Virika FF: Of Pride & Prejudice - Page 21

Chapter 17 |

"Had not my feelings decided against you" had they been indifferent, or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?"

- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

Jeevika entered her room after class to find a rather unexpected and alarming sight. Manvi was in bed, covers pulled over her head. Now, if Manvi was abed, that could only mean one thing. She was sick.

"Mannu?" she unconsciously slipped into the childhood nickname as she approached the bed, "Are you okay?"

Her sister pulled the covers even more tightly around herself, her voice muffled, "I'm fine. Go away."

"Manvi, what's wrong, are you sick?" Jeevika attempted to pull the blanket off, but to no avail.

"No...I'm not sick." Then a loud sniff.

"You sound like you're sick," Jeevika said worriedly, "Please come out of there, if you're sick, you should take a Tylenol or something..."

A sigh, then Manvi slowly drew back the covers. No, she wasn't sick. She had been crying, her eyes puffed and watery.

"Oh, Manvi," Jeevika pulled her sister into a hug, "It'll be okay." To be fair, Jeevika was rather concerned. Manvi rarely cried over anything. She was the brave one, the one who didn't care what anyone thought of her, the one who'd sworn to never cry over a guy...until now.

"I'm so stupid, I don't even know why I'm crying," Manvi hiccupped, "He's not worth it, fu-"

"Shhh," Jeevika hushed her, stroking her hair before she could revert to obscenities, "I get it, don't worry-"

"Do you really?" her sister looked at her, rubbing at her eyes, "I think I love - loved him. And he was nothing but a f**king bas***d to me."

"Manvi, don't you think you should talk to him about it?" Jeevika tried.

"Talk to him? You think I haven't tried? I went up to him this morning after class and he just turned his back on me, avoided me completely. I yelled at him from halfway down the hallway and he didn't even turn around once. I'm a f**king mess. Forget pride, dignity, I lost all of it today. I must've looked half-insane," she gave a watery chuckle.

"If anything, people are going to take your side," Jeevika comforted her, "They'll realize he was nothing but a-"

"f**kboy?" Manvi supplied.

"A degenerate player, I was going to say," Jeevika cleared her throat.

"Degenerate? Only you would use that word in an insult," Manvi laughed through her tears. It was a pitiful sight. Jeevika hadn't seen her sister in such a state since...well, since they'd lost their parents.

She hugged her tightly, "You want ice cream, chocolate, anything?"

"I'm not going out like this," Manvi indicated her bedraggled appearance.

"I'll go and buy you an ice cream at Dairy Queen's down the street and be right back," Jeevika said firmly, "And then we'll watch a movie."

"No crappy romantic comedies for me," Manvi said hastily, "Maybe a thriller. Like when the girl brutally dismembers and kills her boyfriend and stuffs him in a-"

"How about a sci-fi?"

Manvi viewed her skeptically, "Judging by the last time we watched a sci-fi movie and you were shedding buckets, I don't think that's a good idea."

"We do not speak of Disney's Star Wars. It does not exist. I refuse to believe it," Jeevika headed out the door.

"I still can't believe you have a thing for a seventy-year-old man," Manvi cackled.

"Harrison Ford was bae back in 1977 and you can't tell me any differently!" Jeevika called back defiantly, closing the door. She turned around to see Maya about to enter her room, an amused smile on her face, "Bae back in 1977?"

Jeevika laughed, "Don't ask. How're you doing?"

"Alright, I guess. It's kinda rough seeing Virat and Viren around, but I manage," Maya shrugged.

Jeevika felt a great deal of compassion for the girl. She hadn't been the only one screwed over by a Vadhera boy. "You should join Manvi and me for a girls' night."

"I'd love to say yes, but I've got an important project to work on. You guys have fun, though," she smiled before heading into her room.

Jeevika smiled back and then headed out to buy her sister some broken relationship fixer-uppers. Nothing could mend a broken heart like ice cream, pizza and a movie. Or so she hoped.

Viren was furious. "She came onto you?"

Virat sighed, "Yeah, I was outside Dairy Queen's and Maya just came out of nowhere, said she wanted to talk. I said I had enough of her bullshit and she pretended to look hurt. Said she loved me, that whatever lies my brother had been feeding me weren't true and then made some...ah...not so discreet suggestions over where we could take the conversation further."

"What did you do?"

"Just told her to stay the hell away from me and that whatever we had was over," Virat replied, shrugging.

Viren slumped into a chair, "I'm sorry. I wish I could do something."

"You've done everything you could," Virat responded gruffly, "I know I don't say it a lot, but you're a good brother, you know that ,right? Thanks for looking out for me...Manvi tried talking to me today too...I think she's finally realized it's over." He put his head in his hands, grimacing.

"It's just the rest of this year. Then we'll be out of here," Viren said, with a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry things haven't worked out better. I know we both wanted a fresh start."

"And yet, it's like I'm stuck in a cycle," Virat said moodily, "Might as well just give up on women and become a priest at this point."

"You? A priest?" Viren snorted, unable to ignore the irony of the statement.

A wry smile curved Virat's mouth, "You make it sound like I'm some kind of demon child."

"I've had my suspicions since our childhood," Viren informed him, enjoying the light banter, "You know, maybe you were switched at birth with my real brother."

"Would explain why I'm so much more better-looking than you," Virat agreed.

"Keep dreaming," Viren quipped, "I think we can argue I've been hit on more times than you-" he fell silent, as the mood darkened. That was it. He got up and opened the door.

"Where are you going?" Virat asked quietly.

"To find Maya," he said shortly, "And tell her if she doesn't stay the hell away, I'll get her fined for harassment."

"Viren, it doesn't matter-" Virat began.

"Yes, it does," he shook his head, "I'm not letting her - or anyone - hurt you again."

He headed over to Dairy Queen's. Even if he didn't find Maya, he needed some space to gather his thoughts and cool off a bit. And then he realized that cooling off wasn't exactly going to work with the person already present in the little place. There was Jeevika, standing in line on tiptoe, trying to read the prices off the signs at the back. He approached from behind, "The Oreo Blizzard's pretty good."

She whipped around, startled at first, before she schooled her features into a neutral expression, "I was thinking I'd get it too."

He read the price for her. "Thanks. How'd you know I couldn't read it?" she queried.

"You were standing on your toes and craning your neck to the side," he pointed out.

"Fair enough," she offered a small smile. "You getting anything?"

He'd completely forgotten why he'd come there in the first place. But from a quick glance around, it appeared as though Maya had left. "Yeah," he turned back to Jeevika, "I think I'll get a Blizzard."

She was looking quite pretty, even in just a hoodie and jeans, her hair in an untidy bun piled atop of her head. She had a habit of biting her lower lip, a habit he'd never found attractive until he met her. It stole attention to her lips, which were full and lushly curved. She had a mouth that was meant for kissing.

He didn't realize he'd been staring like an idiot, until she inquired, "Is there something on my face?"

"No," he gave himself a little mental shake, "Sorry, just zoned out for a bit. I'm not that hungry for a Blizzard after all, I think I'll go."

Nope, he wasn't hungry for a Blizzard at all. Just for her.

Jeevika was confused at Viren's abrupt departure. She surreptitiously licked her lips, wondering if she'd had anything on them to make him focus on them so keenly. It didn't matter anyway, she shook her head. Whatever was wrong with Viren Vadhera to make him leave so hurriedly...what did she care? She strode up to pay for a Blizzard, Manvi's favourite and then was waved over by Mackenzie Simmons, who was seated at a table by herself.

"Hey Jeevs!" the girl said cheerfully, sipping a smoothie.

"Hey, Mac," Jeevika smiled back, "How come you're here all by yourself?"

"Brett's supposed to be meeting me here, but he's late," the girl rolled her eyes, "Typical, you can never depend on a guy. Unless he's Viren Vadhera, I guess. I swear that man's never been late for anything in his life," she chuckled.

"You know him well?" Jeevika inquired.

"Sure, back when I used to live in Texas. He was always a good kid, always looked out for his brother. So responsible, you know?"

"Uh huh." Jeevika was of no mind to listen to praises of Viren, but she thought perhaps to wheedle some information out of Mac anyway, "He barely talks to most people, though. He just kinda gives off this whole air of being stuck-up."

"Viren's not like that at all," Mackenzie said defensively of her friend, "He can be a complete sweetheart when you get to know him. He's just...quiet around most people I guess. Although...I did see him chatting you up over there..." she winked knowingly.

Jeevika flushed slightly despite herself, "It's not like that."

"Sure it isn't. You're just a beautiful girl, he's a hot guy..."

"Mac, seriously. He was just being polite. To be honest, I don't even think he likes me very much." Although, she had been seeing him around quite often of late...

"Whatever you say, Jeevs," Mackenzie laughed, "I never knew Virat as well. Even now, I don't see him around that much, although I hear he's quite popular with the ladies, bless him."

"I've heard," Jeevika said grimly.

"Then again, I haven't seen you or Manvi around that much, either," Mackenzie pouted, "Though, I guess that's partly my fault, I've been spending most of my time with Brett."

"I'm really happy for you guys," Jeevika said honestly, "I'm glad it's working out. It doesn't always."

"Yeah..." Mackenzie turned solemn, "Take Virat for example. Goes to show good looks and a good heart aren't everything hmm?"

"What do you mean?" Jeevika asked casually.

"Well, sure the girls love him, but the only girls he's ever loved in his life have been absolute bitches to him, I've heard."

"Oh, really?" Jeevika raised an eyebrow, "Who might they be?"

"I don't know," Mackenzie shrugged, "I only spoke with Virat yesterday and he refused to tell me their names, but from what I heard? Well, he was in a bad spot earlier this year with some girl...and now? Again. But guess what? Viren is a sweetheart, believe it or not. He heard some rumours about the girl that well...it led him to believe she didn't exactly care about Virat as he did for her and he saved Virat from having his heart broken again. Or well, maybe not saved exactly, but it's better he cut it off now, than found out later the hard way, right?"

Jeevika's head was spinning. She rose from the table shakily.

"Hey, where're you going?" Mackenzie inquired, concerned, "You okay?"

Jeevika forced a smile to her face, "I'm fine. Just remembered I have to give this to Manvi and she's gonna kill me if it's all mush by the time I get back. It was nice talking to you, though, Mac. See you later."

She stumbled out of the little shop, her heart pounding in her chest. She was angry...so, so angry...how could she have not seen it? Of course, Viren was responsible for this.

He'd broken up Virat and Manvi's relationship.

He'd broken her little sister's heart.