DIL HAAREYA

CHAPTER 3 : THE WHATSAPP GROUP

Chai mein dooba biscuit ho gaya
Main to ainvayi ainvayi ainvayi ainvayi lutt gaya
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Shreyas

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring in my ear, the morning sunlight streaming through the window and casting a warm glow over my room. I groggily reached over to turn it off and sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I thought about the previous day's events, my argument with Aarna still fresh in my mind. I shrugged it off, focusing on the day ahead.

After freshening up, I pulled out my phone and started creating a WhatsApp group for our batch which my professor asked me to do yesterday itself but of course, I forgot.

ALL THANKS TO THAT 5 FOOT AAFAT ! 

I added all the contacts I had collected the previous day, but one name was missing - Aarna. I hadn't asked for her number after our argument, and I didn't feel like going out of my way to get it now so I shrugged it off.

I saved the group and put my phone away, heading to the hostel mess for breakfast. Rishabh was already there, sipping on a cup of coffee. The mess was bustling with students, the sound of chatter and clinking utensils filling the air. I took a deep breath, savoring the smell of freshly cooked food.

"Hey" Rishabh said, as I sat down beside him. "What's up?"

"Just making a WhatsApp group for our batch," I replied, pouring myself a bowl of cereal. The milk was cold and nice, and I took a moment to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. This might not be the perfect breakfast like at home, but it was refreshing. Liberating. It is where I belong now and I already love it here.

Rishabh raised an eyebrow breaking my chain of thoughts. "And Aarna's not in it?"

I shrugged. "Didn't ask for her number."

Rishabh chuckled. "Why are you intentionally trying to make her mad knowing she hates you already and it's just the second day?"

Chewing on the cereals I replied, "I don't know, it's fun. Seeing anger on her face, she goes almost red."
I swear I felt my lips curling up on the thought of her shouting out when she finds out that i didn't add her.
Do I care about her shouting ? Of course not. Do I want to see her getting angry on me and gritting her teeth while glaring ? HECK YES.

We finished breakfast and headed to class, the sun beating down on us as we walked. As we walked in, I saw Aarna sitting at a table near the front, her eyes fixed intently on the teacher. She caught my eye and raised an eyebrow, a hint of annoyance on her face. I smirked and looked away, taking my seat beside Rishabh.

Aarna got up and walked over to our table, her eyes flashing with irritation. Her long hair swayed behind her, and I couldn't help but notice the way her eyes sparkled in the morning light.

"Hey, Shreyas," she said, her voice tight and a sarcastic smile plastered on her face. "I see you made a WhatsApp group for our batch. Care to explain why I'm not in it?"

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "Oh, I didn't have your number."

Aarna raised an eyebrow. "You didn't ask for it, you mean."

Her eyes narrowed as she thought of the next reply, but she didn't push the issue. "Fine. Add me to the group."

I pulled out my phone and added Aarna's number to the group. As I saved her contact, I couldn't resist changing her name to "AAFAT" (trouble). A sly smile spread across my face as I thought about how she previous reaction. This girl is amusing. I had a feeling that this was just the beginning of a long and complicated journey with Aarna.

Rishabh noticed the contact and chuckled. "You're asking for trouble, man."

I smirked, feeling a sense of satisfaction. "Oh, I'm just getting started."

As the class started, I tried to focus on the lecture, but my mind kept wandering back to Aarna. I couldn't help but wonder what lay beneath her tough exterior. Was she always this prickly, or was there something more to her? But wait a minute, why was I even thinking about her that too in middle of a damn important class. Ugh I should stop..

After the lecture, Rishabh and I walked out of the classroom, discussing the nuances of contract law. We ran into Yuvaani, Aarna's best friend, which we concluded from yesterday's meeting in the canteen. She was sitting on a bench, typing away on her laptop. The corridor was quiet, the only sound being the clicking of Yuvaani's keyboard.

"Hey, guys, Rishabh right ? And you are the one who ruined Aarna's mood" she said chuckling, looking up. "What's up?"

Rishabh and I chuckled and sat down beside her, and I asked, "Ah I guess you are right about that. So, Yuvaani, what's the deal with Aarna? She seems pretty...prickly."

Yuvaani smiled. "Oh, Aarna's a sweetheart once you get to know her. She's just a bit... guarded. Don't mind her attitude; she's nice in reality."

I raised my hands in mock surrender. "I mean whatever you say. But she definitely does not seem sweet. She's a literal human bulldozer. A trouble. Aafat hai yaar poori tumhari dost. "
(She's a whole lotta trouble)

Yuvaani laughed out loud. "What can I say, wait and you might see. "

As we chatted, I noticed a commotion near the notice board. I got up to see what was going on as I saw Aarna walking up to the board as well, she stood beside me trying to get on her toes to read the board which made me chuckle but she probably did not hear it. Our shoulders brushed as we struggled to read the notice. I felt a jolt of electricity at the touch, and Aarna's eyes met mine, a competitive glint in them. The notice was about an upcoming moot court competition, and I could sense her determination to win.
This is gonna be interesting. Aarna is gonna be a good rival seemingly. I smirked just thinking about it as I ran fingers through my hair while looking at her.

I could feel the tension between us, and I knew that this was just the beginning of a fierce academic rivalry. Aarna's eyes seemed to bore into mine, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. As much as I'd hate to accept it, she had something in her eyes which made me want to willingly get intimated by gazing into them and never looking away.

Just then, our teacher walked up to us. "Ah, excellent! I see you're both interested in the moot court competition. I have some good news for you - you'll be paired together for the competition."

My eyes widened in surprise, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Aarna and I exchanged a look, and I could sense her reluctance to be paired with me. But the professor just smiled and said, "I think you two will make a great team. You'll learn a lot from each other. I saw your letter of recommendations from your schools and they are pretty impressive i must say. "

As the professor walked away, Aarna turned to me and said, "Well, looks like we're stuck together."

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. "I guess so."

Aarna raised an eyebrow. "You're not exactly thrilled about this, are you?"

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. But before I could say anything, Aarna just smiled sarcastically and said, "Don't worry, I'll try not to make it too painful for you."

I rolled my eyes, feeling a spark of irritation. But as I looked into Aarna's eyes, I saw something there that gave me pause. It was a glimmer of amusement, a hint of playfulness that I hadn't seen before. And for a moment, I forgot about our rivalry and just saw her - saw the person behind the prickly exterior.

As we stood there, locked in a silent understanding, I felt a sense of trepidation. What had I just gotten myself into?
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Hiiii cutus ! Sorry for the long long delay but here we go with the third chapter. I hope y'all like it, please don't forget to vote and comment. It really means a lot. Sending love and good vibes to all of you.
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