"Drinking makes such fools of people, and people are such fools to begin with, that it's compounding a felony."
10:00 AM, Bed.
Ah, how I love the weekends. I sleep till mid-day, watch TV and do all those things which are actually worth doing.
Bliss.
I think I'll just lay here for some more time-Drinking in the warm sunshine falling on me in the most exquisite way.
What the eff?
Who the hell wants' to call me up this early on a weekend?
10:30 AM, Breakfast.
I am going to murder Priya. I know prison is cold and lonely but still I am sure even the jury will be able to sympathise with my predicament.
She called me up demanding that I come to college. On a Saturday. The fallacy. The horror. Be still my beating heart. Do not let the rage overwhelm you.
Sheesh.
12:30 AM, Some classroom on the 1st floor.
When I entered the cafeteria I was slightly taken aback by the array of people there.
Priya was of course there. A pen behind her ear and hands on her hips, she was giving orders out.
A pretty girl who looked much like Priya sat next to her with an exasperated look on her face. Next to her a guy who looked strangely familiar (Aakash as I later found out.) And then my eyes widened. Because in that very same room stood my Romeo.
Anil Shrama. He grinned at me as he recognised me.
I fainted a little on the inside.
I gave him a feathery smile and walked towards him.
"Hey there Khushi. How's the arm?"
I stared at him trying to process what he was trying to say, instead of melting into a puddle of own drool.
"Yeah, I am alright."
"Good to hear." He said flashing me his pearly whites. I grinned back.
"What are you doing here?"
"Anchal." He said pointing to the pretty girl next to Priya. "Apparently her sister dragged her here so she pulled me here and in her words 'if I am going down your coming with me'. Naturally I forced Aakash to come along as well. He tried to coax Arnav into coming but no luck. He's gone out with La"
My stomach immediately dropped. So that's where he was. A romantic date with 'La'. Like I care. He can be wherever he wants, with whomever he wants. Humph. I hope the waiter spills juice on her or something.
"Right." I said.
"Are you excited about the party?"
What the hell was wrong with me? Here was a hunk making conversation with me and I was spoiling my mood by thinking about that Laad Governor.
I gave him a cheery smile.
"Of course! Are you?"
"I am not invited remember? Freshers only."
"Please don't even kid. I am 100% sure some of you are going to gate crash. Freshers party without senior's involvement- unheard of."
He let out a genuine laugh at that. He grabbed my hands and in a faux sweet voice said,
"Well nothing ever gets past you does it Miss Gupta? Forgive my poor mortal soul."
I let out a tiny giggle. Was he flirting with me?
But just as I was about to respond, I felt a cold stare on me. My eyes snapped up to meet frigid brown ones. Suddenly Anil's hold felt heavy and cumbersome. I guess Anil noticed Arnav's entry too.
"ASR, what a surprise. I thought I wouldn't see you for awhile. Date with La and all..." He teased giving Aakash a wink.
I broke the gaze and pointedly looked at the floor. I felt footsteps approach.
"Well my brother wanted help ... "Arnav said in a steely voice.
I lifted my eyes up to see him looking at Anil.
"You guys seem be having fun here." He continued with a non-commitmental shrug. His eyes briefly assessed our clasped hands, then snapped up to mine, and once again to back to Anil.
"Fun, what fun?" Said Aakash coming over to us.
"Torture that's what it is." Aakash continued with a grin.
"Speak for yourself. Khushi is wonderful company." Anil said giving me a slight smile.
Arnav's gaze hardened as he looked from Anil to me.
I tried to pry my hands away but Anil held onto to it. Shit, how was I going to do it inconspicuously?
"Is that so? Well pleasure to meet you Khushi. I am Aakash."
I took the opportunity to quickly remove my hands from his grasp and shake Aakash's hands. I felt relief flow through my body. But boy did I need some air, so I quickly tried to vacate the spot.
"Hey Priya I'll be back in five okay? Let me get something to drink."
"Be back soon." She hollered back.
"I'll catch you guys in a few." I said giving the boys a slight smile. Then I literally sprinted from the spot and onto the corridor.
The campus was mostly empty, save for a few scattered First years. I knew the minute I got back that Priya would have a bucket load of task assigned for me. So I got into an empty class room. I sat on an empty desk and closed my eyes for a bit. I guess I dozed off for a couple of minutes 'cause the next sound I heard was that of footsteps and the door being closed. I jumped of the desk hastily and what I saw made me audibly gulp.
Arnav Singh Raizada.
He stood there with a searing sort of look in his eyes.
I instinctively stepped back. He smirked at my reaction and covered the distance between us. I had to lean back to look up at him. And what I saw made my chills run up and down my spine. The hypnotising, smouldering gaze. His smirk sharpened at my obvious discomfort.
"Scared yet?"
My brain wasn't registering what he was saying. I was breathless and lightheaded. But I managed a small shake of the head.
"Oh really?"
He gave me an impatient push and my back met the cold tiles of the walls. He literally walked into me. There wasn't even a semblance of space between us. Any and all thought process became a faint memory with Arnav Singh Raizada pressed up against me. He looked down at me as if daring me to move away. With small amount of brain activity I had left, I tried to slide away. But he put his hands on either side of my face, effectively trapping me between the wall and his body.
"How about now?" He whispered, his breath washing over my face. His eyes were analysing my face while I was rooted in his searching eyes. He leaned closer (if that was even possible.) so that his forehead was against mine. He looked directly into my eyes. The redness in my cheeks intensified as I stared into his eyes. He tilted his head and moved closer. I closed my eyes in anticipation (of what I have no idea.)
"Don't make challenges you can't win Khushi." His muttered into my ears. Then he moved completely away from me and a strange coldness swept me. My eyes snapped open only to see him already at the door. My mouth dropped open in outrage. His smirk was still in place.
"See you later Khushi." With that said he walked off. Coolly, calmly, like he owned the god damn world.
My senses finally returned. (Oh hello there senses, where the hell were you five seconds ago? Vacationing in France?) Then I saw red. Red hot rage. Boiling hot anger pulsed through my veins.
How dare he? The nerve of him. Who the hell did he think he was? Well I'll tell you who he is.
Arnav Singh Raizada is a dead man walking.
2:30 PM, Cafeteria
I walked back to the cafeteria huffing and anger boiling over. I was sure I was going to kill somebody. Preferable a Laad Governor. The cold prison didn't even sound like a bad idea if it means I can rip apart Arnav such that the only thing left of him is blood and gore. I saw him sitting next to Aakash casually talking as if nothing happened.
Argh ... Where is a sharp sword when you need one?
Priya immediately noticed my less than pleasant disposition. I think it was the deadly glare I was sending Arnav's way that gave her the clue. She stuffed some assorted decorations in my hands and told me to get to work.
Oh yes I'll get to work, I'll work out innumerous ways to painfully torture Arnav Singh Raizada.
Humph.
4:00 PM, Home
You know what I am not going to let anyone (read Laad Governor) ruin this day for me. I am going to have fun. Period. I won't think about the ass hat for the rest of the evening.
I hope he drowns in a puddle.
4:30 PM, Home
The party is in four hours. And I am still in a dilemma on what I am going to wear. Shit. Priya told me to wear something 'elegant, preferably western'.
Honestly that left me exactly one option since I had only one dress that fit that description. I never wore it before. Payal bought it for me on a whim. It was her first salary and she wanted to indulge me a bit. I saw the dress in the shop and decided I wanted it. It seemed like a good idea then. But really I had no opportunity to wear it. It's not like i visited clubs/parties on a regular basis ( or at all really.)
Well there's no use fretting about it now. Might as well give it a try.
I took the silky satin in my hands and made up my mind.
Don't be a coward Khushi.
6:00 PM, Still at Home
Oh my god what if I trip and make a fool of myself?
What if people hate me?
What if my dress rips?
What if I faint?
Crap.
7:30 PM, Priya's Car
Oh my, Priya looked breathtaking. I looked very much ordinary next to her. I bet I'll look ordinary next to anyone at the party. They've all been to multiple parties like this. This was practically a second nature to them. For me, well, it's the first time. The last party I remember was my fifteenth birthday party at home and all the neighbourhood kids had come. All we did was blow out some candles and sing the Happy B'day song.
When I told Priya this, she laughed at me and said,
"Silly girl you look fine and you'll be fine as well. You have me don't you?"
That wasn't exactly a comforting thought.
12:00 Mid-night, Back Home.
I can't feel my head. It's pounding like there's no tomorrow. It's like millions of pins are poking from the inside of my head. It was work to merely open my eyes. I felt dirty and smell like ... .. alcohol? Alcohol?
ALCOHOL??????
ALCO-EFFING-HOL????
Amma is never going to let me out of her sight. Ever Again.
What the hell just happened at that party?
I remember that Priya and I went to the party together. I remember lots of First years who complimented me and spoke to me. I think I danced a little bit. Then the seniors gate crashed the party. I remember Anil coming over to me with some punch.
Holy mother of God. The punch was spiked.
Why do I vaguely remember Payal being there?
More importantly, why exactly is there a rather familiar and pleasant smelling jacket hanging on my bed side?
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