Electrifying. 

That was the only word I could use to describe how it felt to have Angad Mehra kiss you like he meant it. One of his hands cupped my cheek and the other rested on my waist drawing me closer as he kissed me. I was glad I was sitting down for this because my knees would have buckled otherwise. 

Is this what it was to be kissed by the right person? If it was then I never wanted to stop.

Only we kind of had to because we did need to breathe. 

I was gasping by the time he pulled away. He gazed into my eyes with the same intensity as before and my insides turned to mush all over again. I wanted to scream and dance around, that is how giddy I felt. 

His hand was still on my cheek. He stroked it lightly with his thumb. It was a feather-light touch and yet I felt it deep inside me. 

"Angad," I managed to whisper. I didn't trust my voice after the kiss. 

"Shh..." he said, "I don't want this moment to end. Don't break the spell. Things always go sideways after we kiss." 

That's when my gaze slipped past him and focused on someone behind. 

Vahni's thunderstruck eyes met mine. She was staring at us open-mouthed in disbelief. When our eyes met she gave me a look of utter betrayal and turned on her heel before stumbling back inside. 

My stomach sank and Angad noticed the sudden change of expression. He groaned audibly as I stood up. 

"No, please. What is it now, Meera?" he asked grabbing my hand.

"Angad please wait here. Do not come inside until I come back for you." I instructed as I loosened his grip and went inside chasing after Vahni. 

The last thing she would want is us both hounding her after what she saw. I felt really guilty about it. I had known this would happen sooner or later, and if Angad said yes, I would have liked the chance to ease Vahni into the idea of us together. 

This, here, was a disaster. How could my luck be this bad? Vahni walking in on us right at that moment?

The music pounded and the crowd had not thinned at all. I pushed past throngs of people trying to look for her. I was about to give up hope when I caught a glimpse of her shirt near the entrance. I waded my way through the crowd to get to her. 

I stepped out just in time to see her get in a cab and leave. I raced to grab another cab to follow her. She was pretty drunk. I needed to explain myself but I also needed to make sure she was safe. 

Pretty soon we were at our hotel and I was rushing after Vahni yet again. I managed to catch up with her in the lobby.

"Vahni, listen to me." I pleaded. 

She ignored me and jabbed the button for the lift. 

"I am sorry about what you saw," I began but she stumbled to the door that led to the staircase. She would rather race up to three floors than take the lift with me. 

"Vahni please," I said and she whirled around.

"What Meera?" she demanded loudly, "What are you going to say? After months of you denying your relationship with Angad, I find you..." 

She shook her head and took off her heels before starting her ascent up the stairs.

"There was nothing between us back then. I swear..." I said desperately following her.

"That's even better! So you couldn't bear it when I said I was going to make a move. You couldn't handle the thought of me with him."

Tears welled up in my eyes at the venom in Vahni's voice. She had every right to be angry. How could I ever explain what sequence of events had led up to this mess? 

"Vahni I am sorry it happened this way. I never meant for you to get hurt." 

"No, it is okay Meera. You guys go and have a happy life together. He seemed very into you. I just hope he doesn't break your heart," she said dismissively. 

We were on our floor by this point. Vahni walked to our door and before I could say another word she slammed it in my face. 

"Vahni please open the door," I knocked on the door to no avail. 

A couple of people walked past staring at me with a mix of curiosity and disdain. I decided I needed to give Vahni her space now. Maybe tomorrow when her anger fades I could try and reason with her. 

I trudged to the lift and got to the lobby. I sat down on one of the sofas in the lounge area to wait for the others. Then with a groan, I realized that nobody knew we were back at the hotel. I got my phone out and composed a text telling them that Vahni and I were back at the hotel and they should head back too. 

Then I buried my head in my hands. What a mess. It was almost like what Angad had said had come true. 

Was it a jinx? Whenever Angad and I kissed, things seemed to go sideways. 

I pulled a hair tie out of my purse and tied my sweaty hair in a ponytail. I really wanted to get out of my dress and snuggle in bed. It was almost two in the morning now. This had been a very long day. 

"Meera?" a familiar voice called and a jolt passed through my body. 

Oh no, no, no. If this was who I thought it was...

With the pit of dread widening in my stomach, I looked up and found my ex-boyfriend standing a few feet away from me. 

I schooled my features into the best approximation of nonchalance and looked at him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in a measured voice. 

He was dressed in his former style of printed tees and his beard was gone now. In short, it was almost like no time had passed since twelfth standard. He stood in front of me now with an easy grin. 

"Vacationing in Goa, of course."

I tilted my head back in frustration. There was only so much drama I could take in one night and I was not about to let him of all people pile on. 

"Alright, hope you have a good one," I said and stood up to walk away. 

He blocked my way and held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Okay," he said, "You got me. I have other reasons to be here." 

"Parth, I do not have the time or patience for your antics. Get out of my way before I punch you or scream," I said through clenched teeth. 

"Hey, hey. Easy tiger. You really have changed." 

I turned the other way and stalked towards the hotel entrance. 

"Meera, Meera, Meera. Don't walk away. Please I beg you." he pleaded following me.

I had the strongest urge to scream in frustration. A few months ago Parth had some importance in my life. There was that small part of my brain that went "why?" every once in a while. Why did he leave me? That question had kept me up many a night. Seeing him at Bhaskar's fest had messed me up. It was a lot. 

After all, Parth had been an important part of my life. We had been friends and then we had loved each other or whatever the teenage approximation of love is. 

But now, right here he was so far out of the list of my priorities that I wasn't even curious what he was here for. Pesky and bothersome was all he was to me. The last thing I wanted was a conversation with Parth.

I also knew the kind of person Parth was so I knew he wouldn't leave me alone until I heard what he had to say. Best to get it over with quickly. 

"Fine, you have two minutes. Speak." 

He grinned at me again and tried to hold my hand but I stepped out of his reach. He nodded as if to say 'I respect that' and then began,

"Meera I made a mistake," he said and I scoffed instantly. 

I couldn't believe Parth was here in Goa months after our break up to tell me he made a mistake. If it wasn't all so horrifying I would be laughing at the absurdity of it all. 

"Meera please, you have to understand. I thought that the spark between us had gone and that we weren't meant to be together anymore. I thought we would be better off as friends. But I was so wrong. I haven't stopped thinking about you since the day we met. I mean you looked so pretty that day and I couldn't get you out of my head."

Here he paused and started looking for something in his pockets.

To my disbelief, he produced a ring. 

I took a closer look and realized it was the silver ring I had given him in school. The one he had tried to return while publically breaking up with me and I had flung it back at him before running away.

"Meera, I kept this. Because I had a feeling it wasn't over. I should have trusted that feeling but I didn't. I have been an idiot. Please forgive me and come back to me."

I stood there staring at him for a second. 

Wow. I just had no thoughts except the outrage I felt at his speech. 

Before I could gather my thoughts and express them verbally he took a sudden step and engulfed me in a hug. 

If I was shocked after the speech and ring, the hug threw me for another loop. My brain spun in a tizzy and it took me a good few seconds before I could push him away and stumble out of his grasp.

"Meera you do still love me. C'mon, listen to your heart."

It was his turn to gape at me in disbelief because I started laughing. 

It was a long deep laugh that bubbled in my stomach before it escaped my lips. I managed to compose myself a bit and wiped a stray tear from my eye.

"Parth are you hearing yourself?" I asked shaking my head.

"Yes. I meant every word I said," he replied still determined to make a point.

"You cheated on me, you led me on for months, then you publically humiliated me." I listed. He opened his mouth to interrupt me but I went on,

"Uh uh, I am not done yet. You then treat me callously when we bump into each other. Might I add that you also met the guy I am seeing and then now weeks later you show up in Goa to profess your love for me?" 

"You're not seeing that singer dude," he scoffed.

"That's all you got from what I said?"

"Meera it was a mistake. I am here to beg forgiveness. I will do anything," he went on assuming his sincere expression. 

I just stared at him. How had I ever loved this man? I had spent months trying to get over him. I just couldn't wrap my head around this fact.

You know how there is one moment of clarity in your life where you take a step back and look at things with a larger perspective and see how trivial your big problem was, or how mediocre your crush was. 

This was mine. How did I ever like this manipulative man-child? I felt sorry for Sonali who probably had no idea he was here trying to win me back. 

"Parth, I have had a very long night. Your feelings are the least of my concerns right now. I am not the same naive Meera you can lure in with your sweet words. I suggest you go and get some sleep because you are just embarrassing yourself." 

His facade slipped for a second and I saw his brow contort angrily but he quickly masked it. 

"But Meera," he tried again in his soft voice. 

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the ring out of his hands.

"Here, I will help you get rid of my memories." 

He made a motion to grab it back but I stepped out of his reach. He stepped closer and his arm encircled my waist. He had done this hundreds of times before today but never had it filled me with such anger and hatred. 

For the second time that day, I rammed the pointy heel of my show in his foot and as a bonus thrust an open palm in his nose. 

He yelled out in pain and stepped back clutching his nose. 

Thankfully the lobby was empty at this time of the night so his cry of pain didn't create a scene. The two staff members looked at us and seemed to debate whether or not they should intervene. 

"I hope you get the message now," I said before walking away from the string of four-letter cuss words he was directing my way. 

I had almost sabotaged my relationship with Angad for this foul human, I thought incredulously as I looked at him one last time.

***

Fifteen minutes later I was still pacing our floor. Vahni wasn't opening the door and I had nowhere else to go. 

I could have knocked on Siddharth's door and he would have let me in but I didn't have it in me to face him tonight. 

Another fifteen minutes and then an hour passed by. I was sitting outside our door when I saw Yug and Siddharth walk out of the lift. 

I jumped up and ran to meet them. Siddharth ignored me and turned in the direction of his room but what was weird was that Yug also did not meet my eye. 

"Where did you guys meet?" I asked.

I peeked behind them but there was no sign of Angad. 

"Where is Angad? Did you see him? He isn't answering my texts or calls."

The energy between them was very weird. Something was definitely up. 

"What is it? Why are you guys not answering my questions?" 

Yug's face seemed gaunt. 

"We don't know where he is," Siddharth answered finally.

"Should we call him? Maybe he's still at the club. Did you see him Yug?" 

"Angad left, Meera," Yug said with a dazed expression.

That's when I knew that something was really wrong.

A/N

Oof. Intense chapter. The next one will be intense too. Gear up for drama.