Drugged Love (On Hold)

Chapter Seventeen, Part Two

It was Christmas and Ishan had made up his mind to attend the Christmas party at school even if it meant loitering around alone and hardly talking to anyone. He had to make an effort to get some normalcy back in his life.

A week had passed and Ishan had made three other deliveries. He had now been acquainted with the whole city from filthy underbelly and cramped up slums to the swanky posh neighborhoods.

His wallet was brimming with cash and he had no idea how to make use of all the money he had made. He had bought new shoes and a new watch a few months ago he would never even think of getting for himself. He treated Reuben with everything he had wanted to eat during school for the past few days.

He dressed up and walked to the school. It was dark already and the biting cold winds had made people stick to the warmth of their houses.

The school had been decorated with a gigantic Christmas tree just outside the entrance to the school building and confetti which hung from school buildings. Streams of people dressed according to the occasion walked in with boys dressed in mufflers and sweaters while girls stuck to their skirts and legging underneath and jackets.

The main hall of the school was adorn with lamps which gave the place a warm yellow-orange hue. Bells and candy canes were hung across all the walls. The hall was lined up with rows of tables on either sides on which heaps and trays of food were placed. Soups and chips and dips covered one section while varieties of puddings and cakes covered the other. A hot chocolate fountain was set up in the centre of the hall was attracting students like a swarm of bees. The scents of the different delicacies intermingled and teased everyone to have belly full amounts of them.

Ishan looked around to catch sight of a familiar face. Students had already gathered around in groups and Ishan caught the sight of few boys, Reuben included.

He gladly took Reuben aside and caught up with him.

"Hey! How have you been?" Reuben said unusually cheerfully.

"I've been good. What's up with you?" Ishan said.

"Dude, have you seen Riya?" Reuben asked and glanced around the hall.

"No, I haven't but why?"

Riya was one of their classmates. The fact that Reuben had to do something with her was strange.

"Did I not tell you? I'm so close to getting a girlfriend"

Ishan was surprised and tried sounding "Riya? But how? and when did this happen?"

"We started talking casually and things went well---there she is. I'll see you later bro" Reuben went away.

"Alright dude, all the best" Ishan muttered and saw Rueben walk towards Riya.

Ishan always found Riya to be as weird as Reuben. She looked towards them and saw them giggling. Riya was dressed in a shiny silver jacket which attracted a lot of attention. She was just as tall as Reuben and had a slim body with broad shoulders. She was fair, a little too fair and had an unusual pointed nose which was not the only distracting thing about her. Like Reuben too, she too had little to no regard to studies. He wondered how they got together. It didn't matter much as long as his friend was happy..

Ishan was left alone again and he decided to munch on the snacks and have hot chocolate and looked at his watch. Fifteen minutes, he told himself and he'd be out of here.

The chocolate puddings melted in his mouth and the cakes were every bit delicious as they looked. Part of the reason why Ishan loved attending these sort of parties was the food which he'd never get at home.

He walked near the stairs to find a secluded corner from where he could observe the proceedings and sip his hot chocolate without having the need to make small talk if a familiar face came across. Near the stairs he saw a girl standing on the first step and leaning over the hand rail.

Ishan could not mistake the color of hair which covered the most part of her face and the slender body which looked too fragile at first and the soft hint of a smile on the angular face with the most tender features.

The rumbling rush of emotions that once made his heart jitter in her presence was subdued now. What had made her shun the company of others and seek a quiet alone place away from all the eyes and attention?

He went over to her and said, "Hi Elena"

The simple Hi was laced with a thousand unsaid words and remains of a feeling which Ishan had long since forgotten. She glanced up, as if shaking away from a day dream and Ishan notice a familiar welcoming smirk return across her lips.

"Hi Ishan! Merry Christmas."

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Hi guys, I'm sorry for the recent delays in updates. Now that my exams are over I will update regularly. Merry Christmas :)