Chapter 7
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...Hold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this ends
A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again...
'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need
Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why...
Clarity by Zedd
'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need
Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why...
Clarity by Zedd
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Chapter 6. The Start of Something New
Randhir was silently glaring, Jignesh was twirling his pencil, thinking. Kaustuki was worried, Sanyukta was vexed, and Yo Yo was pacing.
And this was all happening outside the Dean's office.
Apparently the people who they had practically beat in the game were students at FITE and they had complained against them for their violent act.
"This guy is the one who punched him, so he's the one who should get punished!" Sayunkta pointed at Randhir in anger, finally breaking the tense silence that had taken over the atmosphere.
"And correct me if I'm wrong, which I'm not, but wasn't it you who started this whole thing anyway?" He stood up.
"It was, but you didn't have to punch the guy." "I'm definitely going to be kicked out now, all because of you!" She stepped forward.
"Good, that's exactly what I wanted." He stepped closer.
"You-" She stepped closer.
"Sanyukta, please sit down." Kaustuki tried calming her worried friend.
"It's not Randhir's fault completely."
"He didn't have to but he still helped us, remember?" She whispered as they sat.
She huffed in frustration. This wasn't how things were supposed to turn out. Professor Vardhan had already blasted them in the morning and now the Dean called them. She was sure that this time that she would be kicked out.
And that's when Vardhan opened the door.
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"Because I don't like obstacles in my plans, I will let you guys off with this."
"We are to leave for Manali in less than two days and I don't want any complications so each of you are to write an apology letter to the students, the parents, and the dean admitting that you made a mistake and are asking for forgiveness."
"Now you may leave."
"But sir-"
"I said get lost!"
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He had never uttered the word with his mouth and now he was going to write it in a letter?!
'All because of her.' He glared furiously in Sanyukta's direction.
They were now walking back to their classroom to write their apology letters.
"Why the hell am I in this mess?!" Yo Yo cried.
"Seriously, we didn't even do anything," Jignesh complained.
"Yeah, it was just a game," Kaustuki mumbled as they entered their classroom and sat down in their seats, respectively.
It was quiet as they opened their notebooks and began writing their apology letters.
Time passed. Slow and tense until Randhir stood up and said, "When you guys are done, hand over the papers."
"Who died and left you in charge." Sanyukta spoke up.
"Who asked for your opinion?"
"I don't need your permission to voice my opinion and-"
"And for your not so kind information, Vardhan Sir gave me charge." "It's just that you were too busy being stupid to notice," he retorted.
"Oh, really?" scowling at the insult, she asked, "How is it that he gave you something and you took it from him without anybody seeing or noticing?"
He walked up to her, slamming his hand on her desk as he bent towards her.
"Knock knock," he muttered sarcastically, knocking on her head. She moved her head away.
"You claim to be intelligent, right?" "Where is your intelligence." "Show me."
He looked her in the eye.
"There are some things that can't be shown, Miss Engineer," he deadpanned.
She lowered her eyes and fell silent. She shouldn't argue with him right now. She was grateful that she wasn't packing her bags at the moment.
"So," smirking triumphantly, he turned towards the rest of them.
"Now that that's been decided, I'm Class Rep so when you're done, hand your letters to me."
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30 minutes later, Sanyukta got up to leave the class.
As expected, he blocked her way.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I finished my letters so I'm leaving."
"Not until everyone's done," he replied still blocking her way.
Tum hote kaun ho, rules decide karne wale?"
"I don't know how many times I have to explain this to your dumb brain, but I'm the Class Rep, therefore, after the Professor I decide the rules."
Sick of his Class Rep rant, she shouted, "Then we demand a mutiny!"
"We're not on a freakin' ship!" He shouted back.
And with that they entered into their usual, never ending squabble.
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It was near sundown as they wrapped up their letters.
She turned to glance at Randhir only to find him staring out the window. She noticed that he did that a lot, especially during class. At first, she'd think he was bored considering how he was the smartest among them all but upon observing she would realize that his eyes were downcast and his face held an unreadable expression. She'd find herself wondering what he was thinking about as he gazed beyond the school.
She tore her lingering gaze from him and stood up, walking towards him only to stumble and drop the papers from her hand.
Kneeling down, she grabbed the papers until only one was left underneath a table.
She crawled forward, grabbed the paper and tried to leave.
"Ouch."
She found that a few pieces of her hair were stuck by the screw on the table's leg.
After failing to remove her hair without hurting herself, she gave up. Because it's difficult to remove your hair from a metallic screw that's behind you without ripping your hair apart.
"Kau-"
"Hold still," she heard him say.
She didn't want his help. She didn't ask for it. Yet, he still feels the need to bestow a favor upon her every time.
"What are you-"
"I'm helping you, idiot."
"Could've fooled me."
He rolled his eyes at her childish retorts but proceeded to pull the last strand of her hair out from the screw.
She turned around and shoved him out of the way except his head moved up and bumped into the table.
"Ouch, dammit!"
"Oops, I'm sorry." "Are you ok?" She immediately grabbed his head looking for any sign of blood.
"Aaah..."
"Let me see."
"I'm okay."
"Don't move your head."
"It's ok."
"Are you feeling anything?" "Randhir?"
"I said I'm okay!" Opening his eyes, he lifted his head.
"Wha...?"
They were currently seated on the floor, his hands grabbing her wrists as her fingers slowly slipped from the sides of his head, brushing past his hair till her palms rested on his cheeks.
"..."
They stared at each other for a long minute before the flustered Randhir broke away from her, pulling himself up and walking back to his seat.
Sanyukta stayed rooted on the floor, staring at the spot in front of her.
The spot he had just left.
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It was around 7 o'clock when they heard the sounds of fireworks going off in the sky.
Sanyukta and Kaustuki got up, walking towards the window.
"Aaj raat New Year hone wala hain, right?"
"Yeah!" "I'm so excited!"
They were making plans for the evening. Yo Yo had already left with his friends and now it was just the four of them.
"Randhir bhai, aap bhi chaloge?" "Maza hoga!"
'Fun?,' Sanyukta inwardly rolled her eyes. 'As if this guy knew how to have fun.'
"Nah, I'm gonna go back to my room." "See ya."
Jignesh turned towards the girls.
"Let's go!"
Randir watched them go and proceeded to collect the papers off their desks.
He smirked as he held the paper in his hand.
'With due apologies, Sayunkta Agarwal,' He read the last part of her letter.
'Hmm...'
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10 minutes till the New Year.
They were now on the school's rooftop watching the display of fireworks all around the city.
She was enjoying herself, being here with her friends, watching the beautiful fireworks. She was happy.
"Guys, I'll get some drinks and come back," she said, feeling thirsty.
"Haan, mujhe bhi bohot pyaas lag rahi hain." "I'll go get it," Jignesh offered.
"No, it's okay, I'll get it."
"Okay, but come back quick, there's just a few more minutes left," Kaustuki called as she left.
"Got it!"
5 minutes and 35 seconds
She hurried down the stairs.
4 minutes and 58 seconds
Opening the door to the hallway, she ran.
3 minutes and 12 seconds
She slowed down as she saw a lone figure standing in the middle of the hallway, staring through the single, large window.
As she came closer, she recognized the person standing there, lost in thought.
"Tum?"
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"Kaustuki, mere saath dance karogi?" Jignesh asked suddenly, nervously staring at her through his spectacles.
She turned towards him, "Here?"
"Haan"
"But there's no music and-"
"Toh kya hua?" "Let's dance?"
He extended his hand, waiting.
She smiled shyly and slowly put her hand in his.
He pulled her towards him and they danced slowly, enjoying their last moment of the year.
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He turned towards her.
"Tum?"
"Haan woh hum rooftop pe fireworks dekh rahe the aur phir-, lekin tum yaha kya kar rahe ho, tum toh apne roo-"
"None of your business." He answered rudely, before turning back to the window.
For a second she felt like ignoring him and just leaving, maybe even purposely shoving him on the way but changed her mind as she remembered the smallest hint of sadness in his eyes before he noticed her.
After a minute, he noticed that she wasn't leaving and spoke up, "Weren't you on your way to somewhere?"
"I was."
He waited for her to finish but she didn't.
"Aren't your friends waiting for you?"
"They are."
"Then go." He replied irritably.
She felt her temper rise. Here she was, trying to do something nice and he wasn't letting her. "What's your problem?" "This college is not your property." "I can stand wherever I want." She answered heatedly.
He stared down at her in disbelief. This girl was so...infuriating! He wanted to know what the hell went on in that little, overzealous mind of hers.
After a long moment, she spoke, "Why are you here, alone."
"Because"
"Last time I checked, because was not a reason."
"And since when are women reasonable?"
She smirked. "Since men became emotional."
She looked at him and sighed. This was not what she intended to do.
"Nobody likes to be alone, especially on New Year's Eve," she started.
"Yeah, well it's better to feel alone than to feel like you didn't matter at all."
30 seconds
"I don't think that's true...," he heard her begin.
"I don't think there's a person alive who feels better that they're alone."
His eyes widened, taken aback by her words as she continued to speak.
"And besides, if you feel like you don't matter to some people, then don't bother yourself with them."
"You should look at the people who do care about you."
"You should give them a chance," she finished.
As he looked at her from the corner of his eyes, he couldn't help but feel a strange, tingling feeling.
She was smiling at him. It was a small but sincere smile.
A smile that made his expression soften.
Much to his annoyance, he could tell she wasn't about to budge and in all honesty, he didn't want to go back to that empty, dark room, lost in his thoughts, cutting every call that wanted to wish him. He didn't want to begin the New Year like that.
So he chose to stand there and pretend like he didn't care what she did.
"Whatever."
10 seconds
"Did you see that one?," he heard her say, breaking the comfortable silence between them.
He looked down at her. It was dark in the hallway, the only source of light being the display of fireworks, illuminating her every expression. Her ebony hair gleamed in the night, encircling her face as the wind sneaked in through the partly open window. She was smiling wildly, her eyes brightening with every firework.
5 seconds
"That was beautiful!" she shouted cheerfully.
4 seconds
"Yeah," he found himself agreeing, still gazing at her.
3 seconds
She glanced at him, brown eyes locked with black.
2 seconds
"..."
1 second
"Happy New Year," they breathed out, finally wishing each other.
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