Stubborn Love

Simply Complicated

'I want a boyfriend' Silvi cried out in desperation, sitting on the lowermost stair of the sports stadium.

Sia rolled her eyes at the blatant wish, 'You already have one!'

Whole evening, they wandered around eyeing couples roaming hand in hand. Thanks to the widespread green cover around the campus, many carried out unspeakable business. In the scarce lighting, even the guards couldn't control the teenage hormones floating all around.

Finally, they settled to attend an ongoing football game in the stadium for 'sight-seeing' according to Silvi.

'Yes. But we have met three times in last three years! I want an actual boyfriend. Someone I can hug and kiss, make out behind trees and sneak out with during nights.'

Sia giggled at the wistful girl. 'You are shameless!'

'Dear Goddess of virtue, I am a normal girl with normal needs. You, on the other hand, are made of stone! With no feelings and sentiments. Don't you ever feel the need to be cuddled and loved and hugged?' Silvi asked, intrigued.

Brows knit, Sia went into a deep thought.

Just at that moment, the boys playing the sport moved out of the ground. Sia looked ahead, realizing the game had probably ended. Her eyes fell on Raghav, striding at the front of the group, coolly playing with the football in hand while he laughed and chatted with his friends.

He looked a shade darker than usual. Like he had tanned from playing too much under the sun.

He appeared energized by the game. For the first time, she had seen him in a loose sleeveless sports vest and shorts. Sweat still tricking from his face, over his neck and his well-built shoulder muscles.

Suddenly finding it difficult to breath, Sia wondered in vague distraction about the declining oxygen content in the air. Must be the effect of shooting air-pollution those environmental books talked about in school...

'Stop lusting, you pervert!' Silvi reprimanded.

'What? No! I wasn't - I was just - Let's go.' Sia whispered loudly. She turned around the scarcely populated stadium to make sure no one heard her friend's ridiculous comment.

Satisfied by the inspection, another stroke of anxiousness afflicted her, as she found Raghav excusing himself and walking towards them.

'Why are you pulling me?' Silvi asked irritated at the frantic girl tugging her arm.

'Please. Let's go.' Sia pleaded, standing abruptly, turning her back to the approaching threat.

Silvi whispered loudly as Raghav reached close, 'Stop acting weird!'

'You were amazing!' someone behind them exclaimed to Raghav.

Raghav grinned and extended a fleeting smile to Silvi while crossing them at a distance.

Silvi cheekily smiled back and once he was out of sight glared at Sia, who was now inspecting the ends of her hair with abundant interest. Thankfully, Raghav didn't halt and moved right past them.

Silvi cringed at the unapologetically impolite girl. She would not acknowledge his existence unless he spoke to her first? It's one thing to be headstrong, but this was downright rude. Not to mention, awkward!

.

.

.

'You look distracted' Vamika pondered aloud.

Raghav turned to her and shrugged indifferently. After a few moments, he allowed himself a casual glance towards the exit gates.

Distracted was an understatement. Her face literally colonized his brain from the last two weeks. A pair of kohl-lined eyes regularly featured with no notice between the pages of his course books. On other times, an ardent craving to litsen to his favorite song in one specific voice wouldn't allow him any peace. It was like he was always searching for something. He didn't know what that something was. But the restlessness in his irrationally reverberating heart could not seem to find an anchor.