Bloodied Guns Ardent Kisses

Chapter Eight - Reunion

Avinav's POV

I stood amongst a crowd of people, dazzling lights and blasting music, friends reconciling, couples dancing, people were allowed to have a plus one, at least those who were initially allowed to, were. I looked around, chewing on some food as slow music began playing, hinting at couples to start cheesy dances. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. A group of my old classmates waved to me, signalling me to come over to where they were standing.

I put my plate down, wiped my hand with a tissue and tried to smile as much as I could, I dragged my reluctant feet towards them. "Oh my God, Avinav! I didn't think you'd attend!" A girl exclaimed. I put on a fake smile. "Why would you think that, Kiara?" I asked and she flinched, almost surprised that I actually remembered her name. Why would I not? She was the biggest two faced bitch I had ever seen in my life. Always giving back handed compliments drenched in honey and sugar. "Well, you were such a studious kid, barely ever doing anything fun, never hanging out with your..." She paused, a smirk creeping up his face. Come on, Kiara. I refused to believe that you have changed I know you have it in you. "Your friends, as you liked to address them." She completed.

There we go. I knew she still had it in her. She knew how many 'friends' I had and how naively I simply addressed them as one. They used me for grades, tutoring or therapy sessions or money if they were feeling so. She knew it, they knew it, the whole school knew, heck even I knew it, but decided to keep quiet, desperate for some sort of friendship, be it a parasitic one. I gave her a smile. "Ofcourse. I had to make a career." I smiled back as I could tell I hit a nerve. I had just heard a group of people talking about how Kiara had recently lost her job due to HR finding out that she was underqualified to what she boasted on her resume.

Another of my old classmates chimed in, trying to avoid any bloodshed. "Say, Avinav, you must be so happy right now, huh? You got your dream job, a lot of money and practically everything you dreamed for. The only thing you are missing is now a wife, huh? " He smirked, playfully elbowing me, wiggling his eyebrows. It struck Kiara the wrong way, I could tell but she didn't say anything. "Happy...yes, I am." I plastered on a fake smile and they all smiled back. I had practically mastered the art of faking a smile, or maybe people were so damn foolish that they don't realise that I fake my smile, or maybe...nobody just cares enough to do so. "Getting a wife won't be that hard for Mr. Perfect, he is a sight for the sore eyes, such a handsome man." Said one of my old classmates. "Wah, look at Mr. Perfect, showing off his life on us. He had it so easy." Chuckled another one of my friends. "He was born perfect!" Another one commented. That. Hit. Me. Hard.

Born perfect? I'm sorry, I was born perfect? They think the moment I exited my mother's womb, everything just fell into my arms? The perfect grades that I worked for in highschool were just a game of fate, as if I didn't live on three hours of sleep every day, working my ass off for a perfect score. As if I cried for that one single mark for attention and not because I was sacrificing everything else including my social life, my mental health, my hobbies and myself to study for every fucking mark that I got. As if I wasn't drowning myself in school work just to make my parents proud, as if I didn't break my bones, trying to be perfect in every sport, as if I didn't work to ace everything that was thrown at me to do because people just assumed that I was perfect and could do everything that was thrown at me. As if I'm not working my ass off every single day to earn every single penny that I earn, being the ray of "sunshine" as they like to say. As if I haven't sacrificed EVERYTHING in my life, just to remain P. E. R. F. E. C. T.

"AVINAV!?" Came a yell at me, as I snapped out of my thoughts. It seemed to be the same classmate. "Are you okay? You were zoning out hard?" He asked as I gave him a bright smile. "Ofcourse. Whenever am I not alright?" I asked, resisting the urge to tear up. "Haha. True. The perfect golden man is always perfect." He spoke. I looked at my palm as he continued talking to the other classmates. Whatever, it didn't matter anymore. I might not have been born perfect, but I was born to be perfect. At least that is what my parents wanted me to become. A perfect, rule abiding man, always shining as bright as the sun. That's what I'm meant to be. The perfect child for my parents, the perfect student, the perfect colleague and the perfect man.