Her Splash of Color | ✓

✤ 1.12 two can cuddle ✤

Posted August 28th, 2018

✤ Sanya: 1.12 two can cuddle ✤

I look back when the voices around me quieten and I find Rihaan holding a friend of his, Faisal, by the collars. "How dare you? Who the hell do you think you are to talk about her, huh? I..."

"Rihaan!" I instantly walk over to him and put my hands on his arms trying to pull him away from Faisal - caring more about him than my nerves pulsing furiously from having to approach a possible dangerous situation by getting in between two people fighting. "Ri, leave him! What's wrong with you? Punching your own friends..."

Rihaan leaves his collars, but his gaze remains fixated on Faisal. Blood is starting to ooze out of his nose, "He's no friend of mine. Anyone who talks shit about you is no friend of mine."

Faisal looks back with anger, "You, asshole. Now you're going to punch me because of her? You've known her for one day, and you're going to pick her over us?!"

"Get your facts right, atleast." Rihaan corrected him in a mutter. "I've known her my whole life, so yes, asshole, I will pick her over you guys. I will pick her over everyone else, always."

I speak again, fighting my instinct to dwell in his words. My hand on his arm feels tiny. "Rihaan, please. Let it be. It's not a big deal. Don't fight with your friends because of me." I did not want to be the reason behind this.

He glances down in surprise. "Not a big deal? How can you say that? You don't even know what they were saying about you."

I insist, "It doesn't matter. It's not worth getting a detention."

A clueless teacher steps into the classroom, "What's going on here?" Everyone else quickly take their seats but we're still glued to our spots. She exclaims at Faisal's bloody nose, "Faisal, what happened to you?!"

He answers saving Rihaan from getting in trouble, "Nothing, miss. I just tripped. I didn't have my shoe laces tied."

She gives him a disappointing look, "You should be more careful, Faisal. Now go to the school nurse."

"Yes, miss." He leaves, and in the past months, I did notice this about his friends. They weren't the kindest, but they weren't bad guys either. They do consider Rihaan their friend, and I don't know what happened that Rihaan would punch one of them, but hopefully they will get past this.

*✧✤--------------------------✤✧*

The classes tick by slowly and finally it is lunch time. Rihaan sat in the back at his seat, but he wasn't in his jovial mood. He wasn't talking to anyone either. At lunch bell, even his friends get up and leave the classroom while he continues to sit there. Given that Kriana wasn't here, I wasn't planning on leaving the classroom to get lunch either.

Once everyone walks out, I walk to the back of the classroom. I don't say it, but I am sure he can read the concern on my face. He sighs, "I'm not okay."

I give a sympathetic look and sit sideways in the seat in front of him and twist back to look at him. "Talk about it?"

He shakes his head and I let it be. Usually, I am the one answering in nods and shakes. I open the lunch box to reveal the aloo parathas and fried rice. I forward the parathas to him, keeping the rice for myself. I very well know his preference of parathas over rice.

A few bites later, he breaks his silence. "I'm so sorry, San."

"For what?" I glance up from the lunch box, halting the spoon to my mouth mid-way.