(🚨 Long chapter ahead 🚨)
∆~~~~∆
"Shree."
Poke.
"Oye, Shreeeee."
Poke. Poke.
"Shhhhh....reeeee..."
Poke.
"I am not talking to you, Sandhya. So, stop it!" Shree whisper yelled and swatted my hand away.
Damn it. He was really adamant on not talking to me and proved me wrong about my 'one second rule' for him. He was still angry at me about yesterday's incident and I wasn't liking it at all.
I took out my pencil and poked him again. He was facing away from me and was actually paying attention in the class. Can you believe it? He was not pulling any prank or making jokes. Did I piss him off that much?
"Shree, I have to tell you something," I whispered and scooted closer to him.
He didn't respond so I kept poking him with the pencil. No matter how much he was trying to ignore me, he would get irritated soon and would have to talk to me eventually. Bad idea, but atleast it would work. Or so I thought. Shree didn't budge but I saw him ball his left hand which was on the table.
Poke, poke, poke, poke, poke, poke.
Turn around already! I need to talk to you.
Yes! He turned around. He glared at me and snatched the pencil away from me. He stared at me for some seconds and... Snap!
"That was my favourite pencil!" I shouted.
"Should have thought about it before you disturbed me," he stated flatly.
"First, don't talk to me. I am still angry at you," he continued and threw one broken part of my pencil at me,"and second, if you annoy me again, I will break all of your pencils." He threw the other broken part at me and turned back to face the blackboard.
How was I supposed to clear the misunderstanding if he wasn't even willing to listen to me? I picked up a pen this time but before its tip touched his shoulder, I retreated my arm back. The pen wasn't my favourite but what if he went hulk mode on me?
Shreyas had warned me about that. And this time it wasn't about his precious hair but about the girl for whom he cared so much to cut off those gorgeous locks.
How should I approach him now? I glanced at Mahek's table and saw her grinning. She flipped her hair back and winked.
I gave her a cold look and started drawing doodles in my notebook. How was I supposed to expose her? If I got the evidences, will everyone believe me? Should I continue with my plan? But what if I failed again? I didn't want another lecture from Surbhi.
After Ved warned me yesterday, I stormed off and went to the cafeteria. Soon after, Surbhi came and pulled me into the washroom. She was angry. No, angry would be an understatement. She was super angry and disappointed too. She heard about what happened and she was anything but happy about it.
She was surprised that I liked Shree. I didn't! It was all a misunderstanding. After I convinced her that it wasn't the case, she asked me why I was so stubborn on defaming Mahek. I told her that I didn't like her and I have seen her cheat on Shree but just didn't have anything to prove that.
She told me to drop the case and mind my own business. She didn't want me to get in a mess that I wouldn't be able to get out of. Wasn't she overreacting?
We argued for a good half an hour before we got tired and went back to the cafeteria to eat something. She kept throwing glares at me and even kicked me under the table when I was about to punch Ved as he went past our table.
Tanya and Divya also came and tortured me with their looks and taunts. But, I have this ability to tune out their or anyone's words if I wasn't willing to listen to something I didn't want to. It's called ignorance. I was blessed to have it. They kept reprimanding me and all that stuff, but was I going to listen to them? Nope.
I nodded my head absentmindedly to whatever Divya was going on about while I scanned the cafeteria. Shree was here..... but Mahek wasn't. Where could she be?
I stared at Shree to know whether he was waiting for her or not. He wasn't. He was busy telling jokes to his friends while they laughed at his mimicry.
"Excuse me guys, but I need to use the washroom," I told my gang and started getting up from my seat.
Surbhi looked at me with suspicion but I didn't stop for her questioning. Before they could respond, I zipped out of there. I was still dressed like yesterday, so it was easier for me to blend in with the crowd. Most of the students were wearing black or darker shades.
Was black a trend nowadays? Whatever. It prevented unnecessary attention so it had a thumbs up from me. No wonder, Shreyas liked it.
I moved stealthily and checked every classroom on my way. I even went to the staffroom. You never knew where she could be.
Library? Should I go there? But it was directly opposite to where I was. It would take time to return and Surbhi would eventually catch up to what I was upto.
I called her up and told her that I was going to meet Mehta sir to discuss about some questions. I wished the 'nerd card' would do the trick. I had finished my lunch already so that would serve as an added excuse. Luckily, she didn't ask me too many questions. Again, I was lying to her. I felt bad but I had to do it.
I put my phone on silent and just as I entered a classroom, I saw Mahek taking a corner down the hallway. I quickly got in action. She was alone this time. I started following her and guess what?
She was actually going towards the library. That sacred place was getting used for a lot of wrong reasons nowadays. Take Nikhil and Karthik for example.
Mahek hopped on her way and I so wanted her to trip on her own feet. She didn't. Lucky her. She kept walking and walking, and I kept following and following. I was getting tired now.
Where the heck was she going? She took a sudden U-turn and I quickly ducked behind a pillar. I peaked my head out a little and saw her talking on her phone. She glanced here and there, and took off in the opposite direction.
I got out of my hiding spot and went after her. Just when I thought I had caught her, she vanished. Poof! Just like that. Where did she go? I saw a movement in my peripheral vision and noticed there was a door at the far end. Were we playing hide and seek? Why wouldn't she stay in one place?
I had never been to this part of the college before. There wasn't a single soul here. Why was this school so huge? Maybe I needed to get a tour of this place myself. I slided across the wall and reached the door. It was slightly open so I peaked inside. Darkness. Utter darkness.
I got in and searched the area. The room was quite big and was filled with shelves; both wooden and steel containing various documents. Other items like tables, broken chairs, mops, buckets and cardboard boxes were strewn across the room. Was it a store room?
There was only one window on the right side to provide ventilation. If it wasn't for the little bit of sunlight peaking through the cracked glass, the room would be completely dark.
As I was wondering about whether or not to make this place my secret hanging out spot, I heard a rustle on my left. I smirked. Finally, the time had come.
I tiptoed towards a big cupboard and lay my back flat on its surface. I bent down and popped my head out. There she was. I couldn't clearly make out what was going on but I was sure there were two figures. I smiled evilly and got out of my hiding spot. I made my way towards them and stopped just a feet away. I had to squint my eyes to register their faces.
Oh wait! I had flashlight in my phone. I turned it on and flashed it in front of me. Time to get busted, Mahek. I laughed like an evil witch in my mind and was already imagining her horrified expression when she saw me. But, the one who got the shock was me.
"Rashi?"
She put up her hand to obstruct the light which was directly shining on her eyes. Her eyes widened in surprise when I put the phone to my side, illuminating the small area around us which was enough for us to see each other. I looked beside her and saw a guy staring blankly at me.
"Who are you?" I asked him but he didn't respond. I glanced at Rashi who was just standing frozen on her spot, her eyes the shape of saucers.
I didn't say 'statue' guys. Why weren't they moving?
"Rashi, who is he?" I asked her but I had a slight idea of his identity.
Was he her boyfriend? I hadn't seen him before though. Was he even from our college?
I took in his appearance and focused more light on him. He squinted his eyes in response and crossed his arms across his chest.
He was tall, not taller than Ved or Nikhil but still tall. He was wearing a dark green shirt and white jeans. He had a strong jawline which was covered with a beard and his hair were swiped to the left. His eyes were a darker shade of brown which were staring at me so intensely. He exhaled a deep breath and I saw him grip his arms tightly.
I glanced at Rashi who was still staring at the ground, not moving a bit. I grabbed her arm and shook her. She snapped her eyes at me and I saw so many emotions running through them; fear, loneliness, guilt. And I knew the reasons for those too. She looked at the guy beside her and her expressions softened.
She was afraid that, now I had found her with her secret lover, others would know too. And eventually, also her brother. She was feeling lonely because I knew how hard it must have been for her to hide it from us and that she couldn't be brave enough to tell us about him.
Guilty because she was a girl who respected her family's wishes more than hers. And right now, she was almost committing a crime by having a secret affair.
"I am Faiyaz." I heard him.
He spoke!
Wait a minute! Did he say Faiyaz? I looked at Rashi with concern and she shrunk down a bit. Her brother would kill her. I saw Faiyaz fidget in his spot and I decided to introduce myself too. Wow. What a first meeting!
"I am Sandhya. Sandhya Rai. Rashi's friend."
Faiyaz and I shook our hands and I saw him relax a bit. He took Rashi's right arm and gave it a small squeeze. She also calmed down and they both looked at me.
"Don't worry, Rashi. She won't tell," he told her.
Huh? How did he know that? I didn't say anything about that.
"How are you so sure?" Rashi asked.
Hey! I am your friend. That hurt.
"Don't you trust me?" I asked her and pouted.
Faiyaz chuckled at my reaction and I nudged Rashi. She sighed and looked me in the eyes. I knew what she was thinking. She had doubts about whether she should trust me or not. Why? I was her friend. I would never betray her.
"Rashi, you can trust me. Even Faiyaz does, though we just met. What is troubling you?" I asked her.
"Do you promise you won't tell anyone?" she asked with sorrow. She really loved this guy. And look at that bitch Mahek. Going around Shree's back and acting like the purest soul alive on earth.
"Not even our friends?" I asked.
"No. Not until I tell them myself," she replied.
"Sure, I swear your secret won't be revealed." I put out my pinky finger and she looked at it with confusion.
"Pinky promise, dumbo."
She gave me a sweet smile and entwined her pinky finger with mine. Faiyaz also smiled brightly when he realised that the situation was under control. I gave her a smug look and bent my head to whisper in her ears.
"You have good taste, buddy."
Rashi blushed and punched me lightly on the stomach. I grinned and glanced at Faiyaz. I nodded my head and went back to tease her.
"I can hear you, you know and thank you for the compliments, Sandhya. I appreciate that you like my eyes." Faiyaz smirked.
He heard that?!
How was I supposed to react to that? I just embarassed myself. In front of my friend's boyfriend. Great. I pursed my lips and changed the topic.
I asked them how they got in here if they were trying to hide. I was sure Faiyaz wouldn't have entered through the front gates since he didn't have the identity card.
They showed me the small opening behind the cupboard we were currently standing in front of. It was like a secret passage. I really liked it.
Now I could sneak out of here whenever I wanted. This place was officially added to my secret escape routes now. For what you ask? I will let you know once I know too.
As I was observing and practicing on using the passageway, my phone rang. Shit! All colour from my face drowned out. It was the call of the devil. Surbhi.
I picked it up and quickly put it away from my ear as her first words landed.
"Where the fuck are you?!"
Faiyaz raised his eyebrows in surprise while Rashi motioned for him to keep quiet. They both kept still as I tried to handle the situation. Tried. Surbhi kept her onslaught of curse words for quite sometime before she took a pause and asked again in a low voice.
"Where are you Miss Sandhya Rai? If you are doing what I am sure you are doing, then you are dead. You hear me? DEAD."
I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Surbhi was really scary when she was angry. And I must compliment myself for this achievement.
"I am....um... I told you I was meeting with Mehta sir," I replied.
"I just met him and he told me you never came to meet him. So don't lie or else you know what will happen."
I swear I heard her crack her knuckles. Oh wait! If she was cracking her knuckles, then who was holding the phone? Fuck! The phone was on speaker mode. And others were listening too. Double fuck!
"Sandhya, come here right now. And no. Don't even say you were in the washroom. I know you don't have any constipations. So you better get your ass here," Tanya spoke from the other side. I could picture her pissed off face so clearly.
"Be there in five minutes," I yelled and cut off the call.
Shit man! What was I going to tell them? Think, Sandhya, think.
Maybe Rashi could help. As I turned to ask her for help, Faiyaz burst out laughing. What was so hilarious? While talking to Surbhi, I noticed him trying to control his laughter as Rashi kept pinching him to keep quiet.
We let him laugh his heart out as we thought of some excuse. I would tell I was with Rashi and that's why I got late. We decided on a story to tell our friends so that they didn't beat me up when I returned. Rashi told me that she would handle it and make up some lie on the spot if they didn't buy our excuse.
Faiyaz left after ten minutes and he was still laughing at me. I let him slide because he was Rashi's lover. I wiggled my eyebrows at her and she gave me an annoyed look.
I was enjoying teasing her and asked her about how she met such a nice guy, as we walked towards our classroom. I was shocked to know that it was their first anniversary today. So sad they had to hide like that.
Only if her family wasn't so conservative and discriminative towards other religions, she wouldn't have to keep her relation under wraps like that. It was unfair. Why can't they just accept their love?
Though her brother was good and caring, he believed in those old stereotypes too. I think he was the one, of whom Rashi was scared the most.
He would come everyday to pick her up and on days, he couldn't, he would send in his driver and bodyguards. And those bodyguards looked nothing less than thugs.
Can you believe that if she wanted to stay at one of the girls' place for a sleepover, she had to take permission one week ago? Like an appointment! What the real fudge? I thought my parents were strict, but hers were on a whole another level.
Whenever we went to a party and she got drunk, she would lie and stay at one of ours places because if her family found out about her drinking, she would be grounded.
I had talked to her brother few times and had a good impression of him. But he had a lot of control on Rashi. His yes was her yes, and his no was her no. I just wished that when the time came for her to tell him about Faiyaz, he would say yes. Because if he didn't, then.......
I glanced at Rashi and saw her smiling from ear to ear. I pushed all the negative thoughts out of my mind and slung my left arm around her shoulders. She started singing an old song and I sang along with her, dissolving all my worries in the music. Atleast for now.
🎤"Yeh ladka haye Allah
Kaisa hai deewana
Itna mushkil hai tauba isko samjhana
Ki dheere dheere dil bekarar hota hai
Hote hote hote pyaar hota hai~~
Yeh ladka haye Allah
Kaisa hai deewana~~"🎤