Of Fallacies And Fate

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Salaam. Sorry not an update of new chapter. Please read the authors note of updated version at the end.

"Love is a deeper season than reason; my sweet one". - E. E. Cummings.

t w e n t y t w o

Rayhaan eyed the single slice of German Forest Cake laying in the refrigerator of the now bubbling canteen. It was Monday and unlike the gloomy mood on Saturday, this day, canteen was bubbling with students. The atmosphere was energising.

A new start of the week, although people were groggy in mornings but by the time lunch arrived everyone seemed zestful. The black and white checkered floor was now back being veiled due to the bustling crowd. The attenders could hardly breathe a sigh of relief as someone could continuously come up with some order or other. In fact, there were some people who sat on chairs, many huddled close to one table waiting for others to vacant so that they could sit comfortably.

Even the cake section was busy. But the attender, even though he was attending to other customers, couldn't take his eyes off Rayhaan who stood there in cue eyes ogling the German Forest Cake. Rayhaan looked up to see the attender watching him wary eyed and he smiled at the attender which was not returned. Rayhaan chortled at this, he and Samairah had really scared off the attender last time. Rayhaan let other people order before him, those who came after him too, because he wanted a moment with the attender.

Once everyone had deserted that counter, he looked up to the attender only to find him searching for a face in the hullabaloo. Even though Rayhaan knew that Samairah hadn't come to canteen by now, he turned around and glanced around too, wondering if by now she had come to canteen.

"What would you like to take?", the attender asked breathing a sigh of relief figuring that the other girl who argued with this guy hadn't come today. Or else he was worried that this guy would steal her cake again. Although, it wasn't stealing if he bought it with his money but he thought that the girl deserved the cake because she ordered it almost daily.

Rayhaan didn't answer his question. Rather posed a question of his own.

"So, you are Naresh, aren't you?", he motioned towards the name tag he was wearing. He was the only guy who actually wore the name tag while none of the other canteen staff wore it. That was the way it was in Hyderabad anyway, people were too swag to confirm to the rules, he thought.

"Um yes", Naresh replied startled that someone was interested in his name for once. People hardly ever spoke to him other than orders.

"Hi, I'm Rayhaan", Rayhaan beamed at him while he gave a slight wave over the counter. Naresh didn't know what to reply, so he settled for a small one, "hi"

"I know you must be wondering what's the deal. Actually, you remember my friend", Naresh aggressively nodded at this while Rayhaan spoke, "she hasn't come yet. And I know everyone loves German Forest Cake. So can you please bill the cake from my side and reserve it for her, so that others can't buy it".

Naresh was confused. That guy, he thought. Rayhaan, he corrected himself at the newfound knowledge, was one confusing person.

When Naresh didn't reply, Rayhaan continued, "don't worry, it isn't as complicated as it seems. Just bill me for this cake", he slid off some bills over the counter as he said that, "and if she comes and orders it, take the money, don't tell her I reserved it or don't take my name at all, and give her the cake. And keep the money for yourself. If she doesn't comes you can eat the cake. Okay?"

Naresh nodded at this, his earlier confusing dissipating. So, this guy, Rayhaan was actually being sweet to her but didn't want her to know? Weird guy. A new confusion now formed in Naresh's mind as to why Rayhaan would do that but he didn't want to go into it, so he didn't ask any further.