Two Tickets, Please

11: espresso

Nila frowned when her phone buzzed repeatedly. She could feel the vibrations through her bag as she tried to ignore it and focus on what her professor was talking about. But the buzzing was relentless. Who was this desperate to reach her in the middle of the day? For a second, she wondered if it could be Vijay. But he knew she would be in class and usually kept from texting her during the hours.

The professor's words did not register in her mind. She wished she was in the back row so she could at least sneak in a peek at her phone to find out who it was. She sat restlessly, her hand on her phone, trying to bide her time patiently.

As soon as the professor stepped out, she pulled out her phone.

It was Vijay.

Nila
Nila
N
I
L
A
you there?
text me ASAP or call me
wanna talk to you
important

Worry washed over Nila like an icy tide. Did something happen to him? He had looked completely fine when she'd talked to him this morning. Her heart thumped. She walked out of the classroom and called him immediately. Maya, Sanjay and Lilly glanced up at her with concerned faces but she didn't stop to answer them.

"Vijay?"

"Nila! I'm so glad you called. I thought you might not since I know you were in class but still I—"

"Are you hurt? Is everything okay? Did something happen?" She shot question after question.

A scary pause followed from Vijay's side. "Fuck. I didn't think you'd be worried. But I should have thought about it. I'm so sorry, Nila. I didn't think how the texts would seem to you. I just texted you to ask you if you'd come with us to the mall."

A mix of relief and annoyance replaced her worry. She sagged against the cool wall. "I thought something happened to you!" she scolded him. "I can't believe I got so worried. You idiot!"

Vijay didn't laugh like she expected him to. And thank god because if he had, Nila would have never forgiven him. "Are you mad?"

"Yes, what do you expect?"

"I'm sorry, Nila. Farah decided that she wanted to bunk class and go shopping for her fiance. I don't know how but she even convinced Krish to cancel his private tuition sessions and join her. She was also saying that she wanted to meet you since Krish likes to talk about you all the time and piss her off because she is the only one who is out of the loop. I made a harmless comment about how it would be nice if you'd join as well. And Farah latched onto it and pestered me to text you. I told her you don't like to miss classes but she still insisted I ask you. It's completely okay if you don't —"

"Okay."

"What?"

Usually, Nila wouldn't have done it. Sanjay had failed numerous times when he tried to get her to bunk classes. She only bunked classes if she wanted to, not on others' behalf. But nothing about Nila was the same since Vijay walked into her life. She might as well go with what her heart wanted. "I'll join you all."

"Are you serious?" She could feel his sudden enthusiasm seep through the phone, making her lower her head and smile.

"Yeah, when are you guys leaving?"

"We can pick you up. Farah has a car," he said. "Just come to the main gate of your college in ten minutes. We'll be there."

"Okay."

"Nila?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you really want to do this?" Vijay asked. But his voice was laced with desperate hopes that she'd say yes and nothing else.