Stardust #2: OS - Paradise pg 31 (21/01) - Page 15

Bench Girl

"Weird huh?" she questioned after a full five minutes of silence.

"What?" he replied shocked, as though he just registered that she was here.

"Exactly. Been on this bench for five minutes and not a word." She sipped her drink and glanced across at the person next to her after shaking her head of long locks.

"Who are you?" he asked, rolling his eyes rudely as he watched the people in front of him dance wildly to the music.

She gave him one smile and chose to ignore that question turning her green eyes instead to the vast ocean in front of them, dimmed by the stars that shone out above it. Her feet automatically tapped to the music as he took in her outfit, tight jeans from which a bright blue belt hung loosely. On top, she had a magenta blouse which glimmered in the rays of the shimmering disco lights that spread out under the tent. He sighed and turned his attention to the grooving bodies on the dance floor.

"Aren't you supposed to be there?" she asked jerking her head towards the source where the music was coming from.

"You would know wouldn't you? Stalk people much?" he turned his gaze to her as she raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Well, whatever you want to think. But sitting here by yourself, lost in your own thoughts, just tells me you're lonely."

"Well, whatever you want to think." He repeated back quickly as her face lit up and she let a small laugh escape.

"Touche.." he saw her tip her glass towards him. "But seriously, Armaan Mallik, and lonely? Impossible."

"So you know me."

"And who wouldn't? New girl on your arm every week, basketball champion, average in studies.."

"Heyy! I'll let you know that's because don't give a f***. If I did.."

"If you did." She stressed. "But you don't. So there."

She gave him a winning smile, and he returned one of his own, his greyish eyes hooked on her.

"Touche.."

He suddenly snatched the drink from her hand and took a sip, leaving her wordless.

"Oh, virgin!"

"Excuse me?!" she replied hotly.

"I meant the drink." He tried to hide his smile, but his dimples were clearly etched above the strong clean jawline he had.

"Smart. And I'll have it back, thanks." She snatched the glass back, but held it in her hand, returning her concentration to the stretch of water beyond. "I don't drink."

"Oh, so why do you come to these parties? They're not meant for you."

"Oh.. resisting peer pressure was never my thing. And let me tell you a secret.." She winked at him but leaned in so that her hair fell forward and brushed her face.

Suddenly, something itched inside him to bring his hand up and remove those tendrils, partly because he wanted to touch her so badly. Teenage hormones, he corrected himself inside his head, and fisted his hands to prevent any action. A small frown appeared between her brows and she beckoned him to lean closer. Shaking his head at the childishness, he did as he was told.

"It's fun to watch people while they're drunk and be the only sane one around." She whispered giving him a cheeky grin before leaning back and bringing the glass to her glossy lips again.

"Oh, so how many times have I been the subject of this fun?" he asked and she looked up in mock consideration.

"Fair few times. Who do you think dropped you home when you had passed out at Laura's terrible twenty bash? Half naked I might as well add."

"That was you?" he questioned in astonishment a million questions exploding in his mind. How the hell did she know where he lived? How had she managed to get him inside his apartment? He didn't even know her and she had managed to get him inside his apartment? Had she tried anything dirty while he was out cold?

"Are you kidding? Do I look like your wife?" her reply came back, with a tone of disgust that would probably wound him if he knew he wasn't a bit of an ass and a pompous git. "It was your friends. Mike and Nikki. I think the other blonde was around as well, but I had to get my own friends back at that time, so I had to leave."

"And how would you know."

"Know what? Your friends..well clearly.."

"Not that. That you aren't my wife. We could be betrothed to each other and just not know. You know, parents may have been friends, etc etc.."

She looked taken aback, then catching on, replied,

"Please, I'm nineteen. I'd know if I was betrothed to some jerk, no offence."

"None taken." He smirked, at how blunt and to the point she was. Funnily, if it had been any other time, he would have 'corrected' her and given her a few harsh and untrue words. However, somehow, coming from her mouth, it didn't seem like an insult. Just plain truth.

"But how would you know? That you're not betrothed to someone?" she asked, a wicked glint in her eye. His mood suddenly darkened, as he sighed.

"My parents can't commit themselves to each other. How the hell will they commit me to someone?"

"Oooh, so that's the problem. How long?"

"A year tomorrow."

"Is it hard?"

"Shifting from one place to the next? Trying to divide your time? Yes."

"I was asking about them. Must be hard on them. Trying to restart their lives. Share you."

He glanced at her in surprise. The thought had never occurred to him. If their divorce had been hard on him, how would it have been on them? She did have a point.

"They're easy." He lied.

"Or so they might be showing you. I bet you've been a great son though." Her voice had a hint of mockery hidden beneath it. And when he reflected, she was right. He'd been awful to them. Answering back, coming home completely wasted, not spending any time with either, turning a blind eye when each tried to make him talk.

"They don't deserve it." His tone was laced with disgust, partly with himself, as flashes of his happy, loving past flashed through his mind in contrast to the past year.

"What, because they weren't happy with each other?"

"Because they made my life miserable."

"You made your life miserable. It's your life. You choose to be happy, sad, lonely..etc etc.." she gestured with her hand and he noticed how well kept her nails were. No nail polish, but simply manicured well, and a lot more appealing.

"It's their fault." He tried once more.

"Their fault they didn't want you to bear the brunt of a crappy relationship?"

"Well I did didn't I?" he shot back, triumphant at the little victory he just had.

"You chose to. You could see the positive side, that at least both of them are happy, instead of looking at the negative side and bringing you down with them. Atleast that way three lives aren't ruined for eternity. Would you prefer them lying to you constantly?"

"What do you know?!" he said forcefully getting up suddenly, fire storming in his eyes as quickly as realization sunk. She was right. He was wrong. In a few minutes, she was the right one, and the whole year, he had been wrong! And he hated being wrong! Armaan Mallik was never wrong. But this girl, the no one that she was, just proved him wrong! How dare she?! He could feel blood pumping in his veins, and his fists clenched out of sheer hatred. At what, he didn't know.

Surprise was evident in her forest green eyes, before she quickly hid it and shrugged, looking keenly at her drink once more.

"Listen you.." he paused, realizing he didn't even know her name. And she didn't even help him as she coolly looked up, her lips itching to widen at his reaction. "Whatever, we never had this conversation."

"I never said we did." She shook her head, a hint of a smile on her face, which frustrated him a lot more.

"And my parents are still together."

"Yeah. Armaan Mallik has a perfect life." She agreed, not wavering her glance from his.

"No one will listen to you anyway, if you say anything." He hesitated shortly, knowing how news spread in college like wildfire.

"That's if I say anything." Her voice had seriousness in it and he couldn't help but believe her.

"We don't know each other in college."

"No we don't." Amusement was back in her voice.

"Even if you try anything.." he stopped short trying to look for the right words. "You're only 'the bench girl' to me."

Her eyes widened and she passed him a grin that enlightened her whole face.

"I've been called worse.." was her reply as he stormed off angrily, infuriated at how her words and her actions had suddenly fused inside his brain like they were a part of it! Stupid bench girl!

* * * * *

4 years later

"Shit I'll be killed. Shit, shit, shit!"

He heard a familiar voice in front of him as the woman drew a mobile from her purse and dialled quickly while heading for the bus station just as she exited the mall. Intrigued, he followed her.

"Yes Mum?... No! I don't want to see guys!... MUM! I'm not interested in girls!" He couldn't help but let a chuckle out. Immediately, her tone lowered, and she whispered in hindi into the phone. "Mumma, log mujh par hass rahe hain, main aapse baad main baat karti hoon. Bye!"

He watched her sigh for a moment, gather her wits and courage, then turn around to apologize to the stranger. However, all apologies fell short as the greens connected with the blues. Her face clearly depicted her astonishment and for that small moment, words weren't needed to fill the gap as both of them took a good analysis of how four years had changed each other. Four years hadn't changed her much, he concluded. She wore a flowy bluish summer dress now which came to her knees along with strappy comfy sandals. If anything, time made her seem healthier than she had been with more life and sunshine than she had had that other night.

He knew however, that time had changed him drastically. For one, he was over his parents' break up, though that probably had more to do with the girl in front of him. He was now an intern in a local hospital, working out, greeting everyone with a smile, and generally just a happy guy with no complaints. Though, he now supposed, he owed that to her as well. He'd also done a bit of growing up over the years, and cut his flings and constant parties in which he'd get wasted. That, he owed to the hell lot of studying which he had to get done to pass his medical degree.

"Bench girl." he greeted.

"Armaan Mallik!" she nodded with a smile.

"Oh, and I thought you'd forgotten me."

"Very close to.." she replied with a mock sigh at her failure.

"You wound me.." he clutched his chest and she gave a small giggle of surprise.

"Someone who warned me to stay away is now flirting with me?" she asked, the same amused glint enlightening her eyes.

"What to do? We all have to grow up sometimes."

"Harsh reality of life." She agreed, nodding.

"How about we catch up over a drink?"

"Wow..You're a bit fast. But I'm sorry, I've got to get home. Mum."

"I'm also quite persistent." He replied cheekily. "So may I have your number?"

"How do you know I'm not taken?" her witty question came back, but a smile tugging at the edge of her lips.

"I don't, but I'm counting on my stars."

"Well you might want to thank your stars." She said quietly, looking down at the floor all of a sudden. Her hand slid a strand of hair out of her face and that's when Armaan noticed her cheeks were tinted with a colour of ruby that certainly wasn't there before!

"I might indeed." He took out his HTC, and handed it to her, making sure their hands brushed in the process. As soon as her skin touched his, he felt an electrical buzz, some sort of attachment run through him, that he could very easily get used. Her hand however, quickly withdrew, as though she had been burnt, while she kept her eyes steady on the task at hand.

Once she was done, she looked up and handed his phone back to him. This time, the touch lasted a millisecond longer, as though neither wanted to let go.

"So, I'll see you around, I guess." She said as she turned to go, her hair fluttering wildly in the wind.

"Heyy. I didn't catch your name." He called out making her turn just before getting onto the bus. She gave him one of her charming smiles, indicated to the phone in his hands and waved as she climbed up, out of sight.

Curious, and definitely interested, he spun through his contact list waiting to come to an unfamiliar name. And after a few seconds, there it was.

'Riddhima'

Miming the name, he smiled softly at himself then murmured,

"Bench girl", before laughing quietly, relishing the feel of the wind blowing through his hair. He was already falling for her.

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Heyyah!! A cuteish one shot that I had to pen down as soon as it came to mind. It was written in barely an hour, and hasn't been proof read, so please do overlook silly stupid mistakes. 😊

I'm not sure about my other fanfictions at the moment. So please just appreciate this! 😆

Love,

its been a while for me since the last time i even log in on this site am slowly losing interest ever since dill mill gaye went off air but am always excited to see ur pm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

res