"Shhhh I am on a mission," I told smirking while inwardly I sighed out wearily. This is not what I wanted to do. The flashback of the conversation that I had with Ishaan played in the back of my mind.

"Lux.. cause he only talks to you"

The last thing I wanted in my life was to get involved in the criminal and police chase. Nothing good came out of it, just pick any History book where you'll definitely find some evidence that I don't know myself now because History was never my subject. But I am logical, I could be sometimes I think so, I could distinguish between black and white, salt and sugar, and dhanya and pudina. Therefore, I could see myself sacrificed as collateral damage in the mid of some gruesome; gruesome because here we were talking about a murder, so in this battle of Justice or whatever I'll be shoved in and I fear about the result of me won't be in my favor

Ishaan saw the flickering of conflict in my expression because as bad as I was reading facial expressions I was equally pathetic in hiding those on the instant.

"You can get a reward too at the end of it," Ishaan said in a low voice shifting closer towards me.

If in a comic version I was to draw myself, refecting to my reaction at the moment, it would be my eyebrows raised off from my forehead. I might be looking hilarious cause Ishaan snickered at my reaction

"I meant in payment wise I can give you whatever you want-"

I gasped as I couldn't breathe the image in my head forming was violating my seventeen years old self. A Virgin 17 years old self

Yikes

"In a transaction with money ..any amount" he completed quickly before I kill myself from being torn apart to act like Mother Teresa or lovestruck teenage girl.

Wait wait he said money?

I froze, the word money gnawed me in eat me up creating a hole in my mind filled with a desperate need for help.

I needed money

I needed to get out of the hell hole I was living in

I needed to save myself before my happy go lucky girl mask crumbled down.

"How much?" I whispered shaking.

**

"Avi, you're not going to tell me?" Riya cornered me with a stoic - best friend look.

"Nope" I settled my sunglasses giving a blinding smile to Ishaan and he passed me by with Tanya sashaying confidently ahead

Ishaan ignored me.

He never acknowledged me at school، of course because he cared about me he knew Tanya would be after me if she noticed. Tanya is a little territorial when it came to her things. But Ishaan wasn't a thing. Not my business I shook my head. Before I go protesting for Ishaan's rights.

"Get over that loser already Avi he's selfish and Tanya's puppet. I told you to stay away from him. Wait don't tell me it's something related to him? Oh, spill it Avi before I call Kavya and ask.."

"Go call her" I waved my hand off, uncaring. I already made Kavya promised to me to not tell anyone about Ishaan and I, our meet up thing.

"Wait" Riya's eyes narrowed at my hands. My head snapped at its way on realizing what I did. I dropped my hand immediately but Riya caught it pulling my hand up. She demanded," what is this?"

I wiggled out of her hold but she tightened her hold on my hand I yanked it back exclaiming, "it's nothing.. Shiru and I had a little argument last night"

"Throw that shitty cat out on streets when it only hurts you!' Riya yelled trying to get my arm again for a proper look, I hid it behind my back immediately, "he will die without me he loves me crazily" I reasoned taking a step back.

She narrowed her eyes, again reaching for me, "You're deluded you think every boy on this Earth loves you!'

"They do of course! and Shiru is a cat by the way"

"I won't take this behavior of Shiru I'm warning you" with a swift leap she turned my arm to the front.

"This is pretty long cut for Shiru-

I slipped my hand out by twisting hers. HA Take that! Oops, I slipped my foot back and since this whole martial art was happening in the corridor I bumped into someone who was walking down it. We crashed head-on-

Oof

I groaned rubbing my head

GOD!!!!!

WHY DO YOU DO THIS

For the nth time, it was Lux that boy just appeared out of the thin air.

He held me by my shoulders then literally lifted me and placed me back on my feet, staring at me for a moment with blank face.

"You're following me??" I said settling my sunglasses up.

He angled his head down looming over my face by leaning in and then he whispered in my ear, "yes"

I stayed there for minutes, statued watching him moved forward.

He has a hot back by the way

"What did he say?" Riya asked curiously forgetting about my arm.

"The Game is on," I told her shaking out of my state. Then shouted, "The Game is on!!"

"What Game what mission tell me you're not on a way to some trouble are you?" Riya yelled confusedly as I scrambled to the class.

*

"Sunglasses are not allowed in school" my least favorite teacher that's History teacher Mrs. Nandan told pointing me out. Cause no one wore sunglasses other than me in the whole class.

My odd behavior wasn't something new for my classmates, the very first entry to this school I made was with an afro hairstyle so by now they were used to my antics.
The night before school I was trying different hairstyles on me but the afro one became a huge mess and I couldn't undo it. With not being allowed to miss the first day of my new school, I was made to attend it like that. Then started other accidents, mishaps and I became the class's freak.

I removed the sunglasses grumbling and dropping them on my desk.

Lux my seatmate my target number one sat beside me engrossed in the teacher's lesson and seeing him sitting so calmly with a permanent bored expression. That expression particularly infused an idea in my mind of making him laugh out loud in this silent dead class.

What a scene it would be I'll be famous soon...ah as if I wasn't but this time in a good way.

A mere thought of it made me laugh the history teacher shoot me a sharp glare.

I sobered up taking a deep breath.

My Spy plan was simple -

Part 1 - make Lux Laugh

Part 2- become his friend(seems like being his partner is a blessing now)

Part 3- give updates about him to Ishaan

Part 4- take my earnings from Ishaan

part 5- and when I would have enough money I'll flee to Japan with Shiru

Ahh Japan I am coming

I picked my history book up shielding my face from the teacher.

Time for Part 1 of the plan in action

I whispered, "wanna hear a joke?"

He didn't spare me a glance as expected but I knew he heard it because I saw a teensy movement of his eyeballs.

"I'll take that silence as a yes" I spoke

"No" he answered at once writing something in the book. I peeped but he drew the back flap up of the book.

"I'll take that no as a yes" I continued anyway.

His neck whipped to me.

I cleared my throat beginning
"This is a story-

"You said it's a joke" he cut me off.

4 words! All together

the boy was in a good mood today

I looked at him over my book, "it's a
Jokey story" I told.

"There's no such thing," he said back and that glint was back in his eyes.

"It is, I just told you" I pressed on shrugging stifling in my surprise 10 words!!!

Can it be love?

"You speak rubbish," he said turning back in front.

"And you love it" I faced in front too.

"No doubt"

before I could react to that I came face to face with my history teacher.

She glared at me but saw Lux was also involved because I can't talk to myself you know, she looked away sighing.

Advantage huh?

"So what's the joke?" He asked surprising me out of my wits

I blinked did it just happen?

I should seize this golden moment, it's an opportunity and one should never let it go.

"That's, me and you're gonna be friends" I offered holding my hand out.

He looked at it for a second then ignored it muttering,"hilarious"

Someone laughed from the back I turned to see who it was. The joker of our class and Ishaan's besty Aryan.

"That was the funniest joke I have ever heard," he said between laughs holding its sides as he guffawed breathlessly.

"I too have a joke can I tell! can I tell!" He asked excitedly poking his head between us

Lux gave him an annoyed glance, "no" he leaned front dropping his elbows on the desk ignoring Aryan.

Aryan appeared as if he would collapse there and then out of shock he turned to me with a look saying really? Did he talk to me?

I nodded beaming at him with thumps up, "oh come on Lux we should never say no to jokes so what's the joke Aryan?"

"I don't want to hear" Lux now appeared irritated.
That's progress that's a lot of progress in fact. Irritated that's some new emotions I see.

"But I want to," I declared happily.

"I want to too!" Aryan agreed showing his hand up for a high five. I did cheerfully.

When I newly joined this school, I had this confusion that Aryan liked me because he always threw paper balls at me during classes. Maybe he was trying to get my attention.
Then I found out he had a girlfriend so I wasn't very pleased about the idea of him cheating on his girlfriend by liking me so I dropped that confusion.

"What day do chickens hate the most?" Aryan asked clapping, forgetting we were in class.

And since Lux was with us so we were saved again.

"Isn't that a question?" Lux frowned plus frustrated now and that made up three emotions he had.

"What are you a joke critics? anyway I know I know the answer" I pushed Lux before he could answer. Lux shot me that glint eyes look, oh I think I am a fan of them now.

"So Lux what's the answer what day do chickens don't like at all they hate chee chee?" Aryan folded his arms with a serious face in front of it I waved my hands "I know I know!"

"Freak be quiet I am asking L-L U.. okay you can tell frea-a Avi" Aryan said nervously I glanced at Lux confused, why Aryan looked so pale now.

Lux faced in front.

"Okay, it's Sunday!" I answered confidently.

"No it's not Sunday it's Fridayyy nah it's Sunday yes it's Sunday you're right" Aryan now was white as a sheet I looked back at Lux was he glaring at him..

I grinned turning back wiggling my eyebrows,"see I knew it" I bragged proudly to Lux.

He angled his head at me

Well hello bored expression

"Why Sunday?" He asked.

"Cause it's Sun - Day too hot out for chickens," I told him like he was 5 years old.

Wait wait was it a small smile I rubbed my eyes off

"Utter rubbish" he commented paying his attention back to class.

I did too smiling, "but you love it!"

"No doubt"