CHAPTER 5

At one point in our lives, there is always a time when you wanted to give a high five to two persons at the same time.

On the face with a hammer.

I glared at the two boys in front of me. Shivaye was sitting in a chair, his feet on the table as he listened to the music playing in his earphones. The other one was laughing at a video and rolling on the floor.

We were at the school library, instead of the detention room as the teacher who was in charge got an emergency call to go home. As part of the punishment, we were asked to place the new books in alphabetical order and I was the only one doing it.

I am done.

I stomped towards Aiden Philip, who was still laughing at something and snatched his phone. His eyes widened and he narrowed his eyes at me.

Aiden Philip, the boy whose intimating looks scared everyone and was known as the bad boy. He was attractive with the ink on his body and green eyes. But I know him enough to know that he wasn't what everyone makes him be and the boy has a heart of cotton candy.

"Anika, give it back."

"Not until you help me or else the whole school will know about your little crush on my best friend." I challenged, hands on my hips.

"What are you talking about? I don't even know your best friend."

"Sure you don't." I rolled my eyes, "What do you know?"

He knitted his eyebrows and replied, "Tessa Lockhart, birthday on June 3rd, favorite color is purple, loves to read books and favorite is The Fault in Our Stars and she wants to be a doctor someday. She is -" He cleared his throat, "I know only this much, I read it somewhere."

I laughed at his embarrassed expression and pink cheeks. "She is not a celebrity and you know almost everything. You are a very bad liar but if her father hears it, he will shoot you."

"He doesn't have a gun, he is a doctor."

"Man, you are whipped." I walked to the shelf with Aiden trailing behind me.

"Can you both shut up? Somebody here is trying to listen to music in peace," Shivaye yelled, this boy will be the death of me.

"You." I pointed to him and marched towards him.

"What is your problem?" He asked, annoyed.

"My problem is you, Shivaye. It is because of you I am here today and we can only leave after finishing it. If I am going to be late, then I will miss My Name is Khan which is airing today."

"Your obsession with Shahrukh Khan is still the same," he muttered, trying to put the ear pod back.

"You are just jealous,"

"And why would I be jealous?"

"Because he gets all my attention and you don't." I winked and he rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you continue your flirting with him while I listen to music?" He asked.

This time, he looked away and I was able to take his phone away. "Don't you dare, Anika."

"Oh, I will. Just make use of yourself and help us."

"What are you going to hold against me like you did with Aiden?" He smirked.

He was listening to our conversation.

"What about I tell your mom that you and Andrea are a thing."

"That's not true." He shook his head.

"Maybe in the future but who cares. Your mom won't even hear the end of my sentence before she goes planning your wedding and honeymoon."

I heard Aiden snickering at me and I stuck my tongue out to Shivaye. Anika Reynolds always wins.

He facepalmed himself before muttering something under his breath and started to work.

×××

It has been two hours since we started to arrange the books. There was an awkward silence but still, we will be able to leave the library soon.

"This is crap," Aiden said, with a copy of Romeo and Juliet in his hand.

"Confirms that you are an idiot," Shivaye commented. "It is a beautifully penned down love story with a twisted fate."

"Romeo and Juliet is not a love story. It's a three days relationship between a 13-year-old and a 17-year-old that caused 6 deaths," Aiden reasoned.

"Age is just a number." I felt his intense gaze on me.

"Whatever, I don't agree. Like seriously, Romeo died because of Juliet, Jack died because of Rose and I am going to be single and alive forever." Aiden winked, standing up after putting the last book on the aisle.

"What if Tessa likes you back?" I asked for the first time joining the conversation.

"Don't talk about impossible, Anika. She won't even know my name,"

"Are you done, Romeo and Juliet?" Shivaye grumbled behind us.

"Definitely jealous," Aiden grinned, walking to the parking area of the school.

Aiden's house was just a block away, so he went after waving goodbye.

"I need a ride -"

"I forgot to take my car -"

"I was counting on you to reach home," We both cried out at the same time. Looked like we have to walk today.

×××

The night was cold and windy, I wrapped my arms around as the cool breeze hit me. It was just us and the thousands even millions of star twinkling in the sky.

Looking at the stars, I realized that we were just a tiny part of the amazing and vast universe. The problems of having an ignorant mother, always being felt as not good enough and having your ex-best friend beside you but still feeling he was far away didn't matter anymore as I gazed at the beautiful sky.

My mind drifted back to the conversation in the library about love. I have never thought deeply about that emotion, maybe because I have never felt that pull towards someone. I know that true love existed after seeing the relationship of my parents but the thought that how can someone's life revolve around another one never appealed to me. Love is both beautiful and terrifying, to have someone who loves you and will always be there for you but just like how a person falls in love at the first sight, they can fall out of love too.

All I knew that was fairytales wasn't for me and I wasn't a princess who was waiting to be swept by a knight in shining armor. Maybe I will grow old alone, with wrinkles on my face, grayish hair but will be happy having chocolates and watching movies. Yes, I can imagine that as my future.

"Anika," Shivaye's voice brought me back to the world again. I looked at his shining blue eyes which I can see even though it is dark.

"Yeah?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

He ran his fingers through his hair, "What were you thinking? You seemed lost."

"Nothing," I shrugged.

"Do you ever think about us?" He asked softly, hesitating a bit.

"There is no us, Shivaye. It will be always troublemaker Anika and lifesaver Shivaye." I walked ahead of him sucking in a breath.

He stepped beside me, "Strange. I missed you,"

"Why did you leave for London?"

"I am sorry but I can't say that to you." He looked guilty, biting his lower lip.

"Great. Just great. I hate you, Shivaye Singh Oberoi."  I saw that we were outside my house now. I headed for the door not even glancing in his way.

I heard him sigh, "What went wrong with us, Anika?"

Everything.

×××

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Question of the day,

Taken or Single?