Crossing The i's And Dotting The t's

(XV) Plans

The strength of a person depends on his support system, which basically includes his family and friends.

If that was true, then I'm afraid Aditya was pretty weak.

Our heart to heart was cut short by the shrill sound of the final bell. Twenty minutes had flown by as if they were two. Once we had finished dusting our clothes, we sneaked out of the out of order toilet, in a manner that would make James Bond jealous.

As we were about to part ways at the end of the corridor, I stopped him.

"Come to the canteen after you've fetched your bag."

Aditya looked confused but nodded nevertheless.

My class was empty when I stepped inside, except for a tall figure in the leftmost corner of the room, neatly sliding textbooks in a bag.

My bag.

"Hey..."

Kian snapped his head, eyes twinkling as they landed on me.

"Hey! Sorry I'm not snooping around I swear! I just...noticed you didn't come back with all other psychology students...so I packed your bag...figuring you'd be caught up in something," he said, grinning.

Why can't I date him again?

"Thank you, that..." I cleared my throat, "that's really so considerate..."

His smile dropped as he stepped forward, "Ashiana are you...crying?"

It seemed like I was actually. The stress of the past two weeks along with constant worry and headache about people had made me a bit emotional.

Hence, upon feeling the irritatingly cool sensations in my eyes, I quickly squeezed them shut, willing to push back the tears of frustation. I would've died of embarassment if I'd've broken down in front of him.

I felt warm hands gripping my shoulders and snapped my, now thankfully dry, eyes open. Only to find him much closer than before.

"Why are you crying Ash?"

Forcing out an incredulous chuckle, I said, in what I hoped was a casual tone, "I'm not crying...just...have a cold...and there's a lot of dust in the air y'know?"

Kian's expression told me that he didn't buy my lame excuse, but maybe he heard the determination in my otherwise weak voice, for he moved back, hands leaving my upper arms. I despised the way they turned cold instantly.

"Okay...if you say so." He furrowed his brows, "anyway, let's go or we'll be late."

I stiffened.

Last bell. Aditya. Canteen.

"Shit!"

"Now what?" he asked, perplexed.

"Listen Kian," I began, "this is the last time I'm asking you to do this. But would you please...please tell our bus-incharge to mark me present? I really need to be somewhere..."

He sighed, "alright Ash...but don't make this a habit okay? 'Cause I'm shit-scared of Nisha ma'am..."

"Yeah, this is the last time, promise!" I said gratefully, swinging my bad across my shoulders, "see you in the bus!"

"Yeah..." his voice trailed away as I quickly rushed out of the class, looking like an ungraceful sloth as I ran in the direction of the school canteen.

Seeing Aditya leaning against a pillar, beside the thirty year old, dilapidated looking canteen wing, I waved. He straightened up as he saw me.

"So," I began, approaching him, "which ice-cream should we buy?"