❝Why are talking to me?❞

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Drishti scrunched up her face in confusion when she spotted Vivaan walking out of the girl's bathroom.

What could he be doing in the girl's bathroom? Drishti needed to know. She walked into the girl's bathroom and immediately spotted a sweat drenched Ruhi leaning against the far end wall of the bathroom. Dread crept up Drishti's spine and a shiver ran down her body.

She wanted to turn around and walk out before Ruhi noticed her. But failed.

"Drishti, I didn't see you there," Ruhi said. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"Oh, I was just checking if Shriya was here-" Drishti stopped, abruptly. "I will leave."

"No! Wait!" Ruhi's voice was desperate and pleading. Drishti stopped in her track. What more did the girl need? Irritation itched her feautures but softened a notch when she saw Ruhi's face.

She looked so broken and weary. The Ruhi she knew was full of life and sharp retorts at the tip of her tongue. But the person standing in front of her was so different from that girl. She was so lonely, wanting someone to tell her that she was not alone and that it was all going to be okay at the end. That she deserved a happy ending just like everyone else.

Drishti thought she could hate her as much as she wanted later. But for now, she needed to give her company. Drishti walked towards Ruhi and put a hesitant hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Drishti's eyes searched Ruhi's face for the truth. Ruhi sucked in a deep breath but soon, her face crumpled and a sob escaped her lips. She leaned her head against Drishti's shoulder and let the tears out.

Drishti was shocked. She stood their like a statue. But soon, sympathy for the girl overtook her heart and she wrapped her arms around her dainty, fragile frame into the wramth of her body.

Ruhi let all the tears out. The warmth radiating off Drishti gave her some peace. She stayed like that in Drishti's arms for sometime, reveling in her warmth and sincerity.

"Everything's going to be alright," Drishti cooed, running her fingers in Ruhi's hair. She grabbed Ruhi's face gently and tilted it up so that Ruhi was looking at her eyes. "You deserve better."

Ruhi shook her head. "No, I hurt him. Really bad."

Drishti's heart broke. She wondered what was going on between Ruhi and Vivaan. She had never talked with Ruhi before except that one time where she asked her what she had to do for the group project back in class 8.

Drishti was popular and she knew it. But she wasn't social, she liked keeping to herself and the few people she called her friends. She had dated only one guy before Vivaan, only because Shriya insisted upon her dating him. She never liked him but Vivaan- she did. She liked how Vivaan made her feel. She loved how his fingers on her skin made her feel ecstatic. The feel of him pressed against her in the locker room was intoxicating. She wanted to feel like that forever.

If this isn't love, then what is? Drishti wondered.

Ruhi had regained her composure and had left the comfort of Drishti's arms to lean against the cold bathroom wall.

Ruhi looked at Drishti in the eyes and asked, "Why are talking to me?"

Drishti looked at Ruhi, dumbfounded. "Why won't I?"

"Well, you are famous and I am not." Ruhi shrugged. "Plus that devil- your boyfriend hates me."

Drishti looked at her. She didn't know what Vivaan had done to her to have her call him devil. She wanted to ask badly but she was scared- scared that the answer might break her heart. She knew that Ruhi hated Vivaan but never in her life had she cried over him. She knew about Vivaan's nature and it was unlike him to stick to one girl for more than a few weeks. But she believed she could change him with her love. 

She also wanted to tell Ruhi that she had a huge respect for her. Even though they never talked, Ruhi was her secret idol. She desired to be like her- assertive, bold and headstrong. She had known her since class 1. And from then on, she had seen Ruhi and her best friend Suhana being themselves- free-spririted, fun-loving, and loud who didn't have a care in the world. Ruhi wasn't as popular as her- she agreed but it would be an understatement to say that she was an average high-schooler. All the teachers and her peers knew her. Ruhi was also quite famous among the seniors and the juniors. Ruhi wasn't famous but she was popular.

Drishti sighed. "I think you should apologise to him." She turned around to leave the bathroom when Ruhi's voice stopped her. 

"You should apologise to her too."

Drishti turned around, slowly and looked at Ruhi from beneath furrowed eyebrows.

"Who?"

"Why? Shriya? You have forgotten her, haven't you?" Ruhi let out a mirthless laugh. "For god's sake, you stood her up to go on a date with Vivaan."

Ruhi walked up to her. Her face inches from Drishti's. Her eyes were blazing with anger. "And you call her your bestfriend."

With that, Ruhi stormed out of the bathroom. 

Drishti stood alone in the quiet bathroom. Thoughts clouded her mind as Ruhi's words rang in her ears. Shriya. Her friend that she forgot about. She didn't even remember talking to her after going on that date with Vivaan. She stood her up that day and didn't even bother to say sorry. Shriya must have seen her with Vivaan or else how would Ruhi know about their date. 

Drishti felt awful. She was a bad friend who chose a boy over her best friend. But at the same time, a thought crept in her mind. A thought that made her feel less guilty. After that date with Vivaan, he was all that was in her mind. He clouded her senses. The thought, even though absurd felt real- Vivaan's love for her had made her forget everything around her. Even her best friend.

~

The corridor was buzzing with students. The inter-school competition was starting from tomorrow and would continue till Friday. Ruhi and Suhana would be participating in the tennis competition while volunteer for the chess tournament. Students were going here and there with boxes filled with various stuffs.  

Ruhi took extreme care to not collide with any of them. All was going well until she turned a corner and ran straight into a girl carrying stacks of paper. The girl, along with the stacks of paper fell on the ground with a thud.

"I am so sorry!" Ruhi squealed out. She extended her hand towards the fallen girl who gladly took it and stood up. The girl

"It's okay." The girl brushed the dirt off her clothes. "It wasn't your fault."

Ruhi gathered her fallen stacks of paper and handed them back to her. "Here you go."

"Thanks." The girl smiled. And then as an afterthought added, "are you doing anything right now?"

Ruhi shook her head. The girl had her black hair tied up in a high ponytail which bounced every time she moved. Her black eyes sparkled with energy and her pink lips were pulled into an endearing smile. A small nose ring sat on her straight nose which glinted catching the light from the artificial lights over head.

"Good." The girl grabbed Ruhi's hand and pulled Ruhi along with her. Ruhi let out a surprised yelp. "I need some help."

"Okay." Ruhi nodded, falling in step with her. "By the way, are you new because I have never seen you? But then, again it's the middle of the year..."

"Yeah, I am new." The girl walked into the auditorium with Ruhi following her. "They made an exception for me."

The girl put the stack of paper on a table. The auditorium was full of tables and chairs for tomorrow's chess tournament which was to be held there. She handed Ruhi a stack of chess boards. "Come on, we need to put one on each table and then, we will have to arrange the pieces on each of them."

Ruhi followed her. They worked silently until Ruhi decided to break it. "By the way, I am Ruhi Malhotra," she introduced herself.

The girl turned and smile at her. "Hiya Bhattacharya."

A/N- God, it's been so long. I missed this kids so much. Anyways, y'all might have noticed that Raima has been changed to Ruhi. The main reason behind the change of name was that Ruhi was the OG name and even though I, later named the character after my friend, she was still Ruhi in my head. 

This story is still on-hold and also it needs a major editing cuz the first few chapters are kinda boring and cringe. I mean if the whole story was written in a cringey manner, I wouldn't have minded but only a few chapters written like that is bothering me. Plus, the first few chapters also decide whether the reader should continue or not. Anyways, don't forget to vote and comment.