The Matchmaker

12. Aruna

October, Monday, 10th

So, my life had started to go very nicely lately. I and Lalit hadn't began dating officially, but we knew that there was something between us. We had developed a very close bonding. I would always stay after class to study with him. And to be honest, he was a really good teacher. I could understand all the topics that I didn't from the other faculty.

Maybe I should've started paying him instead of our center. But our study session wasn't boring. We always kept it exciting. Sometimes, we played games, like Bingo, Dots, Paper Cricket or Fun Quizzes. Or I showed him some of my favorite YouTube channels, and numerous vloggers that I had subscribed to. And the remaining time, we just talked. About each other.

I had got to know a lot of things about him. Like, he was an only child, and his father was a CA, and wanted him to take the same profession. Lalit rebelled, and finally succeeded in persuading him to let Lalit follow his own dream. But in turn, his father always had high expectations from him, and Lalit never wanted to prove him right in his doubt about Lalit's capabilities.

But before that, in the 10th grade, he had a girl who pretended to be in relationship with him. She acted as if she was really romantically interested in him. But in reality, she only used him for her own benefits, and get better in studies. When the exams were over, she showed her true colors, and began neglecting him.

That was why Lalit usually refrained from talking to any girl. He had serious trust issues, and added to that was his introversion. I also had opened up to him about my long list of boyfriends, going as far as to age 9 or 10. But he wasn't like any of them. He was totally different. He wasn't just a pastime, or a muse. He was someone I truly liked to be with.

Because, since my childhood, I had learnt only one thing. Boys only wanted lust. They weren't interested in love. They only used the girl, and toyed with her for their enjoyment. So, I decided to be the same to survive emotionally. But after meeting him, everything changed. I got to know that there were some boys, that did want love. And who wanted to be loved back equally.

But right now, it was recess. And recess was girls time. Each of us had agreed to take a break from their relationships during the recess.

"And he asked me whether I would jump in front of a train and die by crushing, or drown in a volcanic lava pool. I said lava pool, because I seriously felt amazed by that, instead of just being a crushed paste," Mahi told.

SK joined in, "Seriously, there's something wrong with that guy. It is a really weird thing to just ask all those nonsense questions for an hour. I'm really curious as to in what way does it benefit him? The other day, he asked me if I'd prefer eating a human liver or kidney!"

"Eww!!" I and Mahi groaned in unison.

"Maybe he's a psychopath, and he's searching for ideas?" I suggested.

"But isn't he already too smart for making people fall in love?" Mahi contradicted.

"Yeah, he is... maybe he's just studying our psyche?"

"If he is, then it's a damn weird way to do it. I've never seen a therapist act such," SK condemned.

Just then, Varun came out of the blue, and surprised all three of us. I was about to protest about it being the girls' time, but before that, he handed Mahi a lively yellow Chafa flower. Then, without saying anything, he just slunk back and out of the class. Mahi's face contrasted with the flower and turned bright red.

"Wish my boyfriend did that," SK commented.

"Oh yeah, tell us a little about that. What's up with you and your ex?" I hastily asked.