Heart wrenching adoration, Part-16

“Come on khushi! Don’t be such a spoil sport!” Nikki and the next second someone pulled my blanket away.

“What the! Guys, its 11 in the night and tomorrow we have school! I don’t know about you all but I’m not at all in the habit of sleeping in the classroom.” I admonished.

“Ugh Khushi! Since when did you become so prone to tantrums? Come on yaar, lets’ have fun!Don’t be such an oldie baby!” Ritu chirped as she nearly dragged me out of the bed and just at that precise moment my empty stomach grumbled loudly , embarrassing me thoroughly. Why do I have such a quota of bad luck?

“Aha! So this is the reason for your crabbiness!” Shivani chortled, taking me by my shoulder.

“Guys! Lets get some Maggi. Even I’m feeling quite hungry, besides khushi skipped her dinner too.” Divya suggested.

“Yeah, let’s have a rocking Pajama party complete with crisps, chocolates and cold drinks and of course, Ritu’s yummy magi!” Quru rubbed her hands together excitedly, looking over at Ritu expectantly.

 “All right! I’ll cook some. After all, khushi should also get to taste my famous maggi!” Ritu said pompously  flicking her imaginary collar.

“But how will you cook maggi Ritu? I mean we are not allowed in the kitchen this late in the night and anyways they must be locked.” I asked curiously.

“Oho khushi! Don’t get so impatient! Just wait and watch. We are capable of literally conjuring anything we want!” Quru said smugly and I watched agape as my Ritu and Divya pulled out a steel  bucket, immersion rod and maggi packets from the cupboard. 

They poured water from the jug kept by the maid on our bedside tables and heated water with the immersion rod. Soon the maggi packets were torn and put in the water.

“Wow! You guys are genius!” I laughed, watching Ritu stir maggi.

“Well…thanks for the complement though we’ll try to not to get offended since you took so long to realise this apparent truth.” Dabba grinned at me.

Soon the simmering hot, yummy maggi was served in six bowls which were-as Ritu had put it- conjured up from the cupboard along with packets of lays and Kurkure and tetra packs of Fruiti. I stared amazed as my friends took the edibles out of the cupboard which was packed with clothes to the bursting point. It was surely the mythical ‘Bhanumati ka pitara’!

We sat cross-legged on the floor, eating and chattering away. Ritu stayed true to her words and her maggi deserved all the praise that my friends had been heaping on it.

“Hai! I can’t even move! My stomach is full to my throat!” Shivani mumbled, smacking her lips.

“Ritu, you rocked man! Your Maggi was absolutely delicious!” I appreciated fervently, to which Ritu beamed and opened her mouth to reply, but she never got to utter a word as at that precise moment we heard the door of the corridor leading to our room open.

“ Manju ma’am!” We squealed frantically in unison and immediately sprang to our feet.

“Oh God! Clear up fast guys otherwise we are screwed!” Nikki bobbed about on her heels as she stashed all empty chips packets and tetra packs beneath our beds.

We kicked our shoes away and immediately switched off the light groping in the darkness for our beds and by the silent winces banging knees and legs here and there suitably. 

All the hiding and scarpering to the beds transpired in a minute or two and we had just covered our faces with blankets, waiting with baited breath as Manju ma’am, our hostel warden switched on the lights and entered our room.

“Khushi!” I heard a frantic whisper from the adjoining bed and peeked from  my blanket to look at Shivani inconspicuously.

“Wrapper!” She mouthed, nodding downwards and I followed her gaze. To my horror, I realized that we had forgotten to hide a packet in our crazy haste.

I stared at Manju ma’am from beneath my blanket as she looked around, hoping against hope that she didn’t notice the wrapper and that I got the time to disappear it and it seemed someone up there heard my plea as Manju ma’am turned away, her back facing me. 

Grabbing at the golden chance with both hand and legs, I leaned forward and pushed the wrapper under my bed and then, I hid again in my blanket, exhaling in relief the breath that I had been holding, my heart pounding in my throat. Had Manju ma’am seen it, we would’ve been thoroughly gone! She gave Hitler a run for his money when it came to cleanliness and discipline!

Soon we heard the soft click as Manju ma’am walked off, switching off the light and for a moment there was absolute silence until muffled guffaws emerged from all corners of the room in the enshrouding darkness.

“Did you complete Physics Homework? I couldn’t...” Dabba was frowned as we emerged out of the hostel gates, hurrying towards the school when she was interrupted by a husky voice.

“Khushi?” Arnav called uncertainly, leaning against the wall.

I looked up at him sighing. Obviously he wanted to know the reason of my eccentric behaviour yesterday. I bit my lips deliberating. I was still not ready to let anyone else know about my horrendous past, but I had to tell him something. I didn’t want him to get mad on me or think that I was a gone case.

“Guys, you all carry on.I’ll catch up with you all later.” I said to my friends – who for some unknown reasons were looking amazed-and walked towards him, my eyes guarded. We regarded each other in silence  until he decided to break it.

“Are you ok?” He asked, his caramel eyes smouldering, burning with an intensity that seemed to turn my bones into sponge.

“I’m ok.” I replied, looking anywhere but his eyes. He remained silent for long and then spoke up abruptly.

“Ok! Lets go and have breakfast otherwise we won’t get even a teensy crumb if Anvesh finished with his onslaught.” Arnav joked lightly, smiling understandingly at me and I exhaled in relief.

He prattled on as we walked towards the cafeteria and I could see he was trying to distract me and give my spirits a perk. I looked at me wallowing in gratitude, my heart warming towards him. I hesitantly held his hand and gave it a swift squeeze. He looked up at me surprised, his eyes questioning.

“Arnav, thanks!” I breathed smiling at him to which he reciprocated.

I had found a great friend in Arnav Singh Raizada!