Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

53

"So?"

"So maybe, he still feels something for you?" She bobs her head expectantly, hoping I join the remaining dots. I feel lost. That elicits an irritated sigh from her, and she rolls her eyes. "Tara, I'm saying there's still a possibility he might have some feelings for you? Sort of a soft corner? Look, I don't have any way to go to him, or spy around him without looking suspicious. But you can! You spend two hours with him after school -"

"For extra lecture," I clarify.

"You're family friends -"

"Namesake."

"He was besotted by you -"

"Before the accident."

She grunts. "That doesn't matter! What matters is that you've a link connecting you both. I don't."

"Come to the point!"

"We work as a team, but individually."

For some reason, that makes sense, but not at the same time. An oxymoron.

"Explain," I demand.

"Trusting my genes, I'll work on trying to find as much as possible information regarding the victim and this case. While you'll focus on getting Shourya's alibi, like where he was that day, what did he do, and stuff like that. We'll figure out a way to cross check it."

I nibble on the inside of my cheek in contemplation. Her plan sounds effective and easy to hear, but only I know how difficult it is to speak to Shourya without wanting to blow up either ones head. I can't stand his obnoxious personality at all. Presently, there's more added to the list that I absolutely detest about him, the probability of him being the mystery man. If that turns out true, I'll seriously lose it.

"On it?" She forwards her hand.

I look down at it, still indecisive about the plan when she grabs my hand and slaps it on hers. "On it!" She confirms with a nod, squeezing my hand firmly.

I dismiss her when my brothers enter the class. Getting the signal, she walks away with a wink at me. I shake my head, focusing on the open book in front of me.

I sit through the remaining lectures trying to come up with a trick that would get Shourya to tell me his whereabouts of that night. Even if Anagha says he used to have feelings for me, if he's the mystery man, he'd rather stab his eyes than look at me with interest. After all, I'm not his type. I settle on first figuring out his identity. And I've an easy way to do that.

A wound that deep doesn't heal within a day. I can accidentally just pass him in the hallway and nudge him in the ribs, or try to get him wet so he'll be compelled to remove his shirt. Besides, he's always on the lookout to show off his washboard abs and masculine body.

Like that one evening when we were taken to the grounds for PE lecture after practically begging to the teacher, and were instructed to play away from the sprinklers. In the end, we failed to abide by one rule and the ball hit one, breaking it. It was sudden, and Shourya was closest to it when the water squirted out like a waterfall in his direction. He was drenched from head to toe before he could get away from it.

We were left gaping in awe when he deftly removed his tshirt, squeezed the water out of it before tossing the wet fabric over his shoulder. Then he raked a hand through his locks, ruffled them like he was in a shampoo ad, and walked away from there, all nonchalant to the eyes following him.

I blink the memory away, focusing on the teacher as she goes on and on about the theory of relativity.

School ends at four and I'm forced to go through the torture for another two hours, luckily without the asshole Rajawat this time.