Chapter 9 - Drugged

I managed to mix my demanding profession and fun, happy moments with Ishaan during the ensuing weeks. We got together practically every weekend and, if we could find the time in our busy schedules, perhaps even on weekdays.

We visited malls, went to the movies, and occasionally travelled together as a pair as well as with the group to see Pune and its surroundings. Everyone in the group assumed we were a couple by this point. Which was somewhat true, but we hadn't advanced to more intimate level. We didn't do anything else but exchange a couple hugs and a cheek kiss. He was addictive and I was hooked to my new addiction. On a typical Saturday, we headed to the disco with the group. Ishaan's jaw dropped when he saw me in my little black dress, and I felt smug satisfaction.

He merely said, "Looking good."

Typically, the disco was crowded and boisterous. I was having a cocktail while sitting next to others. Although I don't like to party much, I do enjoy it occasionally. Ishaan wasn't the insecure type, which was one quality I adored about him. He never attempted to limit my network of friends or tried to prohibit me from mingling with the other males in our group. We simply let each other pursue their own interests. Some girls interpreted this as a sign that he wasn't sincere about me. I simply liked it better this way. Never have I appreciated having someone constantly breathe down my neck. Ishaan wasn't either my first or only boyfriend. I've been on dates and in relationships before, but once they became possessive, I used to distance myself from them. In that way, I was peculiar. Stockholm syndrome romances didn't appeal to me.

Ishaan came over to me when I was speaking with Swati and asked, "Wanna dance?"

I said, "I was wondering why you didn’t ask until now."

"I was trying to collect courage because I'm not very good at dancing," he laughed.

I held onto my drink and took his hand. "Let's see”.

We danced and he was not too bad. The music was blaring so I had to lean close to him said into his ears "you are not that bad."

He said, "Its effect of my company."

He suddenly wrapped his arm around my waist while holding my other hand, drawing us quite close. He twirled around with me in a waltz or whatever it was. I stared into his eyes and my knees turned to jelly. Good that he was holding me.

We danced for, don’t know how long. When the music suddenly changed to a faster beat. He released me and ran his hands through his hair looking slightly embarrassed "Perhaps we should take a break."

I merely nodded while struggling to breathe. I finished my drink and went back to my couch. I began conversing with my pals as Ishaan went to grab more drinks.

"Hey, Arya heard about Sumit?" Gaurav asked.

Sumit was one of our college friends.

"No why? Anything important?"

He said "I came to know that he and Gauri are a couple now. I caught him online last week. He seemed very happy he is planning to propose her."

" Really? That's nice never thought such opposite characters would end up together" I said.

I felt dizzy. Maybe it was due to the crowd or loud music. Whatever it was I was feeling strange. When Ishaan returned, he noticed my troubled countenance and realised something was wrong. He was immediately by my side "What's wrong Aarya?"

I looked at him and felt relieved.

"Nothing I... I am feeling suffocated."

"Would you like to go out?"

He asked.

I thought for a minute and spoke.

"Ishaan please take me home I am feeling dizzy."

He said, "Sure... let us leave now."

When I got up the room seemed to swim around me. He immediately caught me in his arms.

" What did you drink?" He asked.

I pointed at the empty glass. He picked it up and sniffed it. He looked angry.

"We need to leave immediately!"

We walked out of the club with him holding me steady in his arms. I was totally wasted by this point. I only had one cocktail, and it wasn't like it was my first. I was used to drinking with friends. I don't remember being driven home in his car by him. As we lurched near Swati's apartment, he helped me out. We entered after he removed the keys from my purse. Swati hadn't returned yet.

I murmured, "Hey, Ishaan."

He put me on the couch in the living room and rummaged through his phone to dial Swati, saying, "Hmmm."

"Please kiss me," I said.

He said with a smile, "I would love to the baby but now is not the perfect time.

"Why not?"

He turned to face me and lightly touched my cheeks with his knuckles.

"Because you are wasted. It wouldn't be right. Tomorrow, you won't remember anything, and I want our first kiss to be memorable rather than a drunken mishap."

My eyesight hazed as I stared at him. After that, I don't recall anything. I simply went unconscious.

The following morning, I recall waking up with a severe headache. Even though I've had hangovers before, this one was intolerable. It felt like I was carrying a tonne of bricks. My head began to swim as I sat up.

"At last, you are awake." A cup of water was brought in by Swati.

She handed me a pill "take this. You'll feel better."

I swallowed the capsule "what happened last night? I was suddenly dizzy. I didn't even have that much alcohol."

She sat on the bed near me a looked serious " you were drugged Aarya."

"What!" The cup nearly fell from my hand.

"When you left your drink to dance with Ishaan. Someone dropped a drug pill into it. It happens in clubs, but I never expected it would happen to one of us."

I shuddered "are you sure? How do you know?"

"Ishaan got you back. He called me and stayed here till you were ok. Had he not been there.... Oh! I can't even imagine what could have happened"

She held my hand.

"It could have been any one of us."

"Ishaan got me home?" I asked trying to recollect the series of events.

"Yes, and I am sure it wasn't him otherwise why would he call me instead of taking advantage of you. He said your cocktail glass smelled funny and he suspects it was someone from the gang."

"Oh my God! Swati this is not good. It means we have a psycho in our group."

"Yeah, we can find about that psycho later. Right now, you need to rest and call Ishaan he was worried about you."

She left while I thought about the previous night.

"Ishaan please kiss me" I recalled this line and felt the blood drain out from my face.

"What have I done! What would he think about me?" Did I want to die of embarrassment?

"Maybe I can pretend memory loss and just not talk about it. Yeah, that would be better" I thought.

I picked up my phone and messaged Ishaan - Thanks for your help. I am fine now.

He replied immediately -

Thank God! I was worried about you.

Me - Nothing to worry I am fine.

He - I will find out that bastard!

I kept back my phone. Ishaan had saved me again.