Conundrum 》ICT AU

-44-

"So that's it, then?" Hardik asked Gia, a gently smile on his face. "We're good, right? No angsty feelings, nothing of that sort, right?"

"Yeah, we're good." Gia smiled. "I like someone else."

"Have you told him? Virat, I mean?" Hardik asked, pondering.

"No, not yet. But I will." She nodded.

"Better sooner than later, G."

Gia sighed.

-

"Shruti, you've got to help me out." Meera said, smirking at her. "One last time and then I'll stop. Hell, I'll transfer out if that's what you want."

"No, no." Shruti muttered. "Did I mention no?"

"Thrice." Meera sighed out. "Oh it's going to be horrible when Jasprit finds out you've been helping me in all this, it's going to suck."

"Oh, don't talk. You're not much better." Shruti snarled. "What if Hardik finds out? You've been such a good little girlfriend to him. What if he finds out you're such a snake?"

"Let him." Meera said, giggling. "I mean, it's not like we've ever been serious. We're just casual dating."

"That boy loves you, Meera." She looked at her, wondering what had happened to that person who'd first come to the school. "Meera, you should stop all this. You've got such a good boyfriend, you're doing well in class as well, what else do you want?"

"Hmm." Meera pondered. "What else do I want? Oh I know, for you to shut the fuck up and help me. I don't need your lectures or your holier than thou bullshit. You're the one who gave me the location to that party so in reality, you're the one that started this entire mess." She came closer to her, almost whispering now.

"I'm just ending it for you."

-

"Gia, Gia." Hardik called her as she was heading through the cafeteria, stopping her.

"What's up, Harry?" She turned around with a smile, making Hardik smile as well.

"Nothing really, I wanted to catch up." Hardik hummed. "I wanted to tell you about me and Meera."

"Oh, I can't wait to hear that." Gia nodded. "Speaking of Meera, she's throwing a party?"

"Yep." Hardik nodded then came closer. "Between you and me though, something's wrong."

"What do you think? Be honest." Gia replied, loosing the smile. "Should we come? She's invited all of us."

"She's my girlfriend, I don't want to say anything bad but it's a little off, even for her." Hardik muttered, sitting down at a vacant table, Gia following. "She's unusually excited about this and usually I have to pull her to go to parties with me. It's weird."

"Does she know about you and me?" Gia asked, then snickered. "I'm asking a stupid question. Did you talk to her about you and me?"

"I did. After we got into a relationship." Hardik nodded.

"Meera." Hardik muttered, sitting opposite to her as they ate at the restaurant. "We need to talk about something."

"Tell me." She spoke, taking a sip of coke. "What's going on?"

"Before us, you know this." He chuckled. "I slept with Gia."

"Oh, it was hard not to know." Meera chuckled, unable to keep a straight face. She felt a lot of emotions, anger predominantly.

She couldn't understand why out of all people, Hardik was the one who had to sleep with Gia. Did this mean that he liked her, more than a friend? Maybe he wanted her instead?

"Yeah." Hardik muttered, looking down. "Gia and I are nothing more than friends. We don't have any feelings for each other. For me, there's only you."

"Why did you sleep with her?" Meera asked. "Did she ask you?"

"No, it wasn't anything like that." Hardik replied, feeling nervous. "Uh, we were both drunk off of our minds. There was nothing else."

Hardik couldn't deny that even while drunk, Gia was the best that he'd ever had. But Meera was his future. He loved her.

"So if I ask you to not talk to Gia anymore, would you?" Meera asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Is that what you really want? For you, I'm ready to do anything." Hardik nodded. "I understand you wouldn't feel okay. Even I wouldn't if the situation was reversed. So yes, if you want me to not talk to Gia anymore, I will respect your decision."

"Alright, I believe you." Meera laughed. "I can't believe I got so lucky."

"I'm the one who's lucky."

-

"Where are you going?" Jasprit asked as he looked at her getting ready. "You look good, by the way."

"There's this party." Shruti nervously replied. "It's one of my classmates."

"Oh, nice. Shall I drop you off?" Jasprit asked, sitting up from the bed.

"No, it's not required. I'll go and come back on my own. If anything is needed, I'll call you." She went and kissed him quickly on the lips, seemingly making Jasprit relax more.

"Who's the classmate?" Jasprit asked, hugging her from behind. "Why are you looking so scared?" He laughed.

"Leave it na. It's not important. What's more important is that I'm only going to be there for an hour and then, I'm going to come back to you." She smiled, turning around in his arms and looking up at him.

"Hmm, fair enough." Jasprit let go of her, a seemingly disappointed look on his face before he quickly covered it up with a smile.

"Aren't you getting late?" He called out, looking at the clock.

"Oh fuck, yea." She quickly put on her heels and went towards the door but was stopped by Jasprit's words.

"You love me, right?"

She quickly turned around and looked at him with surprise. "Of course, I love you. What kind of a question is that?"

"Just checking." He grinned, waving her goodbye. "Now go!"

After Shruti had left, he took out his phone and called Rohit.

"What's up?" He questioned. "You never call me up, so this is a nice surprise."

"It's Meera. She's been doing everything." Jasprit said, fear thundering in his ears. "My Shruti has nothing to do with this thing."

"Oh we know." Ritika chimed in, violence promised in her voice. "You know, I heard the two of them talking in class. Whatever you say about Shruti being completely blameless, I can guarantee she's not that innocent. She was the one who started this entire drama along with Meera and now, she wants to be out."

"Shruti has nothing to do with all this." Jasprit voiced out.

"Did you ask her where she was heading out today? Whose party?" Ritika asked, slyly. "It's where we're heading as well."

"Where?" His heart thundered in his chest.

"Meera's." Rohit finally spoke up. "I'll send you the location. Look Jasprit, we truly are sorry about what happened to you but what's happening to us, it's different. Our families are at stake. There's something which will happen today, I'm sure of it. Better come down and talk to Shruti to make sure nothing happens."

"If nothing happens tonight, Shruti won't be blamed?" Jasprit asked, getting his keys off of the desk.

"I'll personally make sure she isn't harmed." Ritika said. "I promise."

"Okay."

I'm sorry for being absent for the weekend, I had to take a short trip :)
But I'm back now!