Chapter 3

First times are very important!!!

The reverse was the case with Joshan when both of us entered the classroom and for the first time in his life, he probably sat on the first bench right under the nose of M/s Stevens. He gave me a pleading smirk to ask for acceptance of his friendship. [Who wouldn't love to be his friend but I was playing].

M/s Stevens now demanded attention so Joshan became very sincere and tried to concentrate on every bit of it .Gradually he lost interest and was bored to hell. He lost his focus and started fiddling with books, playing with pens, staring out of the window and so on. Chemistry actually was too difficult for him. After some time M/s Stevens was called by the principal so she left for awhile.

"So what did you decide, Friends?" Joshan asked.

"You hurt me" I replied.

"What did I do? I already apologized. Come over it", he acted desperate.

"I don't need your apologies" I was enjoying teasing him for his face turned so small with my rejection. How can anyone be so handsome and equally adorable...!!

M/s Stevens entered the room with a sheet of paper in her hand and made a coughing noise to demand silence as everyone was busy in their own chitchats. Every one got alert at once as she started reading the new notice. "Due to inter school major volley ball tournament the school will remain closed for a week from 15th of October to 21st of October due to which chemistry tutorials were preponed to Friday of next week".

Since we had a week left we all were comfortable with it. After that the class resumed like usual. But what I noticed was Joshan had changed his facial expressions and body gestures. Probably he was pissed off convincing me of his friendship.

The bell of final lecture rang and we celebrated our liberalization with a hilarious scowl and left the classroom. What disturbed me was Joshan's unhappy and dull face. He really had some magical charms over me.

Ofcourse he would..!! He is 'Mr. Popular' of our school

."Come on Joshan cheer up I was just kidding. Weren't we friends from the day you introduced yourself for the first time..?" I tried to enlighten him. It did work a little because the smile was back but he still had a worried expression.

"Sorry to be personal but something is disturbing you. Want to share?" I asked a little hesitatingly.

"You can always be comfortable asking me anything .We are friends now and anything for friends" he said with a smrik on his face, "and for your concern 'thanx' .I am worried about the Chemistry test next week". He looked so pretty and vulnerable that I felt like cuddling him.

I volunteered to help him by teaching him Chemistry. Friends you see and I am not bad either in friendship

"So tomorrow onwards after school at the library. Be there and I don't want to come hunting for you at physics block to see you with some silly brat. Mind it." I tried to lighten the mood with a fake but stern warning which he took with a smile.

"Yes Maam" he said bending a little turning his right hand towards his abdomen making me blush as he pinched me softly on my left cheek. Happiness and relief were evident from his voice.

"But you promised to go shopping with me tomorrow after school", Cairo interrupted us with annoyed expression.

"Cairo study comes first .We can always go shopping on weekends and what are we going to do a whole week of no school? We will make the most of it". I said and Cairo seconded to it.

~~~~~~

"Water consists of two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen that makes H2O" , I said as I interwined my two fingers of left hand representing hydrogen and one finger of right as oxygen. The amalgamation making it water.

Joshan smiled with a smirk as he extended his right hand and pulled my right hand interwining the fingers of each other hands and said ,"You and me and the amalgamation is LOVE".

"No one part of hydrogen and one part of chlorine makes it HCl ACID". I freaked and showed him our hands. "ACIDIC would be our friendship if you continue flirting. Let's make it clear" I almost yelled getting a cough warning from the librarian.

Joshan apologized and behaved well sincerely learning Chemistry .We were giggling and enjoying in a hush voice as we were in the reading room of our library

Suddenly one of his friends and our classmates Jonnathan came up to us after the librarian left for some work and exclaimed excitedly "So you two together now".

"What!!?? No!!!" I freaked moving away from Joshan and giving Jonnathan looks that could scare him to death.

"Sorry you two were looking so comfortable together and Joshan also in the library for first time. I felt something fishy." Jonnathan commented.

After that we were so uncomfortable and also glares of other students from library was so disturbing that we preferred to leave.

There was a lot of discussion and finally Deren came for the rescue by offering us his home library for tutoring. His parents were most of the time working out of the city so there was no disturbance and no inconvenience to him too and we readily agreed. Also we agreed because it was near the school and traveling was easy. Moreover Joshan doesn't take his friends to his home other than Deren. God knows why.

'''''''''''''''

I landed at 4;30 pm in front of FRIERA's mansion and was staring at the huge building with spotless white marble exteriors and round windows and the wrought iron railings cutting it exactly into semicircle. The big black door was twice my size and had vertical gaps that the big garden with sequence of purple and yellow flowers just adding to the beauty.

A hand approached me from behind pressing my mouth so I couldn't speak .Then the other hand hold me harshly from my waist lifting me and dragging me somewhere . I was so scared and DARKNESS........

'''''''''''''''

"Stay away from Joshan . He's mine". The voice seemed to be filled with venom.

"Stay away from Joshan". She repeated in her shrilling voice but I couldn't see her because there was darkness all over.

I felt stingy and burning sensation on my cheeks as I felt someone's palm touch my face. I was hit by someone hard. Real hard!!! A slap. I was trying to swallow what was happening with me.

Was I dreaming?

Is it a new night mare?

I have often been getting these silly nightmares specially since that jock of Joshan befriended me on that rainy day. Not that I do not like his friendship. I'd love to stay as his friend. After all he is the most handsome heartthrob of our high school. But is this the time to drool over the memories of my first crush who now happens to be my friend, especially when I am being kidnapped and even threatened by this girl with a shrilling voice?

I tried to recollect my memories.

Where I am supposed to be?

Where am I?

Why is the voice asking me to be away from Joshan?

"Leave her back there", was the instruction given and I fainted all over again when some napkin with a stingy smell was brushed to my nose again.

....................................

"Wake up!! Get up!!. Is everything alright?". I heard the words as water was sprinkled on my face. "I guess you fell asleep here waiting for me but I texted you. ", his voice panic struck.

"I do not get it. What's the time now?", I asked as I assumed everything to be a dream.

But "ouch" my wrist hurt with a bruise and marks of fingers on it. I had terrible scary feeling in my heart. Even my cheek was burning with the recent slap that had been hit to me by that bitch who happens to obsessed and possessive about this handsome flirtatious jerk.

I narrated the entire thing to Joshan as my body was trembling with fear. We both checked the timings. It was 5:45 pm now. I had been missing for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Joshan hugged me protectively, not letting me go and cooed me to make me comfortable.

"Did you see anybody?", he asked as he was rubbing my back in circles.

"No", I replied.

"Don't worry. It's just one of the silly and obnoxious pranks by one of my irresponsible friends. I'll take care of it. You are safe and nobody can hurt you. Trust me." Anger was evitable in his speech and he seriously freaked but stayed calm and normal.

"Are you sure?" I asked. I was still deep inside scared of that little incident. I checked my self twice and thrice if my sanity was not estranged? A bit silly but I was scared. Scared to the shit in my own pants!!!!! He pressed his body tightly with mine completely oblivion of the fact what his closeness was doing to me. God! What do you expect? This was the first time that I had been in such close proximity of a guy. I had dated few guys earlier at the beginning of high school but it was only a coffee date or a dinner date and we bid our good byes immediately after the date was done simply getting a small peck on my cheeks, nothing more than that.

"Are you okay? I can drop you home". He offered sincerely.

"I'm fine and we'll start today only. We do not have enough time". I wanted to look and behave strong so I headed towards the bungalow with Joshan following.

We had a long study session and he also grasped everything quickly. He sure was beauty with brains.

Oops!! Handsome with brains.

We laughed and giggled in between with some of silly jokes erupted by Joshan in between. He tried his best to keep my mind distracted from the earlier event of the evening laughing and giggling all the while with his silly jokes so that we were good. Soon I was enjoying his company so much that I actually forgot about that kidnapping incident of the evening till he started the topic.

"You are indeed brave" Joshan held my hand pressing it softly digging his eyes into mine, Apology was the main ingredient in his expression. I guess he blamed himself for the entire incident.

"Tomorrow I will come to pick you" Joshan declared instead of asking.

"No I am not that weak .I'll come on my own .You dare be overprotective about me", I warned him.

Joshan dared did not argue about it and settled with my leaving the house only after I get his text which I positively agreed. I too hated waiting.

I reached Deren's the other day only after I got the text message and was waiting outside my car for Joshan.

Suddenly "thud thudder" a bike came in full speed and "shreeeeaaak!!" landed besides me. I was so scared . I felt it was the same kidnapper of yesterday so I shrieked loudly and shivered out of fear.

"Cool down cool down it's me." Joshan cooed me as he removed his helmet exposing his $exy face with his bangs of ruffled hair pouting in all directions but still making him look strikingly handsome.

"I thought it's the same guy as yesterday", with a drop of water stuck in my eye. "I am okay now.", I assured him.

Joshan did not say anything but was disturbed with the entire thing. he took me inside but never left his hand from my waist kind of assuring me of my safety.

We entered the mansion kind of house of Deren's and headed towards the library.

Yesterday probably due to the after fear of the whole kidnapping thing I failed to notice the splendid architecture of Deren's library. It was so soothing with bright walls and big windows with striped curtains. The study desk was a big elongated one with space enough for three. There were four gigantic bookshelves touching almost the ceiling and were filled with all sort of books from educational to recreational ones. There was a sofa cum couch in one corner incase you want to relax. On the whole the interior only encouraged us to study.

I tried to adjust the low v necked top to hide the cleavage that was more than necessary visible whle I put Joshan to read the experiment I finished explaining.

He was doing it so sincerely and I couldn't help myself checking on Joshan's muscular body who looked great with his white fitted tee and basic blue denims. He drifted his head towards me and I gulped not wanting to know my checking him up thing so I immediately set back in balancing the equations .

I felt a pull and felt my curls falling to my waist. Joshan teased with my red thick rubberband showing it to me as he plucked from my long hair messing them up.

I tried to grab it from him and he narrowedly escaped laughing and running away which I followed him playing "Catch the thief " game from kindergarten, my hair swaying down to my waist . Me shouting and he laughing. We then landed on the couch huffing and panting. I snatched my band from him and ran back to the study, tying my hair to an untidy bun.

"You look screwed up. What did that F###kr of my friend do to you?" A voice broke us from our extreme closed stance when we were galloping each others fast breathing.

Deren appeared a little shocked as he entered the room. I guess he misunderstood our closeness. What else would he expect from a guy like Joshan with his playboy reputation. I cursed Joshan in my mouth as I fixed my hair that Joshan had messed removing my rubberband. Though my hair were long and I loved them, still managing them was a bit difficult. It took extra time to be maintained but yet I liked to flaunt my long and shiny hair.

Deren stood smirking as he remarked, "so you too are not spared by his charms?"

"Don't you dare think about it. I wont allow that lousy of your friend into my pants. He simply pranked on me and will pay for it." I said and reached him expressionless emptying the whole of my newly filled ink pen on his head soiling his tee which I myself hated because it really looked good on him.

"Payback's a bitch and I am nothing less than a bitch" I giggled as I saw Joshan stained blue tee and his expression worth a million pounds.

"I hate you for that. Now I have to depart with one of my tees .He would grab one from my cupboard". Deren cried like a little baby being asked for his lollypop.

"How many girls do we have in this room?" I said sarcastically.

"Want me to prove my manhood ", Deren said as he worked with the buckle of his faded jeans.

"No strippers please" I said as I closed my eyes avoiding his naked body. I pretended, not that I'd mind because I had always been a fan of his toned muscles under his shirt that flexed as he moved. He surely was a hot ass.

Joshan returned at the same time changing into a 'Giordano' black tee a little tight but showed his well packed abs as Deren was a little leaner than him. He stopped Deren sternly and turned towards me

."You are awesomely naughty" giving a smirk.

I giggled.

"So guys if you are done screwing your big heads with the books, can we plan for the evening?" Deren asked.

"What do we do?" Joshan enquired.

"How about a game of bowling?" Deren suggested.

"Yopes", popping the p was Joshan's response.

"I will make a move then", I said as I packed my books in my bag leaving for home.

"Even you are joining us" Deren insisted.

"No I won't be able to. This bowling thing is a distant away and moreover I prefer reaching home before 8:00 pm. I better leave." I excused myself.

"We will deport you home safely before that" Deren said.

"Oh please don't bother. I am not very keen especially after yesterday's episode I prefer going home. Please don't insist. Some other day when I am off it, I'll join you guys for sure." I requested.

Joshan understood and let me go with his friendly hug which nowadays was becoming a ritual as we did it everytime we bid goodbyes.

I was spending most of my free time with Joshan and his group of friends. They too welcomed me, Stacie and Ciaro quite warmly. Not to forget they rather enjoyed three hot wild cats of the college in their company and never missed a chance to hit on them. With me they however were quite sober and strangely enough kept their flirtatious arses at bay. Probably I answer back too soon spoiling their egos, that keeps them at a safe distance from me I assumed. One reason might be they respected my profeciency in academics and were always begging for help with their doubts.

We were almost done with our portion of tutorials when Joshan shifted extremely close to me and kind of murmured "Can I ask you one thing?"

I see fear in her eyes

I wanna tell her

To believe in me

Tell her that it kills me

To see her in pain

I wanna be there for you

For my concern for her is true

Only if she lets me in

There's no thick and thin

For nothings more valuable

Than a friend like you.