Hues Of Dusk

Chapter 9. Friends with benefits

"Why are you scowling?" Divya asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking about something that I hate," I replied.

While Divya and Rashi were busy gossiping I was staring holes through the newspaper.

"Give me that!" Surbhi snatched the paper from my hand and smiled from ear to ear.

"Isn't he just great? Look Tanya."

She shoved the paper in her face and Tanya instantly blushed. That idiot was again featured in a news article. I cursed mentally and glanced at Tanya. Someone was really happy with what they saw. I wiggled my eyebrows at her.

"Not you too Sandhya," she whined. We never left a chance to tease her.

"Parth!" I called him over and he took a seat with us.

"Wassup girls?" he asked and took a slice of pizza from my box. I stared as he put the slice in his mouth. Everything was in slow motion.

"Why do you look like you want to murder me?" he said after he took a bite. I pursed my lips and said a silent prayer for my pizza slice. Sharing is caring, I know but not when it came to pizza. Even if it was Parth that I had to share with.

I gave him a smile and he looked at me weirdly. I pushed the box towards him and smiled more. He glanced at Surbhi who was already staring at me wide-eyed. She knew how much I loved pizza and would kill if someone even tried to touch it.

"Parth, my friend, I need a huge favour," I said.

"Why are you talking like that? If you want my help then say so. Don't creep me out." He scooted away a little.

I grabbed his arm and excused ourselves. If I had brought Ved's name in front of girls, there would have been a lot of questions and I didn't want to recite my history like that to them.

"What is it, Sandhya? Is someone troubling you?" he asked.

Yes, and that someone is your good friend, Ved Rajput. Would you do me a favour and kill him?

"No. It's nothing like that. Wait a minute." I took a folder out of my bag and handed it to him. I had properly arranged the papers from Shreyas' diary and glued the ones that were torn apart. Who knew if they held the secret to a lost treasure?

"What's this?" Parth skimmed through them and looked at me.

I told him in short how the papers were from Shreyas' diary and how he ran away when I tried to return it. I mentioned about Ved but altered some details.

"Yeah, Shreyas is a shy person. He doesn't like to socialize much. Total opposite of Shree. They are twins but their personalities are completely different. Thanks Sandhya. I will return them. Don't worry."

"Thank you, Parth," I smiled and sighed in relief. I told him not to mention my name and he looked confused. I explained that I just didn't want more misunderstandings.

Shreyas already thought I was a stalker but that wasn't my main concern. Ved would surely get to know and then....... Well, whatever. I was safe. Period.

×~×

"Why didn't you ask me for help?" Surbhi asked me and looked hurt.

"Are you jealous?" I teased. She gave me a dead look and I put my arms across her shoulders as we walked towards our class.

She continued ignoring me but was failing in it. She couldn't stay angry at me for longer than 5 minutes.

I pinched her cheeks and told her the same story I told Parth. She went into a laughing fit when I mentioned how Shreyas ran for his life when he saw me.