AVANTHI
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9 years ago...

'Ava .. Ava...Ava...Ava!!!' I heard all my classmates cheering for me while I gulped nervously looking at the little shot glasses that were lined up on the counter. Alcohol!!! I've never even tasted it but today I was dragged into this pub because today not only did we finish our final exams of our last semester but amongst my entire gang of friends, I was the only one who managed to crack an offer. It wasn't a big organisation and the package was also not very high but still it was in a big city like Mumbai and it was a respectable private bank.

An 8.5 lakhs per annum package for a fresher was a big deal. At least now I can start paying off my education loan although I got a good amount of scholarship thanks to my consistent grades since my childhood and it made a bigger impact when I topped the university during my BBM. I didn't want to burden dad because Pakku was still doing her graduation and Pranay was aspiring to be a doctor although he was still in school.

I didn't believe in partying and wasting money. Every penny was important to me. My friends and classmates mostly were from richer backgrounds if not had working parents with constant income whereas my father owned a small fruit shop in Mangalore and he was the only bread winner and although Mangalore is a smaller city, it wasn't smaller on expenses. A city with half the people coming from higher middle class or richer business families, Mangalore still gave the best of education yet was on an expensive front or maybe we considered it to be expensive.

Dad was always a man with high self respect and that's what he taught us. None of us kids shied away from working during our summer vacations even if it was designing posters for 500-1000 Rupees for a small scale business or giving tuitions to kids post college hours. I had seen dad struggle mostly after mom's death both mentally and financially and I always wanted him to join his struggle. Mom wasn't earning big, she was a teacher but in a middle class family even a 15000 Rupees salary per month makes a huge difference and it takes a lot of struggle to meet those gaps. Mom's death had left impacts on our lives. Dad had become more mechanical and I understood it. He extended his working hours, Prakruthi and Pranay 's responsibility mostly was on me and I happily took it up. From making snacks for them in the evening to cooking dinner for them. I slowly became their mother rather than their sister.

I was scared when we heard there were only one or two organizations coming to visit us this year. There was recession and I was fully aware of it but I could not bear the fear of burdening dad with my education loan as well when he was struggling to meet ends already. So when some of my friends decided to come to Mumbai for a trip post exams, I decided to hop on. Not for fun but because I had heard that Bangalore is the hub for IT folks, Mumbai was a hub for bankers. I had already rounded up a few private banks those were conducting walkin interviews for the role of marketing HR's and I was more than prepared.

My friends were extremely understanding. They were mostly from business backgrounds and wished to take their father's small scale businesses ahead however being my friends they agreed to accompany me screwing up one entire day of theirs and now that I secured the job I couldn't deny accompanying them to a pub. Honestly this was my first time and it looked filthy expensive. I was willing to treat them but I requested a more sober place for a decent dinner.

We were a group of seven but when everyone told me that they just want to celebrate my big day and I can just treat them the next day at a small scale restaurant I had chosen, I couldn't deny. Nayana and Kiran shared their dress and shoes which by the way was extremely expensive. Designer shit expensive. And Seema shared her accesories. Honestly speaking I felt like Cinderella tonight.

First time tonight I felt men eyeing me. Everyone in my family used to always say that I'm the prettiest amongst cousins but I was always conscious about my clothing. The girl who had never worn skirts below knee length was in a bodycon sleeveless thigh length dress tonight. I felt too exposed but when Kiran asked me to look around. Everyone was wearing something similar. But still exposing my legs I kept pulling the edge of my dress again and again.

Most of my friends were committed. Except my classmate Sameer Shah. He was the only guy with corporate experience who came in to do a full time MBA after 5 years of working in the finest of organisations. He was an extremely happy go lucky guy. I enjoyed his company a lot. He was the only tea toddler in the group other than me. He came from a middle class businessman family but he never took money from home. We both were very similar. When everyone would drink to death in these pubs, we both would go tasting every damn mocktail and juice one by two. One glass and two poppers. His Gujju genes of saving money and my konkani genes of minimal expenditure made us the Laurel Hardy in the gang.

But today even my buddy Sameer couldn't save me because he was the first one to be sloshed tonight. Sameer was soon going to join a new organisation which was owned by his ex-boss's cousin. It was the last few days with him as he was going to shift to Bangalore. So he was attacked first. The poor guy was only giggling after 4 shots of tequila and now they kept the shots in front of me while I gulped and looked at my friends but they glared at me and I slowly looked at it. It looked colourless but I had heard from many people it tastes like acid the minute it hits your throat.

But my friends cheered me and without thinking much I gulped down

One

Two

Three

Four

Five Shots!!!

Post that I felt like I was flying in the air. I giggled when my friends were giggling. Sameer was also laughing, so was I. I don't know why we both kept laughing but everything around us was suddenly so funny. That's when suddenly someone from the gang started playing truth or dare. They were spinning the bottle but I could feel everything and everybody was spinning along.

I don't know when suddenly Seema held my shoulder and asked 'Truth or Dare?' and I giggled. I never lie so what's the point of choosing truth. I feel extremely courageous right now. So much so that given a chance I can beat the shit out of those bouncers who were looking at my buddy Sameer and judging him for his clothes. Just because we don't dress up cool how can he not let us come here. I wanted to smash his face. So what if he is double triple... tetrahedral my size. I was a strong woman. I felt like a power puff girl!!!

'Daaaaaare!!!' I said and everybody in the gang said 'Ohhhhhhh' while I kept giggling but that's when Amit said 'Okayyyyy...You see that door there? You had 5 tequilas right? So the 5th man to enter from that door...you have to kiss him..' he said and I hiccuped and looked at Amit asking 'Kishhhh???' and he nodded and then said 'Square on his lips!!!' and I heard a loud hooting sound from my friends.

I pouted and said 'But I never kissed anyone till date!!!' to which Nayana said ' Exactly!!! And today we are breaking your oath!!!' she said when I looked at them asking 'But Dad won't like it. I don't wanna hurt him' I whispered when Amit said 'Come on Ava...it's just a kiss!!! We are all here...it's an unknown city, you won't even see that guy again..come on..be brave!!! Come on!!! Ava Ava Ava Ava...' I heard him cheer followed by everyone else in the gang while I hiccuped and said 'Okay..after all it's a kisshhh...jusht a kishhhh!!!'

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We waited for people to enter through the door as I kept rubbing my eyes to count the fifth guy. We could see bouncers check upon them when suddenly we noticed a gang of guys who were more of men rather than being guys. They looked mascular and didn't give me the right vibe.

Don't tell me I've to kiss one amongst them? They looked already too drunk and I noticed the fifth guy from that gang. He was well built and huge with spiked up hair, metal jewellery and a cigarette in his mouth. Ewwww!!! Smoker!!! I can't kiss a smoker. It's my first time. Ewwww!!!

I turned around looking at my friends if they can rethink upon the dare but all they did was cheer and hoot for me.

Fuck it!!! Let's get it done once and for all and anyways I'm never gonna see the man again in my life.

So I kept walking towards the man. His friends entered the pub and they were all ogling at me while some of them even passed some lewd comments. His friends smelled terrible. Reeking of alcohol and cigarettes. Both smell that I hate. Yuk!!! He was stopped by the bouncer to quit the cigarette. I huffed and rolled my eyes when I saw him drop the cigarette.

Okay...this is it.

He's going to step in and I'm just going to grab him by his neck...kiss him and then apologize and run back to my friends.

But then I noticed his yellow teeth and I felt my stomach was churning. I didn't know if it was just the thought of kissing this man or the terrible odour he carried.

Why God Why?

Why should I have such a terrible kiss?

Even Princess Tiana had a better option of kissing a frog, given a chance I would even take a frog but not this smelly creature. Ewwww!!! He took out a toothpick and cleared something from his canines and even the alcohol I had consumed wasn't helping me anymore.

I huffed and looked up in the sky saying 'Atleast a better option...I mean at least a better choice!!!' saying I hung my shoulders low surrendering to my fate as I helplessly walked towards the man. Just when I was going to grab his neck I felt a strong tug on my wrist and an iron like grip on my waist.

Before I knew, in one go I was yanked and pulled against a strong chest that I dashed into and before I knew I felt a pair of lips on my lips when I closed my eyes in fear and I heard a 'Woooooooahhhh' from my friends.

I froze.

I could feel a pair of arms across my waist which slowly landed on my nape as I felt a grip on my neck tilting it sideways so the man sucking on my lips got better access.

No odour. No ugly breath. He wasn't a smoker. I couldn't even smell alcohol which means the man was fully conscious. I wanted to open my eyes but I was scared. The man wasn't a bulky someone because I tried pushing him via his shoulders which weren't too huge. He was not so bulky. I could feel blazers instead of leather jackets. This man wasn't a part of that gang. His minty breath and his woody perfume was intoxicating but his lips were gentle and soft.

I slowly opened my eyes to meet a pair of bluish green eyes. My heart was ready to explode seeing the depth in those eyes. Slowly he let go of me and that's when I saw his face. A clean shaven fair guy with short hair and a smirk on his lips.

Although I was thankful I didn't kiss that smelly smoker, I wasn't happy with this man stuffing his lips into my mouth either and to add on he had a smirk on his lips. Suddenly I felt all the alcohol effect was gone and I was sober now.

He slowly wiped the tip of my lower lip probably clearing the smudged lipstick and said 'Sorry babe!!! It was a dare!!!' and although I was also going to do the same to another man, his casual smirk and smile angered me and before I knew my right hand left an everlasting impression on his cheek.

I slapped him.