Part - 2

"There Is Nothing On This Earth More to Be Prized Than True Friendship" Thomas Aquinas

(Karthik's POV)

(Next morning)

God! After taking shower also I still feel sleepy. I want to lazily lounge on bed all day. I'm too tired to face my circus clan, that's my family. When I became this lazy? Well, when you didn't have proper night sleep then feeling sleepy & lazy at the morning is quite reasonable.

"Karthik!" my friends, Sanjeev, Deepa, Ria, Rahul shrieks my name in unison. They all have occupied the breakfast table & it seems they all are on their round two or three eating hot parathas.

All monkeys eating as if they were starving for months. Even yesterday at wedding, they all stayed late & ate all the left overs but now fighting for parathas like Piranhas.

"You all do have houses of your own right?" I ask them with a sarcastic smile & pull a chair for myself to sit.

"Yes, we do" Deepa replies liking her finger.

"Then what the hell you are doing here?" I ask her back irately.

"Eating" Sanjeev says smartly. Duh! I can see that man.

"Why? You don't have food at your home?"

"We do but we don't get Radha aunty's hand made tasty parathas"

"Alright, you guys can stay here for a while & have dessert too" I tell them with a smile.

"Of course, we would love to" Ria bat her eyelashes.

"What special sweet?" Rahul asks expectantly.

"Mithra is making kheer" I smirk at them. Ah! This is what I want to see... all choking with the food in their mouths, spilling out water and eyes wide, panic setting on their faces. Nice!

"Karthik, I'm on diet, no sweets, no sugar, no calories" Deepa says hiding her terror.

"Me too" Ria joins her.

"Nothing doing! All four of you sit & eat her kheer & don't forget to appreciate it or else she will feel bad" I warn them.

"Karthik, we are not fantastic four to face such a tragedy. Please buddy, we are your friends so don't do this cruelty to us" Deepa begs me. Oh my poor friends! If you don't taste her kheer then from where I will bring people to taste her kheer & I'm sure as hell whoever tastes her food will only puke but no praises will come from their mouths, so you four are my goats ready to slaughter. I smirk evilly.

"If by any chance we survived after eating her kheer then we will say few lies to make your wife happy" Sanjeev grunts.

"Come on, Sanjeev, she won't be that bad. Last week also she tried a sweet... haan halwa... it came well nah?" I ask him.

"Oh yeah, it came so well so I gave it to the poster boy to stick posters on walls using her halwa as glue... that was total crap and you know that so you better not defend her cooking skills. God, I have never tasted such a disaster in my life." Sanjeev makes a face as his body slightly shivered thinking about the crappiest sweet she ever made.

Hmm, to be honest, I can't argue with what Sanjeev said. Mithra is one horrible cook. She better stays away from kitchen so that she won't burn the place down.

"Karthik, you don't worry, I will eat" Rahul says with full confidence.

"That's like my boy" I pat his shoulder.

"He didn't eat Mithra's halwa, that's why he is so confident." Sanjeev whispers to me making me chuckle.

"So cooking duty is also in your hand?" Deepa asks me with a smirk.

"I guess so" I know to cook... pretty well, I must add. I have learned to cook when I was staying alone in Singapore for the past two years so I guess I can manage. What more burdens will fall on my shoulders?

"Poor boy, all the responsibilities are over your shoulders" Ria sympathized for me.

"This is what we call as shaadi ki side effects!" Sanjeev says and chuckles earning a kick from me on his calf.

"What?" Sanjeev asks. I take a huge piece of paratha from Rahul's plate & stuff it in Sanjeev's mouth to shut him up.

"Hey, that's my paratha" Rahul protests.

"Gah!" I wanna bang my head on the wall. These people are so annoying.

"By the way, Karthik..." Deepa calls me in a sing song voice & I know whatever she is gonna ask me will neither be pleasant to hear nor to answer.

"What?" I bark at her.

"Why your eyes are red? You didn't sleep well huh?" Deepa asks.

"Yeah, Deeps." I say & yawn.

"Why? What happened last night?" she asks innocently.

"Don't be stupid, Deeps. What else would have happened other than ahem ahem..." Ria winks.

"Really, Karthik?" Deepa asks wide eyed.

"Shut up, Deeps" I chide her.

"Oh come on, don't be so coy, tell us what all happened last night" Deepa is such a pest.

"Nothing" I say bluntly.

"Nothing? Liar liar pants on fire" Deepa slaps my shoulder. Why these girls are so obsessed about sex?

"Tell nah, Karthik?" Ria pleads.

"Okay, our Karthik is feeling so shy, so leave him girls or else he will start blushing like a girl" Sanjeev teases me.

Blushing & me? Stupid boy!

"f**k off, Sanjeev" I glare at him murderously.

"So you won't tell us what you both did last night huh?" Deepa asks stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest. No way in hell in I'm gonna say what Mithra & I did last night.

"We were playing" Mithra says jumping in from nowhere.

"Playing?" Deepa & Ria squeals.

"Bed pe cricket huh?" Sanjeev winks at me. I turn to Rahul to see him busily hogging parathas like a pig. How much he will eat?

"No. not cricket..." Mithra starts but I cut her off saying "Mithra, where is your kheer? Is it ready? My friends are waiting eagerly to taste your kheer"

"Oh, it's almost done, Karthik, I will bring it in a minute" she turns & runs to the kitchen.

"So?" Sanjeev asks.

"What so?" I ask him back confused.

"How long you both played?"

"Four hours" I answer him

"Four hours? OMG! She looks small but she has quite a good stamina to put up with your pace"

"So how was sex for her?" Deepa asks.

"Shouldn't you be asking that question to her?" I ask & suddenly it hits me "no, don't ask her & embarrass her. She is so shy you know" she knows next to nothing about sex so please don't ask her about last night.

"Yeah... yeah... you are right. We won't ask her anything." Deepa agrees. I sigh in relief. If they probe these questions to Mithra then she will freak out & run screaming to the hills.

"Well, how many surfaces you both covered" Sanjeev asks. How shameless he is? & what the f**k he will get by knowing how many surfaces we covered?

"I mean you both did it only on bed or you covered the floor, cupboard, balcony, shower, bath tub, walls, couch, etcetera, etcetera..." so many areas to go huh? I should note it down. One day, when she is willingly ready to give herself to me, I will take her in all the available spaces.

"Only bed" I say softly.

"hmm... fine. First night... she is new to this so it's good that you didn't scare her with your libido" Sanjeev reasons to himself.

"So how was it for you to do with a virgin?" Sanjeev probes further. I just want to shout at him to go to hell. Why he is so interested in my sex life?

"Shut the f**k up, Sanjeev. One more question, I will strangle your neck" I growl at him.

"Chillax dude. Why tension? We are just curious to know."

"As if you don't know anything about sex?" I ask sarcastically.

"Yeah, we know but yours is different"

"How?"

"You are married. suhaag raat is obviously different from one night stand right?"

"Mithra... your kheer ready?" I shout. I can't take anymore of my friends' senseless banter so I wanna put a stop to it and kill them with her kheer.

"Yep! Its ready" she brings a tray with kheer cups & places one cup each in front of us.

Mom & dad too join the breakfast table too eager to have her kheer.

"Wait" Mithra stops everyone from tasting her kheer. It looks fine but taste?

"What?" I ask sweetly.

"I want my Karthik to taste first then you all can taste" she says to my friends & they all nod their heads enthusiastically. Bloody idiots are so joyous to see me in misery.

"I would love to taste first, baby" I smile at Mithra & she shyly smiles back.

"Hmm... very tasty... I like it" I appreciate her. Don't think I am giving fake compliments. It's a genuine appreciation. She has really done well. I'm surprised & also relieved at the thought that she can slowly learn cooking.

"You really like it?" she asks still doubt edging in her voice. Even she can't believe she's done it so well.

"Of course, it's perfect" I smile. She smiles happily & snatches my spoon from my hand & takes a spoon full of kheer from my cup & places it in her mouth & 'hmm's' appreciatively. See, i don't lie.

"Okay, now you all eat" Mithra permits them to eat.

"Okay, we all can taste now as it's tested in laboratory with our very own monkey & proved the kheer is not poisonous" Sanjeev comments & earns a hard smack on his head from Mithra. Serves you right for teasing my Mithra!

"How dare you call my Karthik a monkey? I wanted him to taste my kheer first, that's it. I wasn't testing it with him. Okay?" Mithra sometimes looks comical when she talks animatedly yet so cute & adorable. I want to pull her cheeks & kiss her soundly. Kiss?? Yeah, why not? She is my wife!

She is fighting with Sanjeev for referring me as monkey but she is not angry for saying her kheer is not poisonous. She is crazy, I tell you.

"Karthik, you both are ready to move to your new apartment by evening nah?" dad asks me.

"Yeah" I nod.

"All the necessary things are stored there right?" mom asks.

"Auntyji, we made all the arrangements perfectly, you don't worry." Sanjeev says. Yeah, for the past one week, my friends were decorating our new house. I have seen the apartment only once, it's a posh and cozy apartment with two bedrooms and other modern amenities installed. It's my dad's gift for our wedding. He chose the apartment as it's nearer to my new office. Ohh yeah I will be handling our business in Mumbai & I will monitor our Singapore company too from here.

"Mom, dad you really want us to move?" I ask my parents. This is their last chance to bail out. I don't know why they are pushing us out. I'm their only son & every parent will wish to have their child with them but here they are kicking me out. Is it to give us privacy as we are newly married couple or they want some privacy? Are they planning for a second honeymoon? Will I get a baby bro or baby sis soon? Lately my parents are getting too romantic & now they will have the whole mansion to explore. God! This is gross to even think.

"Karthik, I want you to handle all your responsibilities on your own" dad says. Why they are scaring me with the word 'responsibility'?

"Okay" I nod. I will take all the responsibilities in my hands & look after my new wife, make her happy, take care of new home, handle my business and sacrifice my fun jolly life.

--0--

"Mithra, you like your room?" I ask her. She is standing near the balcony lost in thought. Luckily my parents, her parents & my friends decided to leave soon & not to stay the night here in our new house. They even noticed two separate rooms arranged for us & when they worriedly asked about it I said it's just to give some privacy to Mithra & a peaceful atmosphere for her to study as I don't want to disturb her when she starts her college education & rest of the time she will be staying with me in my room. Well, first half is true & second half is a lie. She won't be staying in my room or sharing my bed anytime sooner. As I promised her, she will get to live her life as she wishes. I won't push her in any way. I will put her priorities over mine & I will always try hard to make her happy & keep her safe. Though my mother didn't look convinced with my lie she wisely didn't question it knowing she has no right to force me to force Mithra to accept this forceful marriage. She is like a butterfly who loves to fly freely & I don't want to crush her in this mess.

"Yes. It's beautiful. Fully painted in my favorite color pink, soft toys everywhere, my study table, everything is perfect. Did you decorate it?"

"I told my friends how you like your room to be & they decorated it. I'm glad you like it" I smile at her.

"It's kinda weird. Just the two of us leading a new life, new home... I really wish I could turn the clock & change everything back to normal. I just want us to be friends forever. I am scared this new relationship will break our friendship" that's really a scary thought. Will our new relationship put an end to our old friendship? No, I won't let that happen.

"Don't think too much & stress your little head. Go sleep" I tell her.

"You come with me" she invites.

"Nope"

"Why?"

"I have work tomorrow & I'm tired so I need my sleep"

"Please, I want to play with you" not again. I'm not gonna get fooled by her words. Didn't she use the same words yesterday? Her tone is also the same.

"Karthik?" she holds my hand stopping me from going away from her.

"What?" I ask.

"I want us to play" she says shyly. Why she is blushing? & what the hell she wants us to play? Did i hear her right?

"What?" I ask again.

"I want to play with you" she repeats. So I heard her right! She really wants to play but why this sudden change of heart? Is she ready to do it as she doesn't want her hot first night dream to go waste? Am I getting lucky? Hmm... Possible... my brat is getting naughty. I like it.

"Okay" I whisper huskily.

"hayeee" she squeals in excitement & hugs me. hmmm...she smells heavenly. I inhale her silky hair burying my nose in it. Suddenly she pushes me & runs. Hey! What's this? Catch & catch game? Well, I'm all set to hunt my prey. Then she jumps back to the bed with a board in her hand.

"Business game?" I frown. She nods excitedly & spreads the board on the bed & divides the coins & purchase cards. This is one shitty game which will take whole fucking night to play but still no one will get the result.

"Mithra, I think we should sleep. After all it's our wedding night & we both are really tired"

"No, I'm not tired. I just want to take my mind out of this marriage drama so let's play"

Oh my poor baby brat is so scared of this whole marriage thing. Okay let me put her mind in ease & make her forget everything by playing this damn boring business game.

"Okay, let's play. You start" Ladies first. So i let her roll the dice & soon we got so interested in the game. This game might be boring but no one has ever won me in this game. After all I'm a perfect businessman. I purchased almost all top cities Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Calcutta, Hyderabad, & few romantic places like Darjeeling, Ooty, Goa where I would like to take Mithra for honeymoon, hmm... I will take Mithra to Paris, London, Swiss or wherever she wants to go and there we can have fun. I made a mental note of our future honeymoon trip. Back to game, I bought Boathouse, Airport & my poor Mithra got few places with low rent like Nagpur, Amristar, Patna, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Railways, and Electricity board. What to do? this game needs luck and she doesn't get the number she needs but misses it & lands in jail most of the time & pays fine or skips a round to play and in that gap I take over more cities & built new houses & hotels there. Ah, this game is interesting and fun. I like it.

"What the hell?" I shout when Mithra disturbs the board & throws all the coins from the box to the ground. I should never play with this girl, when she is about to lose she disturbs the board be it carom or chess or any other game.

"I want to sleep" she declares & lies on the bed while I stare at her pissed. Four hours? Four hours I played this damn game with this stupid girl who thinks I am a fool & spoils everything in a minute when I was about to win. f**k me! if I play this game ever in my life.

Suddenly I notice something. A rose petal. On her exposed tummy as her silk top is rid up. The rose petal is seated on the right place covering her belly button. Could this sight be any more erotic & tempting? I slowly move my hand towards her stomach. Her stomach inflates when I touch it, it's so soft, so warm, and it feels so good to touch her.

"What are you doing, Karthik?" she breathes.

"I don't know" I whisper back.

"Karthik, take your hands off of me" Mithra's voice cracks. I take the rose petal from her belly & my eyes went wide seeing a gold ring on her belly button. When she did this? I didn't know? It looks great on her milky white skin. It's such a turn on. Absent mindedly I place the rose petal on my lips & start chewing it.

"You are eating rose petal, Karthik" Mithra says shocked.

"Never thought a rose petal could taste this sweeter, maybe that's because it was on top of your skin" I whisper huskily.

"Karthik, stop staring at me" she warns me

"I can't help staring at you. You are a fine sight. I love & enjoy what I'm seeing" I'm out of my senses.

"You are bad, Karthik"

"What?" I ask her tearing my eyes away from her stomach to her eyes.

"I'm your friend" she says with tear brimming eyes & sits up.

"I'm your husband" I remind her.

"I don't know all that. I'm your friend. You seeing me like that feel creepy" I felt like she slapped me. She will never accept the fact that I'm her husband & I have all the damn right to touch her or look at her or even do worse. But she is saying my seeing her makes her feel creepy! Gosh! Why I give her the power to hurt me? I swear I'll never touch or see her in a lustful way until & unless she begs me to do so.

"Okay...okay... I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I was just lost in the moment. It won't happen again. I will never disgrace you. I am sorry" I repeat my apologies again & again but she doesn't meet my eyes. Is she crying? I can't stand her tears. I will leave her to calm down. I climb out of bed & head straight to the bathroom & stand under the shower letting the cold water gush over my body. This is getting bad. We will never move on, will we? I'm gonna lose my friend, she is gonna hate me & all this is because of our damned marriage. f**k!

"Karthik, please" she brings me out of my reverie.

"Stop it, Mithra. Just go to your room & sleep" I am human too. I have needs & daily I can't take cold showers.

"Why you are so grumpy?"

"What's the use in playing any game with you? You never finish a game fully unless & until you win it"

"You never let me win" she pouts.

"You can't blame me for winning always" still I feel like a terrible looser.

"Okay fine. Good night" she says & stomps to her room.

"Good night" I whisper back.

After sometime I went to her to check on her. She is sleeping peacefully like a baby, her hair fanning all over the pillow, her hands hugging her favorite teddy Mr. Snow White. The AC cool is high so I adjust the temperature & cover her with the duvet. I don't know how long I'm standing in her room & watching at her sleeping form. Will she accuse me for staring her? To hell with her accusation! I have accepted this marriage right from the moment I placed sindoor on her forehead & tied the nuptial chain around her neck & took 7 pheras with her. She is my wife so I have the right to see her sleeping. "My sleeping beauty, I love you." I whisper to her & place a soft kiss on her forehead before heading back to my room to catch some sleep.

... To be continued!!

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