The Rebound Theory

03| Neel

Arjun looks sideways to stifle a full blown laughter but Ria steps on his toe and he looks back accusingly at me. I feel frustrated at that very moment. I didn't want my date to go to the bin. I wanted to get somewhere with Aashi on this date.

I try my patience with Saheema once again, taking her hand away, "Please Saheema, go home. I will call you when I get back. I'll ask Arjun to get you in a cab. Walk away from here."

Saheema eyes held an emotion for a split second, it was gone before I could even think to decipher.

She roughly pulls her hand from mine and walks away, her pink dress blowing back in the wind and her brown heels clicking on the smooth marble.

People move on when they see me walking towards the group and we all make our way to the elevators. Once we're all safely tucked inside the elevator with no one surrounding us, I take a stab at coming up with a semi- decent explanation. Because no justification can pull off what happened earlier.

My date was already ruined. It's sad because she's hot and her face is red when she's looking like that.

I cough and everybody looks at me expectantly.

Arjun beats me to the punch. "Wow, Neel. We should rely on you to not keep it in your pants."

"It's not your pants, Juju. By the way, I'm sorry guys. I apologize for what happened earlier. I didn't really know she's gonna be here. I didn't want to ruin today."

"Cool. It's cool. We didn't really notice how she jumped on you. Anyways, we're getting late for the show. What time is it, Rii? I think there's just five minutes left." Aashi's cool and calm voice is a sucker punch to my face. She really doesn't care. I didn't expect her to be as cool as a cucumber.

"Yes, there's just five minutes. Get the popcorn and sodas, Neel. At least, we all deserve it after the show you put on earlier."

I just nod when the red light goes off and a sound pings leaving us to the sixth floor of the mall. The girls make their way to the sliding doors, fixing and checking their hair for a second, then strolling inside. That leaves me and Arjun alone to get in the line for popcorn, sweets and sodas.

Since, I was paying and I remember from a brief conversation that Aashi likes cheese, so I order cheese popcorn.

Arjun slaps my shoulder from his free hand when he collects the pepsi cans from a different counter.

"Didn't know you will fuck this up, Neel. I really wasn't expecting this."

"That was a sucker punch. I didn't even know where it was coming from."

"Yeah. I'm just relieved that you've not gotten any STD's till now. Banging all these girls must get frustrating." He laughs,"Have you even got yourself checked?"

"Wait. Can a seventeen year old guy live without getting his whole life under scrutiny? You know you would've done the same if you were in my place."

"Yeah, right." He takes a step in front of me, and starts pacing forth in a hurry. Suddenly, he turns back as if to be dramatic, "But I love Ria. So, no."

I roll my eyes at him. "As if."

****

Arjun conveniently snuck Ria to the seat inside of the row, and then he took the seat beside her. So, I sat next to him and Aashi didn't have a choice than to sit beside me. She looked like she'll rather ride an unicorn or an elephant than be with me, but Ria yelled at her to adjust as the movie credits rolled up on the screen. It was dark and the back of her heels slammed on the seat and she almost fell on me, when I steadied her.

Ria growled at us, and we looked at her embarrassed and eventually got settled in our seats. Thankfully, the tray with popcorn boxes was in Arjun's hand. Or it would've spilled. And y'know I can't fuck this date in more ways than this.

As fate would have it, we ended up sharing the same tub of popcorn. Aashi and I. Once our fingers collided, she stopped eating from it. Even when it was her favourite. Sometimes, she surprises me. I didn't deserve this much hate.

When we're halfaway into the movie, Aashi reached for her soda that was in my cup- holder. I didn't know why she used mine instead of hers. Our fingers met and she retracted her fingers so abruptly, that some of the soda fell on her dress and heels. God, she was pissed. There's no second way around it. I tried to stand up and help her but people at the back shouted at me 'to sit back down'.

She got up and made her way outside. To the washrooms, I guess. I fought the urge to follow her and explain everything to her badly. Except, I thought better of it. I don't know her too well and well, I didn't want to come across as creepy. I can't cross off my previous acquaintances with her. I can do this, anyway.

She returned to her seat few minutes before interval. After the interval credit showed up on the screen, Ria turned in her seat and made a slight conversation about what took her so long. She brushed it off saying that she'll explain it to her later.

I don't think she'll explain in front of me. Well, she's mad at me probably. Not that there's a chance she's not.

Ria and Arjun get up and make their way outside to fetch some chips and soda cans, when Aashi tags along with them. They turn around for me but I just shrug. They head outside and I take my cellphone out to call my friend and make a plan with him.

I check my online social messengers to chat and answer messages and scroll through Instagram to find and check Aashi's former pictures on the way here. I follow her and gawk at her.

What I come through, surprises the fuck out of me. It's one of the clicks she clicked when we were just driving in the parking lot. I see Saheema waiting, her hands crossed on her chest and her face looks like she's gonna through up. She's so small in the picture that if you won't look closely, you would miss it. That just means that Saheema did it on purpose. That insane girl!

I need to break it off with her. Not that I had anything with her to begin with. Whatever she thinks she has with me. I have to get over with it.

They come back and for the first time this day, I see Aashi laughing, a pure cackle mixed with teeth displaying laugh. The kind of laugh that makes soda comes out of her nose. And she never looked any cuter. She wipes her nose and takes her seat beside me, still laughing. It's still a few minutes for the movie to start so, I take Arjun aside from where the girls are seated.

"Arjun, you gotta let me drive Aashi home."

"Why dude?"

"Uhh. . . I want to apologize to her. For being such a crappy date."

"That you are."

"That means a yes?"

"Yeah, anyway. I've got another things going on with Ria. Ria's got planned the rest of the day."

"Cool."

We get back to our seats and I watch the rest of the movie anxiously. For what's about to come. I hope everything goes as planned. I peek a glance back at Aashi and hope I don't fuck this up anymore.

****

A/n:- Hi guys. This is an Indian background story with Indian characters. If you have any questions, hit me up with messages or just comment. :)