*Aslesha*

I open my locker and start removing my books when someone taps my right shoulder and I look towards my right. Nobody. I turn my head the other way and find Rudra grinning at me.

"Majnu" I say scowling at him and he raises his hands defensively and takes a step backward.

"Whoa! Koi toh bure mood me hai. Aaj bhi" he says chuckling lightly.

"Whoa! Koi toh maar khaane wala hai. Aaj bhi" I say and slam the locker door shut and smirk at him.

He has a packet of Lay's in his hands and I take a fistful of chips out. "Hawaa kha rahe ho?" I ask and he looks at me confused. Duh.

"Moti" he murmurs. "I heard that Majnu" I say with my mouthful.

"Where's Pari?" He asks. "Her elder brother is dropping her today" I reply with the crumbs flying everywhere. Disgusting I know but whatever.

We reach the class and I go sit on my permanent seat. Shabnam is writing something in her book while Joel has fallen asleep on her shoulder.

How cute they look.

Mr. Keechad-uchhaalu has not arrived yet. Pari enters the class and I give her a small wave.

"Devdas, Paro aa gayi" I say and Rudra looks up quickly and gives her a wave. "Stop calling me names moti!" He says and then smiles at Pari. I turn to talk to her when I hear shrieking.

"Veer! You are a dog! Like how could you do this to me? Pehle mere peeche bhaagte rahe aur ab you are saying it's not working anymore!" the girl squeals and I recognise her as Viraj's girlfriend. Well ex girlfriend now I guess. I saw her clinging to Viraj a few times last week.

Viraj runs his hands through his hair and sighs.

"But you were the one who asked me to meet you in that abandoned classroom on the very first day remember?" He says giving her a bored look.

She looks around to see if anyone heard him say that and everyone did actually.

Bechari.

"How dare you. Like how could you say this! Like mai tumhara khoon pee jaaungi!!" She shrieks and I actually have an urge to shut my ears. Why is she shrieking so much, bloody hell!

Not so bechari I guess.

"That lipstick is actually blood?" Viraj says in horror, looking terrified and the whole class laughs as the khooni girls mouth falls open.

Did I just call her the khooni girl? Well I don't know her name, so I'll stick with that.

"Okay then I'll see you around... Um bye" he says and walks towards our bench.

I see that she follows him and comes towards us. "You won't find a girl like me. LIKE EVER!" she says, I mean shouts, and flips her hair and for a moment eyes me up and down and leaves.

"Chahiye bhi nahi" Viraj murmurs and I almost laugh out loud at that line.

After this little high school fight, our history professor Mr. Tedhaa enters. I forgot his real name and have started calling him Mr. Tedhaa because he can't stand straight.

Ya I have a name for every teacher by now.

He starts going on about something and I don't pay attention drawing doodles on my book.

".... volunteers for working in the library" he says and that gets my attention. "All those interested please go to the library after college you'll get more details there" he says.

I think I should go.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

"And lastly.. all those who want to get in the cricket team, hockey, football whatever, read the notice and meet the allotted teacher. Also many functions will be coming up.. quiz, dance, singing, chess competitions etc etc.. so you'll too need to meet the allotted teachers okay.." Buttha sir says when Rudra interrupts him.

"Sir carrom bhi hoga kya?" he asks grinning and the whole class starts laughing.

Joker kahi ka!

Buttha sir just avoids him, suppressing a smile and continues, "Just read the notice ok kids. Sab details mil jaayenge. And Rudra.. am writing your name under the nail art competition. All the best. Bye class" he says and I hear Rudra curse behind me while the whole class laughs at him.

Khud ke per pe kurhaadi maarne wala moment.

"Oh Rudri. I can't wait to see you painting nails" Viraj mocks him and Rudra gives him a punch.

"Bhai chal na cricket ke liye" Viraj says looking at Joel who shakes his head. "Naah .. am going for the quiz and chess competitions" he says straightening his glasses and I see Rudra roll his eyes.

"Tu bhi Rudra ke saath nail art me naam likhwa" Viraj says and the other boys start cursing him as he runs out laughing.

"I don't even know what other events are there.." Pari says packing her bag. "I have the picture of the notice. Here.." Shabnam shows us the picture on her phone.

There's just one thing that I can do in terms of talent and am not gonna do it so what's the use of looking. Then too I scan the picture and see the teacher's name for dancing which is in 3 categories- solo, duet and group.

"I'm thinking about sketching.." Shabnam says and Pari says that she'll go for the running and debate if her dad allows.

"Aashi.. you should definitely go for da.."

"Ermm Pari.. I think I'll join you for the debate one yeah?" I cut her off giving her a glare and then she realises that Shabnam is here.

"Okay so I'll go to the art's and craft room and I guess the debate and quiz people had to meet in the computer lab" she says and we say our goodbyes and leave.

"Aashi you seriously need to stop this yaar. Mai teri tarah naach sakti na, toh 24/7 naachti hi rehti" she says walking with me down the stairs.

"I'm not gonna have this argument again. By the way that debate thing, am not gonna participate. You go ahead and meet me near my scooty and I'll go to the library. I'm thinking of volunteering".

"Arre yaar! Tu aur tere boring books" she says shaking her head. "Yea whatever Paro. Get lost now" I say and push her away toward the computer lab and go in the direction of the library.

The library of WHC is just.. just huge and so full. With books obviously, not with students. In fact, I can see only 5 students in here and the librarian sitting on the desk. Why do people hate the library so much. I can spend my entire life here.

"Good evening Ma'am, my name's Aslesha. I'm here to ask about the volunteering job" I ask her and she smiles up at me.

"Oh. Hi dear. I'm Mrs. Rathod" she says and wears her glasses and asks me to sit down.

"So there's nothing much to do. Just when the lectures are over at 5, you have to stay in till 7 when the college closes. Help the students in finding the books. You'll ofcourse get a volunteer certificate. Also you get to read as many books as you want and take them home as long as you return them as they are".

Omg free books free books...

She explains me everything else about maintaining the register and shows me all the aisles of books and I'm literally jumping up and down with glee when I see some of my favourite books that I wanted to read.

Dhinka Chika!!!

I'm asked to come from tomorrow and I go towards my baby doll skipping all the way. I text Pari that I'm waiting and she replies that she'll have to wait another half an hour. I sigh.

I would have gone to the library again but I don't wanna climb 2 floors again.

My lazy ass won't allow me.

I decide to go towards the back of the college where the ground is. Our college ground is like a mini stadium. Like seriously, with the big ground, stands circling it, huge lights, it looks like a stadium. I go and sit on the stands looking at the practice going on.

My eyes land on Rudra who is stretching and warming up. Unwilling my traitor eyes scan the ground to look for a familiar face.

There he is.

Virat Singhania.

A man, who I think is their coach, is telling him something pointing to different parts of the field and Viraj is listening to him with full concentration and nodding every now and then.

Viraj - the cricket star.

I've heard so much about his cricketing skills. When he was in school we hardly use to lose any matches. He was the youngest player in the team. I've never seen him play but I've heard that the only aim the other teams had was to get him out.

Viraj out toh match khatam.

Itna bhi khaas nahi hoga. Ye Viraj hai, Virat nahi.

"Hey Aashi?" I hear a voice and look towards the owner of it.

"Oh my god Jay!"

"Aashi.. dude wow! I didn't know you're in this college" he says.

"Arts" I say.

"Science" he replies.

"What? Why would you torture yourself like that" I say keeping a hand on my heart giving him a shocked look.

He laughs at that and says, "Kya kare, dad ki ichha thi ke 'mera beta engineer banega'" he says in the 3 idiots movie style.

"Aise?" I say pointing at the bat in his hand.

"Cricket team me hu" he says smiling at me and I pat his shoulder. "Wah mere sher!" I say.

"You look different Aslesha. I mean I've always seen you in our school uniform. You look.. amazing" he says and I blush a little.

"Well thank you. And you look.. sweaty" I say making a disgusted face and he laughs.

"Maurya! If you are done chit chatting I'd like you back on the field!" The coach yells behind him and his eyes widen. "Yes coach" he answers but doesn't leave and looks at me.

"I'll see you around" he says.

"Yea"

"Arts right. I'll.. I'll see you" he says and I chuckle.

"Ha baba.. now go before the coach starts yelling at me" I say and shove him. He smiles and leaves.

Jay Maurya. He was my senior in school. During school our seating arrangement during exam was such where we sat with a senior beside us. Mostly I and Jay had the same roll numbers because of our surnames and ended sitting beside each other during the exams. He had helped me with so many answers. Especially maths and science. We used to just see each other during exams but we became really good friends. He is like my big brother.

I'm still looking at him and smiling when I feel someone's gaze bore into mine. Like when you know someone is looking at you. Staring at you.

I look to the side and true to my imagination, Viraj is staring at me. But when I look at him he removes his gaze and looks somewhere else.

Weird.

Before I think much about it, I get a text from Pari that she's waiting for me and I leave.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

Long chapter!!! I'm tired so no ranting today.. vote and comment if you liked it. Your comments make me post faster.. ily :)