Arpit was happy I had made my peace with Sneha. He knew I wasn’t too thrilled about their relationship, but he respected my opinion enough to not try and change it.
“Come out today with us?” He asked once classes got over.
“Oh I don’t know. I have practice and stuff.” I shuffled my feet.
“Try..”Sneha placed one hand over mine and tugged it lightly.
“Try.” Arpit repeated as he escorted Sneha out.
I sighed, I had escaped twice with my excuses. I couldn’t see any way out of it. I kept whining about it throughout the practice session.
“Just go.” Pooja snapped at me after hours of listening to me complain about it.
So I went. To meet Arpit, Sneha and a group of people I had branded as arrogant.
“Look who’s here,” Sneha exclaimed as I walked into the coffee shop near Arpit’s place.
I smiled a little, looking around for Arpit. The who’s who of my school was there. All of them were staring at me. I took one step towards them and then hesitated.
“Naina!” A voice called out. I turned around in surprise. It couldn’t be!
“Dhruv?”
“How are you feeling now?” He made his way across the room, two very different sets of people watching us.
“Better..” I mumbled.
“You certainly look much better.” Dhruv commented, unaware that just as his friends were staring at me, Sneha’s friends were staring at him.
“Maybe we should talk later. I mean, you’re here with your friends and I’m here with..” I turned towards the table, “well, some people.”
A crooked smile touched his face, “Let me guess, you are here with Arpit, if I recall the name correctly, and his girlfriend?”
I wasn’t even surprised at how astute he was. He just had some strange radar which picked up things I wouldn’t have even noticed.
I leaned in a little closer, “And her friends!” I whispered.
“You’re kidding me!” He laughed as he took a peek at them. “Tough crowd.” He said.
“I know, I didn’t want to come.. But Arpit insisted, and I couldn’t say no again.” I explained.
“You can come join us if you want.” He offered, indicating towards his friends.
“Did you know they’re staring at me?” I could feel their eyes burn right into me.
“Of course they are, a pretty girl like you, talking to a guy like me. Naina, everyone in this coffee shop is staring at us.” He said as a matter-of-fact.
Pretty? Me?
I looked over his shoulder, he was right. All eyes were on us.
