***part 7***
It's been two hours and it was starting to get dark. Virat wasn't talking to me. I was angry initially but I cannot not-talk for long, especially with my only best friend here. We were sitting in different corners of the room. There was a table pushed against a large window and he was sitting on that table, leaning carefree on the wall behind him, listening to music. I slowly walked up to him. He looked at me for a second and looked away, ignoring me totally. Such an attitude. It's not like I don't have enough of it. I turned away and folded my hands.
I heard the sound of a wrapper rustling; I looked back from the corner of my eye. He was eating, a chocolate bar. Aaah! "Don't you have any manners? There is someone standing right in front of you who is dying of hunger and you are eating like a..pig."
"Manners, ohh please, you do not get to talk about manners." "Waise bukh lag rahi hai tume??????" he was grinning.
" Nahi."
"Ok. Fine." He shrugged and continued eating the bar so slowly, making such annoying sounds and looking at it like it was some world class diamond.
"Can't you eat without sounding like a mouse?"
"I can't. Ummm!!!!" he was licking his lips.
"Ewww..MORON." I said with a disgusted expression.
"That would be you!" he countered.
Arghh. Why do I even expect anything from him. Such a selfish prick. I felt like crying, I was so hungry, my tummy was making all kinds of grumbling noises. I climbed on a table and laid face-down with my bag-pack as a pillow. Hiding my face in it and closing my ears tightly with my hands. Beeji was going to make me paratas. Waah! I am just going to sleep. Only way to escape this ass.
Then, I felt something fall beside me on the table. I opened my eyes, it was a candy bar, that too my favorite one. Langoor was standing by my side and laughing "Eat, after you are done with your drama." He said.
"No thanks. And do not disturb me, I was sleeping." I sulked.
"Suit yourself, waise bhi I am still hungry." He was going to take it away. I had to act fast, I will die if I don't eat, I sat up and grabbed it before he could.
"Pig!" I said opening it up.
He stood with a shocked expression "You are welcome by the way."
"Acha ok. Thank you." I said pouting.
"Thank you??? Oh my god! Apko is cheez ke bare main pata bhi hain?? Woow!! Claps!" He walked back to his seat by the window and put his earphones back on.
"What are you listening to?" I went and sat beside him, munching my dinner, taking one of the earphone and putting it in my ear."Wow, I love this band. I didn't think you would like this me-against-the-world aggressive music yaar." I closed my eyes. "This is my favorite song, I used to listen to this whenever I was unbearably angry and wanted to vent". I opened my eyes, Virat was looking at me curiously.
"You like this song?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Hmpph." "Why were you unbearably angry?"
"I wasn't unbearably angry."
"You just said you were."
Oh shit! I guess I said that out aloud. Time for damage control. "Aaise hi, my mom keeps pissing me off." He didn't buy it, he kept looking at me for an answer.
"This douche bag I used to date showed his friends a video of me with him. Mom got to know about this before anybody else did and saved the day. If she hadn't I would have been all over the internet. She was furious with me, she slapped me. She said she didn't trust me anymore. That is why she sent me here."
"No kidding. What was in the video?" he asked.
"Enough."
"Does your dad know?"
"No."
"Who is the guy?"
"Somebody I would have killed with a blunt knife if mom hadn't sent me here."
"Did you love him?"
"I don't know. He was ok. He was fun to hang out with. My parents were always busy, they didn't care what I did, as long I stayed out of their hair. I agree it was my fault, sometimes, I went a little above-board trying to get their attention or sometimes just to keep my brain away from everything else."
His face was angry. He looked out of the window and removed his earphone and sat silently for a really long time.
"I was playing for the local cricket team last year. I missed a lot of classes. That's why I am detained. My dad is not at all happy about it. I only know one thing well, playing cricket. My father wants me to become a lawyer like him. I don't know how to."
"Why don't you tell your dad you don't want to become a lawyer?"
"He will not like it."
"He will not like it or he will not be proud of you like he is about Viren?"
He looked at me puzzled with a how-does-it-matter expression "Both." He finally said.
"It does matter. Everybody's life has a driving force. What is yours?" "If it is to make your dad proud, you can forget about it."
"What? My dad will be proud if I become a lawyer."
"No, your dad will be proud of you if you become a good lawyer. Which you will never be."
"If I work hard, I can be." He replied offended.
"It's like this, imagine a world famous bowler..." He started chanting names but I stopped him."What if his father wanted his to be a word famous batsmen and not bowl at all?"
"That's crazy, bowling arm is what he is born with. He can try all he can, but he will not even be selected if didn't bowl."
"Exactly. Even if you become a lawyer, you will be a sub-standard one. Nobody will even come to you. Can Viren play cricket?"
He started laughing. "He can, with fifth graders."
"You know the drill better than me then. People who can bowl should bowl, people who can bat should bat. Technically, your captain should know your strengths but most captains don't. What do you do when your captain refuses to let you bat and asks you to bowl continuously?"
"I would hurl back the ball at his face and ask him to use his f**king brain."
"You know what to do then."
"I do?" he looked at me lost. I took his earphones from him and ignored him. He didn't mind, he had a halo around his head. A halo of sense and sensibility. Finally. He was lost in thought. He could look as strong and contained as he can, but he is a lost kitten. He wanted his dad's approval. Poor kid! Dream on.
I cannot believe that his folks were making him feel bad about his talent. Parents!! I tell you, only they have this innate capacity to confuse you beyond your comprehension. But Manvi is here now, nobody can mess with my best friend. Game on Virat ke papa!
I rested my head on his shoulder and we both looked out at the stary sky in silence listening to music. I somehow felt content after a really long time. Ever since I was away from my mom, I had this restlessness within me, now I felt a little calm. I am starting to really bond with this guy.
I still missed my mom, a lot. I can never get over the fact that she could sent me away like this.
"You really miss your mom that much Manvi?" he asked, as if reading my thoughts.
"Yes." I admitted for the first time.
He put his shoulder over my tiny frame. "I am sure she misses you too and she will come and get you soon." He smiled. I tried to smile back but my eyes started filling up again and I rested my head in his lap and closed my eyes. I guess I just needed someone to say everything was going to be okay. He placed his hand on my head and I slept peacefully after a really long time.
~~~
Next morning, I heard Virat shake me out of my sleep. "Manvi! wake up. I think the janitors are here."
I woke up and yawned. "Yaar, chalo." He pushed me up and got his stuff. He kept screaming at me to hurry up. It was six in the morning and the cleaning staff opened the door, we rushed out of the building, took a cab outside and reached home in 20 min. The lights were still on and everyone were waiting outside, panicking.
Beeji came and hugged us both. "You guys are okay??" she asked worried.
We explained everything to them. "Accha huva Virat tere saat tha, varna akele pata nahi kaise reh pati." She breathed relief.
"Itni deer tak tu lounge main kyu thi??" Madan chachu asked.
"Woh chachu, mom had called me on my phone and I was talking to her. Afterwards I went to fresh up before heading out. Virat came searching for me."
"Virat, how can you be so shameless? How can you go inside a girls lounge. Humara kandhan ka naam barbaad karke hi chodega ye." said an angry Virat's dad.
"No uncle, I was having an asthma attack, he was just trying to help me." I replied instead of a stammering Virat.
"Manvi, tu teek toh hai?" Beeji cupped my face worried.
"Haan beeji, Virat helped me out." I said looking at Virat and he was looking at me embarrassed. Beeji took me inside and Virat's mom took him inside their house.
~~~
"Manvi, tere aur Virat ke beech main bhi kuch chal raha hai kya?" Jeevika asked me secretly the next day morning. Only both of us were in the car. We were waiting for the rest of the people.
I looked at her raising my eye-brows. "haan, aur kis ke beech 'kuch' chal raha hai??"
She blushed. I looked at her fully aware of why she was blushing. Viren came and sat beside her and she whispered him a 'hi'. I didn't know you could say 'hi' that seductively. I was looking at them with great interest. Virat came in with a sullen face and sat in the front.
"Kya huva? Why are you so happy in life?" I asked him walking to the class.
"Dad." He mumbled.
"What about dad?"
"I told him I am going to the cricket camp next week."
"Really? Wow, that's awesome Virat." I jumped in front of him. "Can I come?"
"No, it's not in the city."
"So what? Jeevika thinks we have an affair going on anyways."
"WHAT?"
"Haan. Let me say that right, she thinks we are also having an affair."
"...also? What does what mean?"
"Oh ho tubelight. Jeevika and your brother."
"W*F?"
"You didn't know?"
"No." he opened his mouth.
"Yes, the two golden kids of our respective families. Go figure. I toh think they are made for each other. They guess they makeout in the library."
"Shutup Manvi. Besharam. Ye brain hai yaa gutter." He hit my head gently. "They don't makeout or anything."
"Kyu? Kuch problem hoga?"
"Manvi??!!!"
"Wait, you don't make out with Maya?"
"What do you think of me? your girlfriend with whom you can gossip?" he asked throwing his hands up in the air.
"Seriously? phir kiss cheez ka girl friend yaar? Ye bolu, have you guys atleast kissed?" We were standing in front of the class now, chatting.
"Kissed? Kissed who?" Maya who was walking past us, stopped and asked startled.
"Virat kissed Simmi" I replied with a straight face, coolly enjoying the changing colors of Maya's face. Simmi was another plastic girl in the class. Maya's arch rival.
"MANVI!?" Virat twisted my hand.
"Ouch!" I squirmed.
"Maya, yeh mazak kar rahi." Virat went inside following a mentally disturbed Maya.
~~~
"Hi, is this Computer sciences first year?" A really smart-looking dude walked upto me and asked.
"Yes, I guess. Let's check it out." I smiled.
He smiled back. "I am Sunny, I just joined."
"Hi, I am Manvi." I shook his hand. Cute guy. He was wall, dark, handsome. He was new and needed some education. Manvi can be very helpful.
He followed me and sat beside me in class. Behind me were sitting Virat and Maya. I looked back and smiled at Virat who was upset with me. Maya still looked angry. Her face seemed pale. It might just be the make-up for all I know.
Sunny was trying to be funny. I laughed at his silly jokes just to humor him. After class, he asked me if I wanted to go to a movie with him. I really wanted to get out and have some fun. So, I decided to take him up on his offer. We were meeting at the movies at 7.
"Kya baat hai? Badi fast ho tum? Movie already?" Virat teased, I think.
"Haan, tum bhi aao na, he is new to the college, we can all hang out." I suggested.
"Who is new?"
"Sunny."
He laughed holding his tummy "Koi new nahi hai, ek number ka flirt hai woh, he was just trying to talk to you, brainless."
"really?"
"Yes."
"Tum ne mujhe kyu nahi bataya?"
"I thought you had some brains. I guess not. I am not coming to any movie, I don't think you should go either. That is if you don't want end up in another college sex video." He said with a bitter sarcasm and sat in the car. I stood still, nailed to the ground.
I was angry, I was hurt and I was betrayed. How could he say that to me? Why did I trust him with my darkest secrets?? That too so soon? I didn't hear any chatter from the rest of them. I wanted to disappear into the oblivion.
"Manvi, chips.." he called me on the drive back home. I didn't reply. He turned back and shoved the pack in front of my face. I slammed it out of the moving car.
Viren, Jeevika and Virat were looking at me with a bewildered expression. It didn't matter, I couldn't control my emotions. I ran into my room and banged my door shut.
~~~
Edited by bluebolt - 12 years ago
Cricket
Udne Ki Aasha
Veer Hanuman
Anupamaa
252