What the hell! He didn’t inquire if I was comfortable with it. I had never in my life, done any drama. I got out of my seat as the professor was waiting for me to leave. As Samir had already left, I followed him.

Everyone had amassed outside the class, “so you both are partaking, right?” Rithvik queried, viewing at both of us. I denied, “why?” His eyes scrutinized me. I peeped at Samir, he agreed! Man! a moment ago, he had been denying. Why were people so uncertain about their decision? I gazed back at others, who were staring at me.

“Why won't you participate?” Instead of Rithvik, Drupa questioned out. She seemed depressed about my decision not to participate.

“I can’t act,” I confessed, bowing my head down.

“Hey, none of us are professional actors.” Reema was trying to induce me.

“Yeah, I am moreover a joker.” Ayan tried to exhilarate me up, but my eyes were busy looking at the floor.

I felt someone finger under my chin, who made me raise my head and stare at his golden-brown button. “What’s the matter?” Kunal's voice sounding, extra soft. “Why don't you want to participate?” He was asking me out as if I was a small kid who needed to be handled with care.

“I had never participated in any drama or any competition before. I won’t be able to do it.” I requested him, he cupped my face nodding in agreement.

“I get you, but everyone starts somewhere. I had never written before anything but during my freshener year. I started writing plays, as Rithvik coerce me to do so. We have to start from somewhere,” he too was trying to persuade me up. "And soon I realized that I love writing, it's all about the chance you give yourself."

A notion popped in my mind, on listening to it. “I can do that, I can hand you some script ideas for the play." The very next moment, I realized that I had acted impulsively. I peeped at the accumulated people and shut my mouth.

“No need! As always Kunal is going to write it up,” Rithvik rejected my offer. The first one to do so, I knew more objection was on the way but Kunal stunned me up.

“Why not? I am bored with writing it, being a Fine Arts student. She should be given the opportunity,” Kunal was in support of me. I widen my eyes gazing at him, was he serious?

“Idea doesn’t seem wrong, I mean the audience will get to see a storyline from a different writer. And it would be fun to act on some different plotline, it would be so different from Kunal.” Reema too joined in, but I don't want to replace Kunal. Those words were just blurted out of my mouth, I had no reliance on my writing skills, it was my mere hobby.

“Scared-kitten, don’t get me wrong." Ayaan darted his gaze at me and then at Reema, "but how can we trust her writing ability when we are least aware of how she writes?” He demurral their decision, I didn't felt offended, but I wanted them to reject the idea. I wanted to escape from the drama, somehow.

“Exactly! I get that you are in all impressing her mode, but that doesn’t mean you risk the competition. The university is winning it from past so many years and I don’t want just due to this girl, it has to face its first defeat.” Rithvik roared at Kunal, which pissed Kunal off. I narrowed my eyes at Rithvik, why would Kunal impress me up? People and their mentality! I snorted at him, Rithvik gazed at me having a soft smile which he masked it within a second. He seemed so eccentric, full of the crux. Reema's voice made me realize that I was staring at him, I huffed. I looked away from him, at Drupa.

“Samir you can leave,” Reema informed Samir and he moved from there but seemed like he disregarded the class. As instead of making his way towards the left to the class, he walked towards the right. I eyed Drupa, to let us move as I was feeling intimated under Rithvik intense gaze. To my astoundment, she dragged me towards the washroom.

Unlike a typical washroom of any university, it was designed in a lavish interior. The space the washroom occupied could make a room for my house. The shinning white tiles flooring was increasing its beauty, apart been so huge still it was maintained well. It was neat as a button, and that was the case of the entire campus, it was flawless. It moreover seemed that we were on some holiday package, only if we had not to attend classes. Done admiring the washroom, I gazed at Drupa. “Why did you brought me here?” I scowled at her, “I will miss the class.” It infuriated me, I was an archetypal studious kind of girl, who was never pleased with bunking classes.

“You have already missed half of the class, what will you do now attending it?” She questioned jumping to seat on the platform beside the basin. The platform was made up of white marble, complementing with the flooring. Wiping her face with the tissue which she took out of the box present in the platform. While rolling eyes at me, on listening to my concern for the class.

“But still,” I turned grimaced. It would be meant to complete notes during my leisure time, which I hate doing. That was the goal behind not omitting a lecture.

“Hey, why you denied participating? It would have been so much fun, Rithvik is lead in it. You could have got some time with Kunal, while me with Rithvik." Her fanciful attitude towards life exasperated me. Wait! Did she speak about me and Kunal? Man! What was wrong with everyone?

"Excuse me! I am least interested in Kunal, so never conjoint my name with him." It enraged me, she raised her hand in surrender as if promising that she won't commit such a mistake again.

"But have not you discover that Rithvik kind of share a dislike towards us? Or am I over-analyzing? He was not delighted on seeing me participating nor when you spoke been scriptwriter” Drupa spoke giving her genuine opinion, though it's saddened her.

“Finally! You realized it," I signed glancing at her. I wanted to bring this topic up, as it was my devoir as a friend to make her face reality. "My words might offend you but that's the truth, he doesn't share a liking for you." I gazed at her to prepared for a backlash but she was blank.

"Can we talk about something else," she pleaded me through her eyes. The fierce was building up in her, as I could see her eyes turning red. She was maintaining her calm. I thought it was better to change the topic if it affected her.

"Don't you think, Reema dislike Kunal?" A random thought came to my mind.

"Anyone would, as he is the reason that his brother doesn't trust her," Drupa spoke up casually, but it just bewildered me. Who was Reema's brother?

"Who?" I asked getting curious.

"Who else? Rithvik," with that she threw the tissue back in the dustbin. She seemed to vex still over the conversation we had. I was just attempting to register her words in my brain, as she granted me with a new set of information.

"That means, Rithvik and Reema are siblings. How odd, they don't seem like one. They behave like a stranger," I was still perplexed.

"They are stranger, both have the least knowledge about each other's life. Other than random stuff, Rithvik doesn't even properly talk with her. And the fault is her too, as she keeps on targetting Kunal. Rithvik doesn't appreciate it, so the conflict." Spoke Drupa, making me bethink a certain moment which I came across. "Not to mention that she wants him to get in a relationship but he is least interested in it." Gave away all the information, she held about them.

"How come you know so much about them?" I got skeptical, she knew their entire history.

She hesitated for a moment, "as I have a crush on him. And I ought to know about his life," though I was not convinced still I gave a node.

-----------

The next day, during the interim. We were seating on the same table which was the sole reason for our first encounter. We had been sitting in the canteen, Reema, and Drupa busy with their chat while I was busy with my notes. Those notes were of yesterday, for which I had to sacrifice my break. That handwriting too was so difficult to analyze. I was absorbed to guess the appropriate words out, so I could pen it down nicely.

“What’s going on girls?” I heard Kunal’s voice and peeped at him giving a smile. Darting my gaze back to the book.

“We are enjoying it but can’t say the same about your cutie,” Reema grumbled, she carried hostile conduct towards Kunal.

“Now, I get why Kunal called her childhood friend. She is still in school, man.” Ayaan joked for which others rolled their eyes. “Come on! It was not that bad.” He was anticipating, that others would laugh at him but met with disappointment. I narrowed my eyes at him, as he joked on me and called me school going girl, though he ignored my look.

“What are you completing?” Kunal who took a seat next to me asked gazing at my book taking in his hand. “Man! Are you understanding it?" He gave me a horrified expression, cursing someone beneath his breath. I chuckled nodding negatively, Kunal shook his head. "Then how will you copy it up?" He inquired, and before I could speak, he called a person.

“Buddy! Come, dude, need help.” He called him out, there stood Rithvik who was having a conversation with Samir. Rithvik had a slight smile but it vanished as his eyes landed on me. Did he hate me to such an extent? "He will help you out," Kunal's voice made me glance at him back.

Rithvik walked towards the table, “is it your praxis to sit in someone else place? Or you like to supplant people?” He spoke sarcastically, I felt embarrassed as I heard some shrieking. It was mostly of girls, I stood up.

“What if she sat on it? Drupa had sat in Ayan's place but instead of making it an issue, he simply went and brought another chair. Can’t you do the same?” Reema scowled at him.

“That’s the difference between us, Ayan can’t be me. I don't play with girls' feelings,” Rithvik roared at Reema, bemeaning Ayaan.

Reema felt humiliated, she was going to open her mouth but he shut her up with a warning glare. “What are you waiting for? Just get lost.” He yelled at me, I shut my eyes, shivering in the intensity of his anger.

“Buddy, you’re simply...” Kunal was going to speak but halted on seeing me closing my book. I tried to get the book in his hand, the one he was holding. “What! You’re not going anywhere, he didn’t mean it.” Kunal tried to elucidate, but I had already face the humiliation.

I couldn’t withstand more insults, from a person like him. “Leave it!” I pleaded, my eyes were brimming with tears. There was a pang of guilt in Kunal's face, but he loosened his grip on the book. I kept the book in the bag and rushed from there, people's eyes were fixated at me. I felt as if those gazes were laughing at my abuse.

I hear Drupa calling me, “Shanaya! Stop man!” But I didn’t pay any heed to it, I locked myself inside the washroom. She was banging on the door, “Shanaya, listen to me once,” She cried out.

“Just need alone time, I will be back once I am normal.” I requested, and then I didn’t hear any voice from the other side. I thought she might have left but heard some whispers of another girl asking about the occurrence.

I was just standing in the toilet, chaw my palm between my teeth so the sob couldn’t be heard out. It was so contumely, he treated me as if I was trying to befriend him. I had no interest in it, and I won’t commit the same mistake again. I wiped off my tears, with a tissue. Why should I cry? When it was not me who was at fault, but he.

I opened the door of the washroom, walked out. I saw Drupa, standing just outside with an anxious gaze fixed at me. I ignored her, went to the basin, and washed my face. Some other girls were too glancing at me, they were having sympathy look.

“Don’t mind it, he is like that. He is so harsh, has no manners as to how to talk with people.” One of the girls spoke, from the crowd, trying to assuage me. I paid no attention to her, just gave a smile, and moved out of the washroom. Drupa followed me, not a word from her mouth. As I was turning towards the class, she got addled and opened her mouth.

“Are you not coming to the canteen? You had nothing,” she sounded worried about me. I peeped at her, I was feeling like crap at the moment.

“I am not in a mood for it, you can carry on.” With that I moved inside the class, I heard her footsteps behind me. I peeped back at her. “Why are you following me? You too had nothing.” I was puzzled, seeing it.

“I was thinking, why don’t I diet? I am turning fat, as my brother put it out.” She said glancing at herself, from top to toe. I just smiled at her and shook my head, what was she even? Just to make me feel at ease, planned to diet, though I know it was going to last for a few minutes.

------------------

We moved inside and soon I got engrossed in my notes. “Shanaya…” Drupa called me out, I glared at her and she shut her mouth, from the moment we had landed over here. She had been continuously jabbering, not letting me write down.

She shut her mouth only for a few seconds when I sense her stirring, which made me glance at her. She was raising her hand, pleading me through her eyes to let her speak. I narrowed my eyes at her, granting her permission. She was such a talkative kid, I shook my head at her in disbelief.

“Don’t you get bored with the notes, Ayan was correct. You’re still behaving like a school-going child.” She barbs at me, rolling her eyes.

“I am fine with school-going child, I can’t be rude like college people.” Unknowingly, bringing Rithvik to the discussion. I knew at that moment, I had enrooted disliking for him.

“Shanaya, he had his…” Drupa was going to clarify, after all, he was her crush. According to her, he was flawless.

“I know, you won’t find any fault in him but I can’t befriend such a person who crushed my self-respect.” I stood firm, alertly her to end the discussion.

Soon the day came for the end, the journey from university to hostel was filled with Drupa’s nonsense. Which I hardly paid attention to, but it was able to drift my mind away from the canteen incident.

The next day turned out arduous, the previous day I was perpetually thinking about the incident so didn’t notice the steady gaze fixed on me. I already became the chaffed of college after they saw me talking to the famous gang of the university. And after the recent incident, I was the only source of blather they had.

Drupa was accompanying me, well aware that I was getting affected by the gaze. She gripped my hand, assuring me that she was around. I heard someone murmuring, “she is the same girl whom Rithvik mortified yesterday, right?” I peeped at them, there stood Preeti along with her group members.

“Yes, she is the one. I knew Rithvik's choice is not so cheap, he won’t ever allow someone like her in their group.” Commented Preethi, making the other shriek.

Drupa stepped towards them but I held her elbow, not allowing her. “She needs to be taught a lesson.” She was fuming in anger.

“She had said nothing wrong, she is correct. Rithvik can’t afford such a choice,” she looked at me with a jerk. I winked at her, that made Drupa giggle and I smiled.

“Laughing on oneself is a good attitude towards life.” Preeti gibed, why was she craving for attention so much? I had planned to evade her but Drupa had a different approach.

“You might have not heard her, she said that Rithvik can’t afford such a choice.” I facepalmed myself, what was the need to blurt it out? That was meant to be our inside joke, Drupa could never comprehend it. I regretted sharing it with Drupa, the moment my eyes landed on Rithvik. Man! He heard it, what more blunder was remaining? Drupa cursed herself up and glanced at me feeling guilty. Her penitence was not going to help me with the monster.

“Did I hear the exact thing that fatty uttered? I don’t deserve whom? That nerdy!” That insolence he uttered for us, while the whole gathered people were hooting him up. “Do these two even deserve my attention?” That contempt looks on his face as if we were trash.

“No!”

“They don’t deserve even gays attention!”

The crowd was filled with the demeaning response, and unknowingly tears made their way down my cheeks. I had never faced such humiliation before, I felt so dejected. I was feeling like rubble at the moment as if he had demolished by self-respect. The only thing, which I had pride off. I was experiencing the agony, due to one person. Mr. Rithvik Bose, I narrowed my eyes at him, who had been smirking. He thrived in his mission, ridiculing me in front of the entire university. That ardent hate was building inside me, for the very first time.

I held Drupa's wrist in my hand and walked from there, glancing at him once. For a moment I felt that smirk was replaced by guilt but later I realized that I was just trying to console myself, that he was not a bad guy. When in reality, he was! I gazed at Drupa, she was embarrassed and it felt as if with her choice. She was regarding it, I could guess from her expression. None would take such abuse.

Few days passed for that occurrence, he had managed to keep us the source of gossip for a week. People slowly started getting fatigued, and the new topic of discussion was the breakup Preeti and Rithvik had. The hearsay which was spreading from a few weeks, though Preethi claimed it was rumors. I was ambling in the corridor, as messaged by Drupa that she would meet me in the canteen. As I was making my way, I was hindered by someone. I was staring at the ground, well aware of who the person was. I got a glimpse of Kunal’s glistening black shoe, from the past few days he was again trying to have a conversation with me.

“Why are you ignoring me?” He was sounded shattered.

I had no courage left to meet his eyes, I miffed him up in the process of not affecting myself. I turned to leave, but he again jammed me gasping my shoulder tightly. “I won’t allow you to leave unless you give answers to my question. Its fucking one week you’re ignoring me up," yelling at me as his grip got tighter.

I raised my head and peeped at him. He had dark circles around his eyes, his hair had turned messy as if he just woke up from sleep. Or was it, he had a sleepless night?

“Please leave me,” I urged.

He loosens his grip on mine, not meeting his eyes at me. “You can leave,” he gestured but didn’t attempt to look at me. His action showed that he won’t ever try it again, I knew that I lost a friend but it made me appeased that I had not come in between someone else's life long friendship.