugged and sank lower into the couch till she hit her head on the arm of the couch.She laid still with Neil and his bare body hovering over her. She couldn't move though he wasn't holding her with anything other than those eyes ; deep dark eyes.The flying edges of his open shirt brushed against her supple skin give her a whiff of his freshness. She inhaled his scent which reminded of her the blue ocean and then she stopped. Her breath had stopped , as did her heart , for a second may be or more ; so intoxicated she felt , so incapacitated that she couldn't speak.

" Are you even breathing ?" she heard his voice dragging her back from into the room from the lost world. She breathed out hurriedly. He was still hovering over her , but the intensity on his face was gone . He looked more perturbed than anything else.

" Too close !! " she gasped. Her voice was so feeble that it was more like she was talking to herself than him.

" What ?"

" Can't breathe ! " this time her words reached his ears as he backed straight up almost immediately giving her space.

" Are you okay ?" he asked.

" Yeah. You scare easy !" She was the one smiling this time.

" Whatever ! I am the one with the memory intact ! " he smirked walking back into the kitchen.

" Now can you please cover yourself ?" she tried to look away not making herself anymore vulnerable to his looks.

" Do you see me complaining about your back ! " he buttoned up his shirt still enjoying a puzzled looking Avni.

" Care to elaborate ?"

" Your zipper's still wide open .....quite a sight for the sore eyes " he smiled amused at how lost she was .

" What !!" She had been so hungover first by the drinks and then by Neil that she hadn't realised why her dress didn't feel like it fitted her anymore. She immediately zipped it back . As she looked back up she saw Neil walking towards her with a plate in his hand which he carefully placed on table besides her , taking his place on the single recliner.

" I am having the worst headache ever " she complained .

" That's a hangover and that there " he said pointing at the plate in front of her  '' is the cure for hangover. Lime water , aspirin and some breakfast. Have it. You will feel better . That is my coffee ,thank you " he took away the mug of coffee before Avni could dive for it . " And maybe take the day off or something " He stood up to leave having done his part .

" I did have an iced tea you know " she spoke from behind sipping on to her anti hangover drink.

" Yeah right ! And iced tea got you hammered ! I think it's the hangover talking " he concluded.

" No no really ! " she said putting down her drink. " Your friend gave it to me . Infact she ordered it for me. "

" My friend ? You don't even know my fr..." that's when it hit him. '' Shaina !!! " his answer met with a nod from Avni who was now on to the aspirin tablet. " Are you kidding me Avni ? She is not your friend !! In all probabilities she probably hates you ! She spread the news about us just to put us in a spot. "

" But she was being so nice yesterday. I thought maybe she moved on " she shrugged away.

" Oh God Avni ! " he shook his head in disbelief rubbing the back of his neck in what seemed to be anger.

" So you think she slipped something into the drink. I swear she was talking to me the entire time.....never left my side ."

" She didn't need to. It was a long Island iced tea is my best guess. For a first timer like you.....it's enough to get you wasted. "

" Oh yeah I faintly remember her saying something similar to the bartender . " she scratched her head trying to recollect the memory.

" Atleast I have the answer to my question now....you don't drink. So much for your smart answers. Well congratulations on your first hangover " he smiled.

" Where are you going ? " she asked as he turned to leave.

" To remind someone where her limits should be " his said with a straight serious face.

" Not needed. Leave her alone. "

'' It is necessary for me to draw the lines before she dares to pull any more of those stunts on you . "

" But Neil....listen...." He had walked out of the door even before she could complete her sentence or her breakfast.

As her pounding of her head started subsiding little by little ,she picked up her phone to make the necessary calls , wishing hangover to be a good enough excuse .

                      **************

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