In order to get my Communication Skills textbook, I went to the locker room. I was surprised to see Ryan standing against my locker. I double checked if I was walking towards my locker or someone else's. But it was mine.
"Hey," he smiled at me.
The fact that he still remembered me was unbelievable for me. The last we had spoke to each other was in his house party that was hosted almost two weeks ago.
"Hi," I smiled at him back.
I wondered if he knew that the locker he was standing against was mine. It felt odd to let him know, but I did.
"Uh well, that's my locker" I pointed my finger at my locker.
"Yes, I know." he replied, startling me.
Not getting any expression to show with, I just smiled at him. I had so many questions running in my mind. I wish if I would have asked even one of them.
"Can I talk to you?" he asked.
"I suppose you already are," I joked.
"Yeah,"
"I got you this," he handed me one of the tetra packs he was holding.
I couldn't believe Ryan got me something. It felt like he got it mistakenly. I grinned ear to ear.
"That's latte," he informed.
I was glad that he got the coffee in latte flavour otherwise, I would've to forcefully drink the coffee until he left.
"Thank you,"
The coffee was really chilled, unlike my situation. Looked like Ryan knew - I need to chill while he would be talking to me.
I sipped on the straw harder, avoiding to utter any crap in front of him. Even after a massive lump in my chest, I continued with the drink. Every girl would go numb if her crush stands in front of her and I was a live example.
"I'll get to the point. Let's be movie partners,"
"Excuse me?" I almost spat the coffee.
"Would you please explain me what do you mean by movie partners?" I asked totally confused by the never heard before term.
"Yeah, I will, just do me a favour. Don't spit that on me." he said, with a weird expression on his face.
Could it get any more embarrassing? I stopped sipping the coffee and dropped my hands by my side.
"Yep," I muttered, trying my best not to sound stupid.
"Just like date partners go on a date, movie partners go for a movie. But, that's not a date. The movie partners aren't romantically involved. Rather you can say that they're just formally related. All you have to do is, watch movies together." he explained, crushing all my imaginations of dating him.
What was I going to do with watching movies with him? I was obviously one of the options he was trying. If not me, he would ask any other girl. That definitely didn't make me an exception.
"So I want you to be my movie partner. Only you," he emphasized on the you part.
How stupid of me that I wondered if he read my mind by any means.
"Oh," I mumbled.
So I was an exception.
Though I wanted him to reconsider his decision, I also wanted him not to change his decision. I was so stupid.
I still didn't believe that he considered me. Though I liked watching movies, I was not going to do that with such a guy in front of whom I indirectly embarrass myself.
No matter how bad I wanted to be with Ryan, I was not going to make him regret his decision of offering me to be his movie partner. He would never speak to me again. It was better if I denied and spoke to each other occasionally.
"I can't be your movie partner. I am sorry. And, once again thanks for the coffee." I smiled at him, hoping he would get aside.
I couldn't believe that I denied a boy's offer. I had never did that before, since no one really spoke with me. I wished I could dab right in front of him for having rejected a boy's offer. I was a savage to do so.
"Reconsider your decision, Dhvani. You might regret it later," he spoke, with a crooked smile.
"Why would I regret?" I furrowed my eyebrows.
He tapped something on his phone while I stood in front of him with again too many questions revolving in my head. Without answering me, he showed me his phone's screen that played a video when he tapped on the screen.
My eyes went wide when I realised what video it was. Not a movie scene, not a music, not an animation. It was the video where I and Armaan were having a conversation at the party. It clearly said that Armaan is gay.
I cocked my head at Ryan shockingly who grinned ear to ear.
"Now just imagine me sending this video to the whole college." he chuckled sliding his phone back in his pocket.
I wished it was a dream. Why was Ryan blackmailing me? He was not a bad guy. He is my crush, he needs to be good just the way I had imagined him to be.
"Armaan would get an instant popularity in our college,"
A coin indeed has two sides. I'd never imagined Ryan could be such a jerk. How dare he blackmailed me with some video? I adored him for his benevolent behaviour but he was behaving complete opposite with me.
"No one knows about this video except me. Oh, and you of course." he passed a chuckle.
"I'll give you twenty-four hours to think. After twenty-four hours either you'll be my movie partner or I'll expose your ex-boyfriend."
"Okay," I murmured while I nodded.
I wanted time to decide. Most importantly I wanted time to seep in the bad side of my crush. I was in a major shock.
"And, do finish the coffee," he pointed his finger at the tetra pack, I forgot I held.
"Wasting food is not good," he told, before leaving.
I kept looking at him with an utter shock. No matter how much I wished it to be a bad dream, it was the reality. I was not able to believe Ryan could be a stone hearted. Why would anyone expose a good person for nothing?
Atharv joined us at the dinner. He was wearing the same clothes he had worn at the college.
"Hello," he cooed at us and sat beside me.
"I ordered you a watermelon chiller," I spoke as soon as he glanced at the glass kept in front of him.
"So now that the guest of honour has arrived, can we order our food?" Ved joked.
Atharv passed a chuckle without congratulating Ved. I knew he would forget, so I poked him with my elbow.
"Congratulate him," I mouthed at him.
"Oh yeah," he whispered and instantly turned to my brother.
"Bro, congratulations." They shook hands.
"Thank you," Ved chuckled, glancing at me.
I glanced away. My father had asked Ved to order the items, since it was his day and also he knew more about food than anyone of us.
I was not able to remove the previous incident from my mind. I constantly recalled Ryan's blackmail and his dark side. I had no problem in being his movie partner but once I start doing what he asks me to do, his expectations would increase. I would get myself more entangled into the problems and have no way out of it. I didn't want to get involved in it. At the end, it was me who would land in problem eventually.
"So let's start our rating game?" Appu whispered in my ears.
"Sure," I smiled at her.
Whenever we went to a family dinner, Appu and I rated the guys around us. We take the term, why should all the boys have fun, too seriously. I looked around, trying to find a good looking guy. And so did Appu. Atharv and Ved having realised what we girls were doing, huffed.
"Dhvani, look over there." Appu pointed at a guy who was sitting across the restaurant along with his friends.
"7 on 10," I stated.
"Nope, 8 on 10." she chuckled.
"Huh?" my mother looked at us in disbelief.
"The - juice - we were rating the juice." Appu pointed at her glass.
"It's not that bad. I'll give it a 9." my mother said staring at the juice while we both burst out in laughter.
"If you both are done with the rating game, then let's check out the desserts." my father asserted.
It was only my mother who didn't know about the game. Rest all of my family members knew and never got offended.
"Yeah," I grinned sheepishly before peeping into the menu card that Appu was holding.
I looked around again trying to find another guy.
"Look over there," Appu pointed at a guy who entered in with a lady.
He wore a black suit, black shoes, black tie, and black shades - everything black. So fascinating.
"Okay, now he looks sexy." I chuckled.
"10 on ten," Appu said.
"He deserves 10," I told.
"Stop being jerks, ladies." Ved shot a glare at us.
After having our desserts we headed out. Appu kept blabbering about the new fashion trends with my mother and Ved was speaking something important to my father. I just leaned over Atharv's shoulder, exhausted. I had forgotten about Ryan's blackmail because of the time I spent with my family. When my family is around me I relax, no matter in how big problem I must be in.
I noticed Ryan walking inside the restaurant with his sister. I tried to hide my face, but it was too late. What if he told Atharv? I cocked my head at Atharv, who was completely engrossed in his phone.
I huffed and looked back at Ryan who winked at me. I wondered if I was just imagining Ryan. Why would Ryan wink at me though? Maybe that was a gesture related to the talk we had earlier?
"I need to find some excuse," I murmured to myself.
"Did you say something?" Atharv asked.
"No, definitely no." I shook my head.