INVISIBLE STRINGS // SARAJ

tentative and tents

Savi bit her bottom lip as she went through her mental checklist once again, checking through her suitcase making sure she didn't forget anything. 

 Priyanka was sprawled over Savi's bed, scrolling through her phone way more relaxed than Savi was. "Sav, tension mat le na yeh sab mein."

She sat up and closed Savi's suitcase for her, ignoring the pleas from Savi, "And focus on how you will be dealing with Mr. Rajat Thakkar, especially all alone without your best friend around either"

Savi sighed, she had been doing her hardest to ignore that particular fact. It had been five days and she hadn't even looked at Rajat, let alone talk to him and now he was her supervisor for a leadership camp, "I don't know how I'm going to do it without you, I won't know anyone"

"Chal joothi" Priyanka squished her cheek, "You're one of the most popular girls at school, I'm sure all those geeky losers will be lining up to talk to you"

"Thanks Priya" Savi rolled her eyes, and with a final sigh as she flopped back onto the bed. "I'll still be praying"

***

Savi weaved through the few students that stood at the gate waiting for the bus to arrive, she saw a few people who she knew and excitedly waved at her when she glanced at them, and she smiled maybe priya's words were true. 

As she heaved her luggage into the compartment of the bus, someone bumped into her and just as she was about to give them a piece of her mind, a very familiar voice rang through, "SAVI?!"

She dropped her hands to realize it was Arjun, and this just caused her to dread this trip a bit more, as she realized that his best friend was probably near as well. 

"Arjun" She nodded, and moved away to find a seat in the back but he stopped her. 

"Not so fast" He pulled her back, "Dekho mujhe pata hi tere aur rajat ke beech kuch toh hua hai but that doesn't mean we're not-

"mere aur Rajat ke beech kuch nahi hua hai!" She exclaimed her eyebrows reaching up to the her hairline, at the implication. "jhaagada hua hai. it was a fight"

"of course, that's what I meant" Arjun grinned, and he leaned in just a bit conspiratively, "Tumne kya socha"

"I-mein I didn't think anything-" She sputtered to get an explanation out  but she didn't have to struggle for too long as he was pulled back, only to reveal Rajat behind him looking rather unamused. 

Savi turned away immediately, her expression hardening as she pushed past both him and Arjun to head straight for the back of the bus. She wasn't going to waste her energy acknowledging Rajat's presence, especially after the way he had dismissed her the last time they spoke. The memory of his cold words still stung, and she had no intention of letting him know that.

As she reached the back seats, a couple of students who were already seated straightened up, looking like they were about to move aside for her and a few students seemed to be waiting on where she would sit, so they could sit next to her. She gave them a single, piercing look, one that clearly said not today, and they quickly shifted away, finding other seats instead.

Savi plopped down next to the window, pulling her knees up and tucking her legs underneath herself. She leaned her head back against the window, feeling the slight vibration of the engine as the bus began to move. Her phone buzzed with a message from Priya wishing her good luck and telling her to stay strong. Savi didn't respond, instead pulling out a small photo she always kept in her wallet. It was an old picture of her parents—her aai and baba, their arms wrapped around each other with wide smiles on their faces.