Always remember that you are absolutely unique. 

Just like everyone else. 

-Margaret Mead

Chapter 41: Kiss me Senseless 

   There was no way Riya was going to step in there looking like this.

   "No! I'm not getting in there. I asked you to surprise me, not shock me."

   They were standing in front of the Think You Can Dance club. It was identical to the one Madhan had been to a few months ago.

   "Darling, it's clubbing. I'm not asking you to drink."

   Riya rolled her eyes at the endearment. If he thought he could sweet talk his way in, he was in for a surprise.

   "Who said anything about drinking! I'm not getting in there with this dress, period."

   Madhan sighed. He had somehow managed to get them tickets into the club. He didn't realize Riya would be so stubborn. "Fine stay here," he said. "But I'm going."

   "What? Think you can fool me with that? What are you going to do? Sneak on me from under the car? That trick will only work once," she scowled. She fell for his trick once and that was enough for her to know that Madhan wouldn't leave her alone. It warmed her heart, but at the moment, she was frustrated. Did he not have enough sense to think about her apparel while choosing a place to go?

   Madhan gave her a look. "Of course not," he said, a bit annoyed. "You asked me to surprise you, and surprise you I am."

   "Okay, I'll be waiting here. Don't be too long though."

   Madhan looked at the long queue in front of him and groaned frustratingly. He was so not looking forward to standing in that long queue alone.

   It took fifteen minutes for him to reach the beginning of the queue.

   Unfortunately for him, he had to wait until someone left. He had no idea how long that would take. He glanced at Riya to see how she was doing. She was looking at him.

   He smiled at her weakly, but Riya looked away, furiously.

   Okay, so she was still mad. Madhan's thoughts went back to the evening before they left. If he could redo it, he would. He would have kissed her. But honestly, he felt what he did was the right thing. On second thought, if he could redo it, he would do the exact same thing.

   After Madhan was asked to surprise her, he called up Armaan.

   "Hey man, can you get me tickets to a club?"

   "Uh no?"

   "Please? Riya wants me to surprise her."

   "Still no."

   "Come on. What do you want me to do?"

   "Nothing."

   "Why can't you get them for me?"

   "Cause then it would appear like I surprised her."

   Madhan sighed. He understood that Armaan wanted him to be specific. "Okay, I'll call you back."

  He glanced at Riya who seemed to be having a fine time with her friends. They started a circle themselves and were dancing. He had time. That was good.

   Turning on the data pack, he searched for the closest club to his house.

   "I need to tickets to the 'Think you can dance' club."

   "Attaboy. That's why you're my friend," he joked. "Good taste. I'll call you in two."

   Armaan called him two minutes later with tickets confirmed. He messaged the confirmation to his phone.

   "Hey, and can you name a good nonalcoholic drink?" Madhan asked.

   Armaan whistled. "Whoooot. Chick getting chick a drink. Naiiiiceee."

   "Stop," Madhan butted. He was too pissed.

   "Okay okay snowman. There's a drink called Quinters. It's non-alcoholic and the bottle is really pretty. Your girl will like it."

   "Thanks, dude."

   "Yeah and wait, there's another drink called Quintet, which is doubly alcoholic, so be clear."

   Madhan wasn't paying attention to the last part of the sentence since Riya was walking towards him. "Yeah yeah okay thanks."

   He hung up as she asked if they were ready to go.

   His thoughts were interrupted by the man asking him to go inside. Madhan wasted no time. He didn't want to waste the tickets, so he got inside. It was buzzing with people, just as the last time, except this time he was all alone. He pushed past his way to the counter.

   "Two Quintets," he said.

   It was a non-alcoholic drink that came in a very pretty exquisite bottle, he remembered Armaan telling him.

   While he was waiting, someone tapped him at the back.

   "Hey man, fancy seeing you here. What's up?"

   Madhan turned around to find Alex Baldwin looking at him. It was his colleague from work.

   "Getting my wife a drink," he said. "What about you?"

   "Here to get wasted. Crappy day."

   Madhan spoke to him for a while, even after his order came through. It was only twenty minutes later that he realized he took too much time.

   "My wife is waiting outside. I'm going to get killed if I don't get there sooner," he said, patting Alex on the back.

   Alex nodded and immediately turned his attention to another lady whom he had caught eying him for a while.

   Riya scraped her heels on the cemented floor with impatience. Maybe they should have just gone home. She and her stupid mouth. "Surprise me," she mimicked herself in the head.

   She desperately wanted to get out of her clothes as soon as possible. It was cold but she was feeling very itchy. But there was that unfamiliar feeling of lust hitting building inside her again.

   Riya found herself staring at Madhan who was standing in the queue. He was strikingly handsome. But there was something that distinguished him from other good looking men however. The arrogant cocky attitude was missing.

  Madhan wasn't hot. He still did have some flesh in his body. Enough flesh to continue looking on the heavier side, but it didn't matter.

   It totally didn't matter anymore.

   What mattered was that she knew him enough to care about him, and possibly, just possibly fall in love with him.

  And IF the weight EVER became an issue, it would be about her being concerned about his health. Madhan is her friend. But their relationship was progressing so steadily, it made her wonder if that's all she wanted him to be. Her friend.

   She didn't know for how long, but when she caught his gaze, she quickly averted her eyes.

   Feeling slightly embarrassed at being caught ogling, she opened the car and sat down. She turned on the radio and lit up when she heard the music that was currently playing.

   Ashley Tisdale's Love me for me.

   I'm not the girl that you see in the magazine
   Perfect face and perfect body
   Never be anyone but the one I am, what I am
   I can't bend to your expectations
   Look to fulfill any fantasy
   If what I am is what you need

   Love me for me
   And not for someone I would never be
  Cause what you get is what you see
  And I can't be anymore than what I am
  Love me for me
  Or don't love me

   After singing along a couple of songs, her throat became sore. She checked her watch. He had been in the club for half an hour?

   She got out of the car and closed the door roughly. Madhan was so going to get it from her when he came back.

   When he did come back, she felt another surge of anger. He got both of them something to drink?

   "What took you so long?" she asked, grabbing the drink from him and inspecting it curiously. The bottle was so gorgeous. She was really tempted to drink it, despite the warning bells that kept ringing in her head.

   But, Madhan wouldn't buy her something alcoholic, would he? Giving him the benefit of doubt, again, she asked, "Non-alcoholic?"

   "Yep."

   Riya was relieved. Anything to relieve that sore throat of hers. She didn't waste another second as she took a couple of swigs finishing the entire bottle, bewildering Madhan.

   Madhan had plans on making it a very romantic night. He wanted to take her to a green field. There was a blanket at the back of his car. He wanted them to sit on it and gaze at the stars.

   And now it was all ruined.

   Oh well, he had to make do with one bottle. Maybe they could share. Now, that would be more romantic.

   Madhan grinned. "Get in the car."

   Riya felt a bitter taste in her mouth. "You're sure that's non-alcoholic right?"

   Madhan nodded. "Why?"

"Nothing. It's from a club. Wasn't sure if they served anything non alcoholic," she said. She felt a bit dizzy. Maybe she was just imagining it.

   Madhan drove them out of the club, and they were driving on the highway. It was around ten at night, and there wasn't much traffic.

   Riya was feeling lightheaded. She no longer felt dizzy, but buoyant.

   "Are you feeling hot, Madhan?" she asked him.

   Madhan looked at her. November in Utah was supremely cold. Surprisingly, it hadn't snowed yet. He had heard on the weather forecast that there would be an accumulated super blizzard this time. It could hit them anytime. They had to be careful.

   "Riya, it's -10 degrees outside."

   "Oh," she giggled. "Well I'm feeling hot." She turned on the AC and brought her face to the vent and felt the cool breeze. She shook her head , allowing the air to cool her face. But the rest of her body wasn't getting any air.

   She unpinned the shawl that she thoroughly wrapped on her, and threw it at the back.

  Madhan gazed at her open mouthed. What was she doing?

   He saw her adjust herself to receive the air from the vent.

  Another minute later, she sat back, sighing.

   "That felt so good," she hummed.

   "Mhmm. Riya, wear the shawl."

   "Why?" Riya didn't budge.

   "Just wear it will you?" It was exposing a lot, and he couldn't concentrate on the road with her sitting like that.

   "Tell me why." She was looking out the window solemnly.

   "I can't. You need to trust me. Just wear it."

   Riya sat upright. She appeared as though she was looking around. "Pull over."

   "Whaaa? No!"

   "Pull over to the next curb! Please!"

   Madhan had no idea what got into Riya but he pulled over anyway. They were off the highway, and there was no light.

   He switched on the light at the top but was startled to find Riya gazing at him intensely.

   Madhan watched as Riya switched off the light. He couldn't see anything. A minute later, he felt someone straddling him on the seat.

   Riya had crawled over to his seat. She loosened his seatbelt. She couldn't see his face, so her hands were feeling him all over till she reached his face.

   "Riya, what are you doing?"

   Riya replied with a kiss on his jaw. Madhan moved his face the opposite direction, and Riya traced her lips along his jaw, and along his neck.

   She smiled when she heard him moan. She bit him.

  Madhan gasped pleasurably. "Okay, that's it, Riya. Get off."

  "Why?" she whined.

  "Not in the car!" Madhan was terribly alarmed. As much as he wanted it, not now, not here.

   "Why won't you kiss me, Madhan?" Riya pouted.

   Madhan stopped moving. "What?"

   "Kiss me, Madhan. Kiss me senseless."

   Okay, I'm evil :P Sorry! Had to do this :P

   So, I know I'm early. (Okay, a big change from "I know I'm late?") :P :P :P

   But that's because I'm going to my hometown tomorrow at dawn. There's no Internet over there, so I would rather upload earlier than later ;) Haven't seen my grandmothers in ages! Can't wait to see them! I have a LOT of grandmothers :P My maternal grandma has a couple of sisters and I call all of them grandma too :P my dad's dad has two brothers, and my dad's mom has three brothers and two sisters! It's a huge family, as is many of yours ;) Family reunions are always the best :')

   I'll be gone till Monday, so my replies to your comments will be late! But keep them coming! Will reply to them when I come back! :D

   End of chapter discussion:

   Have you heard the song, Love Me for Me by Ashley Tisdale? If not, please do! It's a beautiful song with an awesome message! :D

Be tuned for the next chapter! Vote and comment please! Hope you liked the chapter! <3 

Till Wednesday, sweets! Have a Happy Weekend! :D

-ak