Tere Naal

2. Favourite spot

Manik

We were going on a school tour in the evening and I was clueless what to do with that. Our exams were approaching really soon and I had a bunch of syllabus to learn. I tried to dodge the matter but mom did not budge and I now I was left with no other choice. I thought I could ignore Nandini through this way I know I should not have been rude on her and I should have confronted her but my heart wasn't in a state to bear anymore pain. Disinterested, I took out my clothes to arrange in my bag. It was a two days tour to forest camp and since I was not interested I was hell slow. I heard the bell ringing on the door, mom wasn't home otherwise she would have opened the door. I kept the clothes on the table and scurried out to the door. I opened it and that revealed Aryan who stood with his bag.

"Kya hua? You don't seem like you're ready for the trip" he said.

"Apparently, I ain't" I replied throwing myself on the sofa. I could not have told Aryan about Nandini. I didn't want anyone to know about it. It was secret I had buried in my heart, though the kiss was made public to everyone by our very own jerk, Ryan.

"You look disturbed these days? Is that because of Nandini?" he said and I looked at him shocked.

Guess what I had learnt to lie like a pro and trust me anyone would believe the lie that I was telling.

"Nah!! That girl, she is in no way a disturbance.. it's just that I need to start preparing for finals but mom is too adamant to get me in the tour" I sighed. The last part was true, I wanted to learn though I didn't need to learn things but still yeah. I was not ready to even loose a mark.

"You want something?" I asked getting up.

"A coffee would do better and you know na you make the best coffee?" he said and I laughed.

"Stop your butterings, I'll get you a cup" I said making my way in to the kitchen. Everyone loved my coffee but I didn't know what was so special about that I make it like others do. Once I was done making a coffee I was about to transfer the coffee into another cup but it accidentally spilled on my hand. I winced as the burning sensation took its root in my skin. I could see the colour of my skin turning into pale and then to pink. I let out a silent cry but Aryan heard it. He ran to me panicking.

"What did you do Malhotra?" he scowled.

Ok I hit the wrong nerve. He called me Malhotra whenever he was mad.

"What did I do? I didn't do it deliberately" I said caressing the burn.

"You're one heck of a careless person.. I know you are disturbed and why on earth are you hiding it from me?" he said cleaning the mess I had created.

"No leave.. I'll take care of it" I said and moved my hand to take the sponge. It pricked me from inside. I withdrew my hand to myself.

"You won't be able to! Go put some ointment and pack your things I will clean it" he said and started taking out the cleaning stuff. I was about to say that he didn't need to do this but he shut me up.

"Shut up and go from here" I narrowed my eyes at him and left the place.

Aryan was no less than a brother to me he was always there whenever I needed someone to listen to my rants and bear my bickering. I know I am an introvert but introverts are humans too who have rights to rant on the shit and baseless worries of their life. Worries were never baseless in my case, it either ended in my dad or Nandini. My dad didn't care to check on us and my ignorance hurt Nandini not that I was angry on her but I was hurt. I never expected her to be in Delhi in the first place. I wished my life to be worries free like how it used to be when everything was fine. It was always Aryan who took care of me like a mother and direct me like a father. He was like another son to mom and for me, a brother from another mother. His mom was such a sweetheart whenever I went to his place she took care of me like I was her own son. They helped us when we sought help from my relations who lived in Delhi but never cared to help a bit. They weren't our real relation but Aryan's were. His dad helped my mom to get a job. If his family weren't there we would have starved to death or ended up shelter less. I quickly dump my things in my bag and not to forget a football because without it I would die and I had one of the best players of my school with me, Aryan.