Animal Instincts [#ShortStory]

Yet, those same men act as guardians for their own sisters and daughters. Maybe, because they understand their own animal instincts better.

“My head was throbbing with pain. How did I make this mistake?”

3 months earlier, Sophy had joined a reputed school in the capital city. She had been so happy, living on her own, new friends, new place and a good salary. And there she had met Sushant. Young, lively, energetic and passionate about his work. She was so impressed by his personality that he was all she could think about. A cup of coffee with him during the break was what would carry her through the whole day.

This had then become a ritual, every few days. She used to wait for those evenings. Slowly, she had started falling for him. She knew he was married and had a kid. But, when she had asked him about his wife, he had said that they were not on good terms. Since that day, feelings had been more mutual.

They had progressed from coffee shops to sipping alcohol together at her apartment. And, then once in the heat of the moment with alcohol to blame, they had physical relations as well. Kissing and hugging had become a norm. A few days before, they had gone for a staycation, on the pretext of a teacher’s training.

She never realised all this was just a bluff. That, all he had wanted was just sex. And, yet she had made herself available as the other woman.

A few days before, when she had asked him about ‘her status’ in his life, he had been so casual that he would never leave his wife, that they could just be lovers like this. All his care for his wife, with whom he had claimed sore relations had come forth, and as if out of a bloom, he had realised that he had a son as well.

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The mirror she had been holding had shattered all her dreams, and she was back in the big bad real world, where she had become the other woman, who would always be blamed, by his wife who knew nothing. And just like lies to her, he would convince his wife somehow, if ever found out.

Now, she understood the skewed society, where sex was what drove all the dynamics, yet sex was a hush hush thing behind the closed doors, in the mobile phones, in the cinema halls.

Women like her who would consider sex as love, and men like him who would have sex for pleasure.

NO, She decided. She would not let this happen anymore, at least not with her and with the woman whom she had wronged unknowingly.

With this decision, her throbbing eased. She unfriended him on Facebook, blocked him from all conversations and typed her resignation letter. For the first time tonight, she felt a relief and could sleep properly.

Over the next few weeks, she said her goodbyes to the colleagues, but still, something troubled her. Finally, she got the courage and befriended his wife on Facebook, and told her all what had happened in the last few months. A weight was lifted off her mind, and she finally felt relieved.

Tomorrow, she was going back to her hometown. She had got a teaching appointment in a small school there. The salary was not big enough to buy luxuries, but respectable enough to lead her life.

She had always thought extramarital affairs did not happen among the middle class. Yet, she had misjudged her own actions and her colleagues. She had known from day 1 that he was married, yet she believed his lie. Sushant was too uncomfortable even at the thought of his leaving his wife, in fact, they had seemed happy and in love. Yet, he had erred. She would never understand why? Maybe the skewed Man logic, because Men are always like that. For many of them sex is just another pleasure, and to them, it does not matter whom they get it from. Yet, those same men act as guardians for their own sisters and daughters. Maybe, because they understand their own animal instincts better.

With this emotional baggage, she boarded her train, to start her life anew.

Image source: pixabay

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