The Wrong Number

26

7:57 am, Ruhan: Crazy Stalker, there are things I have to tell you.

Alankrita hesitated before replying and shoved her phone into her coat once again. "Hey, Anu, I'm going to use the washroom, okay?" she said to her best friend as they walked down the corridor. "Oh, do you want me to come with you?"
"No, no I'm fine," Alankrita said hastily, "Go to the assembly hall, I'll meet you there in a minute."

Anu nodded and continued walking down the corridor. Alankrita ran to the girl's washroom, found and empty cubicle and locked the door. Now alone, closed the toilet seat and sat on it, fishing her phone out of her pocket. It was a tiny cubicle, and her knees grazed the door and the roll of toilet paper was an inch away from her cheek, but it would have to do.

8:03 am, Ally: What is it?

8:03 am, Ruhan: I'm wearing a shirt. And it smells of Alankrita.

Alankrita had a huge grin spread across her face before she knew it. She didn't know why though. Just the idea of Ruhan waking around smelling like her, and knowing he smelled of her was amusing.

8:05 am, Ally: any thoughts on this new fragrance?

8:06 am, Ruhan:yeah. It's like mint and some weird flowery scent. It's making me feel woozy.

8:06 am, Ally:Lavender.

8:06 am, Ruhan: what? The flower??
8:07 am, Ruhan: how do you know?!

Alankrita almost straight up banged her head on the cubicle door. After a nearly a month of doing this, you'd think she would've figured out how not to screw up. With gritted teeth, she typed in a reply.

8:10 am, Ally:Lucky guess, probably.

8:11 am, Ruhan: dude her room is purple. Her cats are Dasharath's wives. Her dogs are ancient Greeks.

8:12 am, Ally:okay

8:12 am, Ruhan: she's so cool

8:13 am, Ally:That's nice. Now speed it up because the assembly starts in seven minutes

8:13 am,Ruhan: she's freaking awesome. Idk i can't explain it she's really cool

8:14 am, Ally: Is that a good thing?

8:14 am, Ruhan: I DON'T FREAKING KNOW OKAY

8:14 am, Ally: JEEZ WHY ARE YOU YELLING

8:16 am, Ruhan: BECAUSE I AM FRUSTRATED
8:17 am, Ruhan: ALANKRITA SUNDAR IS FRUSTRATING

Alankrita couldn't stop smiling. A boy was frustrated over her. Not just any boy. A super cute, smart, terribly eloquent boy.

Alankrita knew what she was doing was wrong, her conscience screaming that it was immoral, but she needed to know.

8:17 am, Ally:how do you feel about her?

8:18 am, Ruhan: the Fuck kind of question is that?

8:19 am, Ally: Oh my god quickly I'm going to miss the assembly. what are your feelings towards her?

8:20 am, Ruhan: I want to get to know her.

8:20 am, Ally:so do it, ya sissy.

8:20 am, Ruhan: ok :)
8:21 am, Ruhan: ur not jealous right? I'm still waiting for you to show me who you are.

Alankrita giggled at this. Was she jealous that the boy she liked was crushing on her, yet wanted to get to know her better but not well enough to replace her? No, no she was not.

8:23 am, Ally: nope. Not the slightest bit jealous.

8:24 am, Ruhan: thank. You. So. Much. Should I sit with her during lunch? Do you think she'll like that?

Would she like that?

8:24 am, Ally: totally. She would totally like that. Believe me. Also: you made me miss the prayer.

Alankrita exited the cubicle and power-walked straight to the assembly hall, flinching away from the disapproving look Vimala ma'am, a chemistry teacher, gave her when she handed her a tardy note. During her lectures, half her brain couldn't wait for lunch. The other half was finding it hard to keep her conscience quiet.

*****