One phone call with my mom later, I change into my sweats and loose t-shirt and have dinner.
After dinner, I throw myself face-first on my bed.
Closing my eyes, I simply laid there trying to go through any song's lyrics to keep my thoughts from going back to...no! Song lyrics. Remember.
I don't know how much time had passed when I hear the front door open and footsteps were nearing my room.
My room's door slowly opens, revealing my mom, as she walks in.
Looking at my pathetic form, she gives me a tender smile and sits on my bed.
Sighing, I move myself, lay my head on her lap and close my eyes.
"Nikhil just pities me." I finally blurt out my thoughts.
"Mhm?"
"Yeah, he thinks I'm easily manipulated."
"And?" She asks, stroking my hair.
"He keeps getting angry in Ved-related things. A lot." And I didn't stop there.
I speak out everything to my mother. My insecurities about Nikhil befriending me because I'm pathetic, my mixed feelings towards him, my reaction—or lack, thereof—to Ved's touches, my doubts about trusting Mia and I wanted to add how dad's extended work-period upset me, but I restrained myself since it might be a touchy subject for mom.
"So what are you going to do now?" She finally asked after I finished speaking.
"I don't know. And I never thought my Nikki would say that to me..."
"'Your' Nikki?" She asked amused.
My eyes shot open in realization and I saw my mom smiling down at me weirdly.
"I mean, m— my best friend..." I stutter and trail away.
"Did he apologize?"
"He was about to, but I stopped him...it was too late to take back what he said."
"It's never too late for anything."
"But he—"
"Oh baby, stop it. Are you looking for reasons to be angry with that boy?" My mom asks exasperatedly.
I stayed silent and she continued.
"In all honesty, I might ask you to make new girl friends, but that doesn't mean I want you to let go of Nikhil. That kid cares a lot. Who knows? He might have come here to talk to you about something that he was already upset about and you breaking the promise just fueled it up."
That makes me think about my actions.
But what he said equally upset me.
I let out a frustrated sigh and look at my mom helplessly.
"What do I do Ma?" I asked.
"Well, I'd say get some z's first. Then if you think you need time, take some and talk to him once you've had enough time. But talk to him okay?"
"'Kay." I mumble and close my eyes, relaxing into my mom's touch.
***
The next few days, I avoid Nikhil, even though he tries to get my attention—him shooting me longing glances at me and me returning them when he's not looking.
He hurt me, but he's still my Nikki.
My...best friend.
I have also gotten close with the HD twins and Mia while working for the Biology presentation posters but I still subconsciously keep my guard with Mia.
I love Darsh's creativity though. He never ceases to make me laugh.
After the Power Rangers S.P.D. shit, he told another one about him being Hulk.
It went something like this:
We were practicing some Math problems, when he butted in randomly saying, "I miss being Hulk.", and sighed.
We shot him a look that said 'WHAT THE FUCK NOW?' and he continued.
"I used to be Hulk. I was saving people from a volcanic eruption when I got lava all over me and I became Red Hulk. Then I became Pink Hulk after using cream for cooling me down. But after that, my mom went taking advice from my family and started feeding me with green vegetables so then I became Green Hulk.
"And because of my frequent color changes, I was stripped off of my powers and I'm not Hulk anymore."
I burst out laughing, Mia looked as though she was gonna murder someone—Darsh probably, because she is a Marvel fan—and Harsh, as usual gave the least expected reaction.
"Good thing Ma didn't give me any green veggies."
Honestly, I love these guys. If I had a choice, these two would be my siblings or at least my cousins.
But I don't, so they're just my friends.
Ved...well, he had started riding in the same bus as me in the mornings alone, after they got settled in their new house and we sat together sometimes whenever Maya comes after we both do.
He's got a little bit touchy-feely and honestly...I felt nothing. No butterflies in the stomach or anything.
And I've also been thinking that maybe I don't like him anymore.
My mom asks me how school's every day and I know that she means 'Have you talked to Nikhil?' between the lines.
And no. I haven't talked. I don't know when I will.
This leads me to now, where our class is elated about the Computer Applications teacher not coming to the class, so a substitute will.
I can't help but feel disappointed since I like to write coding—easy or complicated.
Our class teacher enters informing that a substitute teacher wasn't available so, we will be split into groups and sent to other sections that have the same period as us.
I stick with HD twins and Mia—she changed her place near mine—hoping we would get into the same section.
The twins and I got grouped together, but Mia wasn't. We shot her a sympathetic smile but she dismissed us with a wave and went away with her group.
Our own group was led away from our classroom and was taken to— Shit! It's 'D'.
Dread fills me as we enter the class and our class teacher informs the reason for us crashing in between.
Offering us a glare, the teacher in 'D' section classroom allots us seats.
I was placed with the twins and, unfortunately, right in front of Nikhil's bench.
I can feel his eyes boring holes in the back of my head as I sit listening to the mean teacher who keeps glaring at the students for no reason.
She was teaching what our teacher had already taught so the HD twins and I were barely keeping it together.
Suddenly Darsh nudges me, leans in and asks quietly, "Hand cricket. Harsh chose to be the joker. You in?"
"Sure."
"'Kay. Odd or eve?"
"Eve."
The toss turned out to be an even number, so I chose bowling after silent cheering.
We three were too immersed into the game that I didn't notice Nikhil's jabs from behind.
A throat was cleared beside our bench and we looked up to see the teacher glaring at us.
The entire class's eyes were on us.
"OUT!" The teacher exclaimed, pointing to the classroom's door.
Yay, finally! Well, under bad circumstances, but still.
Trying to look sad, I apologize to the teacher and make my way out of the class with HD twins and...Nikhil?
"Why is he out with us?" I asked the HD twins, referring to Nikhil.
"He suddenly said he was sorry and when mam asked why, he said for playing with us and here we are. Gotta say man, that was cool!" Harsh answered me, directing the last part towards Nikhil.
Smiling proudly, Nikhil gives Harsh a friendly pat, "Thanks dude!"
We peek in the classroom to see the teacher not even sparing us a glance—or should I say glare?
Finding the situation perfect, we walk away from the class, me in the front, while the boys trailed behind, talking about random stuff.
Then suddenly they became silent and without any warning, I am getting yanked and pulled into a dark room.
I smell cleaning supplies, probably the janitor's closet and my doubts were confirmed once the lights came on, but the door locks clicked too.
Turning around I see Nikhil in front of me as he speaks with a cautious expression, "Ritu, I'm sor— Please listen to me!"
I go around him to get out but I barely crossed him when I was jerked back into a hard chest.
Nikhil's chest.
My heart starts hammering at our proximity, his breath tickling my bare neck—fuck me for wearing ponytail to school—his arms around my waist that ever so lightly brush my bare skin due to riding up of my shirt.
This was exactly why I tried getting away from him; my mixed feelings.
Hell, I even think I had already forgiven him because, well, he's my best friend and I think I can understand him.
It's not like I had never ever hurt him.
My breath hitches as his lips brush my earlobe while he speaks, "I'm so so sorry Ritu. I never meant what I said. I was in a crappy mood that day and I'm really sorry I took it out on you.
"I just...seeing you with him on your first ride in a bike's backseat made me livid I guess..."
Letting out a long exhale that makes shivers run down my spine—fuck! Stop it Rithvika—he slowly spins me around to face him.
My breath catches in my throat as I see the vulnerability in his eyes. I have seen it several times before but not this much.
He slowly leans in, resting his forehead against mine and closes his eyes.
"Please forgive me. I know I'm stupid but— I don't wanna lose you." He speaks hoarsely and continues, "You're very important to me..."
I felt that weird tugging of my heart again at his choice of words.
Simply closing my eyes, I relish this moment—after not talking to him all these days, I kinda craved this.
"Say something. Scream, shout, slap me, hit me. Something. I know there isn't an excuse for what I did—"
"Damn right. There is no excuse for what you did." I start speaking, my pent-up anger—for what he said that day—finally starting to surface.
I continue, "You know my past and what I've been through and yet, you thought of talking to me like that.
"You're my best friend.", I jab his chest, "The only person I trusted so much.", jab, "The one person I thought who wouldn't hurt me.", jab, "The person who I confided in.", slap his chest, "And what did you do huh?"
"You. Did. Exactly. What. I. Thought. You. Wouldn't." I hit him for every single word.
"And for some unknown reason, you always end up getting angry when we talk about Ved or when he is around." I am practically whisper-yelling now.
"WHY?" I ask him, fisting his shirt and shaking him.
"You want to know why? Fine!" He snaps.
Walking me back, he pins me on the nearby wall, brings his face close to mine, his hair falling on his forehead, our noses touching.
Without another word, he crashes his lips on mine.
I freeze in surprise as he moves his lips and continues to kiss me, his hands going around my waist, pulling me to him.
Few seconds later he pulls away and I'm craving his lips on mine all of a sudden.
But he's my best friend. How can I?
Well, he was the one who kissed me first so you can blame him if things go south.
Good thinking brain.
Reaching my hands behind his head, I pull him in, our lips meeting halfway.
This time I kiss him back pouring out my anger, confusion, sadness and all those mixed feelings I have for him.
One of my hands runs through his hair, while the other wraps around his neck.
When we pull away, our foreheads rest against each other's, both of us breathless from the kiss.
Sparks. Tingles. Shivers.
Everything I was supposed to feel from Ved's touch, I was feeling through Nikhil's.
It was wrong, but felt so right.
Ew, that was cheesy.
Shut it!
What do we do now though?
A/N: Thoughts? Vote and comment, please and thank you!