Dosti Yaari Wagerah

Cow.

"गाय है तू।" Rudra said, smiling. His thick wavy black hair shone in the sun. He lay on the football ground in his sleeveless jersey and shorts, his sweaty, hairy chest gleaming in the sun.

"Kya matlab?" Gayatri was sitting on the ground next to him, looking down at him, angered. Was he calling her fat again?

"Cow. Meri moti si, cute si gaay." Rudra chuckled, his white teeth bared. He looked intimidating even while he laughed.

Gayatri wanted to hit him. But she forgot her anger when she looked into his golden eyes. It was golden hour, the sun was warm yet not scorching.

Rudra was a man, alright. Though they were both in their early twenties, there was nothing boyish about him. He was very masculine with a full beard framing his handsome, chiseled face. He was more than six feet tall, with broad muscled shoulders and a very fit, athletic body.

I'm not that fat. He's just being mean. Having a little extra baby fat in a few places is not being fat. Gayatri reasoned with herself. Although she did feel a little nice when he said 'meri'. He called her his, even if his cow.

How sad are you, Gayatri. Damn. Gayatri thought to herself.

"How dare you call me a cow! Are you trying to fat shame me? If so, that's really mean. If I'm a cow, you're a bail. (बैल)"
Gayatri said triumphantly, as if she'd bested him.

Rudra smiled, his face unreadable. "Main khulla saand hun, madam. Be careful what you wish for. Bail ban gaya to tumhara kya hoga? You know what happens to cows, right?"

Rudra blinked. Gayatri was squinting. She didn't understand.

Rudra laughed, said "leave it. It's a bad joke anyway. Not for your ears. Sorry."

The meaning of his words dawned on Gayatri. She suddenly hit him on his hand, blushing down to her roots. "Badtameez! Don't make such jokes."

Rudra didn't like being hit. He caught her hand when she came to hit him again. "Don't worry, Gaya, it's just a joke. I wouldn't climb on you if you were the last cow on earth." Rudra laughed and walked into class.

Gayatri followed him. His comments had really hurt her. But that is how Rudra was. She had gotten used to his cruelty. She knew he didn't understand her love for him. She knew he thought she desired him only for his money and looks. But that wasn't the case. She wanted to be with him because she knew who he was deep inside, and he made her happy.

One thing he'd always made clear, was that he didn't want to be with her. She was the college nerd and he the hot bad boy, after all. Even though she had never approached him or told him about her feelings, she had a feeling that he knew she had a crush on him.

But she knew he didn't know how deeply she loved him.

They were both in 5th year of law school. It was one of the most prestigious law colleges in India. Rudra had gotten in on a scholarship because he was intelligent and it benefited him, as he was not from a very well off family. They had been best friends since the last two years, the best two years of her life.

In the last two years, their unlikely friendship had grown deeper, yet she knew he wouldn't be with her if she was the last woman on the planet. Still she hurt herself by being around him, with him, knowing every detail of his life, every girl he spoke to, every girl he made out  with.

She was such a stupid, stupid girl.

Kya hoga mera.. हे शिव अब aap ही राह dikhaiye, she prayed to lord Shiva.

It was at that exact moment that she was praying to Shiv ji in her head that Rudra grabbed her hand, jolting her back to reality.

"Come to class, Gaya. You can day dream about me later."

Fuck. Was it so obvious?