The Chocolate Boy (Book One)

Chapter 10 : MI : Mission Impression - The Hangouts : Part 3

I want to watch this film so much! Indians are taking baby steps but yeah, I believe we can get there...

So yeah, I'm back from the hell hole called school. AND MY EXAMS ARE OVER!!! I'M FREE FREE FREEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Only for a week though.

"Tuhin?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you think that plain old chocolate cake for a Mission Impression project sounds a bit lame?"

"Yeah it does."

"What a confidence booster!"

"It's the truth! And by the way, do I look like a motivational speaker that I'll boost your confidence?"

"That way you'd at least have a job," he said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh yeah? I'm going to be a cricketer. Team India's fastest right arm pace bowler. What are you going to do, Ratatouille?"

"You said it yourself, sweetheart. I'm going to run a restaurant with rats."

What was it with him and nicknames?

"I bet no one will want to eat there."

"Yeah and that's because I'm never going to open that thing," he said in a 'duh' tone.

"No seriously, what do you want to do when you grow up?"

"I want to be a chocolatier."

"A what?"

"A chocolatier. Never read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?"

"Yeah but chocolatier? Like seriously?"

"Damn serious. I'll open a chain of chocolate factories that will produce chocolate bars, chocolate éclairs, chocolate toffees, chocolate everything - like Willy Wonka. There'll even be chocolate bubblegum!"

"Are we having a future talk here?" Tuhina piped in with two of her cronies. Well one of them, I knew, was Afzal, but the other seemed vaguely familiar.

"Sort of, yeah," Ishan started fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

The bench before us was empty. Afzal and the boy slid inside while Tuhina squished in, slinging an arm around the boy's shoulder for support. They all faced us.

She followed my gaze and replied promptly, "I broke up with Chlorophyll last night. Besides, he isn't even in this school," she added with a wink.

So that must be one of her boy toys as he shared a victory grin with her.

"Anyway, you know him, right?" she nodded towards the guy.

I returned her gaze blankly. He looked familiar alright, but obviously I didn't know him.

"Right?" She repeated for affirmation but got nothing in return. Did I know him now? What's wrong with my memory?

"This is the reason why this dickhead never gets along with anyone."

Tuhina glared at him. I narrowed my eyes at him and said, "What did you call me?"

"Not only do you have poor memory, but you are deaf too! I called you a dickhead, you stupid, idiot, sorry excuse for a brother."

"Hey! Stop calling him names!" Ishan said in a small yet shrill voice.

"You shut up, fag!"

So many things happened at once.

Ishan's eyes widened and he hid his face in his hands. Tuhina got out of the bench as my fist collided with the guy's sorry face. Afzal slapped him right across his cheek and my sister grabbed him by his ear, pulling him out of the seat.