AMIDST

Chapter 17

MAYRA'S POV:

What? This is so not Niall. How can this guy just turn from a selfish guy to so caring in just a moment?

"I know you must be thinking that how I have changed so much but Mayra this is the real me. Spending my time with you brought the real Niall from under the dark layers where it was buried. I don't have to pretend anything in front of you becuase you know the real Niall. You have dealt with him, who is caring, loving yet obnoxious and rude. In front of others, I behave as if I don't care for anybody but that's not me. For leaving Natasha, I gave the reason that I am bored with her. But new girls were easy for me," he stops to breathe. I love the way he is trying to make up to me. A smile escapes and he is shocked. Shit! I was enjoying this change of roles a lot.

"Continue...?," I say hoping he will.

"Mayra, I know you are okay now," he crosses his arms.

"I was okay a long time back." I stick out my tongue out at him. He walks over to the side table and picks up the bracelet. I feel bad to have pulled it out but it seemed like the best idea at that time.

"Wear it. I can't bear to see it off your wrist," he says and puts it back on my wrist.

"I am sorry," we both say and laugh.

"Now go before the warden thinks anything fishy."

"Bye, Mayra. Take care. See you. Don't be angry and don't believe anyone else..."

"Now. that's enough for today. Go now."

"Bye." He hugs me and leaves.

As he leaves Alice enters.

"All good?" She asks.

"Yeah!"

"Mayra! Niall never fixes what he breaks. You really are someone to him." My heart leaps at her comment.

"He is someone for me too because I don't forgive people for the type of mistakes he does." I smile.

"Yeah right," she says and I nod.

"Girls have always been easy for him. He has got what he wanted," she says.

"I won't deny that." She laughs and I do the same.

NIALL'S POV:

Finally Mayra is fine. Now where is Natasha, I will kill that jealous bimbo. That bitch. She tried to take Mayra away from me.

"What did you tell her?" I ask turning Natasha around by her arm.

"The fact," she says.

"They are not facts. Just because you can't and don't have me doesn't mean you ruin her and me."

"What are you two exactly?"

"Friends." We are not only friends. We are more but I don't know what.

"And for that friend you are shouting at me?"

"Yes. I won't tolerate anyone who tries to come in between me and her. She is important for me."

"Yaya!" She rolls her eyes which irritates me further.

"Shut up and stay away." I threaten her and walk away. I just created a scene. Mayra would be angry.

MAYRA'S POV:

"I know for a fact he will shout at her." I tell Rohan after telling him the whole story.

"He is unpredictable," he states.

"Stating the obvious?" we both laugh.

As we pass a group of friends, I hear:

"Mayra and Niall are together."

What...?

Rohan tries to hide a smile but I catch him. I don't care about the rumours. They will be gone after a week. Then we pass Natasha and Tanya. Natasha is crying.

"What did you do to him?" Tanya asks stopping me.

"Me? Why?" I ask knowing the answer.

"As if you don't know."

"I don't."

"He shouted at her for you."

"I didn't ask him to." I sound more confident than I actually was. I feel pity for Natasha and am angry at Niall. Rohan chuckles beside me. We leave for the boys' hostel. Rohan shows me Niall's room and leaves. I open it without knocking. It opens, Niall is on the bed reading. Niall, reading? The room is messy. Clothes here and there. Papers here and there. My first feeling was to clean it. God, what a dirt! He looks up and hides the book. I manage to see the blue cover. It is ' The Fault in our stars'. He is reading it again? Doesn't matter. I have to be angry at him. Mayra, stay focussed.

"Hey! In here?" he says coming to me. It is the first time I have seen his room.

"Why did you shout at her? You know there are rumours of us being together?"

He pulls me inside and closes the door.

"So what? I guess we look good together."

"Shut up Niall. I am angry at you. Be serious."

"Okay! Sorry. Who said this?"

"Why? You will go and fight him?" I snap.

"Whoa! Someone is pissy."

"Don't mock me."

"Sorry again. Look! We both know there is nothing like this. People just can't keep friendships pure. We are just friends. We know that." He seems confused about that and I am sure I am mirroring his expression right now. We both are confused about us being 'friends'.

"But it matters to me."

"I know it does. I am sorry but I won't take anyone questioning or intervening between us."

One sorry and I melt like butter. What is he doing to me?

"Yeah." He is right.

"By the way, which book were you reading?"

I ask walking to the bed to find it under the pillow.

"No book." He tries to stop me but I start running. I pull up the pillow but before I can see the book he puts it back.

"Let me see, what you are hiding." I try to get it out of his grip but he is too strong for me. While this snatching and pulling we fall on the bed. He is hovering over me. Thank god he didn't fall on me or I would be squeezed like a tomato. Just then the door opens and Shashwat enters horrified. Shit! What he must be thinking? Rumours will be proven correct.

"Am I intervening something?" he asks.

"Niall, get up." He is still in the same position. I feel my cheeks burning. I pat his arm and realisation hits him. He gets up and says "Yes, what?" I glare at him.

"I mean, No! What do you want?"

"Don't shout at Natasha or Tanya ever again," he states and leaves.

"He came to say this?" I am surprised.

"He and Tanya are together and Tanya and Natasha are besties."

"Oh, okay."

"So which book was it?" I still dare to ask.

And he does something really unexpected. He tickles me hard. I laugh and so does he. I would have fallen to the floor had he not been holding me in place. Our laughter together is the best sound ever.

"Still want to know."

"No! No! It's ok. Just leave me," I plead.

"As you wish," he smirks.

"Okay, now bye." I leave my question unanswered and what I see is the worse thing. All the boys of the hostel are gathered there and they look at me surprised with a smirk as I open the door to leave. My hair is disheveled because of the tickling and clothes dearranged. Niall comes out and says, "What happened babe? You want me to do it again?"

Shit! Not now Niall. He sees all the boys and tells them to go. They all go away. It is a common thing for him to have girls in his room but I don't want people to think I am one of them. I leave without answering him with my heart at the pit of my stomach.