With Mangoes And Chocolates | ✓

14. Blurred.

Why is time relative? 

Sometimes two weeks feel like a flash and other times, it's centuries. For most of the tenth graders, it's the former one.

I hadn't realized it'd been two weeks of me dating Bhavuk Thakur without any drama or anyone sabotaging the situation. I didn't want to feel like things were at peace because when you do so, they no longer are.

I scribbled faster and faster on the page, too desperate to solve Physics. You know those times where you know how everything is supposed to go, you're a hundred percent confident, and so you just can't wait to reach the final destination?

"Is it thirty-seven?" I asked Ishita. She lazily flipped through the book and checked the answer.
"Yes," she confirmed and I grinned. Yay.

She nonchalantly shrugged at me and rested her head over my shoulder. She used to do this a lot back then but no more.
"School is fucking boring," she breathed in.
"I know," I whispered back. "Did Anay dump you or something?"
"No, but he's boring too. He's actually nice but I expected way too much out of dating someone. It's not always filmy and dramatic."

"Spare the guy; don't hurt him."
"Wouldn't," she promised.

The bell rang and school ended before any of us could explode out of boredom and frustration. I didn't know how to tell Ishita to get off me, because honestly, I liked it. 

Yuvika stepped in and snapped me out of my delusional bubble. She took Ishita away and didn't spare a glance at me. I didn't hate her; I only sympathized with her. She really liked Bhavuk and me taking him away from her or him being a total jerk to her obviously made her dislike me. They both were two gorgeous humans and I didn't even fit in the frame.

He didn't feel sorry for dumping her like that because, well, that guy was straight out selfish. He didn't do harm to other people but that never meant he lent out a hand to anyone, either. The worst part? He was going to be a part of my life for a while.

"Hi," I said. He shut the book and turned to look at me. I liked how he was all alone with no stupid friends guarding him. It made it easier for me to approach him.
"Hey," he smiled vaguely. "Tired?"

"A bit," I took the chair beside him. I glanced sideways at Yuvika and she seemed to be staring at us.
"She doesn't like me, does she?"
"Just ask her to move on or something," he tsked. "Seriously, why don't you call her out? Girlfriends do better."
"She likes you; it's obvious that she feels betrayed."
"So you're just gonna let her gawk at me?"

I sighed. "I don't object it."
"You're jealous of a car but not a living creature?"

I shut my eyes and laughed. "You're cute."
The deadpan look he shot me, shrunk my smile. "It's not that I don't like you, Bhavuk. I just don't see the point in hating her. God, are you insecure?"

"Insecure? For you?" He rolled his eyes. "Nah."
"Oh yeah?"

We got ourselves out of the classroom, in the green field. We could've sat down and studied mathematics or something, but then I remembered that he might have cricket today. That sport was a homewrecker.
"Will you be staying back for practice?"
"No. It's not today," he grinned, "how about you?"

"It's Deepawali and, uh, I need to do a lot, back at home." My eyes dropped down to the ground while my toes drew circles over it.
"Cool," he ran his fingers through his dark hair. "You coming over at my place that day, right?"

"Your mom kinda invited my mom and she thinks it'd be disrespectful to turn down an invitation so. . ." I trailed off.
"Would be fun."
"I hope."

🧩