Bus#126W - Chapter 14

“Who is this Naina?” Arpit had appeared by my side, a diabolical grin on his face. “let me guess, you’re the guy she met on the bus.”

Dhruv smiled, “She told you about me.”

The way he said it, felt like it meant something.

“I just told him how I made you give up your seat.” I said quickly. A little too quickly perhaps.

“I’m Arpit.” Arpit put out his hand.

“I know, Dhruv.” Dhruv said taking the outstretched hand.

“So..” Arpit said. Awkward silence descended upon us.

“Why don’t you guys carry on. I’ll see you later Naina?” Dhruv said while backing away.

Later?????

I nodded dumbly.

“What did he mean by later?” Arpit whispered as soon as we were out of hearing range.

“Noooooooooooo idea.” I said, exaggerating the “no”.

I was introduced to all of Sneha’s friends. At any other point of time, I would have been overwhelmed hanging out with these people but today, I was just so aware of the fact that Dhruv was there and that maybe, just maybe he might be observing me.

I tried to sneak a glance or two but Arpit’s disapproving gaze stopped me. “He’ll get the wrong idea if you keep trying to catch his eye.” He said.

Wrong idea? i wasn’t sure what “idea” I was trying to give to Dhruv. All I knew was, even as I was sitting next to my best friend with a whole group of his new friends the only place I was deriving comfort was from Dhruv’s presence.

I kept an eye on his table, lest he disappeared without saying goodbye.

“So, Naina.. How come we’ve never met before.” One of Sneha’s friends was talking to me.

Maybe because you’ve got your head in the sky!

“It’s a big school. Lots of students.” I commented intelligently. “Uh, excuse me.. I’ve to go..” I stood up as I saw Dhruv and his friends go out.

Maybe he wasn’t even going home. Isn’t that what college students did? Hang out till late?

I hid behind the door watching them say their goodbyes and then walked over to Dhruv.

“You’re leaving too?” I said casually.

“Yeah, I have a couple of things to do unlike the others.” He hadn’t seemed a bit surprised to see me standing next to me alone, without all my friends. Mine, Sneha’s whatever.

“Oh, like what?” I was disappointed. He wasn’t going home. I couldn’t think of any way to persuade him to take me along without creeping him out.

“Right now,” he said softly, “It looks like I’ll be dropping you home.”

Bus#126W - Chapter 13

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.

Bus#126W - Chapter 12

“What was that about?” I questioned Arpit as I caught up with him.

“What?” Arpit asked, genuinely surprised.

“Why did you blow her off like that?” I couldn’t believe the smartest guy I knew could be so stupid.

“Blow who off? I just said we’re going to class. I said something wrong?” Utter horror was written all over his face.

I couldn’t help it. I threw my head back and laughed loudly.

“You’re so dumb!” I managed to say through my giggles.

“Naina, what’d I do wrong. I just said we have classes.” The sincerity with which Arpit was explaining to me prompted me to laugh even louder.

“Okay, okay! Look, you don’t walk away from your lady love without saying a decent enough goodbye. EVER! Especially not when she’s seen you holding hands with another girl.” I explained seriously.

“Oh crapoli! Seriously?” he stopped walking, thinking about what a blunder he had made. After a moment, he asked “Which girl?”

“Me dufus!” I reminded him.

“You?!” he looked at me incredulously. “You don’t count!”

“You know that,” I said, pointing at him. “And I know that” I pointed at myself, “But she doesn’t.” I pointed to Sneha, who was talking to a bunch her friends.

“You’re not saying that she thinks you and I are..” he franctically moved his hands around.

I nodded.

“Crapoli!”

With that, he was off, racing towards Sneha. A couple of minutes later Sneha glanced my way and smiled.

I watched her for a moment. It was an honest smile. Arpit had told her.

I acknowledged her smile. One girl to another, we both conversed silently

I raised my eyebrows and indicated towards Arpit. Boys! They are so stupid.

She smiled slightly. Yes I know.

I pursed my lips together and shrugged slightly. I’m sorry by the way.

She acknowledged my apology with a slight tilt of her head and a blinding smile.

I walked back to the class, satisfied that all was okay between Arpit and Sneha.

There was just one thing bothering me. I still didn’t like Arpit being with Sneha.

Bus#126W - Chapter 11

I stared at him, thoroughly confused.

“What, it just means that..” I stuttered.

Arpit let go off me and started walking away slowly.

“Arpit, please!” I grabbed his arm tightly, “Why are you taking this seriously!”

He shook my hand off him, “Because,” He started, his voice low and controlled, “You’re supposed to be my friend. You’re supposed to be the one who knows me inside out ..” He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words, “And even you think I’m not good enough. Why Naina?”

I touched his face lightly, “I think you’re wonderful Arpit. The sweetest person I have ever met. I just meant that I cannot imagine the two of us together. But I love you. Surely, you must know that.”

In that moment, there was nobody around us. Not Sneha, not Pooja, not the tens of students walking past us. A small smile started to appear on Arpit’s face.

“I know you do, it’s just..” He hesitated, “When people see me with Sneha, I know what they’re thinking and it sucks that my best friend feels the same way.”

There it was, straight as an arrow. I couldn’t deny his accusations. I hung my head in shame.

“Would it help if I said I’m sorry?” I asked sincerely.

“Yes.” He said simply.

And voila, everything was perfect again. Well, almost everything. I still didn’t like Sneha and I didn’t know why but I had enough sense than to bring it up at that time.

“Hey, what’s going on here?” Our perfect moment ruined, we both turned to look at the intruder. Sneha.

Instantly, my hand fell away from his face.

I smiled at her. I could afford to be nice to her. I could at least try.

“Hey Sneha, how are you?” I was as genuine as I could be.

“Hi Naina.” If I didn’t know better, I would have thought she was being icy.

“We’re going to class, see you during lunch?” Arpit told her casually and started walking.

Sneha’s eyes followed him. I could see the sudden hurt in them. She hadn’t expected him to walk away from her.

“Coming Naina?” Arpit called out from a distance.

Sneha turned to me, disbelief reflecting on her face. For some reason, I couldn’t hide my glee too.

 “You bet!” I flashed a bright smile at her, and made my way towards Arpit.