Recap:
There she went again rubbing salt on my wounds, her eyes were challenging me and I didn’t back out “what do I have to do?” I asked standing up that I towered over her, something told me this was going to be a night to remember.
*****
Her Perfect Imperfections – Part 2
I changed into black jeans and t-shirt, I remembered Neil always wore black during his bad boy days, we were going out and there were some series of challenges I had to do before she could certify me as “not a prude” Radhika came out in dark blue torn jeans, white t-shirt and a black leather jacket, her t-shirt had black bold letters spelling BAD GIRL and a red crown with two devilish horn hanging on the letter I, pretty specific choice of clothing. She had worn a little make-up, black eye liner and her lips were shimmering in pink, those pink lips literally took my breath away. Right then I realised I was attracted to her, it was obvious she was so different from me, had different thoughts about life, we were poles apart and that’s what attracted me to her, as the wise once said opposite attracts. “Ready to be bad Richie Rich?”
I smirked “I was born ready” My insides were turning in fear, didn’t know what she would make me do I just hope I won’t have to smash a car or something.
We got into my black SUV and she took the wheels, we passed by McGill’s new Ferrari and I recalled her ballistic episode. “why did smash McGill’s car that day?” I had to ask.
“He broke my friend’s heart so I broke his car” she answered so casually as if it was nothing, maybe this is what she meant by letting go.
“Fair enough, so where are we going?”
“To a club”
“A club?” I repeated and she nodded in return, I haven’t been to one of those since college time and that was on my graduation day when my friends forced me, I had never really figured out what was so thrilling about a crowd of drunkards and loud music, anyway since I was going I should at least try to enjoy it. I turned on the radio and some rap song was playing, Radhika seemed to be familiar with the song because she started swinging her head side to side rapping along, I waited till the chorus came and joined in on the only line I knew “Living young and wild and free”
Rest of the ride went by quickly, we sang along to every song that came on the radio and I didn’t have to worry about initiating conversation, her knowledge of music was quite vast. We reached a club called HEAVEN, I don’t think the big boss upstairs would appreciate that. Radhika walked up to the bouncer at the entrance and greeted him cheerfully like they knew each other from before, Cedric the bouncer looked at me suspiciously when I forwarded my hand to greet him “he is with me” Radhika told him and only then he smiled and let us in. The club was very full for a Wednesday but then again that was only my opinion because my guide didn’t seem bothered, we walked to the bar and again she greeted the female bartender with much familiarity, this must be her frequent club. “Julie this is Arjun and Arjun this is Julie” she introduced us and I smiled at the bartender “so what will you drink?”
“A coke, make it a diet one” Both Julie and Radhika looked at me as if I had insulted their families and I realised it was my choice of drink that made them react that way “okay, I guess I would have a beer”
“Nothing doing, we are going to have shots” Radhika said more like commanded.
I pulled her close and whispered in her ear “I can’t have shots” I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of her, last time I had shots was in Neil’s bachelor party and I woke wearing a tutu and three naked women on top of me so I wasn’t going to repeat that again, never again.
“Challenge number one, a bad boy must be able to hold down alcohol” She turned to Julie “four tequila shots please” I sighed defeated, she was the boss tonight. We gulped down two shots each, the liquid burned me all the way to my intestines I felt my eyes to water so I quickly sucked the lime to reduce the burning sensation from my mouth. Radhika smiled wide at me I guess my teacher was proud of me “Lets dance” She grabbed my hand pulling me to the dance floor, we passed through the crowd till we got a spot. I didn’t know what song was blasting from the speakers but looking around I didn’t think it mattered much. Everyone was dancing in pairs with the females winding their hips and the men touching their partners in all the inappreciate places, well at least it seemed inappropriate to me, I gulped hard thinking if I was supposed to do the same thing. Radhika threw her hands in the air as her legs moved rhythmically on the floor, she got some moves.
It started innocently until she wrapped her hands around my neck moving her hips sensually against mine, why does she love to test my patience. She then turned plastering her back to my front as her hips continued to torture my senses, now I know why Shakira said hips don’t lie. My hands went to her waist eventually and she seemed to like it as her hips picked up the pace, I wasn’t much of a dancer but enjoyed a lot in that dance floor, a little too much for my self control. I didn’t know if the song had ended I just kept moving trying my best to keep up with her moves. My phone vibrated in my jeans pocket so I leaned to her ear and screamed “I have to take a call”
She nodded still dancing “okay” and pecked my right cheek “hurry back” I grinned boyishly touching my cheek, I contemplated for a second but then decided to return the favor and pecked her right cheek, she didn’t seem to mind instead smiled at me. I walked backwards watching her dance until I couldn’t see her anymore.
I walked to the bathroom it was the only quiet place, it was Neil “what’s up bro?” I greeted cheerfully.
“You blo*dy idiot, what the f**k have you done?”
I was quiet for a moment thinking why he was so mad “hey, did you fight with Sam?” I joked but it was a bad move, bad move from my side.
Neil cursed like there was no tomorrow “you son of a…..”
“Neil language” I heard Sam over the phone, Neil and Sam were visiting Sam’s parents in Los Angeles.
I relaxed if Sam was with him then he was he won’t do anything stupid “what happened Neil?” this time my voice had lost the humor.
“I shoud ask you that don’t you think?”
“Seriously Neil am not getting what you are talking about?”
He huffed over the phone, he was very much irritated “meeting with Elite, does that ring a bell Dumbo?” Shit, I totally forgot to ask Anne how our rivals took it. “I wanted to cancel my trip but no, you promised to attend the meeting, you promised me that you will take care of it and what did you do? You cancelled the blo*dy meeting”
“Neil, am sorry, did they take it bad?”
“That’s a no brainer captain obvious” I sighed, Neil had done so much to make this meeting happen and I wasted his efforts, I was feeling like shit. “Now that bastard Anil is threatening to take the Ace Project and I swear if I lose that project am going to chop your ass and feed it to the wolves”
“Relax Neil, Anil doesn’t have the brains to win such a big project, we will get it, I will get it for you I promise”
“Oh, please don’t make promises you can’t keep” It was the first time I had let Neil down but I was going to make it up for it “by the way what earthquake made you cancel the meeting?” His tone had suspicion all over it.
“Radhika…” I laughed at the thought of her being an earthquake.
“A girl? You cancelled a meeting for a girl?” Neil asked as if it was the last thing he expected me to do “is she your mystery girl?” I could make out sarcasm when he said the last two words.
“What mystery girl?” I heard Sam ask.
“Yes Neil, Radhika is my mystery girl, I wanted to spend time with her so I took a day off”
“How did you find her?” I could tell he was now amused.
“Destiny Neil, destiny” I know I sounded cheesy but I wasn’t going to tell my over protective brother that she had stole my house keys the last time we met, if I knew Neil then he would take the next flight home to reprimand me.
“Whatever, just don’t get into trouble”
“I won’t, goodnight bro”
“And good morning to you too” he teased before ending the call. I sighed and walked back to the club.
I had taken a few steps from the men’s toilet when I was drawn a small crowd of five, four big guys were on one side and a girl on the other, they seem to be in a kind of an argument about something “oh, f**k you ass hole” I heard the girl’s voice, my shoulders slumped for I knew exactly whose voice that was, Radhika.
I walked up to them and stood behind Radhika “what’s going on?” The four men looked at me and sneered, they were big, mean and covered in tattoos, a perfect resemblance to the villains you see in action movies.
“now here comes the boyfriend” said the guy who was in the middle, I must say hearing him referring to me as her boyfriend made my heart jump, I felt good and more than good when she didn’t correct him. The guy was shorter than his friends and could give Cedric competition with his large biceps,“now listen doll, why don’t you take your pretty boyfriend and scram before I lose my cool” he gritted, his teeth were yellow like a freshly boiled corn, no dental hygiene at all.
Radhika scoffed and took a step closer to the guy who threatened her, she was unfazed “if you touch even a single hair on my head, then this guy here” She turned and pointed at me “is going to whoop your ass so bad that you will forget your name” What the hell was she trying to do? Picking a fight in my name? Oh, hell no.
The four guys looked at me and laughed and that didn’t sit well with her, she was going to grab the guy’s collar but I pulled her back “what do you think you are doing, I can’t fight them” I whispered in her ear.
“Challenge two, a bad boy must be able to fight” to hell with the challenges.
“Hey sissies, are we doing this or not?” said the short guy taking off his shirt that his flexed muscles could be clearly visible.
It was four of them against me, four against one, not a very good idea. To win a fight like that and against men of those sizes happens only in cinema or when you have taken special commando training which I haven’t, so I backed out “no, we are just leaving” I said to them and turned to Radhika “lets go Radhika” I told her holding her by the arm.
“Yeah run to your mummy and maybe she can lend you her tampons” Said one of the guy who was a little less muscular than the other guys and they all laughed.
She jerked my hand off her arm stepped closer to them “listen big guy am not scared of your few extra meat that eat everyday at McDonald’s” Did she just say he was a burger patty? She is good. “I alone is enough for you”
I was afraid the tough guys might be angry but instead they laughed making her all the more angry “of course your enough doll” said the shirtless guy leering at her “why don’t you ditch this dick head head here” he said looking at me “and come with us to my apartment” He grabbed her arm “make us feel you are enough woman for all of us”
“Get your hands off of her” I snapped, I didn’t know from where I suddenly got so much enraged seeing his grip on her, his lustful gaze on her made me want to gorge his eyes out, and to think I was the non violent one.
“and what will you do b*t*h?” He told me.
“who are you calling a b*t*h?” Radhika snapped, it was like when they misbehaved with her I got angry and when they insulted me she came to my rescue.
“not you sweetie” He told her licking his lips with that disgusting lustful gaze still on her.
Radhika’s nose flared “@£#@:?<!£$%^&” sorry for the language but I couldn't bring myself to repeat what she had said, all I wanted to say at that moment was somebody please bleach my ears. I wasn't alone in shock, the shirtless guy's grip loosened on her arm hearing what she told him, all expect her froze in utter shock.
Without a warning she kicked the shirtless guy in the crotch, he bent down groaning in pain, Ouch! that has got to hurt. She joined her hands and struck the guy in the head sending him down to the floor, one down three to go. She threw a punch to the next guy but he dodged, she tried to kick him with her left leg but the guy grabbed her foot, before he could make his moves she had her right foot to slide between his leg and the next thing I know the fat guy was doing a split on the floor, Shit! That is going to leave a mark, two down two to go. She was going for the third guy when I noticed the fourth coming from her back, attacking from the back? What a coward. Like a hero I stepped in between and punched his face sending him staggering back a few steps, it was the first time in my life I had punched someone and wow it felt so thrilling, I was so pumped up. In my victory mode I failed to notice that the guys on the floor had gotten up on their feet, I realised it too let when I took a punch to my face and God did it hurt. Fortunately Cedric and another bouncer came in and the fight had to stop with all of us being thrown out of the club.
We walked to my car, my head was hurting so bad I felt like a thousand hammers banging on my head, this is why I never get into fights. Cedric came to us and handed Radhika a tequila bottle “Thanks Ced” she told him gratefully Cedric nodded and left. “does it hurt bad?” Of course it hurt bad, I just took a punch to my face.
“I told you taking shots was a bad idea” I whined and she laughed. She unlocked the car and made me sit sideways with my feet resting on the curbside, she took a tissue and put it on my head just above my left eye and I hissed in my pain, it was bleeding where I have been punched.
She opened the tequila bottle and poured the liquid in the cap “this will stop the bleeding” she told me before pouring the alcohol on my wound.
“f**k” it stung.
She smiled “this is the first time am hearing you curse”
I rolled my eyes. The bleeding did stop but the pain was much worse, she told me to drink the tequila to reduce my pain and I followed her advice, I took a swig from the bottle and the burning sensation in my mouth made me forget the pain on my head so I took another swig and another till I felt numb. She got into the driver’s seat and started the engine “where are we going?” I asked closing the passenger door.
“Where there will be no fights” she answered and I smiled, Thanks God, no more fights. I turned the radio on and once again we sang along to our next destination.
We reached a place that looked like a bar called THE NIGHT SHIFT, what's with these names? There was a bouncer at the door but she didn't seem to be familiar with him, they just nodded at each other and we were let in. It was dark, there was a stage with poles in the middle of it but no loud music, there was a bar right in front of us and female waiters wearing corsets roamed around with trays, I could only see male customers and then it dawn on me, it was a strip club. “What are we doing here?”
“I want you to meet my friend Cherry” Cherry? What kind of parents names their kid Cherry.
“You are friends with a striper?” I sounded a little judgemental.
“Hey, medical school is expensive” she said defensively. So Cherry was a medical student.
“She is medical student?” I asked in awe.
“Cardiology major” She answered and looked around the place, I think she was looking for the so called Cherry. We went to look for Cherry in the dressing room, I must say surrounded by almost naked women made me uncomfortable, so I did what a man does in my situation, stare at my feet. “Hey Cherry” squealed Radhika.
“hi, Berry” I heard, Cherry and Berry, somebody shoot me. “Who is this hunk?” I think Cherry asked.
“My friend, Arjun” Just friends?
“Hi, Arjun” greeted Cherry and I had to raise my head to greet her. Cherry was tall and thin she looked more like a model than a medical student and even though she was wearing a red hair wig I could tell that she was Indian. She was wearing a black corset over black netted stocking and bold make-up but she was a beautiful young girl who didn't deserve to be there just because she needed money. “so what can I do for you?”
“do you have your special brownies?” Radhika asked.
“sure, how many do you want?”
“Just give me the whole packet” Radhika took out a twenty dollar bill and gave it to Cherry when she had brought a plastic bag filled with brownies, they chatted for a little bit and we left the place. We hadn't reached my SUV when she opened the plastic bag and took a brownie in her mouth “this is so f**king good” she groaned still chewing, I think she had what people nowadays call a foodgasm.
She offered me the brownies and I didn't refuse, if her friend was nearly as good as she was in cooking then those brownies were worth tasting, I took a bite and I was right, I think I heard angels singing in perfect harmony when I was chewing that chewy chocolate delight, foodgasm. “so where are we going now?” I asked when the engines roared to life.
“where life takes us” She smiled and I smiled back before taking another brownie, they were addicting.
This time I didn't care what song was playing on the radio I had given my undivided attention to the brownies, I had eaten a lot of them and when my mouth went dry I just took a sip from the tequila bottle and then sooth the burning feeling in my mouth with another brownie, life was good. I didn't know where she was taking us and I didn't ask, I trusted her. “these are amazing brownies” I told her pointing to the plastic bag in my hand.
“How many did you eat?” Only two brownies remained in the bag “Oh my God, you ate nine?” her voice had concern.
“Why what happened?”
“Arjun, those where special brownies” I didn't get what she was trying to tell me “special brownies…. As in they are mixed with something…. Something to make you high” She said the last word so softly that I almost missed it.
Mixed with something to make you high. Mixed with something to make you high, my mind kept repeating until I understood what she was saying. Oh My God indeed. “You mean… It has…” I hesitated and she nodded confirming my doubt. Oh My God again. I had only heard about it when I was in college, I remember my room mate used to have those, he even offered me once but I refused, I wanted myself away from anything illegal.
“you are supposed to have only two and you had nine” Radhika said worriedly taking me out of my reverie.
I panicked, I had four times the required amount, my heart was palpating or maybe it was the effect of the drugs. I have been taking those stupid brownies with tequila further adding into the concoction, what if I overdosed and die, I was so scared that I was close of having a panic attack. “why didn't you warn me?” I was mad at her for not giving me the heads up.
She shrugged “am hungry, aren't you? Lets go get something to eat” Okay, how do I respond to that?
I wasn't feeling hungry until we reached the BURGER JOINT, that was the name of the diner, creativity of the 21st century. Seeing all those posters of food made my stomach grumble and suddenly I was extremely hungry. I rushed into the diner, I don't know why Radhika was walking so slowly, wasn't she supposed to me hungry? My head felt light and all of sudden felt so energized, I felt euphoric. The guy who was going to take our order was a middle aged man in burger joint uniform and a balloon moustache, maybe they were trying to make the place kids friendly but I found it hell funny. “welcome to burger joint, may I take your order?” He said, as if the balloon moustache wasn't enough he was talking in slow motion, so slow that even a sloth would win if they were to compete, he was cracking me up and I was laughing my face off. The man glared at me when I laughed but I laughed more because when he got angry his balloon moustache would expand and retract simultaneously, I wish there were some kids to see this, he was too funny.
Radhika nudged me on the hand to stop laughing, I saw that she herself was trying hard to stifle a laugh and that made me laugh some more “cheese burger?” she asked me in slow motion too imitating the guy and that made me laugh so hard that I had to hold my stomach.
“Is he okay?” the burger joint guy asked Radhika and she nodded, his voice made me turn to him and I saw the most funniest thing in my life, he was making his eyebrows dance up and down and I burst into more fits of laughter, he does this and ask if I was okay? Too funny. Radhika placed the orders and she was telling something to the guy, I didn't exactly recall what they were talking about but it was hell hilarious, she can really crack jokes.
We got the food and sat at the back of the SUV eating washing down the food down with tequila, my throat was craving for something spicy and the tequila did the job and weird but this time the burning sensation didn't bother me much.
"You are really funny, you know that?" I told her.
She smiled "I know, but you didn't seem to enjoy my sense of humor this morning. What happened now?"
"I don't know, I just feel so happy, you know" I laughed, I found everything light and funny, I was really happy.
She took the bottle from me and sipped the alcohol"Why is that?"
I smiled "I think it's your company, you make me happy"
"Are you sure it's not the Brownies?" What did I say, she was too funny.
“am feeling hot, are you hot? Of course you are hot” I told her taking off my t-shirt, I felt my skin was burning, I was so irritated. There was a music store right next to the diner and we could hear light music coming from the store, there were playing the 80s my favourite era. The glass windows were covered with posters and I swear I saw MJ talking to me from the poster. At first I couldn't hear what he was saying so I moved closer MJ told me to dance and who was I to deny the King of pop.
“Cause this is thriller…. Thriller night… Na Na Na… Na Na Na…. Cause this is thriller… Thriller night… Ta Ram Ta Ram Na Na….” I sing sang dancing to MJ iconic moves, am sure Michael was proud of me because I saw him clap encouraging me more and I danced till I dropped, not really till Radhika pulled me to the car.
“do you know what will make this night more memorable?”
“what?”
“A tattoo… You should get a tattoo”
She was genius, a genius I tell you, otherwise who would have come up with such a fabulous idea “Y.E.S….Yes” I screamed and she drove us to a tattoo shop.
The place was quite big for a tattoo shop I thought, the setting resembled a doctor’s office with a waiting area and a reception, they had thought of everything. A tall thin guy wearing a blue jeans vest over light green t-shirt that matched the sofa in the waiting area came to us and greeted us friendly from the way he was talking to Radhika I figured they know each other from before, I really need to socialize more. We were brought inside to where two other guys awaited us, the guys were extremely happy to see Radhika, from what I could gather that was a place where the magic happens. “My friend here wants to get a tattoo” there she went again with the friends thing, Ugh!
“Where do you want it made?” asked one of the guy whose name I think was Chris, not sure.
I tapped on the left side of my chest “right here… I want the name Radhika and in bold” I wanted her name imprinted in my heart, the guys smiled and Chris drew the tattoo and surprisingly it didn't hurt.
*****
A/N
Thank you all was the warm welcome and amazing support. Keep the reviews coming.
Arjun's reaction after having the 'special' brownies is something I had witnessed long time ago when one of friends had accidentally taken something similar BUT this is solely for entertainment purposes, I don't encourage use, misuse or abuse of any drugs.
Thanks for reading.