𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨

ARROGANT MONSTER

We had entered Ehaan's mansion and had settled ourselves comfortably in the living room. The housekeeper I met on my previous visit had offered me a smile. Asking if we would like to have anything for which we had denied her offer. I was totally engrossed with the latest scenario. Zara was strolling around the mansion as if she owned it. Indicating she had visited it often. It was from Zara that I got to know Ehaan lived in this mansion, away from his real home. The beautiful palace I visited on reception night.

"Isn't it strange? Why would Aarav's parents lodge complain about his best friend?" Samaira questioned as she was informed about the incident. She was fuming in anger on learning Kunal voiced such words against me.

"Because they aren't fond of Aarav's friendship with us." Zara shrugged her shoulder, grabbing a remote and shuffling between different channels.

"Why so?" I inquired getting interested in the topic.

"Hmm..." She kept the remote on the table glancing at both of us. "They were never fond of Aarav's playful attitude. His least interest in academics and later more engrossment in girls. They feel this everything is due to his friendship with Ehaan who too has a spoilt attitude. Though both were involved in wrong practices in equal share Ehaan would escape from it due to his mother's influence while Aarav have to deal with the consequence. Even in the academic area, Ehaan scored well without attending any classes." She shook her head. "We still envy his that excellent skill." She giggled at the end.

"Understandable! Anyone would had reacted in the same manner." Voiced out Samaira and I agreed to her words.

"But Kunal was different. He is in the bad guy category but hadn't received any complaints from the school authorities. The smartness of Rudr could be given a point for it. He plays backfoot, in the corner not gaining anyone's attention. Just see! Kunal and Rudr both voiced rubbish but their action was easily subsided by Ehaan's loud reaction. His punches are visible but not those wounds what their words resulted into." A sad smile played on her lip.

She had gone through the circle of receiving hurtful words. Her past swiping in front of her and dealing with it for few weeks. But those words by them hadn't affected me in such a manner. For a minute, I was stunned. I hadn't anticipated Rudr could voice such words against me. But it didn't matter! I didn't dwell in pain. Maybe his opinion about me wasn't of value. Maybe the constant restriction I was offered around him. The frequent warning I received never to get close to Rudr had helped. I wasn't that affected by his cold behaviour. Maybe I had cut myself off from him the minute I had seen fulfilment in those hazel blue orbs on finding he was on verge of killing Ehaan.

"So, they adore Kunal but not Aarav? That's bad!" Mentioned Samaira bringing me out of the ocean of thoughts. Her opposition wasn't just her view but her feeling on the topic. She was against partiality and whenever found anyone receiving the same treatment as her, it upset her. She had faced it from childhood. Her brother was favoured more than her.

Zara stared at her keenly but nodded in agreement. "Aarav never received the love he longed from his family. He always felt as if he never belonged to it. That's the reason, he is hardly home. Much of his nights are spent either here or with Anuj." She smiled maybe remembering their hangout session. "You know what keeps us together?" She asked suddenly, a thought popping into her mind. "We all longed for home and found it in one another. That's the reason that even when we have arguments, disagreement we might leave for a few days but we often walk back into our home. It had become our lifeline and it scares me if we get separated we would shatter into pieces." She got sad remembering their last year in the school.

"It isn't like people lose friendship after their school. There are people who are still in contact even after receiving a job and getting settled." I was trying to provide her with hope.