That Same Old Love (A Second Chance Romance) (India) (Match Made in Hell series Book 1)

by MV Kasi

  Sidhu sighed. "I just hope you know what you are doing, Samrat. Anyway, I need to go check on a few things. Call me if you need anything."

  He felt a little annoyed that Sidhu could be so mature and level headed even after seeing Mahi. Even though she had broken his heart callously, Sidhu still felt the duty to be fair and respectable towards her.

  CHAPTER 20

  Mahi felt humiliated about what Samrat had done and didn't want to stay at the party anymore. She was about to turn and leave.

  Maybe it was a bad idea to come, even if she had wanted to apologize. She was getting to that part with Sidhu, until Samrat interrupted her.

  She sighed and was heading towards the exit.

  "Oh hi, Mahi. Didn't think we'd find you here. What a...surprise. Remember me? I'm Disha."

  Mahi vaguely recognized that the woman in front of her was one of her juniors and also Ananya's friend. Mahi had barely interacted with any of her juniors in a friendly manner. She had only teased some of them mercilessly in their first year. Later on, in the second year, she left them alone, except for Ananya.

  Disha didn't look thrilled to see her either and barely cracked a smile.

  "Well, I was about to leave. I just realized I had something due tomorrow," said Mahi.

  Disha smiled, although it didn't reach her eyes. "Oh come on. Tomorrow is a Sunday. Whatever work you have can wait. Come with me and meet our college group. They can't wait to see you again. Sort of a reunion, no?"

  Mahi had a gut feel that it wouldn't end well. But she was never the kind to turn tail and run away from a challenge. And besides, she was here to mend fences and apologize to Ananya and Sidhu. She couldn't do that with Sidhu, so she had to try it with Ananya.

  Mahi followed Disha who stopped at one of the tables with six other women who were already seated there, and one of them was Ananya.

  "Look whom I found wandering in this party. She was just about to leave at this early hour. Imagine that!" Disha announced to the table.

  Mahi didn't recognize most of them, but then she hadn't exactly been the friendly kind, or even registered people's existence, unless they had mattered to her or if they were unfortunate enough to be in her radar as someone to mess with.

  Soon introductions were made. There was one woman named Vani, who hadn't been from their college and she was one of the junior's cousins.

  Ananya was about to get up, saying that she had to check on Srishti.

  "Come on Anu. Srishti and her friends are preparing to get ready for their performance. We still have thirty more minutes, until the show begins. Let the kids have fun getting ready without our intrusion." Disha suggested. Then she looked at Mahi. "Oh I think the performance is going to be G-rated for sure. Thank god for that, considering we are in the cell phone videos and social media era."

  Vani looked confused. "What do you mean?"

  "Oh Mahi and her friends had performed during one of our annual day functions. Let's just say the guests were...entertained well," said Trupti in a tone that meant they were anything, but entertained.

  Mahi still remembered that day. Their college staff was pretty conservative and had some very strict dress codes back then. They wanted all the college function performances to be done only in Indian wear. Mahi and her five close friends decided to perform a popular upbeat 'item' song that needed a ton of practice and approvals. On the day of performance, right after Ananya and her group finished their synchronized classical dance; it was Mahi and her group's turn.

  To say people were speechless or shocked was an understatement. Mahi and her group were dressed in the most minuscule blouse that was barely a strip of cloth and wore a long ankle length lehanga baring the midriff with nothing else in between. There was absolute silence during their performance, followed by wild cheers from the boys of their college.

  Their university deans and professors were left red faced. They suspended Mahi and her notorious 'gang' for almost two weeks. At that time, even though her mother showed her hell at home, Mahi felt it was worth the suspension. Her stuffy professors never made eye contact since then, and stopped preaching about evils of dressing in 'western clothes'.

  Mahi missed her friends like crazy and wished there was some way to connect back with them. She couldn't ask Sidhu for their details because he wouldn't want to fondly reminisce and then give her their contacts. And Samrat had been mostly a loner back in college, and had only a handful of equally nerdy friends, who barely moved in her circle. Mahi had been snooping into social media and left some messages to some of her friends, but none of them answered back yet.

  Disha was watching Mahi. "You know if one were the kind to judge, you would be considered a bad influence on a girl as young as thirteen, don't you think? But since we are all enlightened women of the current century...maybe we won't judge you based on what you did back when you were nineteen. Or should we?"

  Trupti chimed in immediately and Mahi felt their entire conversation was orchestrated.

  "Oh but then, it wasn't just at nineteen right?" Trupti looked at Vani. "You have a thirteen year old too, right Vani? Would you let your daughter meet and be friendly with a woman, who was with...say...I don't know, maybe more than three men that we know of?" Trupti looked at Mahi. "I think there were at least three, right? The college boyfriend, then the husband, then the man with whom there was an extra marital affair, and then I think there is a work in progress with a kind neighbor."

  Vani looked uncomfortable. "I don't know..."

  Anita looked at Vani. "Oh come on. You would still give that woman a benefit of doubt, and allow your adolescent child to engage with her in anyway? Hmm...pretty big minded of you. Okay, what if the woman did personal harm to the child's mother?" Then looking at Mahi, "Humiliated her countless times on dressing, walking, talking and all other things? Made her forcibly eat lunch in the bathrooms? Almost poisoned the child's mother's food and later spread rumors that the mother was pregnant by a forty year old neighbor? "

  Vani looked shocked. "What?"

  Disha joined in, and was staring at Mahi, making it obvious. "And what if that woman was once in a relationship with the said thirteen year old girl's father and later cruelly dumped him for greener pastures? It wasn't the girl's father's fault. His love was pretty blind and he had no guide dog to drag him away from the bitch he was in love with. But anyway, would you allow your husband's ex-girlfriend to start a strange relationship with your daughter?"

  "No way!" said Vani.

  "And what would you do and say to the woman, if she shamelessly turned up to one of your family events by brainwashing your daughter for an invitation?" asked Trupti.

  "Have my husband kick her out from there, making it obvious to her that her games won't work on him," Vani replied.

  "Good decision Vani. Very good decision. You heard her, Mahi. Now you can either leave on your own steam or we will have to wait until we find Sidhu to throw you out. But he might be busy mingling with the invited guests," Disha told Mahi coldly.

  Vani looked shocked.

  Mahi had been watching Ananya all the while, when her friends were tearing her apart and insulting her.

  "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I can't say it wasn't deliberate at that time, but all I can say is that I'm not the same person anymore," Mahi told Ananya.

  "Stop your drama Mahi. And while you are here, maybe we should ask you to stay away from Samrat too. He would never be interested in you. Maybe you think it's easy to trap him, but he is really interested in someone else for keeps. Someone more suited to him," said Anita.

  Mahi ignored her and continued to look at Ananya. "I haven't deliberately sought out Srishti and would never harm her or let anyone harm her," Mahi told Ananya softly.

  Ananya felt uneasy in her stomach, as though whatever was happening was wrong. She even felt sorry for Mahi, but she held back. She knew that her friends would rip Mahi apart and drive home the message to stay away from her family, but Mahi had been so quiet all the time. The old M
ahi would have turned aggressive and challenged them, or even mocked them. She would never have apologized.

  "Wow. Really Oscar worthy. And you haven't really commented on leaving Samrat alone," said Disha. She looked at Preethi. "Don't worry Preethu; Samrat would never go for trash and he loves talking to Varun."

  "Disha...Samrat and I are not together. We have just met a few times in some parties, that's all. And Varun is pretty friendly with everyone," said Preethi uncomfortably.

  "Oh come on. Anyone with eyes can see that you both are meant for each other. Anu likes you too and so do her parents. Who wouldn't? You are beautiful and successful, and not a washed up or a used up immoral person who involves children in her schemes. I can confidently say that Samrat and Mahi are a match made in hell. In fact Mahi would be the most unlikely bride in the entire India," said Disha.

  Everyone was quiet at that statement.

  "Oh...Sidhu, Samrat and Anu's parents are heading our way. Mahi seriously, we would rather avoid a scene in the party. So please get out of here, right now," said Trupti.

  Having heard enough, Mahi got up, "I'm really sorry about what I did Ananya, and the only reason I've come here was to apologize. I know it's difficult to forget, but please try and forgive me," she told Ananya, when something crashed into her.

  It was a tray that held drinks. Mahi's cream colored dress was covered with red wine, some rose scented drinks and lots of other drinks that were luckily all cold. The front of her dress was wet and almost clinging to her transparently.

  The server looked distraught and was picking up the glasses quickly. He also wondered why one of the guests signaled him to their table and then pushed the tray on another guest.

  Anita told him it was okay, and asked him to go away to continue serving drinks to other guests.

  "Oh no. Look what happened. Now Mahi has to leave. How sad," said Anita.

  Preethi got up immediately with a napkin to offer Mahi, but Anita dragged her down. "Leave it Preethu. She's not worth helping."

  No one else from the table moved or offered to help.

  Meantime Sidhu rushed to Mahi's side. "Mahi! Are you okay?" he asked and grabbed a few napkins from the table, offering it to her.

  Ananya's face crumpled seeing Sidhu offering help. And everyone around the table looked equally shocked at the display.

  "I'm...fine, Sidhu. It was just an accident. I wasn't watching where I was going, that's all," Mahi told him.

  She was trying to pull her dress from sticking to her skin and it was a losing battle.

  Sidhu offered the decorative duppatta around his neck. "Here Mahi, take this."

  The duppatta was too narrow to use it as a cover. "No, it's okay. I need to get going anyway. I received a call from...from..work. Something urgent has come up."

  Ananya's mother joined them and offered her shawl. "Here, you can use this. Mahi? Your name sounds familiar."

  "Oh she was your neighbor, aunty. Don't you remember? The same girl who had falsely accused Samrat of cheating during our college," Disha informed her, feeling outraged on behalf of Ananya, for the attention Mahi was receiving from Ananya's husband and parents.

  Ananya's mother was quiet as she assessed Mahi and told her softly. "Oh, I remember you now. How have you been? Convey my regards to your parents. And Mahi...it's okay to get stains on the shawl. I have another one that's exactly the same," she said and smiled gently at Mahi.

  Mahi felt humbled by the woman in front of her whom she had inadvertently caused much grief. "Thank You."

  "Did you drive here Mahi?" Sidhu asked her, remembering that she never drove during their college days. He usually drove her and their friends around.

  "No. But I'll call a taxi service. They are pretty efficient. You all should go or you might keep Srishti waiting for her performance," said Mahi.

  "There is no need for a taxi. We have several drivers available. I can ask one of them to drop you home. Let me find one," Sidhu offered.

  Samrat intervened. "Sidhu, you should all go now. I can find a driver to take Mahi home. I'll join everyone in a few minutes."

  Sidhu nodded and led the group at the table back into the main hall.

  CHAPTER 21

  Samrat and Mahi began to walk towards the parking lot. When they were far enough, Samrat looked at her.

  "What did you say to my sister? Why did she look so hurt? I remember specifically ordering you to behave" he growled at her.

  His tone pissed her. "I'm not a dog for you to order me to behave! Besides, I didn't say anything except to apologize, and to tell her that I haven't deliberately sought out Srishti's friendship. So lay off me. I've been attacked and warned enough for tonight!"

  Something about her tone must have made Samrat not want to push her more. He began to walk faster, forcing her to run behind him to keep up.

  When they were only a few minutes away, she tripped over something in the grass and landed on her bottom. "Great. Just a very great ending to an even greater evening," she muttered.

  When she tried getting up, a shooting pain made her right ankle throb like hell.

  Samrat stopped and looked back. He saw her sitting on the ground.

  "What happened?" he asked her impatiently.

  "I'm trying to see if this grass is as comfortable and plush as it looks," she snapped out at him. "What do you think happened? I tripped and fell down." She grimaced at the rapidly increasing pain. "I think my ankle has twisted."

  Samrat looked skeptical, and slowly approached her, but made no effort to reach down for her. “Hmm really...Which leg?”

  She glared at his tone. “Does it matter?”

  He knelt down next to her, to see her ankles clearly.

  “Which ankle? This one?” He touched her rapidly swelling ankle.

  “Ow!” She yelped in pain. “What the hell are you trying to do...Ouch! That hurts like hell! Get your freaking hands away from me, you sadist!” she shouted at him.

  He sighed loudly. "Okay, looks like you are not lying. You are really hurt."

  "Thanks Einstein, for the deduction and believing me," she hissed out.

  He sighed again. "I'm going to lend my hand. Use me for support."

  She nodded grudgingly and slowly stood up with the help of his hand.

  Oh great. I'm in shitload of pain and having one of the worst nights ever, but somehow I can still notice how big and strong his hands are, she thought resentfully.

  Holding her shoes in one hand, she somehow managed to hobble to a SUV and sat in the back seat, when Samrat opened the door for her. He pressed a button to flatten the front seat completely, making it a makeshift foot rest of some sort. He placed her legs on it gently.

  "Oh wow! I've never seen anything like this," she said, forgetting her pain momentarily.

  It was some sort of a luxury car, and the controls and the interiors looked like something out of a James Bond movie.

  Samrat slid into the driver's seat. "It's an electric and solar powered car with a lot of self-driving features added to it. And it's mine while I beta test it."

  She was surprised. "Wait. You're leaving Srishti's birthday party?"

  "Looks like I have to for a while."

  She was annoyed by the implication. "You don't have to. I already told you and everyone else. I can take a cab."

  "Really? Will the cab driver or some random driver help you hop inside your house?"

  She kept quiet at that. He had a point. Better the devil you know than some stranger to help her into house while she was helpless.

  Samrat chose a setting that had his address pre-loaded and the car began to drive by itself. He still kept his eyes on the road.

  Her ankle was painful, and she wanted to distract herself. "Why do you own or drive just SUVs? It's kind of weird driving them in Hyderabad with all the traffic and parking issues. I would assume you are rich enough to afford some Ferrari, or an Aston Martin, or something super expensive."

  He looked back at her briefly, checking her
feet. "I'm six feet and three inches tall. I prefer bigger cars, especially ones that are not stuck to the ground. I don't care how expensive a car is as long as it's functional and safe."

  The ride got bumpy when they hit some unavoidable potholes.

  "Ow Ow Ow. God I hate these roads! You should come up with some hybrid flying cars soon."

  "Sure. I'll start on that right away. Just in case you decide to sprain your ankle by wearing those ridiculous high heels again."

  She was annoyed, since he was partially right. But she had always been a little conscious of her height. And during her marriage, Dinesh wanted her to wear only flat shoes. Heels were not allowed because they would make her almost as tall as him. So after she left him, she always made sure she could wear heels whenever she wanted. Which was most of the time.

  "Oh shut up and drive, or navigate...or whatever it is you are doing. Drop me off soon at my place and rush back. Your fans are eagerly waiting for you. I've seen your next hand-picked bride. A sweet and gentle thing. Just the way you would prefer. But then arrogant bullies like you are always drawn towards that kind. Easier to bully them I suppose," she said irritably, remembering the pretty and kind Preethi, who was approved by his family and friends.

  Then immediately she felt like an ungrateful bitch. "Sorry...I didn't mean that. I...uh...just have an extremely low threshold to physical pain, and right now you are the only one in the vicinity I can vent it out on."

  He was quiet for a few seconds and then, "There won't be another wife for me, hand-picked or otherwise. My wife died five years ago and I promised myself to never marry again."

  She was surprised at his statement. "Hmm. Very few men can say that in this day and age. It either shows your capacity to love someone that deeply...or just your arrogant stubbornness towards a promise you might have made when you were in mourning."

  He didn't reply.

  After a couple of minutes, he stopped near a hospital where Mahi got her ankle examined. It turned out to be a light sprain and her ankle was wrapped up tightly and she was asked to take some pain medications to dull the throbbing pain. The hospital visit was surprisingly very quick since Samrat 'knew' someone at the hospital.