CHAPTER XX
I was completely lost, unsure of how I could possibly become a part of the recent drama. Suddenly, Aarvi's words popped into my head - Ranav was also a football player. I decided to call Aarushi, Ranav's girlfriend. "Hello, Aarushi? It's Sam," I said, trying to sound casual.
Aarushi's voice was warm. "Sam, Mon's Sam?" I chuckled slightly. "Yeah, that's me. Listen, I need to talk to Ranav about something."
Aarushi's tone turned curious. "Do you need to talk to him right now? What's going on?" I hesitated, my voice laced with tension. "It's just...Mon's upset with me, and there's this drama happening in college. Ranav and Mon are the lead characters, but I really want the male lead role. The thing is, Ranav's great at dancing, and I...well, I can dance too. But there's no way the teacher will give me the lead role with Ranav already cast."
Aarushi's voice was laced with amusement. "So, what do you plan to do?" I took a deep breath, my mind racing. "I want to propose a condition to Ranav. A challenge, really. If he wins, I'll back out of the drama and even resign from the student minister post. But if I win, he'll have to withdraw his name from the drama."
Aarushi's curiosity was piqued. "What kind of challenge?" I hesitated for a moment before blurting it out. "A football match. If I win, Ranav has to step down from the drama."
Aarushi's response was unexpected. "Sam, if you want, I can just tell Ranav to withdraw from the drama without a competition." My voice was firm. "No, Aarushi, don't do that. If Mon finds out, she'll be even more upset with me. She doesn't like my antics already."
Aarushi's voice was understanding. "Alright, I get it. I'll talk to Ranav about it." I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks so much, Aarushi." With that, I ended the call, feeling a mix of emotions - anxiety, determination, and a hint of hope.
It was late at night, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of restlessness. The warden was strict about not venturing out after a certain hour, but I couldn't sleep. Feeling defeated, I decided to head to my friends' room. Aarvi and Mahi shared a room in the hostel, and it was always easy to meet up with them.
As I walked towards their room, I passed by Malvika's room. My eyes widened in shock as I saw her embracing a boy through the window. I felt a pang of sadness and confusion. How was this possible in a girls' hostel where boys weren't allowed? Who was she with? My curiosity got the better of me, and I wanted to see more, but Malvika started moving towards the window. Afraid of being spotted, I quickly hid behind a pillar. Malvika closed the window, and I felt a heavy heart. I couldn't process what I had just seen.
With a mix of emotions, I continued towards my friends' room, trying to push the image of Malvika out of my mind. I didn't know what to make of it, but I knew I had to talk to her about it soon. For now, I focused on meeting Aarvi and Mahi, hoping they could help me clear my head.
I knocked on Aarvi's door, and both of them were caught off guard. Aarvi opened the door with a forced smile. "Oh, Sam! You're here?" I raised an eyebrow, slightly irritated. "Why can't I be here? Let me in already." Aarvi's smile faltered, and she looked flustered. "Sam, my room's a mess. Mahi's cleaning it up right now. Please wait outside for a minute. I'll be right there." Before I could respond, she shut the door in my face.
I stood there, feeling a bit annoyed. "Great, she shut the door on me." Meanwhile, inside the room, Aarvi whispered to Mahi, "Mahi, Sam's standing outside. We need to hide Mon." Mahi's voice was laced with concern. "What? We thought she was upset with us. What is she doing here?" Aarvi replied, "I don't know, but she looks pretty upset. Maybe she couldn't sleep."
Mahi suggested, "Let's sneak out and leave Sam and Mon alone?" Aarvi asked, "Why?" Mahi playfully hit Aarvi on the head. "You know what couples do when they're alone?" Aarvi giggled. "Oh, right. Let's go then." Mon, who was hiding, got hit on the hand by Mahi and whispered, "I'm going under the bed. You two need to distract Sam or get her to leave." Mahi said, "Alright, hurry up and hide. Aarvi, go open the door. Sam's probably fuming outside." Aarvi nodded and opened the door again, trying to compose herself.
As soon as the door opened, I asked, "Is the room clean already? Let me see how you've cleaned it up." Aarvi forced a smile and said, "Yes, of course, come in." I knew my friends were up to something when they acted like this. As I entered the room, I was taken aback to see a Ludo game going on, with three people playing. I turned to Mahi and asked, "Did someone come over? Did you guys invite someone?"
Mahi and Aarvi immediately went on the defensive, arguing with me. "Sam, you're accusing us? Do we look like the kind of girls who'd invite boys over?" I sighed, feeling frustrated. "That's not what I said. Stop arguing with me, okay? Let's just drop it." But they continued to bicker, trying to deflect my question. I knew they were hiding something, and I was determined to find out what it was.
I caught a whiff of Mon's familiar scent wafting through the room, and my eyes narrowed. "Did Mom come here?" I asked Mahi, my voice laced with suspicion. Aarvi's response was immediate. "No, of course not." But I wasn't convinced. I began to scan the room, my eyes searching every nook and cranny.
Mahi stepped forward, her expression defensive. "Sam, don't you trust us?" I shot back, my frustration growing. "It's not about trust; I know Mon was here, and I think she's still here somewhere." Mahi's eyes darted to Aarvi, and before I could react, she covered my eyes, while Aarvi wrapped her arms around me from behind, holding me tight.
I struggled against their grip, but they held firm. I could sense Mon's presence, and I knew she was trying to slip away unnoticed. But in her haste, she misjudged the distance, and our bodies collided. We both lost our balance, and I felt Mon's weight crashing into me as we fell to the ground together.
The impact was sudden, and for a moment, we were both stunned. But before we could even process what had happened, Mahi and Aarvi panicked. They quickly scrambled into the washroom, hiding from the unexpected confrontation. The room was silent now, except for our ragged breathing. Mon and I were left staring at each other, the tension between us palpable.
I glared at Mon, my anger and confusion boiling over. "What are you doing here?" I demanded, my voice low and even. Mon's response was dismissive, her tone dripping with attitude. "What's it to you? I can go wherever I want." I raised an eyebrow, my frustration growing. "You were upset with both of them, weren't you?" Mon's expression softened slightly, and she explained, "I was only upset with you. I came here to get some notes."
I wasn't buying it. "So, why were you playing a board game?" Mon's eyes flickered to the side, and she mumbled, "They invited me to play." I pressed her for more information, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Then why did you hide when you saw me?" Mon's face went blank, and she had no response.
I leaned in, my voice taking on a challenging tone. "Tell me, Mon. I'm listening." But instead of answering, Mon did something unexpected. She leaned in close and pressed her lips to my cheek in a gentle kiss. The touch sent a shiver down my spine, and before I could process what had just happened, she turned and strode quickly out of the room.
I was left sitting there, my hand instinctively rising to touch the spot where her lips had brushed against my skin. I sat frozen, my mind reeling from the sudden intimacy, and the unspoken emotions that lingered between us.
To be continue.....