“Hi khushi!” Arnav greeted me as he found me in the study
room. I looked up, smiling.
“Hi there!...You are looking so tired.” I noted his dull face and drooping eyes.
“Yes,I’m. Just wrapped up a long and absolutely whacking
trials.” Arnav mumbled, as he placed his book on the table and plopped on a
chair beside me.
“Trials for what?” I asked, turning my chair towards him.
“For that C.B.S.E Cricket Tournament. Actually one of our
bowlers Nishant Bhattacharya fractured
his right shoulder, so apparently he’ll be unable to play. That’s why we have
got to look for the alternative.” Arnav explained, resting his head on the
high-backed chair.
“So, did you find someone?”
“Yeah, right! As if its that easy in this madhouse! Half of
those midgets of junior classes who turned up seemed to think that throwing
ball at shoulder length can be passed as bowling and I couldn’t take trials for
seniors, courtesy that Gurucharan Singh Ghatiya who ate my brain inside out,
rhapsodizing about the tactics he would’ve implemented had he been the captain!
So, you can only well imagine my condition when someone was constantly gushing
about nonsensical ideas right at my heels! Its really a miracle that I
sustained the monotone without getting one of my brain muscles busted or worse still
getting winding up in jail cell for homicide!” Arnav snorted. I rolled my eyes.
“Relax Arnav! Forget it! Just go and have a quick nap and
you’ll feel refreshed! I’ll get Akash to wake you up at dinner time.” I
suggested.
“Oh no I’m fine! I’ve got to get on with this stuff for the
Monday Test and I really don’t think I’ll get much time once we start with rigorous
practice session.” Arnav insisted, yawning widely.
I stared at him disapprovingly. I doubted whether he’ll be capable
of reading a line or two, the way his eyes was drooping, but I knew better than
to argue. Arnav can be very stubborn if he wants to be.
“Fine! As you wish!” I sighed and immersed myself in
memorising the classification of Animalia. My concentration was broken after a
while as I felt a strong, sun-tanned hand lightly gripping my forearm.
“What is it Arnav?” I asked softly.
“Arnav?” I asked again on not invoking any response and
looked up to find him sleeping.
His head was resting on his open book and his mouth was
slightly open as he breathed evenly. I stared at him mesmerized. He formed such
a picture of cuteness...absolutely irresistible. I wasn’t aware when I raised
my hand and smoothed the slight frown on his face, gazing at him unblinkingly.
“Khushi, we are...” Anvesh hollered, and I immediately
shushed him down before he woke Arnav up.
“Shh! Can’t you see he’s sleeping?” I whispered, annoyed, my
right hand still lingering on his forehead.Anvesh raised his eyebrows, his eyes
resting on my right hand, but he wasn’t the only one who noticed it.
Out of the natural instinct, I
felt all too pricky and turned around, my eyes immediately boring into the dark
ones of Lavnya and I shuddered. If looks could kill wasn’t merely a statement!Her
eyes sparked with unspeakable loathing...abhorence! I was suddenly too aware of
Arnav gripping my left hand and my right one resting on his forehead.I
immediately pulled my hand back, though Arnav wouldn’t let go of the one he was
holding, tightening his grip. With one last glare, Lavanya turned around and
stormed off in great dudgeon and I grimaced. Apparently, I had unintentionally
given her another reason to hate me more!
The next day was Saturday and since we were permitted to use
Labs for practice, I went to Chemistry lab along with my friends to do some
experiments.
The Lab reeked of copious chemicals it housed and I
scrunched my nose against it. We placed our books on the sterile white platform
and leafed through pages to find the appropriate experiment.
I was carefully pouring HCL into a test tube from a glass
flask when someone bumped with me, making the chemical spill on my hand.
“Aah!” I screamed in pain as I felt my skin where the acid
splashed, burn sickeningly. It scalded my skin agonizingly.
“Khushi!” I was immediately surrounded by my friends and
chemistry teacher who took my hand in hers and started treating it gently.
“Look here girl, what have you done?Can’t you even walk
properly? See, how you’ve hurt her!” Latika ma’am screeched on someone and
through the film of tears that filled my eyes I saw the blurred face of Lavanya
peering in over my friends’ s shoulders.
“Oh God! I’m so sorry ma’am. My leg slipped and I
accidentally bumped into her!I didn’t do it intentionally!” She gushed, though
I could clearly tell that it was nothing but intentional!
Lavanya put on a good show of feeling repentant and leaned
towards me as if to examine my injured hand, apologising constantly.
“Stay away from ASR!” She whispered through gritted teeth as
she leaned even closer.
I gaped at her with mingled feeling of loathing and
incredulity! How can anyone stoop so low? How can they be so downright...cheap?
But, I didn’t get much longer to wallow in disgust as I was
immediately whisked off to Sick room, where the motherly nurse tended to me
diligently.
“It will hurt a bit dear, but it’ll be ok! Thankfully the
acid wasn’t concentrated otherwise...” The nurse murmured soothingly as she
applied ointment on my wound, but she never got round to complete whatever she
was saying as at that precise moment the door burst open, making us jump a foot
in the air. The already crowded sick room got even more packed.
“Khushi!” Someone had told my di and others of the
unfortunate incident and they came running with Arnav in the lead.
“Khushi! Are you ok?”
“How did this happen?”
“Are you ok?”
“Why can’t you be just careful damn it?”
They yelled at me all
at once without giving me a single chance to speak!
/
