The Unforeseen Path

Chapter Ten

For two to four weeks after that incident Myra and Mohit never sat around each other. Slowly things began to cool off and it seemed like Mohit and Vikram too had developed some sort of peace between them. I didn't know any of it for sure. Because even though I talked to all of them, I wasn't really 'in' on all the information.

Although, sometimes when Mohit wasn't around, Vikram would make fun of him. Talk how he wasn't so respected or wanted in his current cool gang. And I would do everything to not punch his face.

Summer had almost come to an end and everyone rushed up to finally start studying and catch up on all the holiday homework.

Last few days before 12th grade was about to start, Khan Sir came up to Mohit and yelled at him for not solving a few Trigonometry exercises.

Khan sir was a person who, when in a good mood would be the most informal and funny teacher. He'd make double meaning jokes in order to explain a math problem (which surprisingly helped us remember stuff a lot), treat us like pals, talk to us without a filter.

But when he was mad, he was really mad. That anger would often be removed on all the boys of our class. He was really moody that way and now it was Mohit's turn to take the brunt.

After sir yelled at Mohit he looked really beat up, like a broken puppy in a pet store. I couldn't look at him that way. Seeing him sad made me sad too.

He looked so forlorn, that I had this sudden urge to sit next to him and console him for as long as he wanted. But I didn't want to overstep my boundaries. I didn't want to make it seem like I cared too much. So I just looked at him and said, "Mohit, just chill."

He didn't say anything, just gave me a nod. He looked at me like he somehow understood how I felt. Like he understood me.

***

A while later, when he came up to me, he was still in a foul mood. He asked me if I could draw some flow charts for his computer science assignment. He asked not once, not twice but thrice.

I was nobody's lap dog. I didn't want to start being one. But I couldn't look at his beat up face and say no to him. So I relented, even though I didn't like it.

Tanya and I were the last ones to leave the tuition classroom and Mohit was going to just sit there and complete all the assignments.

His bad mood had continued for far too long. Impulsively, I told him, "So, you're going to be here, all alone, by yourself?"

He gave me an annoyed nod.

Then I said, "Then we will lock the door from outside."

"No, Pia, don't do that." He said in an annoyed flat tone.

He followed us till the door of the tuition. I tried pulling both the flaps of the door from the outside. As I did that, he glared at me and said,

"No, Pia yaar, don't! "

I loved the fact that he was annoyed. I said, "Well, we are."

He kept saying don't, we kept trying to do it. Tanya and I both laughed and attempted to close the door.

Then he banged it hard enough that one flap was open completely, and said "Hey! Keep it open!"

Slowly I could see his annoyance melting away. He was enjoying our banter as much as we were. Then his mouth slowly curved into a smile. That was the best smile seen on a person ever. I never knew I could come to love someone's smile so much. Seeing him smile after being in a bad mood for so long, just made my day.

I just chated in my mind 'I made him smile! I made him smile!'

***

After I went home and open his assignments to complete his flow chart, it occurred to me what exactly I had agreed to do for him. I had never been one to complete someone's assignments or notes. Sure, I did help a lot of people with doubts or explained subjects to them. But it never sat well with me to complete someone's assignment. I had my own things to do and I wasn't anyone's slave. I just resented myself for stooping so low that I would end up doing this for him.

Two days later, our chemistry tuition was cancelled. I was supposed to give Mohit his assignment back. He had to complete the remaining bits and submit it in college. College was going to start the day after.

He messaged me and asked to meet him some place that was feasible for the both of us. We decided on a place and that's when I couldn't keep my calm.

This was the first time we would be alone after I had told him about my feelings! Just that thought made me really nervous. I didn't know what I was going to do or say. I didn't want to mess up.

Should I dress up an go? Should I wear my normal clothes? Should I dress in his favorite colour green?

I knew it wasn't a date, we were just meeting at a spot and we would go separate ways after that. I still couldn't help hyperventilating. Finally, I decided to stick to the baggy clothes I usually wear.

By the time I reached, he was already there. He told me, "You're late. I called you so many times."

"More like two times. And I am five minutes late."

"So, where is the assignment?"

It was in my boot space of my bike.I decided not to open it and irritate this guy for a while.

"Hey, not so easily! I did your assignment. Now where is the treat that you promised me?"

"I don't have money today, I'll give it to you day after?" he said it with a sly smile.

"What kind of a miser are you, Mohit? I am not accepting your treat the day after. I want it today. I know you stay nearby. You can walk till there and get the money. I'll wait here."

"No, I can't walk, you know I have a sprained leg and it hurts while I walk."

He whined like he was whithering in pain. That drama queen. He sprained his ankle like a week ago. It had to be better by now. I was so not walking into the pity party he was trying to invite me in.

So I just used his favorite word,
"Awww". I gave him a fake puppy dog expressions.

"Just give it, please," he decided to stretch the last word.He used the voice he often did to butter me up.

"Mohit."

"Pia."

"Pia, it really does hurt, I promise you I'll give you your treat."

I decided to finally give in, "Promise?"

"Promise," he said.

I removed his assignment from the boot space of my bike, which was in a carry bag. I was about to hand it over to him. I decided I can be even more petty about this. I removed the assignment from the carry bag. The assignment were basically 10 sheets. I handed it to him and said,

"No, you are not getting the carry bag, you'll have to carry the sheets the way they are."

To which he just laughed and agreed to just taking the assignment sheets. We talked for a while after that. He told me how some other girl was writing his environment journal and so his journals being written in different handwriting wasn't an issue. His comment made me realize how I was just another girl completing his work.We talked some more and parted our ways.

I couldn't help but wonder how easy going it had been. I was worried it would be awkward, but it wasn't. I had enjoyed every second of standing there, with him. I loved the fact that I could tease him. Maybe he didn't enjoy it as much as I did, but I didn't care.

These were just fleeting moments though, of pure happiness, that made my heart leap in ways I didn't think it could. What came after was an invisible wall slowly being tightly cemented, with a flap door that seldom opened.

Oh. And I never got the treat I was so solemnly promised.