Destiny's Gamble

Devil In Disguise

Manik's POV

"Manik, I know you and Eva have been friends for years now." Aahan says, coming to my side. "That's why, considering you a good friend, I trust you and I give you the honour of bringing Eva off the stage." 

"Nice try, but no thanks." I say distractedly, my attention fully focused on Angel and Cabir. Lord, what in the world is he mixing for her? "I think I'll be in quite a fix myself shortly." 

"What's Nandini doing at the bar?" Aahan asks, incredulity evident in his voice. "And that too with Cabir. Dude, you better step in before mass destruction occurs." 

"They don't seem to care much about me today." Cabir picks up a bottle of vodka. With all intentions to show off, he tosses it into the air and then catches it, the liquid pouring out of the bottle and into the glass. The quantity of liquid in the glass has my heartbeat speeding up. 

"Listen, Aahan." I say, throwing my arm over his shoulders. "Give me your best tip to handling a drunken lady. I will need it today." My friend chuckles. 

"Manik, there's no fixed plan. Why? Because every time these women get drunk, we are forced to face a different persona. Sometimes Eva wants to go and watch a movie. At times she becomes an angry young woman. I've even seen her become a desire-fuelled goddess when drunk. I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's really no fixed scenario to look forward to." 

"No, what you're trying to say is, I'm fucked." I say, mentally planning a hundred ways to murder Cabir. 

"Absolutely! You've got it, Manik." A thud draws our attention towards the stage. Eva is now lying in the middle of the raised platform, a mess of champagne surrounding her. "Duty calls." Without wasting another second, Aahan hurriedly rushes towards the stage to help his girlfriend. I used to laugh at this man in the past, but now I highly regret my actions. Lord, don't let karma act as a bitch for me.

"Cheers!" Cabir yells, drawing my attention back towards the bar. Angel and my friend who won't survive for much longer, clink glasses, before she brings the dreaded drink to her lips and takes a long swig. Please hate it. Please hate it, I pray. Alas, the smile on Angel's face has my hopes shattering around me. Fuck. 

Cabir's eyes land on me, an ear to ear grin spread across his face. My palm is itching to smack the triumphant grin off his face.

"She likes it!" He yells, wiggling his eyebrows at me. "Come, let me make you one as well." 

"Bastard," I mumble, marching towards the bar. By the time I reach it, Angel has already emptied the contents of her glass. Cabir's right, she was born to chug. 

"Make me another, Cabir." She says, holding her glass towards my friend.

"Angel, you've already had two. I suggest you stop, have something to eat, and then you can have another," I suggest. She shakes her head, smiling. 

"I'm honestly fine, Manik. Perhaps I've got high tolerance," Angel says. I stare at her unsurely. She does look fine. But it is her first time drinking, and that's mainly why I don't want her to consume ten glasses in a go. 

"Let's not push it." I say, glancing around for the buffet table. "Come, let's get..." I trail off, as I turn back around to find Cabir handing Angel another glass filled with booze. Smiling, I wrap my arm around Cabir's neck, pulling him closer to my side.

"You know, friend, I've found out that I'm apparently well capable of predicting the future." I whisper through gritted teeth into Cabir's ear. 

"Oh, really?" He asks, looking at me through the corner of his eyes. 

"And I've received a revelation regarding your future. Would you like to find out what it is?" I ask.