An Overthinker

Day 2, part 2

As time flew by, Arjun couldn't focus on the remaining classes properly. At last, he decided to not give it much thought and tried to distract himself from Riya with the help of his imagination where a group of terrorists attacked their college and took them hostage. But Arjun with his hidden super skills and abilities beats them all without anyone seeing him. We boys know no limits when it comes to imagination.

After what felt like a century the long bell rang. As Arjun was slowly packing his books into his bag someone tapped on his shoulder.
Arjun looked above his shoulder. It was Raj.
"All okay, Bro?" - Raj asks.
"Yeah. I'm fine." - replied Arjun.
"Alright. I just thought you acted a bit weird today." - said Raj.
"Oh. It's nothing. I am fine." - said Arjun trying to cover up the obvious.

"Alright, shall we go? I am starving. Let's grab some food at a restaurant nearby." - said Riya.
"Uh.. Actually, I and Raj have some work. So you two go on without us." - said Aditi trying to hide something from Arjun and Riya. Especially Riya. And Arjun noticed it.

"You sure?" - asked Riya.
"Yeah, It's ok. We'll go together later. Right, Arjun?" - said Arjun with a wink.
Most of the time, a wink in conversation means to cover up for him. It's a bro code, which we boys follow literally all the time.
"Yeah. Definitely." - Arjun did his best to cover up.
"Okay." - Riya agreed.

Riya and Arjun left the class together. Then Riya's phone rings. Someone called her. That Ringtone again. That song. Everything came back to Arjun's mind in a second. But he didn't let it show on his face.

"I'll call you once I reach home.
Yeah. Bye." - Riya ended the call quickly.
I guess she was really starving. Arjun felt a bit hungry too.
"So, where are we going?" - asks Riya.
"We?" - came out of Arjun's mouth right after Riya finished her sentence. He didn't wanna say it but he did.
"Then what? you want me to go alone?" - asks Riya a little bit angrily.
Arjun thought "Why is she angry suddenly?"
Well, Girls and their mood swings are not easy to understand.
"No. Let's go together. I am hungry too. There's a restaurant nearby." - said Arjun.
As much as Arjun didn't want to be alone with Riya, he couldn't let her go alone either.
And he was hungry too. They reached the restaurant. Ordered some food. Their order came pretty fast. They started eating. None of them speaks anything for a while.

Arjun thinks about what Raj and Aditi might be doing. Raj winked at him. Arjun thought they made this plan so that he and Riya could get some alone time. Can they read him that clearly?

"So?" - says Riya out of nowhere.
"So." - Arjun repeats the same.
"Speak something. It feels like I forced you to come with me." - says Riya.
"No. No. It's not like that. I am really hungry. That's it." - Arjun tries to cover up.
"Oh. Okay." - Riya believes him.
"So, what are you doing lately?" - asks RIya.
"Nothing much. What about you?" - Arjun.
"Nothing." - Riya.
Some silence again.

Well, It's their second day of college. It might be weird for both of them to talk when both are hungry. Especially Arjun.

"Where do live exactly?" - asks Riya.
And that's how the conversation goes on. Slow, and a bit boring, with some interrogations, and some jokes in the middle.

"You know you remind me of someone." - says Riya.
This line from their crush is more than what it actually means to boys.
He reminds her of someone. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Who could I remind her of?
Could it be her ex? wait, Does she even have an ex? Should I ask her about that?
Such questions go on in the boy's mind.

I don't know if Arjun just has a crush on Riya, but the same questions rose in his mind.

"Really. Who?" - Arjun tried to sound normal.

"You know that guy. The Hero from the movie Hridayam." - says Riya.

Arjun goes silent for a couple of seconds. Just seconds. But he thinks a lot in those seconds.
That movie. That day in the rain. That song. And finally Ayesha again.

"Oh. I haven't watched that movie." - says Arjun slowly.
"What? You didn't watch it. It is one of the best movies ever made. You should watch it. It's really good." - says Riya.

Arjun on the other hand tries to process everything. He thinks about that movie again.
"Ok. I'll give it a try." - is all Arjun could say.

Riya smiles and goes back to eating. Arjun looks at Riya's face and into her eyes for a second. Not because he wanted to. It just happened. And then something happened. Something which could confuse Arjun more. A few strands of hair fell on Riya's face. She used her hand to remove them from her face. And for a second there, Arjun saw Ayesha in Riya's place.
Ayesha looks at him and asks "Are you okay, Arjun?"
Everything around them goes on mute and blur. Arjun could hear only Ayesha's voice and see only her clearly. Then some plates fall on the ground leaving a big noise and attracting everyone's attention. Including Arjun's. He turns back at Ayesha. But it was Riya there.
"You okay?" - asks Riya.
Arjun tries to cover up with a lie.
"Yeah. I just feel weird. It's the food maybe." - Arjun.
"You'll be fine." - says Riya.

Riya notices Aditi entering the restaurant. They wave at each other. Arjun looks at her and gives a smile. Aditi joins them.
"Where's Raj?" - asks Arjun.
"He had some work, so he left." - said Aditi.
"Is everything alright between you two?" - asks Riya.
"Yeah. Why do you ask that?" - says Aditi with a small smile.
"Nothing. I saw some guy talking to you during lunch. Later I saw Arjun talking to you with an angry face. I thought That's why you two didn't come with us." - says Riya.

Some guy talked to Aditi at lunch. Then Arjun looked angry about that. And Ajun didn't notice it. Guess he was lost too much in this overthinking. Arjun thinks the same.

"Oh. That guy's name is Sameer. He's my high school friend. Raj doesn't like him much. But today he just asked for some notes. That's it." - explained Aditi.

Notes on the second day. Arjun felt something was fishy but stayed silent.

"Oh. Okay." - said Riya.
"Besides, If Raj has any problem he just comes to me and talks about it. Sometimes, we fight and then we give each other some clarity. That's the best thing I like in that Idiot."

They forgot about Arjun and had some girl's talks.

Then comes Raj. It was already getting late. So they say their "Bye's" and move.
Raj and Aditi move in one direction and Arjun and Riya in another direction.
"You coming tomorrow?" - asks Riya.
"Yep. What about you?" - Arjun.
Riya stops and looks at Arjun. "You didn't hear to what I and Aditi spoke, did you?" - asks RIya.
"I thought it was your girl's talk. I didn't." - said Arjun.
Actually, Arjun was lost in his overthinking again.

"A distant relative of mine passed away this morning. So, I am going to my village with my parents. I can't come to college for a couple of days." - says Riya.
"I am sorry, Riya. I just __" - Arjun.
"It's ok. You thought we were having some girl's talk and didn't listen to us. I like it. I knew I could trust you." - says Riya.

"I like it. I knew I could trust you." "I like it. I knew I could trust you." "I like it. I knew I could trust you." The words kept repeating in Arjun's mind. Then their turn comes. Riya says bye to Arjun and moves in her direction. But this time Arjun doesn't stay there or look around to watch her again. He Just moves in his direction with a small smile on his face which makes him look like an idiot.

AND THAT'S THE END OF DAY 2!