||CHAPTER 47||
《¤》

Suprisingly, Mr. Gaur was absent that day. Which inturn meant that the Psychology students had to accompany us, the P.E. students, to the sports room for indoor games, or in other words, the freedom for the ones who did not like running lapses.

For the past ten minutes, Vansh Mehra had been discreetly staring at Karan Bahl, who was playing table tennis with Avni. While we awaited for our turn on the fifth table, nothing but awkwardness filled in the space that did not welcome it. I cleared my throat. "No matter how shocking the news is, you always have to act like you don't know, Vansh."

He turned abruptly to look at me, "I was... just thinking, what if we were in his shoes?"

I didn't need to think about it, but I pretended to, for his sake. "I'd be scared if others' found out."

"Exactly!" He glanced at everyone around us. "But we did, Arvika."

Maybe it was because he still dreamt of a world in which there were people you could rely on, people who had your back. But I could understand what he was feeling; instability, like that dream was slowly fading out in its realms.

"I had warned you, this was going to be crazy."

"It can stop being crazy if we try," he was instilling hope. He was juggling his feelings.

We were passed a pair of tennis racquets, and we took our positions.

I wasn't the only one who digressed all the frustration through the smashes.

¿¤?

I was with Armaan Qureshi in the second floor during the break, when Mrs. Negi stopped infront of us on the stairwell near the library.

"Good Afternoon, Mam," we chimed, rising up to greet her.

"Won't you guys have your lunch?" She asked, glancing at her wrisy watch. "Just ten minutes left!"

"We already did mam," Armaan replied, slithely dumping the biscuit wrappers in his trouser pockets. "We were just using our time to study."

She nodded at him, looking at the Math textbook on the stairs. Then, she met my eyes. "Do you mind coming to my faculty room for a moment? I need to speak to you."

Finally, I thought. "Sure, Mam."

I followed her to her faculty room, by the Social Studies lab. It was just like any other normal faculty room in the room, except there were no teachers around. She lead me to her table, and motioned me to grab a chair. When we were seated, I asked, "Is this about my English exam?"

Arranging a few papers on her table, she shook her head. "No."

I waited patientlg for her to continue.

"Alright... so, I read a few things about you on the internet."

I nodded, not understanding her sudden need to do so.

"Is it true that the Deewans have taken over a third of the Yatis company because of you?"

I smiled. "There might be some truth to it."

"I don't think Raman gave that to you willingly," she didn't sound accusatory, "what was your bait?"

"I apologise, Mrs. Negi," I stood up, "but I am not comfortable speaking about my family and business with anyone in the school. If this is not about my academics, or overall wellbeing, I suppose I'm allowed to leave? I heard the bell ring a few minutes ago."

What shocked me, was her instant apology. "I am sorry... I shouldn't have asked that. I just... I am not in good terms with my ex-husband, and then you are his step-daughter now. I am really sorry for treating you the way I did before."

She sounded genuine, and I told her that. "Next time, please switch off your voice recorder Mam. Eitherways, I respect you, and I am okay with any way you treat me."

¿¤?

Skimming through my dresser, she picked up a shade that is meant to hurt the one with sober eyes: neon green. "Where have you been hiding this heaven all along?"

I shook my head at Ishita's gleaming face, "Don't tell me you don't have that shade, Ishi."

Her finger circled her face, "You see this happiness? No? Because you suck at being a good friend!"

Offcourse, Ishita meant it as a joke, hinting at me not caring about how happy she was to see my collection of cosmetics- untouched, yet available. But she had no idea how right she was at assessing my character. Time and again, Vansh's words from a few days ago kept ringing in my head.

The knock at the door stopped my train of thoughts. Ratan kaka entered, with two glasses of strawberry milkshake.

Yeah, suprise, suprise. Ishita had hijacked my Friday afternoon- school was off- and called it a Girl's Day (because she couldn't spend the night, not that I invited her in the first place).

"Thank you, Kaka!" She chirped, perching on my window seat.

Once he left, I closed the door and sighed. All my plans of doing nothing and lying in bed for the better part of the day were spoilt.

She twisted open the bottle, with knees propped up. "Ab bata."

I squinted my eyebrows, joining her on my favourite seat, "Kya batau?"

She bobbed her head up at me, rolling her eyes, before continuing to paint her nails. "Dude, ye I-am-clueless wala act na mere saamne nahi chalega. Seedhe seedhe baq tere aur Vansh ke beech me kya chal raha hai."

The smell of the varnish struck my nose; I hated that smell. "Kuch nahi chal raha hai."

She gave me a bored look.

"Fine!" I raised my hands up, making her smile triumphantly. "I... I guess I like him-"

"You guess you like him? You and Vansh disappear together during the Dang! Party. He goes to your mother's wedding in Mumbai, when he had said that he won't be going because aunty would be in Shillong. Aur fir, tujhe kya lagta hai, exams ke pehele wale party mein tu uske saath upar gayi thi woh maine nahi dekha?"

"You're such a stalker, Ishi," I tsked. "Tu reporter kyoo nahi ban jati?"

"Shut up," she said, satisfied with her mini pedicure. "How does this look?"

"Aakhon me chubh raha hai," I replied honestly. It was also looking good, but getting a compliment out of me was supposed to be difficult.

"Great," she wiggled her toes, turning in her place to dangle her legs. "So you like him, he obviously likes you too-"

"How are you so sure about that?"

"Ugh, I can't believe I am having such a stupid conversation with Arvika Deewan!"

I kicked her thigh. "Shut up. Ab agar uske barein mein baat karni hi hai, tho detail mein kar."

She had a cheshire cat smile on her face, "Tho Vickey ko Vansh pasand hai..."

I was ready to give her a clichè answer, "It's complicated, okay?"

"I'm listening," she shrugged.

Holding onto a glass of strawberry millshake, with some Avril Lavigne in the background, I folded my legs, facing her, and smiled.

It was time I had some girl talk too.

¿¤?

Saturdays ceased to be holidays once our Midsems ended. Worried about our syllabus, Mrs. Dongra had found the perfect opportunity to trouble us by keeping every Saturday, henceforth, a working day.

But her decision to do so was not apt for this Saturday, because my favourite teacher, Mrs. Negi, was absent, leaving a whole one hour free for us. Though, under normal circumstances, this definitely would have been a field day for us, today, being a Saturday had different outcomes.
Unable to find a substitute, we were assigned to go to the library, and it's no suprise that we were the old librarian's worst nightmare.

"Okay, okay, okay," Karan chortled, eyes snapping up to get Ishita and I's attention. "Listen to this-"

"Karan, nahi, tere jokes bohot bakwas hote hai!" Ishita complained, leafing through the Children's magazine.

"This isn't mine! I swear, ye book ka hai!"

She groaned, but he continued anyways. "How does NASA host it's company parties?"

We shared a look before raising our eyebrows at him.

"They PLANET!" He started guffawing, his eyes crinkling due to his laughter.

"I don't understand how that was supposed to be so funny," I commented, honestly.

Karan didn't pay any heed to our groans, but Avni did pay attention to him, because she was suddenly standing by the fourth seat at our table, which was vacant. The rest of our group was sitting near the glass windows.

"I think it was hilarious," Avni smiled at him.

I rolled my lips inside, laughing silently with mirth, because it was Avni interacting with her crush again.

"Oh, didn't you," Ishita replied under her breath, to which Karan responded with a glare.

"Thanks," he scratched his head, before passing her the book he was reading. "Do you want to read more?"

She looked at me and Ishita, and we grinned at her. We weren't bullies, we just enjoyed her discomfort. "Uhm, is this seat taken?"

"I don't know," Ishita shrugged, "I don't see it's lover around."

Her sense of humour had definitely undergone a makeover, I high-fived her.

We were in the receiving end of the glares again, but we couldn't help but humour the situation.

"I apologize from their side," he said to Avni. "Please have a seat, it's comfortable here than being by the sun."

"Apologize," I snickered.

"Comfortable," Ishita joined me.

Avni was clearly feeling awkward.

"Oh, sowwy," I waved at her, "I apologize, if we are interrupting your conversation. Please feel comfortable to continue."

Karan was in a full on glare-mode.

"Arey," I covered my face with my hands, "Aise bhi na taado hame, hame sharm aati hai."

From the parting between my fingers, I could see Avni gad cracked a smile at our antics.

"I honestly don't know why we keep you around," Karan muttered under his breath. "You're so annoying!"

I winked at him, and blew him a kiss.

"Holy shit!" Ishita whispered, for only me to hear. "Do that again! Vansh is taraf dekh raha hai, he is jealous."

And due to my lack of better judgement, I followed Ishita's gaze, instantly mesmerized by the way sunlight was falling on his face through the glass windows. His blazer rested behind him on his chair, his jaws clenched in my all-time favourite impassive face, fingers playing with the hem of a page of the book in front of him, and me being the subject of his attention.
He didn't reposition his gaze when I caught his eyes. From the corner of my eyes, I could see my brother raising an eyebrow at him, and Ritwik laughing at the interaction.

My mother had once claimed I was a very brave girl when I had fallen down during my running race and hurt my knees. A stone had cut through the skin, and I it had been bleeding the whole day.

And interestingly, despite knowing the repercussions, I proved that she's right, when i winked and blew a kiss in the direction of Vansh Mehra.

_____

Namoshtaii!

So another Suprise Sunday Update! But honestly, ur reply to my previous AN touched me, ur investment in this story is really amazing. So Thank You Guys! I really hope u guys stay this invested by April too ;)

Btw, when r ur birthdays?

Anyways, read, vote, comment and promote!

~emcee.