THE MALHOTRA'S

{Beneath The Rain}

Ishika~

She rubbed her temples in disdain. This class was so boring she couldn't even concentrate. In fact, she couldn't concentrate on a single thing after the night Anirudh dropped her off at the cottage. She did not sleep the whole night thinking about the look of desperation he gave her when she was climbing out of the car. Was she being too harsh on him? Is this too much?

"Ishika!" The professor yelled and she gasped in surprise.

She stood up "Y-yes sir"

"Where is your head? I've been calling you out for the past 2 minutes. If you want to daydream why did you come today to college?"

She didn't like Professor Shukla. Even though he was good at teaching he always targeted her because one time she called him out for explaining a concept wrong. He was so embarrassed because of that and since then he always makes sure to put her down in front of everyone.

"Sorry sir it won't happen again" she said.

"I asked you a question" he snarled.

"Can you please repeat it for me? I didn't catch it the first time"

"Give me an example of a heritage site that has a Dravidian style of architecture"

"Hampi" she answered.

"Elephanta caves are related to which deity?"

"Lord Shiva"

"Dammit," he murmured.

Ishika attempted to hide her smile.

"Class dismissed," he said.

She went out while talking with a girl who had become her friend. Since she has missed so much she asked for her journal and the assignment to be completed.

A group of boys who were in her batch we sitting on the bike which belonged to their daddy's money. They were smoking cigarettes. They were always at the entryway. She sighed. One of them always kept bothering her even when she told him she would remove his eyes and feed them to the dogs if he ever tried to tease her again.

She went past them when the same distasteful voice stopped them.

"Senorita. Going without giving me a kiss?" He said.

Cheesy as fuck.

"I won't mind going without giving you a slap on your ugly face," she said without looking at them.

A hand grabbed hers as he turned her around and crashed her towards his body. She hissed in pain as his grip was so tight it bruised her wrist.

"Stop being a cocktease baby. I've been holding myself back"

She spit on his hand as he made a disgusting face and pulled back abruptly.

"Try touching me again and find out what my teeth can do when I bite your finger off you bloody bastard" she yelled.

"You'll regret this," The guy said.

"Oh please I don't even know you" She rolled her eyes and continued her way towards the entrance.

Once she was on the road she tried to stop a rickshaw but she failed. Her cottage was thirty minutes away from the college. She turned around and collided with a man.

"I'm sorry Ma'am" he said.

"No, it's fine"

"Here's your ride" he went towards a black Range Rover and opened the back door.

"Umm...excuse me. What ride? What are you talking about?"

"Mr Malhotra asked us to help you when you are in trouble," he said.