Lies and Love ✔️

Chapter 3

"I lie to myself all the time. But I never believe me."
~S.E. Hinton,

Jagruthi

"Kar, Everyone is participating in some or the other thing. Let me do it too, pleaseeeee." I begged him like I've been doing for the last 5 minutes.

My roommates Manju and Kajal are participating in a treasure hunt, Sahastra is doing a dance solo and a group dance with her friends for this years fresher's party. And my stupid cousin wants me just sit in a hostel room while the whole college is having fun.

Being the student body president, shouldn't he be encouraging us to participate in stuff. He is being a class A jerk and I hate it.

"No, Janu! Trust me, I know you better. You don't do well with crowds. Tell me what do you want to participate and we will do it together?" He said giving me a clipboard with all the events written on it, pausing his work making my eyes roll at his words.

"I don't want to do it with you, I want to do it with my friends. People already treat me different because of you and you are just making it more hard for me Karthik." I stomped my foot in frustration.

My first lesson, I learnt in the outside world is People are prejudiced, they formed an opinion on me and Karthik ignoring my explanation.

After that ragging incident, all the seniors started calling me Karthik's girl. Some people talked to me and some hated me without any reason. I explained to people that we are cousins but that didn't stop them, I learnt my lesson and started ignoring them. No one dares to do the same to Karthik, they are just cowards preying on the weak like me.

Anyway, let's not think about that. Maybe I should go behind his back and participate in one. What he doesn't know won't hurt him right?

"As long as you are here, you are my responsibility and I can't risk losing you again. Uncle J trusted me with your life, I am the reason you don't have guards here. So, don't you dare do it without telling me, I will have all the event rosters with me and I will know." He said looking at his computer screen making me gape in shock, inconsiderate jerk!

How the fudge did he know that I was gonna do it?

"I know how your brain works, I've been with you all my life." He said and I punched making him yelp in pain. We started hitting each other like two kids slapping each other with our hands.

Karthik and me, we went to the same school until my father became a CM. After I went back to home confinement every weekend, every holiday he would come back to visit me. He always says that I am his little sister and he would spend time with me rather than anyone in his life. With my busy parents, he was there and never made me feel alone, that's why I love him, my cute little monster of a cousin.

"Karthik, I need help with this restaurant's set up. They are backing out at the last minute." A worried senior girl of mine came in asking him and stopped our fight giving with her weird looks.

"Now! It's in 2 days, give me their number, I will talk to them and take care of it." He asked her and let out a frustrated sigh.

She jotted down the number, gave it to him and left the room.

"Looks like I have work to do, Janu. Do you want me to drop you off at the hostel?" Karthik asked getting up from his chair.

"No thanks, I can walk." I said and shoved him back in that chair, picked up my backpack and walked away feeling angry that he is not accepting my requests.

"Is the precious mad at her favorite cousin?" He came behind me as I walking out of the Student body planning room.

Precious is what my dad calls me, Karthik is using it to butter me up and I am not falling into his trap.