King of my Heart-Unroyals #1

09 | Celebrity crush

As the clock struck 12:30, Aldridge-Heaton's cafeteria became alive with the hungry students and their chatter. The cafeteria was a well-lit, rectangle-shaped building with windows that started from the floor and ended at the ceiling, and long rows of round-shaped tables were neatly arranged for the students. The clatter of trays and cutlery filled the room as the students lined 
up before the serving counters. The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted in the air. 
 
Lily and Himani were sitting in one corner, eating their lunch, when Harry came in holding his lunch tray filled with a corndog, a medium-sized pepperoni pizza, and a can of Coke. 
 
Lily took a glance at Harry's tray and rolled her eyes. 'Don't you ever get tired of Mormon food?'
 
'It tastes better than whatever you're having.' Harry made a disgusted face looking at Lily's pasta salad. 
 
'Of course it tastes better because it's junk. Keep telling this when you're 30 and in the hospital bed.'
 
'Can't you both just eat whatever you like?' Himani said, taking a bite from the broccoli. 
 
'What's the problem with telling people to eat healthy?' Lily raised her eyebrows in disbelief. 
 
'Here, eat these veggies for the sake of your organs.' Lily grabbed Harry's chin and forcefully stuffed a forkful of salad into his mouth. Harry covered his mouth with both his hands, trying not to spill the food. 
 
'You two are unbelievable.' Himani shook her head, smiling a bit, and continued eating her lunch. 
 
Almost every table in the cafeteria was brimming with students, and their chatter filled the cafeteria. As Himani gazed up from her lunch tray, her brown eyes were met with a pair of hazel ones across the table. Kedar Nath was sitting with Mahi, Ehan, Zara, and Akshat, three tables away from her. It felt like a star went supernova inside her the moment she met his eyes. He withdrew his eyes the moment she looked in his direction. The eye contact was two seconds long, but it seemed to be longer than that.
 
'What's his deal?' Lily asked as she noticed Himani looking at him.
 
'What?' Himani turned her head towards Lily.
 
'Why is he staring at you?' Lily asked, slightly pointing at Kedar. 
 
'It's more like ogling.' Harry stated as he bit into the pizza. 
 
'Eww, shut up, Harry.' Himani's eyes went round in anger as she slapped Harry's hand hard. 
 
'Ouch.' He cried and retreated his arm. 'What's there to be surprised about? He's hot, rich, and the cherry on top— he's a prince.'
 
'What's so special about being a prince?' Himani winced. 'We live in a democracy. He's just like everyone else.'
 
'Don't try to argue with her, Harry; you won't win.' Lily smirked. 'By the way,' Lily said, turning her head towards Himani. 'Do you guys still have bad blood? Well, was there any bad blood between you two to begin with?' 
 
'Ugh!' Himani took a deep sigh. 'I don't know. He has this weird aura around him that makes me dislike him more.'
 
'The weird aura is just his weird friends. Those parasites!' Lily passed a scornful look at Kedar's friends and stabbed her fork aggressively into the smushy pasta.
 
'God! Woman, you're scaring me.' Harry pressed his palm against his chest as she stabbed the pasta.
 
'Could be.' Himani nodded her head, agreeing with Lily's statement. 
 
'Well, what's it like to be his tutor?' Harry asked, still holding his palm against his chest.
 
'We don't talk much. When we do, it's just stuff about math.'
 
'Boo! No juicy stuff yet? Some girls would dive headfirst from a cliff just to date this guy. You've got the chance to be close with him, and you haven't shot your shot yet?' Harry nodded his head in disapproval. 
 
'Can we just change this topic?' Himani pressed her temples. 'I've been meaning to ask. You guys coming to watch the T20 match in Dharamshala? It's on Sunday next week. And I'm also planning to go home on Friday.'
 
'What's there to ask about? We'll be coming with you. It's been ages since I tried Dileep Uncle's homemade chicken anardana.' Lily said, with profound enthusiasm. 
 
'Do I have to tag along with you to the stadium?' Harry asked with disinterest. 'I don't understand a thing about cricket. It feels like a very complicated version of baseball.'
 
'Oh my god, Harry, don't be a bore. I've taught you the cricket rules a million times. You're coming with us to the stadium.' 
 
'Yes. You're coming with us.' Himani said.
 
'Mani...' Lily called coyly as she leaned forward and grabbed Himani's hand. 'Agastya Panwar is the opener and he'd be on the team for sure.' 
 
'So what?' Himani asked, even though she knows that Lily has a huge crush on Agastya Panwar. 
 
'Don't try to act like you don't know.' Lily huffed.
 
'Just say you want to meet him.' Harry chortled at his own remarks. 'You're trying to blandish Mani into asking Kedar to let you meet him since they are cousins.' 
 
 Lily clenched her teeth and glared at Harry. 
 
'Yes.' She said as she turned to look at Himani and grabbed her hand with both her palms, pleadingly. 'This might be my only chance to meet him.' 
 
'You want me to ask Kedar if he could arrange a meetup with Agastya?' Himani raised her eyebrows in disbelief. 
 
'Yes.' Lily smiled bashfully. 
 
'No way.' Himani pulled her hand backwards. 'We're best friends, Lily, and I'd even die for you. But this! No way. I won't ask him for a favour.'
 
'Fine.' Lily said, feebly, lowering her eyes.
 
'I'm sorry, Lily.' Himani said, with regret beaming in her voice. 
 
---
 
The last class that day was taken by Mr. Iyer. Himani was the last one in the classroom. As she was packing up her stuff to leave, Ehan, who had just left, walked back in. 
 
'I have to talk to you.' He said as he walked towards her. 
 
'I've got nothing to say to you.' She said as she grabbed her books and tried to walk out. 
 
'Himani,' he said, blocking her from leaving with his body. 'You don't know how messed up I'm now.' 
 
'And I don't want to know.' She glared at him. 'Now, move. I want to go.'
 
'Just try to understand me. I know I was the douchebag in our relationship. But I can't...' His voice cracked, and his eyes welled up. 'I can't... Without you, I feel alone.' 
 
'Ehan?' Both Ehan and Himani turned their heads to the entrance, from where the voice came. 
 
'Why are you still here?' Zara stood at the doorstep, looking completely nonplussed. 
 
'I-I' He stuttered. 'I came back to get my books. I forgot to take them.' He explained, hoping she'd believe. 
 
'Okay.' She trailed off, changing her gaze from Ehan to Himani in suspicion. 'Come, Akshat is asking for you.' 
 
'Yeah.' He said feebly and walked towards Zara with his head hung low, leaving Himani behind. 
 
 
 
Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I was sick for a while :')