The Zeroth Law

CHAPTER 18

THREE YEARS AND TWO MONTHS AGO

Time: 17:04                                        Place: Mussoorie, Uttarakhand

"Tanvi from St George's, as you can see from her uniform", reported a bespectacled boy with a prominent stub on his chin as he stole a peek over the parapet wall at girls passing below, "she is an 8, I tell you", he turned to his friends for their approval, a thin spotty one and other a tall gangly one.

"Which one are you referring to?" the thin one asked moodily squishing a pimple on his chin, "the one with straight hair?"

"They all have straight hair", the gangly guy said in a bored voice and daringly slept on his stomach on the top of the wall, "and they all have pale skins. So why is she an eight?"

"Because no padding", spectacles said pushing up his glasses with a smirk, "how about that?"

"How would you possibly know that?" the tall guy asked with a yawn.

"I heard it from Sam who heard it from his dorm mate who is best friends with the girl", spectacles answered smugly, "I am well informed as always my friend."

"I doubt a Woodstock will be best friends with one of the George's and if they really are best friends then discuss about his good friend's underwear choices in public", a fourth boy who had been sitting on the open terrace far behind the ogling boys, with his back rested against a wall and a book in his hand said. He was as good-looking as a sixteen year old could be with proper built, hooked nose and penetrating brown eyes. With the apparent good-natured expression on his face, exceptional brain he carried in his head and polite demeanour he maintained in public, he was one of those star kids who are liked alike by elders and the young ones.

"Right on the point my friend", the lanky one said with a huge grin on his face and his hand pointed at the star-kid.

"Well, if you are so smart then why don't you help us pick out the perfect ten then?" spectacles said with a clear envy-filled displeasure on his nose.

"May be he doesn't fancy girls", the spotty said with a cackle.

"Cut it out Shiv", lanky boy said with a lazy threat but the spotty, who we now know is called Shiv, immediately stopped laughing with his loyal eyes on lanky boy.

"Come on, it was just a joke", Shiv said with a nervous laugh, "it's lot better than what Rohit's been spreading about him these days", he said pointing at the star kid.

"What'd Rohit say?" lanky boy asked with a threatening look on his face and the intimidating bad boy vibe he was throwing off made it clear why the spectacles and Shiv were watching him with such devotion. Shiv stammered so lanky looked at spectacles now, "You tell me Fat Jesus, since you are so well informed about everything." All this while the star kid was least concerned that they had been discussing about rumours related to him.

"Something about his father and..." Fat Jesus broke off, probably scared he may end up provoking the lanky.

"Let it go Ansh", the star kid spoke up finally, his eyes on the lanky one, "there's no stopping the rumour mill."

"Who said so?" Ansh – the lanky asked with an annoyed expression, "I will have to beat some sense into Rohit the next time we meet."

"And lose your opportunity for that one recommendation letter which is going to define your photography career", star kid made a reasonable argument to stop Ansh from acting out rashly, which wasn't a rare occurrence. "There's only so many times Banerjee Sir can overlook your indiscipline."

"Teaching someone who is wrong a lesson isn't indiscipline", Fat Jesus opposed star kid only for the sake of it. He didn't enjoy the fact that Ansh was so close with the star kid and preferred him over everyone.