Anurakti

2: Apologies.

After the two day holiday, when Sahaj and Shubham entered the noisy class, it became as silent as the sea before tsunami.
Shubham looked back at Sahaj to find him glaring at everyone.

Sahaj could feel some eyes burning holes in him, and some eyes darting away from him, wanting to see anything but him.
He looked at Shubham who had his eyes casted down in embarrassment. He was the reason for his embarrassment.

You are nothing but a pathetic looser. You've given me nothing but embarrassment.

A voice rung in his head and his mood changed to angry again. He stormed to the back of the class and and sat beside the wall, behind the pillar, neither wanting to get seen nor wanting to see.

Shubham sat quietly beside him, glancing and smiling at him time to time.
Whispers could be heard in the deathly silent class and then the door was opened and revealed a grinning Samidha.

"Hey! Why the hell are you guys so quiet?"
She asked her friend Priya to which she and another girl named Shivangi replied by looking in Sahaj's direction.

Samidha followed their gaze and she was met with Sahaj staring at her. His brows were furrowed and lips were in a very small pout, made from concentrating.

Gosh his eyes were intense.

"So? You'll let him ruin your day? What kind of stupid people are you guys?"
She asked and Priya glared at her. Samidha laughed.

"Okay. I'm sorry. But you know he cannot do anything to you. And right now your sole motive should be to enjoy your day, not worry about him getting angry or something like that. What can a coward do anyways?"
She shrugged and walked to the empty bench, which was just two benches away from Sahaj's.

If you haven't guessed it yet, yes she slept again and yes she was late again.

Her eyes met with Shubham's this time and she couldn't understand what she was supposed to do. Smile at him? Or not.

Shubham was not a bad person. And she was sure he wouldn't have let his bestfriend do what he did, if he had been present that day.

So she tried giving him a smile. And he replied back by scratching his nape and smiling sheepishly.

"Uh-Thankyou for stopping him."
Samidha smiled.

"Your most welcome. I appreciate someone appreciating me. Otherwise some people just yell at everybody, even if they are trying to do good."
She taunted Sahaj as he stared at the pillar.

Shubham again scratched his neck, not able to bear the tension between Samidha and Sahaj. While Samidha glared at Sahaj, burning holes in him, Sahaj did the same to pillar in front of him.

Slowly the class was once again deathly silent and were staring at Samidha and Sahaj like they were giving them a show. Shubham let out a shaky breath. He really wanted to get out of that place. He couldn't bear the anger coming off from both of them in the form of heat.

Finally Samidha averted her gaze from him and opened her notebook.

"Stupid, brainless, ungrateful-"
She was whispering to herself but her whisper was clearly audible to the person, for whom it was meant.

"Why ungrateful huh? Why? I didn't ask for your help!"
Sahaj yelled at her again as he stood up banging his hands on the desk.

"You are right! It was all my fault that I stopped you from behaving like the animal you are! I was wrong for stopping you from killing him! And I am wrong for expecting a damn apology!"
She yelled back standing up herself.

"Why should I give you an apology?!"

"Because you yelled at me when I helped you!"

"I didn't ask you to!"