Everyone has that one chapter they don't read out aloud; Some people have a lot of them
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St Martin's known for its tales of - true friendship and competitive spirit.
This story is about how they deal with their lives once the darkest side of thei...
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She was struggling to wake up. It had been a long night, and she wanted to sleep in. Cussing and cursing, she finally picked up the phone, however, what she saw there erased every trace of sleepiness from her.
"I'm outside, open the door"
She just wanted to go hug him but she knew he wouldn't do that.
"What do you want? "
"Anaisha listen to me... "
"I don't want to listen to you, You know what, I never had any guy reject me, I have everyone wrapped around my finger and I like a fool thought I could cure you and your loneliness" She said throwing everything around me onto him when he fearlessly moved forward.
Dressed in red and green salwar-kameez, hair open, bespectacled, and a tiny bindi adorning her face, she was not any supermodel; she was a regular normal girl. She was a different version of Anaisha Bhansal. A version known only to one person
"Sit down" He said as he made her sit on the nearby couch.
"I don't want your sympathy" She said pushing his hand away from herself.
"Anaisha, You have no idea how precious you are to me"
She hugged him.
"Do you love me?"
"Just listen to me once, Alright, I just.."
"Yes or no?"
"I have only loved one person in my entire life" He said "I'm sorry Anaisha, I love you but not in the way you do... "
"Then leave" She said opening the door "Get the fuck out of here"
There were so many things racing through his mind, but he was unable even to phrase words, let alone sentences. How should he even talk to her...
"Why did you come back then? " She asked him
"I have no idea, maybe it's destiny" He said
She didn't say a word.
He walked upto her and hugged her as she hugged him back tightly
"I love you" She said crying
He wiped her tears off.
"Sleep well Anaisha, take care" He said caressing her hair and walked away from there like nothing happened.
"They say that lightning never strikes at the same place twice, but it did in my life!" Anaisha thought to herself
***
The most thrilling thing about love is the wait. It's like a kid who sees a toy in a shop and then keeps planning, night after night, about the things he would do once he gets it. That's love; a head dive into the deep sea of thoughts. Till the dare and the urge to head dive is on, love is on. So, if the possession is delayed and not denied, it's good in a way because possession generally decreases the shelf life of love as much as deprivation increases it (if you truly love the person).
I was sure I loved him but he would never love me. No matter how hard I tried. I didn't belong to him, maybe I belonged to someone else. Maybe someone from the college - It could be Arjun, Jai or Veer maybe.
With all these thoughts in my head, As I kept walking I bumped into someone unknowingly.
"I'm so sorry" He said hurriedly as he picked up all her books and gave it to her.
"Dekhke nahi chalsakta? " Anaisha said in her usual rude tone
"So sorry, Woh mujhe football ke team ke selections ke liye jaana tha, Isliye jaldi mein tha" He said in a very calm tone.
No one until date had the guts to even stand and talk to Anaisha that way. They wouldn't even look at her and this guy was looking at her with admiration and talking to her with confidence.
"Kya naam hai tera? " She asked
"I'm Shantanu" He said smiling and offering his hand.
That smile was so innocent, as if it belonged to a baby.
"Sirf naam poocha tha, haath nahi"
He gave a cheeky grin.
"Maine bhi haath sirf handshake ke liye poocha tha, shaadi ke liye nahi" He said
She shook his hand impressed by the way he could twist one's words against them.
"Ab jaa, khade khade shakal kya dekh raha hai" She said when he smiled and began walking away.
"Aur sunn" She said when he turned back and looked at her
"All the best"
He gave her a huge smile and walked away humming some tune.
Anaisha felt at ease but she couldn't be so kind to strangers, If you show people you care they'll walk all over you that's what she always believed.
Anaisha's POV
We were already half-way into the first semester when I rejoined, and my attendance was zero. Teachers pitied me because they were aware of my 'orphaned' condition, but given I was there on scholarship, our dean was not happy.
Our mid-terms started soon, and as expected, I failed miserably, and that was enough to be called to the 'dean's office.'
"Anaisha, you were the brightest student before, and that's why you were given a full scholarship, including hostel fees," the dean started, and I just stared.
"Your attendance record is abysmal and not to mention the marks. How do I justify it? How will I explain your disappearance to our board?" He berated, and I just listened.
What could I have said to explain to him? I was sure he didn't lose his entire family in a flash! After Anu and the whole incident I just couldn't do anything...
"I understand you faced family issues," he continued in a relatively sympathetic tone.
A tear trickled down my cheek. I wiped it quickly.
"But I am bound here. You have to keep the flawless record from now on and be in toppers list, else we would be forced to cancel your scholarship."
His last words came crashing down on me.
"We would rather spend money on an eligible candidate." He finished, and I was dumbfounded.
"Studying is not an issue with me," I spoke after a pause.
"Good, and that's what we expect out of you. Don't forget that such privileges are only extended for a limited time. Now, don't make us regret our decision," he warned again and dismissed me.
It was my first ever meeting with Rajbir sir this year, and it didn't go well.
"Also Anaisha... " He said "We had someone apply for the position of your local guardian, your exam information and everything will be reaching him directly"
"But sir He.. "
"I wasn't asking you Anaisha, I was letting you know" He said
