High School Romance Revisited

Chapter 37 - The Trick

"You sent us to that remote resort for some crazy photoshoot instead of Chitra's said pre-wedding video. Explain!" Mahen said to Rai with all the intention to start a fight.

It was a day before Chitra's Sangeet night and we all decided to meet at Sanjana's house for a small evening rehearsal cum party. From the minute Mahen stepped in he had thrown innumerable curses at Debdyut and Koushik while maintained a cold attitude towards Chitra and Sanjana. They all had directed his questions at Rai saying she was the best person to answer. 

Hence right now we were watching repeat telecast of what used to broadcast live almost every day during our high school. It was like binge-watching your favourite Star Plus serial again on Hotstar. You know it by heart yet the excitement is the same!

"Tell me the marks allocated for the question. I'll explain accordingly!" Rai shrugged. My eyes jumped between Mahen and Rai, it was one of those moments for me, to laugh or not to laugh. 

"This is not a school exam!" Mahen yelled.

"But you are asking questions exactly in a format of a question paper," Rai said acting innocent.

To that, we couldn't control anymore and burst out laughing. I would later decide what amused us more, Rai's blank expression or her words.

"You should be thankful, Mahen. It was a practising honeymoon of sort for you two!" Chitra winked.

"Chitra, do not try to enter my hit list! Your would-be husband is already there!" Mahen was simply not going to calm down, he was too pissed to even take the light teasing.

"Don't behave as if you were sent to some devotional property where you didn't get to touch your lady love!" Rai turned back to her plate of starters while ignoring Mahen's yelling.

"Yeah! Look at you! Instead of flashing a satisfying smile, you are complaining. As if you two didn't do it!" Sanjana rolled her eyes and served the mocktails she had prepared along with Rohan. I opened my mouth to protest but then decided to remain quiet. 

"Oye, didn't you let him do it?" Subir poked me with his elbow.

"Shut up you idiot!" I hit him with the magazine I was using to hide my blushing face while my idiot friends were having a nice time discussing my private life. Well, when you date someone from your friend's circle nothing remains a secret.

"Now, look at Deepa's face. It confirms that they had a nice time," Rohan grinned.

"I'll break your teeth, Rohan!" I shouted. "And by the way," I turned at Rai, "how did you convince my staff to play along?"

"It was only Lofa! The poor girl is smitten by her boss's romance!" Rai winked. Right now I was looking like a goldfish with my mouth opening and closing without being able to find the right words to say. 

The doorbell rang interrupting me from interrogating Rai further. I seriously needed to talk to her. From where did she got those absurd ideas! Oh, wait! She didn't get those ideas, she actually cooked up, thinking everything to be a world of daily soap!

Elora and Karan came in with some shopping bags of course maintaining an uncomfortable distance between. "I have got everything you asked for," Karan announced giving the bags to Chitra.

Elora handed over some soft drinks bottles to Sanjana and briefly, her eyes met with mine. I was quick to see a hint of distress in her otherwise sparkling eyes.

"You two came together? How strange is that?" Dhrubo asked.

"Stranger than your hair colour!" Karan mocked.