"Hey,"
Ishika greeted as she walked over to the outdoor caf.
Dhruv
looked up from his book and smiled, "Hi" he slid his backpack out of the chair
next to him. It was very same table where she sat on the first day after all
her classes were over and since then this place had become her place. Every day
after all the classes are over she would come over as she didn't feel like
leaving for home right after. Dhruv had spotted her few times after then and
joined her.
Today he
was already there which didn't seem normal as he got out of his last lecture
after her.
"You got
out early? Or walked out early?"
Putting
his right index finger on page as a book mark answered, "Neither. I didn't go
to class."
"Everything
alright?"
Dhruv
starred at her amazed. "Yeah, why won't it be?" The morning was long gone, and
sun was shining over head, but it was still winter.
Ishika
rubbed her palms and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know you just look… a
little distracted." She stuttered out the words from both the cold and trying
to come up with right words.
Dhruv
re-opened his book and said, "Nope everything is fine."
Ishika
eyed him few minutes longer. He was handsome, there was no denying. From the
first time she saw him he had captured her like an invisible force pulling her
towards him. He was always friendly, outgoing, and cheerful. She remembered his
laugh, it has been only a week since college started but she had caught him
laughing all the time. His laughter turned the cold winter into spring for her.
His laughter was undoubtedly his best jewel. He made her laugh every time they
were alone aside the fact that she was irritated by him disturbing her while
she was reading.
Today it
was the reverse, he was the one reading. Not that he didn't read but today he
was quiet and looked truly like a sincere student focused on nothing else but
studies – even if in reality he was reading a novel that had nothing to do with
his classes. Only thing he needed were glasses. She smiled even then he would look just as handsome.
She
unzipped her bag and said, "If you say so." After a pause she echoed familiar
words, "But if you ever need to, I and my ears both are always here."
Opening
her notebook, she tapped her pen on the paper, her mind already running in directions
trying to form a sentence.
He gazed
at her, her echo was really low but he had heard her. Thanks to the season that
made sure no one was out around them. He looked down at the page she was still
tapping her pen on and read the upside down words, Education today is nothing but a way to make money in a 'sane' way.
He smiled
despite of himself. "Is that your topic for your speech?"
Coming
out of her thoughts she nodded, "It will be if I can come up with a good start
up point."
"Smart
topic."
"Thanks,
I wish I could un-smart it, then I would not have to stress my brain for a good
start up point."
Dhruv
laughed, "A girl who decided her topic in such short period can surely come up
with not just a start up point but a really good three minute talk."
Ishika
smiled, "Are you saying you don't have your topic yet?"
"That's
exactly what I am saying. Did he approve it?"
Ishika
looked down and frowned, "No, but who cares. I am still going with this idea so
for his sake he better approve it."
Dhruv
chuckled, "Brave. I am sure he will. If he doesn't want to then he should have
just given every one individual topics that way he would not have to disapprove
any."
"That way
he would have to spend more than first class-meeting to get to know students
and then give them each a topic. It would be more work than just nodding his
head yes or no. It would also mean he would have to come up with more things to
lecture as second week of the semester would not guarantee him spending time
listening to speeches sitting comfortably in his chair."
"Was that
you rehearsing you speech? It sounded very good."
"Did it?
It would also earn me a failing grade on the very first project not to mention
high chances of being kicked out of the lecture for the rest of the semester
and my money going to waste."
"That
sounded solid too."
Ishika
threw her pen at him, "Shut up."
Dhruv
laughed and caught the pen before it hit him.
Ishika
picked up the warm cup that the waiter had placed while they were talking.
Sipping the warm green tea she inhaled the ginger scent mixed with sugar.
Dhruv
returned to his book knowing if he continued distracting her she would get annoyed
and walk away to find some other peaceful place.
Ishika
returned to her mind glad to see him smile and laugh. She might not have
altered his dullness for good, whatever was bothering him was still there but
at least for a short time to come she had him forget.
Or had
she?
Dhruv
starred at his book and shook his head mentally. What was he? Jealous of Ishika
taking up his place in Antara's life? He felt like an idiot even trying to
think of such thing. Over here she was becoming friends with him, giving him
joy even in the tiniest moment, how can he judge her friendship towards Antara.
If in such short time Ishika was this nice to him then no wonder Antara spent endless
hours with her as she had been friend with the girl her whole life.
Mom was right, I even agreed with
her then why did I continue feeling distant from Antara. Even scolding himself right now,
some where he still felt the pang. Was it really jealousy or something else all
together? He was not sure anymore. Antara and he are best friends just the way
she and Ishika are. He was starting to like Ishika, he felt more connected to
her than anyone else. Not sure why, but he always seemed to say things to her
that he would have not said to anyone but Yash and Antara. It was more than
their first dance, their first meeting now. It was more than strangers being
nice to each other and yet at the same time the very same girl made him doubt
his own actions and relationship he shared with other people till date.
How in
the world was that possible? You are
loosing it Dhruv. You don't even know what exactly it is that you are searching
for over here. He thought to himself, which just made his thoughts go
wilder.
____________________________________________________
Ishika
bumped into Antara as she walked out of the back room.
"AT why
did you apply brakes all of a sudden?" Walking around her, Ishika followed her
gaze.
"Wow
that's a surprise."
"That's
not a surprise, that's our – my doom."
Ishika
frowned not sure what Antara meant. Antara rushed back through the door that
read Employees only. Ishika stood
there a minute longer, her eyes following the foot-steps of their friends who
had just walked in to the caf.
She
turned around just when Yash and Dhruv looked in her direction. The boys were looking
around the place since they entered. Ishika was not sure what they were
searching she walked in through the doors to unveil why their friends were her
best friend's doom right after she heard Sunayna's voice. She guessed she was
calling Yash and Dhruv who had stopped at the entrance itself.
"Guys,
what are you doing?"
"Okay you
left me confused out there."
Antara
was pacing up and down the aisle. "They don't know I work here."
Ishika
wrinkled her brows together, "Wait what? How can your friends don't know you
work here?"
Antara
sat down on a near by stool, "Yash and Dhruv does of course but for the rest
this is just my dad's caf. Which by the way is not even entirely true, yeah he
runs the place like from open to close but in the end he is just the manager
not the owner."
"How can
you work here and they don't even know about it?"
"Because
this is not like their regular hang out place. They did come here few times,
but when I am like you know, a customer along with them. I enter and leave the
place with them."
"So, Yash and Dhruv have not told the rest?"
Antara
shook her head; she didn't have to voice out the reason. Ishika could guess it
very well.
"So,
that's why the two of them were looking around. To see if you were on duty."
Antara
slumped down her shoulders. "You see why it is my doom."
"Oh come
on AT, this is your dad's place. There
is nothing wrong in a daughter helping out her father at his caf. I bet they
would not even ask why you are working and if they do then you can just tell
them you are helping your dad out."
"Can't,
Nikki and Suni have invited me to join them, and I had said I had studying to
do. I didn't know they were going to come here. I guess I should have asked
where they were planning to go."
Varsha walked
in and asked, "Antara and Ishika why are you two in here? I understand we
practically run this place but in the end we do get salaries. Salaries, that is
not for sitting around."
Ishika
smiled, "We will be out there in few minutes. We were just taking a short five
minute break."
"Hurry up
then, it's getting crowded out there."
Once
Varsha was out, Ishika turned towards her friend and said, "You heard auntie.
We can't just hide in here till they go."
Antara
got up, "Do you know where they are sitting?"
"Over to
the other side of the partition."
"Great,
we will stay on the other side of them. Hopefully the partition will serve as a
cover." She pushed the door open and walking up few steps turned around. "I
thought you said they were on the other end."
Ishika
looked towards her left then her right. "Well, I had seen them walk towards the
left inner area. How was I supposed to know they just decided to walk around as
if it was a park before picking up the spot on the opposite side from where they
originally went towards?"
____________________________________________________
Dhruv
followed Yash's gaze and saw a glimpse of Ishika's face. He didn't have to
guess who the girl was with her back towards them. If he had not caught
Ishika's face, Antara would have looked like any other Mystic employee. Or not even an employee as she had altered her
apron and cap in a fashionable way.
"Umm
guys, don't you think it's really crowded in here? Let's go somewhere else."
Dhruv said.
Yash
turned to look at him and he didn't have to guess that he had spotted Antara
too. What he was confused on was seeing Ishika there. From what he had heard
from Dhruv, Ishika's bungalow was really rich and elegant. Surely no doubt she
could have just come to see Antara, if she was not wearing a turquoise blue
waist apron and knit cap similar to Antara's indicating that she was one of the
employees.
"We just
gave our order, and you want to leave? Nikita asked.
"Seriously,
what is it with you two? You have been trying to dodge this place since we got
in the car." Jayraj added.
Yash and
Dhruv exchanged a worried glance. Antara had told them not to tell anyone else.
It was their secret from before Jayraj, Raj, Nikita and Sunayna became their
friends. In fact Mystic Caf is the very place where the three of them became
friends. When they were in their first year, all three had shared few classes
with each other, but until Yash and Dhruv walked into Mystic and Antara took their order they were just class mates.
It was by
the end of last year that the group of three friends had turned in to the group
of seven. Now, it was the group of eight. But the number didn't matter. It was
them three in the starting and it would always be the three who were knotted to
each other, after that no matter how many friends they made the rope was big
enough to just tie three together.
Varsha
came over to the girls, "Good to see you two. Now if your break is over will
one of you set the tray for your friends?"
Ishika
took the slip on which the order was written. Immediately she realized that
Varsha didn't know that her daughter had kept her work position hidden from her
friends.
"You go
over to the other side, I will take this," Ishika said.
"What?
You can definitely not."
"AT, it
does not matter if they know that I work here."
"Actually
it does, Dhruv has seen your uncle's place and I have heard him tell Yash all
about your richness."
"What?"
Ishika asked, than remembered that he had dropped her once.
"I didn't
cut in well because, you were technically becoming one of them and also I could
have told them that it was not your place but then more questions would have
followed, and I just thought if they were to be answered than it should be done
by you."
"I know I
should have denied when Nikita asked Dhruv to drop me. What was I thinking?"
"It's not
your fault, but if you do serve them than the looks you get after then will be
your fault."
"So what
I work here. What difference does it make?"
"Umm the
difference is none of them work, but get pocket money, and their parents have
businesses."
"So? Not
every one can own a business. Some have to work in order to serve them while
they walk in a fast food place. And clearly not every one have parents to start
with to give them pocket money."
Antara
opened her mouth but closed it with out saying anything. She knew that nothing
she said would be a right reply to what Ishika had said. It was true and that
was it, but if only every one understood that.
"The
thing is those who get easy life do not really know the reality of the world."
Ishika
smiled, "I got this AT, I am new here what difference does it make if they
start judging me. In fact that would be good I would know who really my friends
are and who are not."
Antara
followed Ishika behind the counter and started helping her set the tray. "At
least you know the two who really are going to be your friends. I can't say
about the rest."
____________________________________________________
"Ishika?"
Jayraj was the first one to notice her. May be, not entirely true. Dhruv and
Yash had been following the girl's footsteps since they noticed them. They just
chose to stay quiet and she didn't know that.
Ishika
smiled, "Hey guys here you go." She slowly emptied the contents on her tray on
to the table. She didn't make eye contact with anyone but could clearly feel
Dhruv's gaze on her.
"What are
you doing here?" Sunayna asked.
Lucky for
her, Varsha called to her at the same time. "Ishika, can you see them?" Ishika
saw her addressing the near by table. She turned around to see people sit at
the table next to the one she was serving right now.
She
smiled, "Sure auntie. You look tired you should go take a break. I will take
care of things out here."
Varsha
patted her on the right shoulder as she walked past her, "Not tonight, your
uncle is not here so it's going to be more work."
"More
reason you should go on back in and take care of paper work."
Varsha
shook her head, "Your parents have grown up a fine lady."
Ishika
gave a small smile. "Or wait some one else can take care of things inside."
Varsha
turned around with a confused look. Ishika motioned towards the counter where
Antara was taking carry-out orders. If Varsha sent Antara in then she would not
be looking up at their friends table every now and then to see if they noticed
her or not.
"She is
not feeling good and standing on her feet is not going to help her at all."
Ishika added a small lie.
"What
happened? Why didn't she say anything?" Varsha rushed towards the counter and
Ishika smiled and went to address the next table.
Mission Accomplished. "Can I take your order?" She
titled her head to see Antara push through the door and Varsha take her spot at
the register.
Yash
heaved a sigh. Ishika was not the only one who had her eyes glued on Antara.
Dhruv smiled and elbowed Yash, glad to see him relaxed. As, Yash's nervousness
was just making him more nervous.
Things
were good for the night.
____________________________________________________
Next Part: _______
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