"Where were you last Sunday?"
"What? Last Sunday? I... I don't remember," Mahek replied.
I narrowed my eyes at her. She didn't remember? How can she not know where she was just a few days ago? I stepped a bit closer and asked again. She gave me a confused look and I challenged her to speak up the truth.
Shree glanced between us and tilted his head at her when she couldn't answer me. Her face paled for a second and I smirked. I just had to pressurize her a little bit more and she would speak up the truth herself.
"Tell me, Mahek Rathi. Where were you?" I stressed my words.
Surbhi asked my why I was investigating Mahek like she had committed a crime. I told her to wait and she furrowed her eyebrows. Others also waited in anticipation for Mahek's answer but she wasn't speaking a word.
"What happened, baby?" Shree asked and Mahek put her head down, trying to avoid everyone's gaze. Feeling guilty now? She should have thought about it before cheating on him.
"Your baby wasn't with you, right?" I asked Shree and he nodded his head.
"So tell us Mahek where you were and what exactly you were doing. Or do you want me to do it for you?" I whispered the last sentence so that only she could hear it. I started describing her appearance that day but stopped mid way to check her reaction.
She flinched a bit but I saw a change of expressions on her face even if she hid it under her hair. She glanced up at me and gave me a cynical smile.
"You want to know where I was?" she asked in a low voice. I nodded my head but I saw Shree pull her closer to him. She was trembling. She moved her hair behind her ear and looked at me with tearful eyes.
What the fuck?!
Did she had an invisible bottle of glycerine hid in her hair or what? How did she manage to cry in mere seconds. She turned towards Shree and grabbed his hands. Her lips quivered as she forced the words out of her mouth. I was shocked.
"Baby... please don't hate me." She broke down crying and Shree supported her. He looked at me in accusation and I just stared at Mahek flabbergasted.
Was she playing the sympathy card here? But wait. Was she finally going to speak the truth now? Just do it already. Why was she taking so much footage?
The scene infront of me looked like something directly out of a soap opera. She was the damsel in distress who was being falsely accused by a vamp, which in this case was me. Her hero was holding her tight against his chest while caressing her hair. Others looked upon like an audience waiting for the climax.
"Baby... I am sorry," Mahek cried.
Oh, what the hell? Just say it already! My patience was running thin now.
"I was- I was... last Sunday... I lied to you. I didn't want to but I had to. For-forgive me."
Yes!
"I lied to you that I was going to visit my cousin but I actually went..." She stopped to take deep breaths.
Went behind your back and cheated on you. Come on, you are almost there.
"I went to visit my grandmother."
Say what?!
"She is really sick and is counting her last days. I didn't tell you because I knew, you will get worried and I didn't want to see my baby sad." She burst out crying loudly and acted like she couldn't control her sobs. Everyone looked at her with pitiful eyes and Divya even began to console her.
Shree pulled her more close-if that was even possible-and glared at me. What the hell man? She was lying! Why couldn't anyone see through her facade? Guess, no one watched TV serials these days.
"Why are you lying? You were at the ho-"
"Enough!" Shree cut me off.
"Shree, she is fooling you. Look at her. Those are not real tears," I complained and pointed my finger at Mahek.
Shree gave me a death glare and I took a step back. He looked like he would murder me right here if I said one more word against his girlfriend. Surbhi came beside me and pulled my arm.
"What the fuck are you doing? Is this some sort of prank? If it is then it isn't going well and if you won't stop now, it won't end well for you too," she whispered in my ears.
I stared at the couple infront of me and realised that I had made a big mistake. I should have confronted her when she was alone. Right now, she had everyone by her side with her excellent performance. Man, I thought I was the only best actress.
"I don't know what you were planning Sandhya, but I won't forgive you if you make her cry again," Shree warned.
Okay, that hurt. He was acting really overprotective of her. I glanced at Mahek who had stopped crying and was now looking fine. Her makeup was ruined but she still managed to look like she just came out of a salon.
"You heard me?" Shree asked in a sharp tone and I nodded my head without looking at him.
He took Mahek with him and others started murmuring. Tanya grabbed my arm and took me to a corner while other girls followed. Yay! I just earned myself a lecture. Way to go.
Tanya left my arm and stood in front of me like a pissed parent. I was feeling so small in front of her. Other girls surrounded me and now it was my turn to get investigated. Damn. Why doesn't Karma just take a break?
"Speak up," Tanya commanded.
I pursed my lips. I didn't want to go through this interrogation. I wasn't the one at fault here. Surbhi nudged me with her elbow but I ignored her. The pressure was increasing and I might blurt out something nonsensical. Should I tell them the truth about Mahek? Would they believe me? They would.
"I saw Mahek at a hotel which is actually owned by Ved's father. Rajeev took me there for a treat after I helped him in the gym last Sunday. Ved came along too and also brought his pet mouse Terry along with him. That mouse! He is a walking terror I tell you. He is so tiny but oh sorry, lost the track. We ate the lunch which was actually not lunch since it was 5pm but whatever. I saw Mahek entering the hotel with a guy much older than us and I went to search for her. I saw her in a private room with that old guy and they were kissing. Okay, so I saw them but ran back when I couldn't stand there any longer. Hence, Mahek is cheating on Shree."
I said in one breath and everyone looked at me like I just spoke in some alien language. Tanya raised her eyebrows in surprise and Surbhi rubbed her temples. She punched me on the arm and asked me why I didn't tell her that earlier.
I forgot. Yeah. I know I was that dumb. When I saw Mahek just now, I couldn't control myself and asked her. In front of everyone. Okay, I understand. Bad move.
"You forgot, didn't you? You dumbo." Surbhi pinched my right cheek and I pouted.
"Did you record it?" Rashi asked.
I let out a huge sigh and they understood I didn't. Divya scolded me for my foolishness and I couldn't help but agree with her. Surbhi and Rashi began discussing about why Mahek would cheat on Shree. What was the real reason for her to do so? Shree loved her so much that I couldn't put it into words.
"Are you sure you saw Mahek and no one else who might look like her?" Tanya asked.
"I am 100% sure," I said confidently.
"But that's not enough. We don't have the proof. And as much unfair as it may seem, we can't just blame her for something so low if we don't have a solid proof."
I stomped my foot in frustration and scratched my chin. I could swear on my life that it was Mahek only whom I saw that day. I knew it because I saw her. Others didn't. And I had no evidence to show also. I kicked myself mentally.
I replayed the earlier incident in my mind and couldn't stop myself from laughing. Others looked at me like I had finally lost it. The way Shree acted was damn scary but it was hilarious too. I had never seen him so furious before. I should compliment myself for achieving that.
"What's gotten into you now?" Divya asked but she couldn't stop herself from laughing too. Soon, the others also joined and no one knew what we were laughing about except me.
"Atleast tell us the joke, dude," Rashi said in between her laughs.
"You saw how Shree reacted when I accused his 'Baby'?" I asked.
"Yup. He looked like he would rip off your head."
"Yeah that too but he looked funny, yaar (buddy). It was like he was playing a role of an obsessed lover who wouldn't let anyone or anything hurt his woman. To be honest, he seemed like a caveman."
"Caveman?"
"Yeah, and now I just can't throw the picture out of my head."
"You are nuts, Sandhya," Surbhi commented and we almost died laughing at my lame joke.
But seriously, Shree could act all intimidating but he was still a clown to me. A happy go lucky, carefree, 100 watt lightbulb smiling clown, who I think never had a sad day in his life. I would prefer for him to stay like that.
We all calmed down after our laugh marathon and checked that it was time to leave for our homes. Tanya adviced me to not get myself in trouble while Surbhi warned me about the same. Divya told me to be wary of Mahek. That girl was capable of a lot of things and I wouldn't like to be in her bad books.
Everyone left to get their vehicles and I decided to drink one more cup of tea before leaving. Now that I was alone, I could work on my plan. I swirled the tea in the cup and watched the liquid rise up like a whirlpool and settle down afterwards. My mind was shifting gears as it came up with various plans to tackle the situation. Some of them were damn hilarious.
I laughed evilly and the tea seller looked at me like I was insane. Don't worry bhaiyya, this insane person was going to reveal the truth very soon and then we can discuss about how you should give me extra chai since I was your regular customer and may I add, the best one?