Backstory of Tapasya Oberoi

7. The Pair: Part I

Tapasya thanked her stars profusely for the weekends for the first time in years. The unintentional attention she gathered on previous day was enough for her to know that her solitaire life was going down the lane. She and her father created quite a mummer. Social media and news networks department had to work really hard for the next 10 hours to suppress all kinds of news related to them. But few college students manage to escape with the news that an Oberoi is found with a freaking helicopter on the college campus. Avinash Oberoi came on a helicopter at the college campus!

Tapasya went to the arena. It was three stories boxing training center run by former national champion Meera Shastri. She settled in Mumbai and opened this boxing center twelve years ago. Since then she is training people from all the ages along with her husband who was also a national champion. They also have given some renowned boxer to the nation. Around some five years ago they open this arena to conduct friendly matches between some strong contestants. It is a fun since people really enjoy this with full zeal and it's not like underground boxing match. Simply an honest game with rules. But one thing was exciting that men and women do not use their real name and can compete together. They chose their opponent on their own.

Meera trained Tapasya professionally, with more discipline and more sternly. She gave her right direction for her anger and sadness. She saw her potential and easily convinced that she can fight in arena. But Tapasya politely decline, saying she just can't handle all the adrenaline rush in the court. She couldn't bear watch half naked boys and girls fighting each other. Still she put her name up for fighting but no one had choosen her because they knew she wouldn't fight.

She also like the place for a one silly reason that they don't allow any kind of jewelry so she had to put aside that chain and ring. It felt like a heavy burden put off of her, feeling so light. She, though, felt a little guilt everytime she put it off, but let it slide.

Usually her routine was same and boring, she goes to the gym, spend 2 hours in fixing her stances, defences and come back. But today was going to be slightly unusual.
Tapasya was at her locker preparing to leave when a voice startled her.
"Hey." The husky voice said, it was a male. He was standing on th other side of locker that is why she couldn't see his face, she didn't even bother to look or reply.

"Care to have a match with me?" He continued when got no reply. " I saw you are the only one who have no fights, Mystic".

"You are no fun," he continued once again, "Or are you afraid that you'll lose?" he really knows how to offend people.
Tapasya closed the loker door rather loudly and took a deep breath to calm herself. But when she looked at the man standing in front of her, her heart skipped a beat. The person looked not more then twenty years old and he was taller than her, over six feet. He had lean, but strong body but his eyes, his eyes were very captivating. Tapasya saw his Amber colored eyes checking her olive green one with different intensity. She squirmed inside and she didn't liked the feeling.
"Sir, are you trying to provoke me? If you are then I must tell you that you're failing miserably. My name is there because the owner thinks I am capable to fight but I don't want to." Tapasya replied quickly to end the discussion and get away from there.

"Okay, but we can meet up sometimes outside this place," he quickly added following her.
Tapasya didn't like that, the boy looked eerily familiar and she can't remember why, but one thing was sure that boy was doing things to her with just one look, his deep but gentle voice was not helping her either. She declined the offer as firmly as she could and left the place immediately.

*
Tapasya dreaded the Monday morning. Now when she knows that the whole college knows about her she couldn't sleep, and when she did she had nightmares, her anxiety was not allowing her to go to the college. It took evey thing for Avinash and Aabha to assure her that nothing will happen to her.
She entered the premises and expected all the eyes on her which was indeed true. She was about to give up and run away from them when Yaman caught her mid way. She hugged her despite Tapasya protests and lead her to their class.
But something was waiting for them there. When they reached their department's building, they saw a huge crowd adjacent to it. All the students were crowding something or someone. At first Tapasya thought they were there for her but she could see the person of attention and her heart started doing somersault at the sight.

"OMG! What is he doing in our department?" Yaman squealed in excitement. Looked like she could also see him.

Tapasya looked at her with a question. They were standing little far from the crowd.

"He is Rishi Agarwal. 'The Sexy Nerd' of this university." She air quoted and fanned herself, "Oh! He is so handsome in real than in pictures on social media. Mybe that's why he is junior Mr. Australia. He has also won fresh face award and signed a modeling contract with Globus for 2 years. OMG, look at him he is so cute in that smile." Yaman ranted everything about him not knowing what it was doing to her listener.
Tapasya in the other hand was shivering inside. He is Rishi, he was studying with her all along, he was looking familiar at the gym but she didn't realize he will be her fiance or sort of. "How do you know all this about him?" She asked Yaman.
"Duh, don't you follow him on social...oh I forgotyou don'thave any social media account. Everyone I know and everyone they know whom I know follow him, he has certified accounts in Facebook, Twitter, Insta, Snapchat and what not. Babe he is a sensation." Yaman sing song again. And he is her fiance Tapasya thought.

Tapasya straightened herself, she knew he was a big trouble when she met him.

As they moved forward and passed him Tapasya saw him looking at her, and everything slowed down, he ran his hand in his hair, red tint on his neck, their eyes met and stayed there for a second. Then Tapasya entered the building but the most surprising thing she noticed was the thumb ring he wore. She knew that ring. She knew what that meant. But she never thought he would love his girl this much to actually wear that ring in public.

"Wow Taps, you really are something. Rishi was staring at you continuously and you didn't glance at him, other girls would have been fainted by now." Yaman said once they were alone in the lobby.

"I actually did glance at him." Tapasya blurted, but before Yaman can say something she was interrupted by a voice.

"Hey Sugar, wait up." A familiar voice called. Tapasya closed her eyes for a second, but didn't turn.

"Hi, how can I help you?" Yaman asked, turning to him.

"Hi beautiful, I am Rishi. What's your name?" Tapasya can sense smile in his tone.

"Yaman, and this girl is my friend...." She was interrupted and Tapasya finally turned, it's rude not to.

"There you are, I was looking for you everywhere." A male voice shouted from the entrance of lobby.

"Sure you were. I was in front of you all the time but you never came to save me." Rishi squinted his eyes at him.

"Sorry," said the other male,"Hi there, I didn't notice you both, I am Rahul, his friend."

"Yaman."

"And you're...." he asked me.

"She is from the gym, Mystique, right girl." Rishi introduced her to his friend.

"What? Seriously?" Rahul said in confused tone. "She actually looks different from what she look there. Don't mind but you look a little fragile to fight in a boxing arena." He added.

"You fight in arena?" Yaman mouth fall open, her shiny dark brown eyes wide.

Tapasya took a deep breath and said to Yaman, "I am getting late for class. You know I don't like being late. Are you coming?" and walked away before anyone can blink.

TO BE CONTINUED....