My Ex - Crush

Episode 24

Arjun's POV:

"How many of the day scholar girls from your batch came?" Praveen asked Sanjay.

"Sir, all of the girls came," Sanjay replied.

The boys from our batch were assigned to help with the courtyard decorations while the girls were tasked with decorating the classrooms. Third-year seniors host the symposium every year, and the juniors assist them.

I was working with Manoj and Sanjay on a sculpture made of metal wires. Vinoth and Arul were working beside us on another piece. It was the weekend, the first free one I had after working intensely on a NASA project. Yet, here I was, unable to rest.

Shalini and Sarah came over to check on our progress. "Pity you guys," Shalini said, sitting beside me.

"Yeah, you girls get to work indoors while we get barbecued in the sun," Sanjay said with a heavy sigh.

"Some girls are getting barbecued too," Shalini said, giggling to Sarah.

"Psst," Sarah signaled Shalini to stop talking.

"What do you mean by some girls are getting barbecued?" I asked Shalini. Sarah's signal felt wrong in my gut, as if they were hiding something.

"Umm, actually, the seniors are roasting Deepika," Sarah said, scratching her bob hair.

I took a sharp breath and looked at her. Deepika and second-year seniors was a bad combination. I thought third years would be there too. Now I was really tense.

"It's nothing, just a friendly discipline lecture. She deserves it though," Shalini said, smirking.

I immediately looked at Sanjay, who was also looking at me. Both of us dropped the materials in our hands and rushed to the second-year studio classrooms where the girls were working.

Deepika was standing alone near the blackboard, looking fragile and hurt. The rest of the girls were sitting on the floor, working on decorations. Meera, Lavanya, and Joshitha were giving helpless glances at Deepika from one side. When they saw me, their eyes brightened with hope.

I stepped inside the classroom and found the second-year senior girls sitting on the desks, chatting animatedly. Deepika didn't notice me until I stood in front of her.

Her eyes were red; she had been crying. My heart ached, and anger bubbled inside me.

"Arjun, come, come," Chinmayi said.

"Hi, ma'am," I greeted her, trying to keep my voice steady. I walked over to her.

"Look at your friend, such a lazy girl. Doesn't respect anyone at all," Chinmayi said, glancing at Deepika with disdain.

Deepika rubbed her nose with her hand, trying to hide her embarrassment. Shit.

"What happened, ma'am?" I asked Chinmayi, struggling to keep my anger in check.

"She couldn't even work properly. All that talk for nothing," Chinmayi said, shaking her head.

Deepika looked at me, mortified. It was painful to see her like this. I noticed the bandage on her finger when she tried to hide her hand. My anger intensified.

"And a cut on your finger is your best excuse for not working faster?" Chinmayi taunted Deepika, her voice dripping with disdain. Some of her friends laughed, adding to the humiliation.

"You guys, get back to your work," Chinmayi said, shooing us away with a dismissive wave.

I gulped hard and turned back to Sanjay. We walked out of the studio classroom, but my mind was racing with thoughts of how to help Deepika.