Heart wrenching adoration Part-23

I entered my room, feeling oddly buoyant and reminiscing each and every moment that I had spent with khushi just recently. So, I whistle cheerfully, literally bouncing as I moved.

“Arnav where were you?...And what happened? You are looking very happy! What’s the big news mate?” Aman asked, puncturing me glorious little bubble and bringing me back to the Earth.

“Huh?” I asked confused. I guess I was still dazed.

“Bhai are you ok?” Akash asked, sounding a bit alarmed. Even though Akash was junior and assigned a separate dorm, he spent a major chunk of his day with us and only went to his dorm at night.

“Sure.” I replied casually and plopped myself on the bed and fished in my schoolbag for my Accounts book and notebook.

“ Did you guys do those home-work questions of Accounting equation?” I asked, taking out my pen from my pencil box.

“Arnav, are you a bit off-colour or something, because we completed it just last night and today we didn’t get any.” Aman babbled, looking positively alarmed. Strange, I had forgotten that! But then  again, khushi’s presence bleached away my memory.

“Oh yeah right.” I mumbled, shoving the book aside, embarrassed. At that point Anvesh, who was seated on his bed, with his laptop on  burst out laughing manically. 

“What? Why are you laughing?” I asked, exchanging an amused and bewildered glance with Akash and Aman.

“Stop being an idiot if you can, and let us in on the joke!” Akash pleaded, making Anvesh laugh harder. He was literally rolling on the floor now.

“ Seriously...h...how thick... can you...guys b..be? I mean, ok I ad...mit that Aman has... got as m..uch rom...antic experie....nce as a toddler, but Akash y...ou of all pe...ople! Haven’t yo..u spent a better ...part of ...your life....being ....the p...erfect love-...lorn pup? Can’t you...see your...brother i..s headed that...path too?”Anvesh gasped, between paroxysms of giggles. Penny dropped on Akash and Amn at the same time and they turned to look at me, grinning goofily.

“Aha! So, that’s the matter!” Aman exclaimed.

“Oh yes! Now I remember. Khushi too had jumped up and ran out as soon as bhai was gone! How romantic!” Akash sniggered.

I chucked my pillow at him, glaring, but they didn’t seemed to be bothered at all, not like the earlier times when they nearly wet himself when I flew into one of my bouts of anger.

So, I put on a perfect poker face and scowled at the ceiling feeling rather edgy and well...embarrassed.

“You were with khushi, weren’t you?” Anvesh tried to clarify.

“That’s none of your business!” I snapped, starting to feel annoyed. It was my and khushi’s secret and no way in the hell was I going to let them in. 

“Oh, I’ll take that as a yes!” Anvesh piped, unrelenting.

“So what did you two do?” Akash asked eagerly, no doubt looking for details to pass on to my di. I recalled my recent conversation with my elder sister and blanched inwardly at her teasing, smug tone that she had always used, laced with double-meaning.

“Butt out!” I growled.

“Oh what do you think he would’ve done Akash? He becomes the tame little kitten in front of his lady-love! What were you up to? Discussing the weather with your crush? Or  were you tutoring her maths and german around  ickle Arnie baby?” Anvesh teased , making Akash and Aman snigger.

“Shut up you all!” I thundered.

“Leave it Arnav! You have lost your edge mate! Nothing too wild about you, is it?” Aman chortled.

“Oh I won’t be so sanguine if I were you. I will show you my edge!” I grinned as I launched myself on the trio, mock-punching and scuffling around with them.

The following days were as engrossing and as tiring as they could be, as I juggled my studies and practice sessions for the upcoming semi-finals.We were supposed to play against D.P.S. Rkpuram while Kendriya Vidyalaya was up against St. Xavier’s . After rigorous practice sessions which were physically and mentally taxing and captaining my team around I always found myself tired and bushed beyond imagination.

So, that only made it easy for me to keep my promise to khushi about keeping my head down and nose clean, though Ranveer himself mostly stayed away from me, except a few snide remarks made in public after our confrontation and khushi very cheerfully interpreted it as his cowardice.

“You must have really scared him stupid! That’s why he doesn’t get shirty with you much except when surrounded by people so that you couldn’t do anything rash! He is such a coward!” Khushi commented gleefully, lowering her voice so that nobody except me heard that.

My relationship with khushi had evolved a lot since that little scuffle with Ranveer and now I deduced or rather wretchedly hoped that she were finally beginning to consider her feelings for me as something more than friendship. She seemed to like my company over others anyway, especially over that dumb NK. So apart from the tiring days, I remained more pleased and happy than I had ever been.

Our semi-final was dated on 23^rd of March and as the day got nearer, there was almost a tangible frenzy in the school’s atmosphere. In fact, even most rigid and strict of teachers couldn’t escape the pre-match excitement.

The night before the match, I woke up late, chatting with khushi on phone. It eased up my nervousness and I let her cheer me through. I finally went to bed at half past twelve when she finally insisted that I needed to fire all my pistons tomorrow and it wouldn’t help if I kept drooping.

All too soon the sun rose and I squared myself as I walked in cafeteria trying to look nonchalant and cool.

“Hey Arnav!” Khushi greeted me just as cheerfully as ever making my heart somersault.

“Hi khush!” I said automatically, feeling gratified, but my happiness was short-lived as I heard the jeering from the nearby table occupied by the players of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Haryana.

“I’m betting on D.P.S. Rkpuram. They will swipe these mediocre blokes clean! Pity they can’t get their hands on some decent players.” I recognised Ranveer’s raucous voice over the surrounding din and immediately my good mood vanished. 

I looked up to see other fellow students glowering at them while the players of Rkpuram tried not to look too pleased.

“ Shame some people can’t stop voicing their opinion even though they very obviously make a fool of themselves in front of everyone!” Khushi said in equally loud voice, subduing Ranveer and I flashed her a grin.

 It was impossible to stay upset around her.

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Hi guys,

Thank you so much for your well wishes. Well guys, I'm here to give you a sad news.I'm going out of station for attending a very important family function. I'm really sorry! I'll be back on 23rd of March then I'll update from then on. I'm really sorry to go again after I came back after one month, but I can't help it!

I'll miss you all a lot.Please bear with me.SORRY AGAIN!

Love