Unexpected Encounters

Falling into Place ~ 4

"Why are you fidgeting so much?", Pooja whispers to Nithya during class, as she places a calming hand on her knee.

"Oh, It's nothing. Just worried about studies.", Nithya shakes her head, settling for lying. She did not want to come off as a girl who always talked about guys. She knew that it was Pooja after all but she had her self-respect too.

"Nits don't lie. You are the one person who is always on top of her studies. There is no way you are worrying about it because you are the only person who has started studying so early.", Rashmi replies from the other side of Nithya, rolling her eyes.

"Thank you for the compliment! That's the first time I'm hearing you talk so much.", Nithya grins cheekily causing Rashmi to glare at her.

"Ah ha! Nice try, but seriously. What's bothering you? Did you talk to Gautham today?", Pooja reiterates, refusing to change the subject.

Nithya's face changes at the mention of Gautham, making realization dawn on Pooja and Rashmi's faces.

"Deepti isn't it?", Pooja whispers, her voice dropping another octave, lest the girl in question hears them.

"Yeah", Nithya mutters, a sad smile taking over her face, "He was in a rush to meet her this morning. I'm scared."

"What if they-", Rashmi begins, only to be silenced by Pooja's glare.

"I'll move on. What else can I do? I'm not foolish enough to wait for someone who is in a relationship.", Nithya responds immediately understanding the unspoken question.

"Finally some sense in this fuckery", Rashmi mutters, causing Nithya and Pooja grin.

***

This day could not get any worse for Nithya. The lunch menu in the canteen sucked today. Hence, Nithya and Rashmi ended up standing in the queue to buy something else to eat.

Nithya is dragged out of her miserable thoughts when, she hears an all to familiar voice behind here. She turns around and comes face to face with Gautham and Deepti. Her eyes widen when she notices Deepti's hand wrapped around Gautham's arm. Rashmi wraps a comforting arm around her friend's waist, sighing in dismay at the sight in front of her.

Nithya gasped slightly before exclaiming, "You have a cut on your arm!"

Gautham glances down and frowns when he sees a bright drop of blood welling from the cut on his forearm.

"I have a band aid.", Nithya says, immediately rummaging through her bag before pulling it out and handing it to him.

"What are you doing? I think I can handle band aiding my boyfriend, yeah? You can stop trying.", Deepti glares, snatching the band aid from Nithya.

Gautham winces slightly at her sharp words, while Nithya's eyebrows raise in surprise. Rashmi remains silent, trusting her friend to handle her problems on her own.

"Na yenna panren? Just offering a little first aid, you know charity and all.", Nithya replies back, a sarcastic smile painting her face.

[What am I doing? Just offering a little first aid, you know charity and all.]

Gautham's eye widens, while Deepti's glare sharpens.

"Oh wow, isn't that just the epitome of generosity?", Deepti argues heatedly, while Gautham stares confused between the both of them.

"Well, someone has to make up for the lack of character here.", Nithya snaps, her annoyance evident on her face now. Rashmi snorts in laughter as she observes Deepti's face that bad become red due to embarassment and Gautham whose mouth had fallen open in shock.