I Never Asked ..

Chapter 3

"Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings,

 hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings." 

– Elie Weisel

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Hit and miss...

Have you ever encountered a boy who seems to effortlessly command attention with his popularity and good looks, and he doesn't even seem to care? Well, I have, and it left quite an impression on me.

As my day unfolded, I found it rather intriguing. After Karan, my acquaintance, left me to navigate the school on my own, I embarked on a mission to locate my locker, which happened to be situated on the second floor. Locating it was no easy task, and upon finally discovering it, I was met with the disheartening sight of it being filled with crumpled wrappers and discarded junk.

It took me a good couple of minutes to first tidy up the mess and then gather my books for the first lecture.

I must admit, I was quite pleased with my schedule. I had a soft spot for how my math class was conveniently scheduled at the end of the day – math being my favorite subject. It was my refuge, a way to distance myself from the hostility of my father and Sahil.

Once back home, I made sure to stock up on a few skill-building books and some engrossing novels, serving as a shield against the onslaught of unnecessary thoughts that often plagued my mind. While some find solace in music, my sanctuary has always been the pages of a book.

Returning to the present, I was pleasantly surprised by how well my day was progressing. After three lectures, it was time for lunch.

Curious about the people around me? Well, as I mentioned earlier, I wasn't one to initiate friendships. I spoke only when circumstances required it. The teachers, on the other hand, seemed quite taken with my academic achievements, going out of their way to commend my grades to the entire class.

However, the students' reactions were an enigma. All eyes were on me but in different ways. Some boys appeared genuinely impressed, sneaking furtive glances my way during lectures. In contrast, the girls seemed to shoot disapproving glares in my direction. "What could possibly be wrong with me?" I pondered.

My appearance was unassuming – a casual shirt, jeans, long untamed black hair, and minimal makeup, with just a touch of Kajal. Nothing extravagant or out of the ordinary.

I brushed off the odd looks and proceeded to grab my lunch, finding a solitary table to sit at. However, my solitude was short-lived. Suddenly, a stray ball collided with my chair just as I was about to sit down. I managed to steady myself and prevent a fall. Following the trajectory of the ball, I spotted Karan with a girl in his arms and a handful of boys behind him, all openly ogling.

The girl in Karan's embrace shot me a withering glare as she sauntered over.

"This spot's taken; go find another place for your oversized behind," she spat out with unmistakable hostility.

I couldn't help but notice that the entire cafeteria had its collective gaze trained on us, and, to my dismay, there were no other available seats. "Fantastic, now I'll have to search for somewhere else to eat," I sighed inwardly.

My eyes involuntarily drifted toward Karan and his group of friends. Although I had no intention of prying, I couldn't help but sense that he seemed oddly out of place and lost in his thoughts amidst the camaraderie. Why did it feel like he was missing something, and why did he appear so distracted?

I didn't realize I had been staring until our eyes suddenly locked. A peculiar electric charge passed between us as he caught me in the act. Swiftly, I averted my gaze in the opposite direction.

With a resigned sigh, I vacated the cafeteria without so much as a glance in anyone's direction. Outside, I spotted a welcoming tree and settled at a desk beneath it to enjoy my lunch. Before long, a girl made her way towards me. I continued packing my belongings, opting to ignore her presence until she settled down nearby.

"Hey there, I'm Tanya. Nice to meet you," she greeted me warmly.

"Hi, I'm Misha," I responded with polite cordiality.

"I couldn't help but notice what happened in the cafeteria. You seem to be avoiding everyone," Tanya observed.

"Yeah, I'm not really great at socializing," I confessed, though it wasn't the whole truth.

"Yeah, I sort of got that vibe," she mumbled.

To be honest, when I stopped making friends, people stopped reaching out to me. Tanya was the first girl I had engaged in conversation with in years.

We conversed for a while before the bell rang, bidding our farewells as we headed off to our next class.

The subsequent class proved to be an absolute bore. I had never been fond of theory, and Mrs. Kumar, the teacher, only exacerbated my disdain. When the class concluded, I eagerly made my exit to prepare for my last and most beloved lecture of the day.

Upon entering the classroom, I opted for a seat at the back. Math was my passion, but I despised it when teachers singled out students in the front rows for special attention. Hence, I consistently chose the back row.

Our math professor, Mr. Villa, commenced the class by calling out names.

"Megha."

"Here."

"Rena."

"Yes."

"Sam."

"... "

"... "

"... "

"Misha."

"Yes, sir."

He continued down the list until the final name caught me off guard.

"Yes," came a voice from the entrance. All heads swiveled towards the door. My surprise knew no bounds when he sauntered in and chose the seat beside mine.

From that point on, I decided to simply ignore his presence and concentrate on Mr. Villa's explanations. However, the lecture grew increasingly uncomfortable, as I could sense those dark brown eyes continuously fixed on me. I doubted he had registered a single word of Mr. Villa's lecture.

Once the lecture concluded, I practically fled from the classroom. He had done nothing to evoke fear in me, but I had heard a few things about him from Tanya.

He was the college's popular bad boy and also the football team's captain, adored by almost all the girls. I had no desire to attract any undue attention or provoke jealousy simply by sitting or standing near him.

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