Forget-Me-Not : Bound by Secrets

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The whole place looked crazy. From where he was standing, he could see people dancing in the center of the hall, people lounging about near the stairs, in the passages, outside near the pool. It was often that he came to such parties. It wasn't often that he was in such a bad mood. Lucky Ali's voice filled the room with 'Ek Pal Ka Jeena', and the crowd surged with the beats. Outside, it was all fun and enjoyment and glamour. Inside, there was chaos. Beside him, Yash Mirchandani clapped one hand on his shoulder and said, "You look lost, buddy."

"Anyone would feel lost in this crowd," Abhay smiled a humourless smile, and swirled the champagne in his glass. He hadn't taken one drink, even though he was standing with a glass since the last half hour. He didn't feel like drinking. He didn't feel like anything.

"I thought Abhay Bakshi was the only man who possessed the talent of not being lost in the crowd, but making the crowd lose in him."

"You flatter me," he said, and looked at his friend. The Mirchandanis were old friends of his family, and he'd grown up with Yash and Samar, spent a good part of his life in this house, and seen more with them than anywhere else. They were modern, ahead of the sluggish times, not completely immoral, but just fun loving. It wasn't the first time Yash had organized a house party, even though house parties weren't such a common thing in the city. It was a tradition they'd picked up while they'd vacationed in California a few years ago.

He could remember times when all he wanted to do was dance the night away, charm the women he met, and live life to the fullest. This particular evening, though, he felt down. It had nothing to do with the outer world, but his own, inner chaos.

"You haven't moved from this place since the first time you took station here," Yash said. "Come on, man, let me introduce you to people."

"I know everyone," he said simply, shaking his head. "And they don't interest me."

"Oh, please. No one can know everyone. Let's go dance."

"Stop bothering me, Yash, and go enjoy the company of the group of girls that have been waiting for you since forever," he said. "You're breaking their hearts."

Yash shook his head and grinned at his friend. "Something's gotten into you, Abhay. You'd never refuse to dance."

"Well, today's a new day. Go."

His friend punched him playfully on the arm, and then disappeared in the crowd. Abhay placed his glass of champagne on the glass counter and pushed away from the place. Maybe he should just go home, start doing his project. There was nothing here in this party that could tempt him to stay. Just as he'd established that, the crowd parted and a girl in a sexy, red dress emerged from it, walking straight towards him.

She had great legs, was the first thing he observed. And he didn't know her. Intrigued, he leaned back and watched her as she came up next to him at the counter and placed one hand on the glass.

"One champagne, please," she said to the person serving drinks. Her voice was pleasant, just the right amount of husky, and her smile was confident, natural. Her skin was flushed and sweaty, and he guessed she'd been dancing for quite a while now. He wondered again why he didn't know her, and regretted to acknowledge that Yash was right-no one could know everyone. He wondered if Yash knew this girl, or if she was a mutual friend.

As he was concluding that it would be interesting to know her, her dark eyes flashed on him and she checked him out-subtly and unlike any other way he'd been checked out before. He suddenly found himself wanting to stay on instead of leaving.