CHAPTER 6
This eagerness to go to school was new to me, i never liked school, may be because the students over there always made me feel different. But over here i was well accepted. I made friends on the first day which unlike Delhi. This place and the people over here did not make feel strange or different, for the first time i felt normal. I was really thankful towards mom for doing this to me, but the ways she adopted to do this still haunted me- a house of my own, that spoke volumes about her intentions. One week had already passed here and this place always managed to make me feel like i am home. It was strange how not just Aryaman and friends, but even Manik's group made me feel accepted, even when i never had a word with them. Well unlike the other misty and chilly days, today it was drizzling. RAIN-it always made me feel good. It felt good when people accepted and loved you, friendship was good, but this day probably wasnt, or may be it was. I reahed school and as always Mukti wecomed me with a tight hug, Mukti was a sweetheart, so was Abhimanue who gave me a high five. Madhyam was not that close to me but he always passed me a smile, Soha at least now would not give me a frown, but she never even smiled at me. Not to forget, Aryaman'a warm welcoming hugs would just make my day. Our first period was free and Aryaman had to go for his dramatics practices, and the rest being in different classes could not accompany me. I was left with only one choice now- LIBRARY. I reached the library and settled down with a Ruskin Bond book. I had reached only the first page when i felt that sensation that i always felt when any member of Manik's group was nearby. I looked up to see Manik seated diagonal to me. Unlike other days he was alone today. I was shamelessly staring at him when i realised that he was doing something. I felt this weird need to know what he was doing and started to concentrate more on his work. I saw his body language change and realised thathe was going to look up and i quickly darted my eyes back on the book. As expected he looked up, maybe he felt that someone was staring at him. I saw him from the corner of my eyes looking everywhere and soon he drifted back to his work. Finding the perfect moment i again looked up and saw him scribing something, may be he was sketching ; i again looked into the book before he looked up. It funny how i was acting as a love sick teenager trying to catch a glimpse of the hot guy, the only difference being that over here i was trying to know what the hot guy was doing. I looked up the third time to see what he was sketching when he looked up in a giffy not giving me the time to look away. I was terrified, he caught me staring at him. His face was expressionless and then slowly he raised his left eyebrow, a gesture asking me my problem. I fiercely shook my head like a baby and looked down into the book. The slowly i raised my eyes to find him staring at him. A small smile crept over his face when he saw me doing that and then slightly shaking his head he got back to his work. A small smile embraced my lips and made my face red; a gesture popularly know as blushing. The rest of the period i tried concentrating on the book. It was english period and like always my eyes were fixed at the door waiting for HIS group to enter. Aryaman was seated beside me and then i remembered the morning incident. That made me feel embarrassed, that incident was unlike me, i was never bothered about anyone and i still could not understand why i did that. I was lost in my thoughts when again Aryaman's body stiffened up and i knew they were there. I was too embarrassed to even look at him so i conveniently ignored their presence. I could feel Aryaman's body getting uncomfortable and was trying to understand the the reason behind this when a sweet voice broke my trance. " hello there." I had never heard that voice but still it seemed so familiar, i looked up to get the the shock of my life. Manik and group were standing right beside me