The Only Heir

Mean Girls And Doomed Romances

The next day, walking with me towards our respective classes Nakul asks," So how are things going on between Sonia and Jeet?"

"Oh, the usual. On again, off again. But I do sometimes wonder why you are always so invested in their relationship. Is there something I should know, Nakul?", I remark, blinking up at him in innocent curiosity.

"You are insufferable, Meera."

"So I've been told."

I smirk at him and he, irked, gives me a push making me stumble.

Right into the love of my life.

Being in love is no easy task. Especially when the erratic hormones in your body make it impossible for you to hide your feelings. Hormones and unhelpful friends.

"Meera?" he breathes.

I stand there half leaning in his arms, as he looks down at me with a small frown between his thick brows and his lips slightly parted. My heart beats so fast I'm afraid it's going to tear out of my chest. My mind goes blank as I stare into those brown eyes I've come to love so dearly in the past four years.

"Can't you watch where you're going, kiddo?"

I jerk away from Eshan. While he looks at me with that stupid lopsided grin of his that always makes my heart flutter.

"I always thought that with your vantage point it will be impossible to miss anything more than a foot tall," Eshan says.

"Yes, but my vantage point also allows me to see fools from miles away, I wonder how I missed one today," I reply as I straighten my shirt.

Eshan. If you ask anyone in our class they would tell you that he and I are mortal enemies. It wouldn't be a complete lie. Through the years I've created this image of us as people who abhor each other and I did so partly because it would make sure that no one would get suspicious about my feelings and partly because in the pretence of hate I could at least be close to him. In the beginning, I used to find ways to sit near him and fight with him just so we could talk. It was the only way, otherwise, I'm sure he wouldn't even notice me.

We jest and fight but he always makes sure to never truly hurt my feelings. If I ever get upset he pesters me until I tell him what's wrong. I hardly ever tell him the truth. Because the truth is that he has never seen me in a romantic light. His attention has always been occupied elsewhere.

"If that's so then-" he continues but I cut him off.

"I don't have it in me to deal with idiots so early in the morning Eshan, so if you'll excuse me," I say and turn again towards Nakul who as of now has been enjoying this little tête-à-tête. I grab his arm and pull him towards his class giving myself time to calm down before I returned to my own.

"Tell me that wasn't like something straight out of a movie," I say.

"It wasn't. You greatly embarrassed yourself."

"I'll have you to blame for it then. But didn't you see the look in his eyes when we collided!"

"Yes, it was one of sheer annoyance," Nakul replies, as he releases an exasperated breath. "Love truly has made you blind, Meera."

"You're just jealous because you're pinning after Sonia who's your best friend's girlfriend, which I must mention is way worse than my case," I huff out.

Nakul simply rolls his eyes and waves me away towards my own class.

When I return to my class I don't find Sonia in our usual spot but in a different row entirely.

"Hey! Why the change of seats?" I ask her.

"Oh, jasmine wanted to sit there so she asked me to move"

"She asked you and you moved?" How are we even friends?

Jasmine. Now, this is a very interesting character. Have you watched Mean Girls? Ever wonder how the scriptwriters can lie about schools to such extinct. Well, as it turns out, they weren't completely lying. Mean girls are real and Jasmine is a prime example of such a person.

She's rich. She's cute (not hot). She's the topper of the class and of course, her boyfriend is the sports captain (no kidding). And what else do all queen bees have in common?

Two minions.

Here I'll take another Mean Girls reference. Shreya is Karen, the brainless slut. And Japneet is Gretchen, the over emotional fool who is good at heart but has become cold and mean after being influenced by Regina George.

And for the record Jasmine's favourite movie is actually Mean Girls.

"Hey, Jasmine!" I say as I stand in front of her.

"Oh hi, Meera" she replies in her shrill voice.

"It seems like you've taken our spot do you mind shifting to somewhere else?" I ask in my best impression of a sweet voice.

"Oh, you don't mind, do you? It's just that all my group is present today and Geeta ma'am has put us in different spots, I just wanted our group to be together" Jasmine replies.

Her group of so-called cool kids had a habit of getting what they wanted but I was in no mood to concede.

"Actually, I do mind. Now if you'll remove yourself from my place that would be great," I say with enough mock sweetness to drive my point home.

"Oh c'mon, Meera. Don't be such a spoilsport."

"I don't care about what you think I am, you just need to get off my seat."

"Oh calm down girl. No need to get so rude."

"What can I say, you have this unique quality of bringing out the worst in people"

"Oh, looks like someone is about to have another one of her episodes."

I clench my fist, trying to reign in my anger.

"Get. Off. My seat" I grind out.

"That's enough, Jasmine." someone says behind me. 

It was Eshan. Jasmine raises her arms in surrender and leaves the place

He turns around to say something to me about his friend's misbehaviour or something but I don't stick around to listen.

Later in the afternoon, when I get home, I see that mom isn't back from school yet. Working late hours before her students leave for the summer holidays.

After changing out of the uniform and getting ready for tuition, I go to the living room to eat my lunch. But surprisingly enough, find Dadu sitting in front of the TV, lost in his thoughts. I hadn't seen him when I came in.

"Dadu, are you okay?"

"Oh Meera, when did you get back?"

"Just now," I say, speedily eating when I realise I'm getting late for my tuition classes.

"Oh," he breathes and continues to stare into nothing.

I finish up my lunch and stand up. That seems to draw my grandfather out of his reverie, he looks at me with concern and says," Meera, I need to tell you something."

The look on his face made me curious but one look at the clock and I say," Dadu I'm getting late. can you tell me when I get back? Okay?"

He nods, looking strangely relieved as if some storm passed before hitting him

I walked briskly towards my tuition, preoccupied with wondering what Dadu wanted to tell me which made him so stressed. 

Which is why I didn't notice when a black SUV pulled up next to me. I look up to see four men in a strangely familiar black and red livery coming out of it.

After that, everything happens too fast for me to remember the details.

I remember screaming and struggling when they tried to pull me inside the vehicle and one or two of the men telling me that they weren't going to hurt me and I shouldn't create a ruckus.

I was panicking, my mind trying to remember everything one is supposed to do in such a situation.

But before I could call for help, a foul-smelling handkerchief was pressed to my face by one of those men.

Within seconds, my mind went blank and the whole world darkened into nothing.