The Downsides Of Popularity ✓

Chapter 16

SILENCE.

 IT'S BEEN TWO weeks (almost) since I've been stuck in Ms Popular's shoes. After Meera recovered from her fever and came to school, she was worried about how quiet I had suddenly become. Sreyansh told her about what happened between me and Utkarsh so they assumed I was depressed about it. But I couldn't reveal the real reason why I was always so lost in deep thought.

How could I tell them anyways?

Hey! Guess what? I wished to become famous and a witch fulfilled it and now I want to go back but she won't let me...

Yeah, sounds incredibly stupid.

Even more so, Utkarsh has not come to school for the last two days. I tried to call him but his phone was switched off. He hasn't been active on social media either. I did think about dropping by his house on the way home but discarded the idea when I realised it's best to give him some alone time. I'll be at the bottom of his list of people he wants to talk to, anyways.

I walk towards my class and stop at the doorway when I catch a glimpse of Utkarsh talking to his friends, in the corridor. He makes eye contact with me but I look away, scared to face him and enter my classroom.

Acknowledging the group of students standing in a circle around my desk, I excuse myself to head to my seat and pause in my actions when I see a picture taped down, on my desk.

It's a picture of me and Sreyansh (even if his face isn't clear) when we were sitting inside the classroom after the Inter-House Drama Competition got over. He had his head on my shoulder and the picture was taken by someone who was possibly standing outside the window. The picture conveys a different meaning when taken out of the real context.

However, the picture isn't the only thing kept on my desk. Someone wrote two words, above and below it with chalk- "S!UT" and "TWO-TIMER"

I look around to see everyone staring at me with bemused eyes or horrified expressions. Kriti is one of them and is the only one to vocalise her thoughts, 'Looks like someone's living up to their bad reputation.'

Before I can retort, I hear someone speak up, from behind me. I turn around to see that it's Utkarsh.

'Who did this?', he asks as he pulls the picture from the desk, ripping it at the edges. Utkarsh looks at the picture once and then rips it into half, then another half and continues to do so until they're reduced to small pieces.

He disposes of the pieces of the picture in the dustbin and picks up the duster from the teacher's desk to wipe away the words from my table. Tossing the duster on the teacher's desk, Utkarsh tugs at my wrist, signalling me to follow him and I agree. Before leaving the classroom he announces to all the people who saw the picture, 'If anyone tries to do this type of shit again, you're gonna have to face me.'

Utkarsh gently holds my hand as we walk up the staircase to the 2nd floor. He lets go of my hand and sits down on a step of the staircase that leads to the roof. I sit down beside him and say, 'Thank you' whilst gently caressing his left hand.