The Time Leap

Sushant stretched in bed as the alarm beeped mercilessly in his ears. His head pounded and he groaned. The celebration was extravagant the previous night. It was his bachelor party.

The word itself gave him fresh set of headache and nausea.

He peeked through his half opened eyes and sighed in relief when he realized he had not brought in another woman for venting out his frustration. With the marriage on head and INPP cadets in move, it would have been a blunder.

Sushant was never a playboy material but since that Tara Chowdhury episode, he decided to change his attitude towards women.

Sleeping around didn't appeal to him.

But the day he won the entrance ticket to the assembly and lost his freedom, Sushant sworn to cultivate every such habit that would eventually hurt Tara.

Apparently the stupid girl's benevolence gave her father the idea that Sushant was his to be son in law and thus Sushant was showered upon with grace from the INPP end. The Chief Minister was already a Sushant shipper. And to make things worse, that rodent, Subhas Mittal, officially announced that Sushant Saxena was the blue eyed boy of the party who was soon to become Mr. Tara Chowdhury.

The last six years had been incidental for Sushant on all fonts, except one. Tara. That fated evening was the last time he saw her before she was tucked off to London to complete some stupid Mathematics course. Two electotal wins in chain, six best selling novels and three more national awards..... nothing could quench the burning fire of hatrayal that the girl kindled in his heart. Sushant loathed her for everything.... for her favours, for her lies and for not disturbing him ever again. That girl drove him semi mental.

After he realized there was no escape from the fake marriage, Sushant started fake dating only to insult women and throw them out from his life without even sparing a second glance. In his mind, everytime he shattered the self esteem of a girl, he punished Tara.To his troubled soul they all were but her and he started drawing a sadistic pleasure by tormenting the crazy fan girls who would flock around him like suicidal moths getting burnt in blazing fire.

It was not clear to him why Shyam Kumar Chowdhury never talked to him about his new found casanova image, but , one thing he knew for sure, Tara could have spared him the life sentence , if she wanted. That girl purposefully ruined his chance of being happy and single. What was she even thinking when she blurted out that nonsense!!!

And today he was going to get his revenge and trap that demoness who sealed his fate with her fake benevolence. He really wanted to know why she said such a lie that evening. But the girl simply disappeared since then. Not a call, not a letter, not even an email. What was she? Some Goddess bestowing divine grace on a lesser mortal like him?

True ,he gained a lot professionally from that one incidence but Sushant Saxena was the last person who believed in free favour. The girl definitely wanted something from from. The question remained, what was her motive!!!

The first year he believed she will get in touch once the rumours die. The next year, his wait turned to anger and he started persuing a reckless lifestyle, venting out frustration by being the fake casanova. And as his success soared, his sense of being favored rose more and more and he drank and gambled and plotted mentally for his future revenge.

Finally, the day was here.

Sushant sat up with a cruel smile.

Six years of waiting was about to end.

In a couple of hours he would be meeting that girl from his nightmare and he was determined to drive her psycho, just as she drove him mad.

**************************************

Tara adjusted her dupatta nervously.

She didn't know if she was ready for this big day.

When her dad sent her off to London, she was crestfallen. She wanted to explain herself to Sushant but considering the then media madness, lying low was an absolute necessity.

She was madly obsessed with Sushant and in her teenage mind, she had been his knight in the Shinning Armour at the hour of his need. She was sure the fake statement and the fake love declaration has secured her the love of her life.

But alas.... what a stupid girl she was.

Next fall when she returned from London, she was too happy with the idea of meeting Sushant.

As a naive girl, her idea of surprising him was a surprise visit. But who knew, she would be greeted by the greatest horror of her life!!!

She sneaked into his house and hid herself in the walk in closet to catch him off guard. God knows what made her think Sushant Saxena would be remotely interested in her... may be she thought that he would be grateful for her help. But, she was a stupid kid.

That day, Sushant brought a girl home, seduced her and then threw her out mercilessly saying WOMEN DESERVE NOTHING BETTER. But the most painful part came later when he drank till he got wasted and cursed his fake fiancee for making his existence miserable.

She sneaked out once he was wasted.

But Tara lost her hope that day.

Her act couldn't be reversed .... Sushant was already a sitting Rajyasabha MP and their marriage was a trump card for both her father and Sushant.

Tara never cared to return in the next 5 years. Her sister's destination wedding clashed with her thesis submission and she reached a day after Sushant had left the venue.

She was a changed woman and she knew how stupid she had been. But as a next generation politician and the Home Minister's daughter, she had no option for calling off the marriage. INPP had ensured fake "Sushantara" madness kept both their image afloat.

Luckily it was a court marriage followed by a small gathering. She was no more sure if Sushant would throw her out of his room like that unfortunate girl.

Nervously she checked herself before heading for the Marriage Registrar's Office.

Life was about to change and Tara shivered in anticipation....

What have I done.... what have I done.....