The Downsides Of Popularity ✓

Chapter 23

JUST A SMALL Q&A.

'It's a school project we have to work on, together,' I explain to my father, over the phone.

'Okay. You can go, but be back by 9.'

'Surely!' I say, excitedly as I end the call. Excited that I got permission to go to a friend's house for a school project? Nah. Technically, that was just a cover-up for our actual mission.

Sreyansh and I decided that since we have no tuition in common on Tuesdays, we have to come up with an excuse so I can come over to his house to carry out our plan of getting me, back to my normal life.

I gave an excuse of having to work on a group school project for which I needed to go over to a friend's house and my father readily granted the permission, probably because his mind was busy with hospital work he needed to finish before coming back home.

Sreyansh on the other hand, has already faked a cold in front of his parents after returning from school and said that he wouldn't be able to attend the engagement ceremony.

Since it is the marriage of a close relative, his parents had to attend it, so they've already left.

Srey

All clear?

Yep. On my way!

I put my phone in the pocket of my black jeans and grab a pink jacket to put over my plain white shirt. This is the last time I'm ever going to wear pink 'cause I've seen enough pink in my room and my closet, to sustain not wearing pink for the rest of my life.

I rush down the stairs, grab the keys and put on my black boots before walking out the door and locking it behind me. It's getting colder each day as winter sets in.

I take long strides so that I can reach his home as soon as possible and end this absolute madness. I somehow survived the last 2 days at school by continuously reminding myself that all of this will be over soon and now, the time has finally come.

There are several cars on the road because it's 7.00 pm and most office workers are on their way home. Several lights flash in my face, rendering me blind on multiple occasions for half a minute so I try to stick to the footpath as much as I can.

Ten minutes later, I'm standing outside his house. It's a two-storeyed building in which the ground floor is used for tuition purposes while the upper floor is where Srey's and his family's rooms are located. The walls were painted white, a week ago because they've decided to repaint the exteriors. Sreyansh told me they're still having evening debates over the colours.

I step forward to ring the bell, but before I press the switch, Sreyansh opens the door. He walks onto the porch with keys in his hand and unlocks the gate to let me in.