Clean Bowled

Chapter 23

The weekend passed so quickly and it's already Monday. I hate Mondays. Kitni stupid baat hai ye. Monday to Friday 5 din aur Friday to Monday bass 2 din? Not fair!

But college me bahot maza aata hai unlike school. Mera itna awesome group banaa hai ke jaane ke liye bore bhi nahi hota. Actually, I love going to college. Na not college, I love meeting my friends there.

I look at myself in the mirror trying to clip my hair in a nice updo but it doesn't work. Gah whatever.. I just tie them up in a high ponytail. I'm ready to go. I pack two lunch boxes and leave for college.

I and Pari enter the college together. I notice everyone giving me glances and gossiping whenever I walk past them. Not all glances are good though, some are kind and encouraging and some filled with anger and scorn.

I guess it's because of me getting selected. I try to avoid them and get to class. Everyone except Viraj is here. I'm about to ask Rudra about him but Galaa Faadu enters the class.

How will I bear this torture without Viraj by my side. Viraj calls him a Fattaa hua Speaker. I laugh thinking about that name.

Where is this dumbass? Bimaar hai kya? Baap re jyada toh nahi bimaar hai..

Shut up Aslesha. Confirm pata bhi nahi kuch and dimaag dauda rahi hai.

Just then from the corner of my eye I see Viraj standing by the door. He hides back for a while and I look at him curiously.

Kya kar raha hai ye?

When Galaa faadu turns around towards the board to write something he quickly sneaks in and swiftly sits beside me as there is snickering in the whole class.

He lets out a sigh of relief as I shake my head. "SILENCE!" Galaa faadu screams and continues writing on the board.

Viraj yawns and puts his head down on his arms on the bench and closes his eyes.

"Psst psst" I poke him lightly and he opens one eye.

"Kya hai?"

"Why are you sleeping?" I ask.

"Raat Ko mujhe neend nahi aati" he says simply like that's supposed to explain everything.

He didn't say kal neend nahi aayi ya aise kuch. 'Raat ko neend nahi aati' matlab it's a general thing. Lekin kyu? Mujhe toh kabhi bhi kahi bhi neend aa jaati hai. Sleeping is my favourite thing in the world next to eating. But why can't Viraj sleep at night? Does he have insomnia?

I look closely at his sleeping figure and sure enough there is tiredness enveloping his eyes. Why didn't I notice this before? His blue eyes are so attractive ke unke aage peeche kuch dikhta nahi.

"I can't sleep with you gawking at me like that" he says his eyes still closed and I quickly look ahead.

Damn damn damn. Why do I have to always embarrass myself like that.

Viraj sighs and sits straight after 5 minutes and the lectures are too boring today and it's like waiting for years for the lunch break.

Finally when the lunch break starts it gets over too quickly. It's the usual. Laughing and chatting and eating and laughing some more.

When the day is over and everyone is leaving class, Viraj suddenly holds my arm from behind and I turn to look at him.

"Vo chudail tumhe pareshaan kare toh do laafe chadhaa dena. Actually 4 maarna kyu ki mai uspe haath nahi uthaa sakta toh mere hisse ka bhi" he says smirking a bit. I know he's talking about Trisha.

"Aur fir expel ho ke ghar baith jaati hu" I smile sarcastically. "Vo mai sambhal lunga. Lekin vo pareshaan..

"Ha baba. Nahi karegi vo pareshaan. Sab ke liye alag timing hai waise bhi. Mine is 6.30 to 7. Uske group ki practice mujhse pehle hoti hai so I get the studio all to myself" I say and he nods.