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Avni

"Hey I saw that" Rea whispered leaning to me when we were sitting there in the canteen waiting for our lunch to be arrived by Soham.

"What!!" I narrowed my eyes looking at her confusingly.

"That you both were staring at each other" blatantly stating she curved her lips in an surreptitious grin and I couldn't help swallowed hard in panic.

I know who she is talking about. I don't know how she has figured it out but right now I want to drop this discussion going anywhere further especially in front of Soham. He has gone bringing our food as he always do. Not letting two of us to fight to grab our lunch in that mass of students around the canteen counter every recess, Soham brings it up whenever he join us in meal.

"Wooow it took less time today" I tried my best to dismiss the topic right then. I saw Soham coming this way with a tray packed with food items. As I was seated facing the canteen counter opposite to Rea so she was unaware of his coming back to us...

"I had to manage, girls!!!" Soham smiled proudly keeping down the food tray he pulled a chair and took his seat between us.

Rea straightened her back, stared at me. She grabbed her chicken burger from the tray.

"What are you guys talking about.. anything interesting??" Soham threw a look at both of us, asked offhandedly taking a seep from his coffee in one hand and stretched another one to grab his paneer roll..

With my tensed gaze I glanced at Soham then Rea hopping that she would not spill anything stupid in front of him. If she does she would face worst of me today.

I gently took a bite from my egg-chicken roll while I was praying inwardly.
As a decent foody person my appetite doesn't satisfy just with a single egg roll. Therefore to make it fatty and delicious I prefer it to be stuffed with both chicken kababs and a egg, or it will just rest in a corner of my stomach somewhere still growling for more.

"Neil, we were talking about Neil" Rea replied in between munching her food then rose her eyes at me straight. Her gaze danced in amusement made me cursing her under my breath.

I flipped my eyes nervously, tried to stay straight-faced as much as I could. I quickly shoot a forced grin at Soham which he didn't much payed attention as he was busy gobbling his food.

"Why ??? R you guys falling for him!!! Humm!!" Soham rolled his eyes at both of us, then let out a small chuckle pulling his eyes back to his food.

Suppressing the tension growing inside me I seeped my coffee not looking at any of them. My heart is biting wildly.

"What!!! Not in my dreams please!!!!..." Rea made a wired face in such an irritation as if Neil is a Zombie or some creature in hell that can't be dated.

"Rea you shouldn't have made that kind of face for him yaar..."
Soham glared at Rea then smiled groofily.

"Can't you see I rather prefer throwing my attitude on him always"
Rea rolled her eyes shoving the last piece of burger inside her mouth she grabbed a tissue to clean her hand rubbing it on her ketchup stained fingers.

"Hey you should respect our college topper Rea" Soham said munching his food unwrapping the last paper around his paneer roll in much concentration. And I let out a muffled groan being annoyed by their exchange of words. Oh god why don't they drop it here.

Rea scoffed...
"He is a Nakchadah, N for Nakchadah..." She galled scrunching her nose. There is some hint of satire in her voice made my eyes jerked up at her.

"E for egoistic" Soham added with same unconcerned tone. My eyes on Soham now. Now what this? Some cross word puzzle or what they are solving out? My fist balled. The bad part is I can't even stop these two bland.

What's wrong with you guys!!! I just wanted to say this to shut them up but I decided to stay quite or definitely now on Soham also would join Rea in her teasing session so I kept my mouth shut.

"I for idiot" Rea chuckled discreetly, hifived with Soham.

And that was it I can't take this anymore. to stop them off adding another effing word for the last alphabet of his name. I shut my eyes and blurted out.

"And L for lovable" I stated but immediately a red tint of heat crept on my cheeks with my mayhem inside. Shit. What have I put myself into!

I opened my eyes slowly preparing myself for their respond, which is something dangerously coming to my way. And I know I'm gonna be regretting for this so badly, till our last semester.

" What!!! What did you just say AVI!!! Neil and Lovable!!!!you must be joking babe" she laughed like a messed up maniac and next moment suddenly changed her expression into a most irked state she could have been built any worst than this.

I don't know what came over me that moment, I contradicted her.

"Stop it Rea, he is not that bad as you always say" I said meekly, swirling playfully an empty coffee mug.

"Achaa you know him better than me then...interesting!!" in reply Rea whispered scooting her face close to me and immediately straighten back. Her lips curved a smugy mirth staring at me as we were talking to eachother through our gaze.

Soham moved his eyes few times at both of us back and forth with so much of his cynical glances then he said " hey don't we have any other interesting topic to talk about??"

I sighed, shifted my eyes from Rea to Soham plastering an unwilling smile on my lips. Inwardly I actually thanked Soham to pulled this Neil topic to the end finally.

*******

"He looked at me...no he noticed me,
first time..."Avni was leaning against her bed headrest with her statistics copy opened on her lap sitting relaxingly stretching her legs on the bed mattress..she put her right leg on her left ankle holding her copy gently she was looking straight at the horizon afar outside the balcony, her mind is somewhere else.

I tried not to peep into his eyes second time walking past him on the way to canteen today..but I did...why Avii!!!!
His eyes hypnotize you, everytime you sneak into them...babe u are preparing your own disaster because it seems U r falling for him head over heels, don't you!!!!" my conscience screamed this time just like Rea tantalise me with her words in these kinds of situations whenever she finds me in.

"Uhuh....I was just..."I sighed can't forming any better word to justify my subconscious...

His eyes...
today I have seen something unusual in them...wasn't it??
he was constantly staring at me... the moment our eyes collided,he even didn't bother to shift his gaze somewhere away but at me...
is he???.....oh no no don't go to there...the voice inside my head chided.

My reverie broke by the caller tune, the unplugged instrumental version of the song"Teri galiyaan galiyaan teri galiyaan..." My favourite. I heaved a sigh before I look into the caller ID.

It was an unknown number..I creased my brows thinking if I would receive it or not..
but before it get cut giving a full long ring I received it hesitantly...

"Hello" I replied, my tone reluctant.

"Hey hi " a girl responded at the other end gave me a familiar hint.

"Sorry who's this!!!" I pressed the ph a bit closer into my ears straightening by body...

"Abbey me Rea!!" Rea blurted and I gasped..

Her voice made me pull my pH afar from my ears immediately before I bring it back again..

"Hey Rea!!!" I squealed, my heart elated knowing it's her...
is this your another number!!! I asked excitedly...

"Nope it's Neil" Rea replied..

The moment she took his name my throat dried up I looked at my pH once then opened my mouth to find something to speak and failed... nothing came out my mouth only my ears received my thumping chest. My grip tightened around the device before it fell off my grip being highly startled. It's his number. I bit lips harder not able to hold my breath anymore.

"It's a Friday night so as every week our hangout group has come to the club and I have just now realised that my ph got switched off indicating the dying battery..." Rea scoffed...

Did she call me to inform exactly this...and that is from his number!!!
What the hell!!!
I frawned...

"Actually Ali said me to call you one more time to confirm that you are coming to attend his b'day party this Sunday...as Neil was beside me so I grabbed his pH and immediately dialled your number" she brought a mild chukle and my heart skipped around round when she took his name. I hate myself at the moment  I'm so whipped over this man god.

I couldn't help rolled my eyes.

Hey Bappa I thought it was just a formal invitation because I was present there with Rea that day when Ali came up to us and apologized on behalf of his friend.. he invited us almost at the end of our conversation regarding that issue...but I was wrong he is genuinely requesting me to come over there, I mean...
I bit my bottom lip in searching of a proper excuse so that they wouldn't get hurt when I say no to them...I just can't get along with them they are too rich to mingle with a person like me...it's better if I keep aside such kind of temptation away my way.

I sighed deeply...
now what should I say!!! It is just next to impossible to convince my Mamma for any such late night out... I so hate myself. How could I even think of joining them? Sometimes we just can't pull back yourself such temptation.

That's what I couldn't.

"Iiiimm...I mean...." I kept mumbling finding something convincing reply to them...

"What are you saying AVI" Rea snapped and I flinched....

"I can't" I shut my eyes waiting for her most disappointed tone over me...

"As expected" Rea rolled her eyes murmured under her breath...
"Yeah I knew it so now just listen to me peacefully before anything you would decide, let me get you know that even I will also leave early because after attaining Ali in the evening I have to go for another party joining my parents next hour...so on my way I'll drop you around 10 at your place...now you decide..." Rea halted waiting for my reply....

I bit my lower lip nervously... before I would make any promise I should asked Mamma once...I let out a deep sigh before I spoke.

"Let me ask Mamma then" I said and heard her contented alright tone.

***********

Ali was looking at Rea all the while she was talking to Avni over the call. he was waiting for if something positive shall come out from her side... As he was very eagerly waiting for Avni to except his invitation.

Rea gave the pH back to Neil and said hopelessly making an unhappy face " she will ask her Mom"

Neil smirked at her reply sliding his pH inside his pocket...
"Wooow so Sanskari and see we are all here brats..." Neil scoffed lowering his eyes on his shoes in a manner derisive, then he rose his gaze straight at Ali. Shoving his left hand inside his jeans pocket Neil turned to the counter  to ordered the bar tender to get his drink....

Rea shot a glare at his back under her gritted teeth. She shifted her eyes at Ali clenching her fist. Ali crinkled his brows, motioned through his eyes playfully motioning her to ignore Neil..

Neil's mood got bitter after the call, no one has noticed.

*******

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