High School Romance Revisited

Chapter 3 - The Return

I finished few pending works and instructed my staff to properly close the computers, wrap up the instruments and lock the doors before leaving. Generally I was the last one to leave my small office cum studio located in Southern Avenue but today we were meeting at Rai's home early for getting ready for Koushik's party.

We used to call Rai's house a mini showroom of dresses, cosmetics and accessories. She was the ultimate fashionista right from our teenage days. So whenever there was mutual invitations we preferred getting ready at her house.

I opted for a pink floral fish tail lehenga that I had bought from Mumbai during my last month's assignment. Middle parting my hair I straightened and left it open.

Rai whistled and complemented, "You look simply awesome. I should start counting how many boys will fall for you tonight!"

I laughed and said the same to her as Rai herself was looking stunning in an off-shoulder blue lehenga but then she always looked picture perfect.

However our jaws dropped when Chitra emerged from the closet in an emerald velvet lehenga. Her hair tied in a lose French braid was an add-on to her elegant evening look.

We were ready to leave when Rai's brother gathered us to take a picture, "Now that's a picture you must frame!"

Rai asked him to WhatsApp us the image as we scurried off.

Arriving at Marriott Koushik greeted us and we noticed him saying something romantic in Chitra's ears as she blushed. He took Chitra to introduce her to some of his special guests. Rai left to get some drinks for us and I spotted Koushik's sister Phagun looking clueless holding a DSLR as her eyes scanned the entire hall. Though she attended a different school we shared a close bond with her since childhood.

I walked up to her and offered to help, "You know that thing works magic in my hands."

Phagun turned with a frown but her face quickly lightened seeing me, "Oh Deepa di thank god you are here, maa gave me this camera saying I must take few pictures to show her today itself. I mean who uses these when you have an iphone!?"

I took the camera from her, "Well, I do. Don't worry, I'll take the images and then you can show them to aunty."

She smiled and thanked me before running off towards the bar.

I quickly took few candids of Chitra and Koushik before capturing few shots of our friends and classmates. Also I noticed Rai having a very sweet conversation with a guy standing beside the drinks counter. How can I miss this shot?

I went up the small stage to get a better view. Adjusting the frame I stepped back a little to get the perfect shot and clicked! That's one picture, which will be the topic of our tonight's discussion while spending the night at Rai's house.

Checking the photos I didn't noticed I had moved to the edge of the stage. Shit, I was going to fall. My eyes automatically closed but I didn't touch the floor. Instead I fell into a strong pair of hands. The warm hands were resting on my bare waist and realisation hit me as I recognised the touch.

My eyes slowly opened, as usual my heartbeat increased and my mouth became dry. I secretly wished I wouldn't spot what I was thinking it would be. But my wish didn't come true.

My eyes met his jet black eyes. Somethings never change and in that one moment I was revisiting my high school romance.

Flashback

I ran to grab my camera from the school bag. Once Rai informed that Koushik was going to propose Chitra in the school garden I couldn't hold my excitement to capture the scene in my camera.

I rushed back while adjusting the lens and when I reached I saw Koushik had just held Chitra's hand and was going to say those three magical words. I quickly stood on the boundaries of our school fountain to frame the scene.

Rai was already nervous keeping her fingers crossed. Afterall we waited for this moment since 4th grade. And finally Koushik said it. As Chitra smiled I captured the moment to last forever.

But then I realised I was hanging on the edge and any moment will fall in the fountain. Automatically my eyes closed but I landed in someone's arms. I opened to see it was Mahen grinning at me. "Why are you grinning?" I asked.

"I am just imagining how will you look floating inside the fountain!," before I could realise what he meant, he let me go and I fell into the fountain.

"Mahendra you moron!" I screamed. Though I was fully drenched I managed to save my camera. Mahen only laughed while going inside. Koushik ran after him, "you fucker you ruined my precious moment!"

Rai cursed him, "that bastard! I'll make him pay for this," as she and Chitra helped me out from the fountain. "Mahendra is a Bloody attention-seeker!" Chitra cursed as we rushed to the school's nurse's station for help.

Flashback end

As those memories played inside my mind a plead escaped my mouth, "don't let me go!" and I immediately regretted saying that without even thinking. Fuck! What did I just say and whyyyy????

Mahen grinned just like last time. Oh oh not good! But he simply said, "not this time." 

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So here comes Mahendra Ganguly. But what did he meant by 'not this time'???

Read on to find out...

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