#EXPOSED

CHAPTER-13

Ice Queen.

Vaanya

Ishani Mehera is the brightest, the junior class has-the smart and sexy socialist, people aspire to be around here.

"What are you doing here?" Ella fires at her icily and Ishani flinches, hugging her ribs meekly. She was MIA for half a year and ever since she has gotten back...she's been weird.

"It's the ladies' room, Ella." Her voice is almost a sharp whisper as her gaze wanders on the tiled floor. "I was just...never mind, I'm on my way out anyway."

She begins to walk. "Not so fast," Maira slips in front of her and she steps back. "Eavesdropping is a little low, wouldn't you agree?"

Ishani shakes her head quickly. "I wasn't-"

"Yeah? Well, you've been here the whole fucking time," Maira steps closer to her and she backs away again, hugging her ribs tighter. Poor thing looks like she'd throw up. "Is that a daily sport?"

She tugs at her baggy tee and looks away. "No, I-"

"When did you get back?" Ella asks instead and I didn't know-until now-that she is aware of Ishani's existence, to begin with. I just knew she used to board in the campus dorms until she disappeared into thin air one day.

"Last month," Ishani mumbles and rubs her nape awkwardly. "Can I just go?"

"It must be so hard for you," Maira murmurs frigidly and she purses her lips. "You don't have Kunal by your side anymore," she says and Ishani's gaze flickers on her. "Explains your mourning getup huh."

Sam looks just as lost as I feel inside. What did I miss?

"You have a lot of nerve showing up here," Ella says and strides to her, and I have no idea what they are talking about. Up until a minute ago, Ella looked like she had seen a ghost and now she is acting up. "Back into our lives-to this college in this city."

"I don't wish to harm anyone," Ishani straightens and meets Ella's gaze.

Maira scoffs, "Well that went down the drain, isn't that right?"

Ishani tenses as she averts her gaze on Maira. "I'm sorry Kunal died."

"Of course you are," Maira says mockingly and Sam narrows her gaze on her. "Where were you the night he died?"

Ishani looks taken aback. "You can't possibly think I had anything to do with his death."

"But you were with him, weren't you?" Sam inquires and now I'm curious. I had no idea Kunal and Ishani were tight. Is that what this is about?

"Only for a while and then you showed up," Ishani says and Maira smirks condescendingly, making my nerves wrack. What is she thinking? Why wasn't I aware of this?

"And that must have hurt your precious vanity, right?" Maira barks at her and I jerk startled by her sudden outburst. "Isn't that why you killed him?"

Ishani looks like she will bawl her eyes out. "What?" she whispers.

"You loved him and he never gave a fuck about that," Maira says and my stomach drops. How many of these people loved Kunal? It's so sick to know that he was bedding half of the women in this college.

"No you loved him and he never gave a fuck about that," Ishani snaps back and I'm agape. Ella's brows arch up and Sam's jaw drops. I know what she is thinking-Ishani is as good as dead. "You always begged for his scrapes and he never cared. I feel for you Maira but you're deluded if you think I'd kill Kunal out of all the people."