||CHAPTER 40||
《¤》

I wasn't dumb when it came to guys, but I'm not sure if I was too smart when it came to a certain guy named Vansh Mehra.

"Uhh... what?" I asked at his proposal.

"I can repeat that in three different languages, but you have to agree in the end," he shrugged. His sudden movement caused his maroon blazer to crease momentarily while his tie hung loose from his neck. He was attractive, his body language was attractive, his personality was attractive; I never denied that.

And no, he wasn't asking me out, ironically, because he was asking me to eat with him and our group.

"I..." How the hell was I suddenly being speechless around him? I cleared my throat. "I can't- exams start next Monday and Armaan helps me with Physics."

I wasn't lying. Most of my recess time was spent with Armaan and the Physics text book, while my friends were asking me to accompany them to the canteen.

"Oh my god," Ishita exclaimed. "Arvika Deewan worrying about exams?!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I am forced to worry about my grades now," I turned back to Vansh and Arnav.

"You could ask any one of us!" Vansh complained. "I mean, we know we aren't as bright as your new friend, but we are pretty decent. Ek din tho aana..."

I had trailed him out the moment I had spotted Mickey cross our corridoor from the window. He had turned to look inside our classroom, but I doubt he saw me. Eitherways, it was an indication that he was going to do the work for me.

"...he's right," I heard Arnav saying. When I glanced back at them, Vansh had an impassive look governing his features. He had seen the exchange.

I opened my mouth to reply, but someone cut me to it.

"Arvika!"

Armaan needed to work on his timings.

I didn't need to look at the people surrounding me to know that they were glaring at Armaan.

"Armaan, hey," I straightened up and fetched my Physics reference book. "I did those ques-"

"Uhm, great, but I think we need to skip today's study session."

I studied his face. Something was wrong, he was looking a bit scared to approach us.

"May I know why?"

Ritwik, Vansh, Arnav and Ishita stopped glaring at him, looking at each other with an expression I knew too well- something I used to play with.

"I guess I'll study Chemistry today."

He was quick to leave, and I didn't stop him.

"Do you want me to pretend that that was natural?" I looked at Arnav.

"Look, Vika," they managed to make me follow them to the Canteen. "You should know who your actual friends are."

"I'm pretty sure I do," I said to him. "What is your problem with him?"

"As long as he doesn't have any with us," Ritwik replied, "we won't have any with him. He is going to use you, Arvika. Believe me, I know people like him."

Ishita squeazed my hand, and I knew she didn't mean the words she said, "He might be good with you Vika, but you are one of us now. We don't mix with them."

I had no energy to fight them. It was of no use.

I wasn't able to get out of the Canteen to meet Mickey, and with the possibility of Vansh knowing that I was up to something, I wasn't going to risk it either. So I sat with my friends at our usual table, mustering up a smile. "Well, it warms my heart that you guys care about me so much."

"Sarcasm noted," Ritwik commanded.

"By the way, when is your celebratory party huh?"

¿¤?

If there was anything I hated about the exam season, not that there is anything to love about it, is the revision sessions preceeding it.

Half a year's study had already whizzed by, and so had our Chemistry Sir's hand as he kept on writing questions on the board.

"Bro, yeh sab kab padhaya?" Ritwik whispered, leaning back against his chair to make himself audible to us.

"Tu mujhey poochh raha hai?" I retorted, copying down the questions which did not look like English anymore.

"Bell kab bajegi yar?" Karan sounded distressed.

"Kyu?" Ishita smirked. "Tera Einstein boyfriend tera intezaar kar raha hai kya?"

"Shut up," he gave her a nonsensical look.

Our banter came to a halt as our Chemistry teacher turned around. "Ten questions, twenty minutes."

I know all of us were giving him the puppy looks, because his face softened a bit. "Fine, I give you guys one privelege today, just for today only ."

We waited keenly to hear his next words. Was he going to let us open our textbooks? Not that I carry one, but Ishita would probably have one. What was her duty as my bench partner if not bring the textbooks?

"You will not open your textbooks," groans were heard before he could finish, "but you can discuss the answers with your partners, because I know that not even this cheating scheme will help you."

I knew everyone was sharing the feeling of hatred towards our teacher, but none of us could express it in ways other than groaning.

Thirty minutes, thirty minutes of pure hell was what we had to endure.

I glanced at Armaan, just like everyone was doing, as he sat unfazed by the amount of stares he was receiving. His hand kept on scribbling on his notebook; he was the scholar of eleventh grade afterall. Not once did he look up from his sheet and I assumed it had something to do with the last time he did that.

I turned back to my group, smiling, and yet not.

"I think..." Ishita said, glancing between him and me, "we should have let you guys hang out with him today."

¿¤?

I was starting to think that Mickey was dumber than I had thought when ten minutes turned to fifteen. The dispersal bell had rung twenty minutes ago, and with the excuse of meeting Armaan before going home, I had escaped the scrutiny of my brother's gang. I wasn't ready to tell them what I was doing in the abandoned stairwell of the school.

Interrupting my thoughts, footsteps sounded from above. Exploring, I climbed up till I was on the second floor, where I met the person I was looking for.

"I was starting to think that you were dumber than I thought, Deewani," he reciprocated my thoughts.

"Crazy, 'cus I was wondering the same about you too," I replied honestly, eyeing the brown coloured box file in his hands. "That's mine now."

"Not for long, take the pictures and let it go."

He handed it over to me, and I held it with my napkin covering my fingers.

"Do you not trust my work, Deewani? You don't need to worry about fingerprints."

I smirked, opening the folder. It was the original copy. "I certainly don't doubt your work."

I scanned the whole front page, details about his parents and residence. Then I shut the flap and slid it back in his hands. "Thanks."

He accepted the rest of the money without any modesty.

I stepped back, "Be free on Sunday Morning. Meet me outside Kawfee and Koolfi at seven thirty."

"I don't go on dates, let alone early morning ones, honey."

"Not unless there's money involved, Mickey Mouse."

"Sure, I'd love to be your escort service, madame," he bowed sarcastically.

I tried to be as slithe as I could be on my way back to the buses. The guys and Ishita were standing at the end of Ritwik and Karan's bus.

"Kaha gayi thi?" Karan asked.

"Tumhari shakal dekhkar bore ho gayi thi, tho tehelne chali gayi."

Ishita stuck her tongue out at that, "Arnav, tere behen ko kisi eye specialist ke paas le jaa."

"Aakh nahi, dimaag ke doctor ki zarurat hai ise," Ritwik pulled my hair, getting his jaw punched in response.

"Mr. Gaur kaise rahenge?" I suggested, looking at Karan.

I knew he wasn't new to this game when he laughed back. "The best. He will even give you a Coffee Bite if you cry."

"Chocolates, the road not taken to my heart," I mimed to prove my point.

The conversation drifted, and Vansh spoke to me in a low voice, "So, Armaan ne kya kaha? Is he alright?"

I followed his line of gaze, landing on the person in question unlocking his cycle from the stands. "Hmm, yeah he is. He keeps to himself, you know. He is a strange guy."

"Yeah. Funny, because that's what I thought when I saw him in the Men's Washroom right after you left to talk to him. Strange how he can be in two places at the same time!"

No matter how much I tried to tell myself not to look him in the eye, my eyes froze when they met his. It was difficult to trust people, and I was giving him more reasons to not to trust me.

The sound of coughing and clearing of throats didn't do anything to bring us out of our reverie, but I looked back at the rest of the group.

"You know," Ishita chirped, in gibelike tone, "you never told me about what happened when you met Aryan Oberoi."

Translation: what happened when Vansh Mehra met Aryan Oberoi.

I smiled sweetly at her, shrugging and eyes dreamy, "Sparks flew, sweetness rained, happiness... our love won!"

She glared when the boys laughed. Her cheeks swelled in fury, and for the first time I thought she looked cute with her little nose. "Mai iski hatai kyu nahi nikaal paati hoon?!?!"

I blew her a kiss, "Kyuki ye Google Baba ko bhi nahi pata."

When the buses started honking, we hurried towards our buses, and Vansh fell into step with me. It was tense; it was pleasant.

"You know, I've got another theory about you."

"My ears are dying to hear it."

"Good, because my lips are dying to make you struggle."

He surely had caught me offguard as he boarded the bus and I stood back, fazed, and dumbstruck.

_____

Namoshtaii!

What was your highlight this Ganesh Utsav? My society hosts this amazing funfair every yr a day before the visarjan, so yeah, being the foodie i am, i am quite hyped up abt tomorrow.

Last Sunday I uploaded the epigraph to this book, and I know it is a little bit confusing rn, so i would request u guys to wait patiently for the upcoming chapter 43. Hopefully, u guys will understand it then. Shall i give u a spoiler? Uhmmm.

You guys seriously have to pray for me, because my Midsems start this Monday. And analysing from what I had done last yr, I can only hope I score well. Ugh, why is 12th so tough?? Does any1 have any advice for me???

For those of who don't know, I post sneak peeks (not spoilers!) of the upcoming chapters on my profile, so if you would like to have a slight glimpse of what's gonna happen, don't forget to follow me!

Well, so read vote comment and promote!

~emcee.