Not You Please ✔️(Preview)

Meet Cute

Chapter 7

Mishti

"Who named you Mishti?" Saahil takes the seat beside me flashing his dimples.

"My dad, ugh, I hate it. It's so cliché. Couldn't he have given me a spicier name like Khatta1 or Teekha2?"

Saahil laughs.

"I mean those names have more personality. Plus people who know me know that I'm not sweet at all."

He pretends to think and nods. "You have a point."

I push him away. "Mean."

"What? You said that!"

I was scared it would be awkward with Saahil, after acknowledging my crush on him yesterday, but he is a dork, like me. We are a clique.

In the English period, I ask him, "Today, in the lunch break, shall we talk to Vikram?"

"Oh yes, Vikram. So, I thought about that." He turns to me. "Mishti, do you think it's fair for us to not even give him a chance? He might be interested in contributing to the project. Let's have a meeting with him first and then decide."

I can't decide if I love him for his integrity right now or hate him for not going along with what I want. I keep my mouth shut and nod. I don't want him to think I'm a selfish person.

But this minor obstacle won't deter me from my goal.

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After school, I stay back. Most of the students have already left and the parking lot, where I'm hoping to catch Vikram after his practice, will be deserted.

I'm killing time in the library, doing research for my psychology project, when I bump into someone.

"What are you doing here?" I say when I see it's Vikram Sethi.

The library is not a place I would expect to see him. But it's good, actually. I won't have to wait till three-thirty for his practice to be done to talk to him. Just the thought of it makes me want to throw up my half-eaten lunch. It's better to get it over with.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Oops, I offended him. Careful girl, you don't want him to turn hostile against you.

"It's just that I thought you would be at the basketball court for practice."

"You thought about me?" He leans back against the psychology bookshelf I was browsing and crosses his legs. "

"I was not thinking about you. I needed to talk to you."

"Ah, it's about the English project. I should have known. Where's the dimple boy? Or are we ditching him?"

No, we are ditching you, conceited jerk.

"First of all, his name is Saahil and he is part of the group. He had to leave early. I stayed back to study." Okay, it's time. I have to do this. "Vikram, in fact, I don't think we need you."

He narrows his eyes. His sharp gaze makes me squirm.

Gathering all my courage, I continue. "I mean, do you really want to read a book, let alone a classic? They are so boring if you ask me." I feign concern. "So, here is my proposal. We, Saahil and I, will do all the work. You won't have to come to our meetings, and we'll share the final work with you."

"Why did you ask Khanna to add me to your group if you didn't want to work with me?"

"Oh, no-no-no. You got it wrong. I didn't do that. That was all her." I put my hands up and back away from him.

"Why would you share your work with me, if I don't work?" He stands up straight and matches my steps.

I keep moving back. "Um- it's just that you have such a tight schedule with basketball practice and the upcoming student council election. I wanted to spare you the stress."

"How philanthropic of you." He catches up and looms over me.

"I am a generous person." I show my teeth in an attempt to pass a smile. As I move back one more step, I'm stuck between him and the dead artists' biographies in the history section.

"I don't doubt that. Now tell me, do you hate me? Or is it that you like the dimple boy and want to be alone with him?" He stops and folds his arms.

Right on both counts.

"No. It's not that." I shake my head.

He opens his arms and leans forward. "Do you realize you say 'no' a lot?"

"No. I don't." Duffer.

He smirks and leans forward to whisper in my ear. "It's okay to say 'yes' sometimes, Mist."

His hot breath makes me shiver. I rub my arms to dispel the goosebumps. God, why does he have to be so gorgeous? I slide away from between him and the bookshelf, so I don't do something stupid like touch his face. The distance between us brings me back to my senses.

"What did you just call me?"

"Mist." He turns and leans on the exact part of the bookshelf where I was a moment ago.

"But why?"

"It suits you." Oh, God! His crooked smile again.

I put my hands on my waist. "Why would you give me a nickname? We are not friends."

"That's going to change. We're going to work together on the English project." He winks. Then turning his back to me, he saunters away.

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* Khatta- Sour

**Teekha- spicy

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Hi my precious readers, 

What do you all think of Vikram and Mishti together? 

please comment and let me know.

Thanks for reading. 

Anu