Yuhn Hota Toh Kya Hota- Rikara FF

Chapter 56

Rudra never imagined that the day would come when he would be the responsible one in a group. It was always his brothers, or in his friend circle, Chubby or someone else who would take care of him. But for some unfathomable reason, both Chubby and Soumya chose, yesterday night to 'lose control' as one of the other friends in his group put it. To think that in that group, it was Rudy alone who stayed totally sober, made sure everyone took a cab back home, and himself dropped Chubby and Soumya off; Rudra sighed, his brothers would never believe him. 

His phone buzzed, it was Soumya.

"Rudra, how much did I drink yesterday?" Soumya asked, without preamble

"Enough to announce to the pub, that the drinks are on the house because this is your break-up party." snorted Rudra

"Oh no! Don't tell me people over there took that seriously?" Soumya said anxiously

"You think a crowd of college-going people will refuse free drinks on a Saturday night pubbing? Don't worry, I took care of it." said Rudra

"Oh, no no, Rudy I must pay you back." said Soumya sounding anxious.

"Chhod na yaar (leave it friend). It was nothing, you are my friend, and have helped me out a lot. This was peanuts. Come to think of it, all those hours I've spent studying, I forgot to blow my pocket money. Shivaay bhaiyaa would have got a seizure to know I haven't spent, so its good that I spent it yesterday." said Rudy, making light of the situation.

Soumya trusted his genuine voice. 

"Thanks Rudra. Not just for paying and everything, but also for dropping me home. But...how bad was I last night?" asked Soumya apprehensively. 

"Oh you were fine, ranted about some research somewhere which proves women have better capacity than men, and then challenged some guys there to drinks, which eventually led to all of them getting almost passed out, where you were the last person standing, so the winner. Yay!" said Rudy matter-of-factly

Soumya groaned. "No wonder I have a splitting headache today morning, and my mouth feels like cactus." 

"Oh, its okay yaar, others were much worse, I had to literally haul the rest of them in shared cabs with the help of the bartenders there." said Rudy, almost laughing at the memory

"You what? You....made sure everyone reached home? Wait, with the help of bartenders, meaning you alone were sober?" asked Soumya, suddenly feeling more awake

"Well, yeah couldn't leave my friends there now, could I? I didn't drink yesterday. So, I just packed everyone into cabs, drove you and Chubby home myself. Thankfully both of you could still pretty much walk without help, since I wouldn't have been able to lift either." joked Rudy

"Ha, ha." said Soumya sarcastically. "Anyways, thanks again, but I better go now, and drink some lemon water, or take a dispirin." 

"Take care. I'll call up and check on Chubby now, bet his dad has gone beserk after yesterday night." Rudra laughed, as he disconnected the call.

Soumya was surprised but pleased with this new, responsible Rudra. Not that she felt, that he could never be like this, but before she had only seen this version of Rudra for his brothers and Annika didi, who he loved a lot. To see him act like an adult, taking care of everyone, was something that would take getting used to. Soumya smiled as she got up from the bed.

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Gauri was feeling really proud of herself. It was almost nightfall when she returned from her Sunday classes. She has been working double hard at her studies, ever since the play got over and she had her evenings and nights free. The book Omkara gifted was a great help to her and helped her progress to an advanced level of mathematics, beyond her class level.