Beyond the Beats

Chapter 31. Allergic

Nuke kept complimenting me non-stop, so I had to stop him. My cheeks were hurting due to smiling continuously. He even asked for my number, but unfortunately, I had to refuse him.

Even if I liked his attitude, I was meeting him for the first time. He was understanding of my concern and didn't push for it. As it had been long since I took my leave, I knew my friends would get worried if I didn't return soon.

I told Nuke the same, and he nodded. He and his friends accompanied me inside, and we parted ways before I went to the front row seats. I protected the rose from the crowd and sighed in relief as I successfully managed to keep it intact.

Once I reached my seat, I showed the rose to my friends.

"What the...? Who gave it to you?" Akki asked in shock.

"Nuke gave it to me." I grinned. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Wow, girls are so lucky!" Rehman said in jealousy. "They always get flowers and special treatment, while we don't get anything. Life is unfair."

"You want it?" I asked Rehman.

He waved his hand in dismissal. "No thanks. Keep it. It is the first and the last time that you will get a flower from a guy anyways."

I slapped him across the head. He didn't react. The guys got busy watching the stage, and I kept admiring the flower in my hands. It was looking surreal in the dim lights.

In-between, I accidentally kept glancing in Nuke's direction, and a lot of times, I noticed him looking in my direction too. So, to not make things awkward, I always smiled at him, and he did the same.

Thus, I automatically glanced in his direction once again, but this time, my friends didn't let it go.

"Did he propose to you, Bhoomi?" Shlok asked.

"Of course, not!" I replied.

"Then why are you blushing?"

"I am not. Go check your eyes with a doctor."

"If you are not blushing, then why do you keep looking in Nuke's direction?"

I twisted my lips. "Because I am tired of looking at your ugly faces."

"What did you say?!"

"Did I lie? He is a lot nicer than you knuckleheads."

Shlok pulled my hair, and Rehman punched me on the back. He threatened that he will eat my precious rose if I kept complimenting Nuke and his friends. I moved my gift away from them with one hand and tried to push them away with the other hand.

"Shlok, why don't we just marry her off this moment?" Rehman suggested.

Shlok nodded. "Sure. She has no chance with her crush as it is, but she has found an admirer. Who knows if she will find a guy in the future or not?"

"Vibhan, tell them to shut up," I complained, but our captain ignored us. He was tired of us now.

Pratik joined the teasing. "I will match the horoscopes."

He began getting up from his seat to go and ask Nuke for his details. I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him behind.

"Don't embarrass me!" I yelled.

Pratik exchanged glances with Rehman and Shlok. I pursed my lips when the trio started dancing, while Akshay, Yasir, and Vibhan looked upon helplessly.

Pratik pushed me out of my chair and wiped his invisible tears.

"Babul ki duayein leti jaa... Jaa tujhko sukhi sansaar mile..." Pratik and Shlok sang.

Rehman put his head on Shlok's shoulder and acted like he was devastated. He kept waving his hand at me and wiping his non-existent tears.