Chapter 2 ~ Prelude

"See Selena dear-

I glared up at him.

Faisal grinned, "I mean Serra, dear... I don't know why are you being so difficult? You don't have to do anything"

I contemplated his words.

"That's a lie hahahh" he guffawed like a fool.

I made a face and walked to Dhruv while settling the big hat on top of my head. The sand below hindering my attempt to give Faisal storming past reaction.

The salty smell, the blazing Sun should be refreshing for finally having a break from the prolonged rainy seasons, instead it felt a little bothersome that I couldn't complain about anything... anything other than... Sahil and Soumya.

Oh, Serra...You are becoming such a nagging, whining character

I couldn't help glancing and making a sour face at where Sahil and Soumya chatted/ laughing together looking like a happy couple goals kinda insta pics. Close up views tell different story at least from Sahil's almost real fake smile.

Or I was just pacifying myself

I jutted my lip out stomping to the spot where Dhruv was in shorts and white tee dusting or I don't know what... oiling? the surfboard, with of course having a group ogling at him while he pretended he couldn't be less bothered.

I have decided I would stick to my initial plan that was revenge and once that is obtained I would move on I think so ..?
I am not gonna do the same mistake of thinking about anything else other than revenge. That's it!

I was back to the old post-trauma Serra the cold, impassive, and heartless Serra.

"Move aside Ms. Newton you're blocking the Sun" Dhruv muttered while still busy prepping surf board.

Going to the beach was Soumya's plan, she said she was giving me time to know each other well. I did notice, the underlying message behind it. The girl was sick for sure but it didn't hinder her from scheming and cutting me off the group.

I guess gone are the days where Villains were actually evil and devious from outside too now were the sick meek sweet type of, in trend

Gosh, I hate myself for thinking so bad of her.

Dhruv gave out an audible sigh, "what's the problem Ms. Newton can't find anyone else to bother??"

"Am I bothering you?" I asked in disbelief, I was just standing there and doing nothing and shifting to where ever he was moving away and casting a shadow on him while he was trying to focus.

That's it!

How rude!

"Surprise.." he muttered in reply, glaring at the board not even considering me worth his attention.

What's with him???

I noticed he was showing some attitude to me I mean he does that always but today I felt it to be some way too extra for me.

"Why are you being like this?" I asked. We were frenemies for God's sake!

"Why I am minding my business?" He said over his shoulder while walking off with the board under his arm.

I gaped....in confusion

Did he just walk off on me!?

"Dhruv you are being an ass," I told aloud following him.

"That's the part of my business" He added heading towards the shore.

I looked up at him frowning reading the slight edge to his voice. His picturesque profile accentuated by sunlight distracted me for a moment.

I looked front wondering, "have I done something wrong?"

He stopped walking then gave me are you serious? look

I turned more clueless then realized ohh.
I left the apartment days back without telling him..and we had this plan of going back to school in search of evidence I bailed on him and also Soumya gave me his number saying he wanted to talk to me. I saved it but never called.

It slipped my mind

Ohhh

I made an apologetic expression.
He shook his head and threw the skateboard in my face shouting, "what an ungrateful disgusting bitch you are!"

Oh yeah, he should have done that. In his place, I would have definitely done that to me.

Instead

He simply continued walking disregarding my existence.

Actually it was better this way, we back to disliking each other was kinda needed.

Though,

My heart ached a little remembering his out-of-character kindness..or likeness towards me...oh God I was delusional he might have had a moment of lapse or I don't know... Got bored of acting like an ass for a time being. It happens... I can understand.

I reasoned and placed a coconut oil bottle of parachute that Faisal gave me saying my hair strands could be used as toothpicks, to where Dhruv's stuff was maybe he could use it for the surfboard.

I looked around alone, and found Sahil looking at me he was tying laces of his shoes bent on one knee looking at me all the while. It flashes that night's memories.

I internally shouted at him WHAT ARE WE? TELL ME NOW!! How can you hangout with your girlfriend with having me too in the radius? Are you out of your mind??? Why are you not talking to me??

Soumya followed the line of his vision she too now noticed me and then Sahil, we staring at each other wishing to be anywhere else than in the same space.

I immediately withdrew my eyes away and continued walking away from their sight.. sighing, I was back to Faisal proving the Earth is round, he was in floral printed shorts and shirts being amiable with the girls in swimming suits.

"Oh look she's back again!" He commented pointing at me grinning. "my clingy friend can't stay away from me for long"

I shot him a blank look and slumped down on the sand, tired and despondent making sure to keep my distance from the chattering buzzing with energies teen girls. They don't seem much older than me. And here I felt like Grandma. Acting grumpy and fussy.

"Sorry ladies she needs me, I am her personal entertainer among other personal things" Faisal winked at them leaving and joining me.

Girls flounced off shooting me annoyed expressions.

I stretched back with my hands back on the sand basking in the sun.

"You are a mood buster Serra," Faisal said chuckling.

"I am on periods" I retorted side glancing at him

"Trying to make me uncomfortable using periods card?" He asked back, amused.

"Looks like It isn't working! you are still here yapping nonsense in those ridiculous clothes"

"Woah.. chill dear.. you are bashing on the wrong person" he shifted back

"Wrong person??" My eyes twitched with rage, "didn't you leave Dhruv and me behind by taking his car we were left alone in rain, and then things just turned worse after that and it is all because of you!"

"So much anger that little body is pent up with I know a better way to release it" he suggested stroking his chin sunglasses gleamed at the same time. He looked like a complete idiot and me too with his huge hat on my head. I took it off and threw it in his face he picked it and put it back on his huffing, "I was talking about playing ball"

I narrowed my eyes at him

"Or balls?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

I got up, he was just having his own fun by annoying me.
"I am going home"

"Oh, c'mon Selena dear we just started having fun" He called from behind with a laughing voice.

"I know reading books and lying on the bed cooped in your room the whole day must be more fun but Selena sometimes you should do less fun things too!"

"Don't call me by that name" I hissed.

"Then just do what we say" he hissed back copying me.

"What do you mean?" I frowned putting my hands on my hip.

He gave a harmless grin, "We got the evidence against Sahil. At school, we did a thorough search of the old camera recordings and found the one where Sahil and your Aarav were brawling, Sahil at one point looked like for real he would kill him. And you know this all happened the day before when Aarav jumped off the bridge"

"You- Selena or Serra are the last but main witness to close this case with Sahil being the one real culprit. Like it should be"

"That's unfair when Dhruv and you both are equally entitled to the punishment" I argued.

Faisal shook his head like I was an ignorant one," the fight, the enmity wasn't from our side it was solely Sahil's we were involved because we considered that bastard our best friend, and what did he do to pay us back!? He threw us under the bus while he roamed freely."

"He must have his own reasons" I muttered not thinking before speaking.

Faisal laughed, half amused half in shock he literally inspected me from up to down.
"Are you defending him, Serra? What reasons one could have for compelling anyone to kill themselves, to betray their childhood friends, to cheat on his girlfriend the true love of his life?"

I stared at him, hurt

"Oh don't you look at me like that! can you name anyone who could love that devil more than Soumya? Can you?"

I looked away with a pang running deep.
"You guys have known him since childhood you must know why he did so?"

"Oh, we don't know anything he just does stuff for no actual reason. He is crazy" Faisal whispered the last part, "we became friends through families and-- oh he's looking at our way Serra come with me if you want to know the full story about him"

I gulped, indeed felt someone's watching me.

I rubbed the nape of my neck, nervously. Chanting, don't look at him don't turn back. It was getting harder as Faisal and I made our way towards the less occupied side towards where it had big rocks gathered.

I did the mistake of just stealing a quick glance of him. He was watching straight into my eyes into my soul. I felt goosebumps crawling at the back of my neck.

Call me insane but it felt like he was trying to convey he didn't want me to go with Faisal or I squinted my eyes when I spotted like his lips curling into a slow smile. I gasped, I couldn't see more when Soumya blocked my vision.

"Serra" Faisal called from behind. I whirled around taken aback.

He rolled his eyes, "did anyone tell you Serra, that you are so dramatic?"

My face burned, I have been told way too many times and not to mention but theatrical was the second option on my career list. Though it was cut off when I drifted more to the emotionless side. Yet the inner talent was still present there it often surfaces up.
"don't blame me! You set the mood" I reasoned.

"I have been accused of creating moods, people often found themselves to slip off their characters when being in presence of this face and personality"
Faisal bowed dramatically and he was calling me dramatic.

"Will you shut it and move"

•
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•
•

I sat on one of the big boulders, low tides splashed against it. This side was breezy and it was turning evening. Dhruv must be enjoying his surfing and as for Sahil and Soumya, engage in having their so-called date and bonding time. If I ponder more, did Soumya actually call me to see her and Sahil play relationship? a shady move from her side to make me realise whatever I do he will always belong to her

I was beginning to dislike her.

I shook my head and focused on Faisal watching the waters with his hands folded behind his back

I pursed my lips, "so you pulled me here to show me your back profile?"

He turned back with watery eyes and a pained expression

"Oh shoot! I didn't mean to make you cry"

"Damn, something went into my eyes" he complained rubbing them off like he had extra pair of them at home

"Take this" I offered my hanker chief.

He gasped, "you trying to make a move on me Serra!"

I shot him a dirty look, "alright turn blind or whatever," I said pulling back my held-out hand he snatched it off immediately.

"Geez, Serra don't grow feelings for me I am a bad boy in the skin of your dream boy" he wiped his eyes.

I shook my head idiot.
My eyes fixed on the blue clear waters. They say blue makes you calm.
They say right.
I should probably get my room painted to the blue waters of the sea.

"From the time when he was a kid there was this underlying darkness one couldn't see it directly in him but you know you could feel like something was different about him" Faisal started.

I looked at him, sideways he wasn't there.

I looked back and found him sitting on a way too up rock away from the waters.

"Why are you sitting up there it makes it so absurd?" I commented.

"Who's here to judge?" he asked back, "is it absurd or not who cares! Anyway you missed my point".

"I didn't, please continue," I said, "be loud enough though"

"So like there was this spooky feeling around Sahil, he was different. Like when we wanted to prank on people my thoughts was like why don't we hide the person's eraser and he was like no we should hide his entire stationary box"

I shot him an unamused look, "that was different?"

"It was for a six year old ! Serra don't judge me" Faisal protested.

"I feel like you are wasting time there's nothing meaningful you have to say" I was ready to leave.

"God.. Serra I was trying to have a light conversation before getting into the serious one you have no funny bone in your body... okay so like I told we knew through our families we have one loaded boring set of families we grew to know each other through boring functions. There was this tall pale child named Dhruv who didn't talk to anyone but still had everyone fawning over him. There was this silly gorgeous me who talks so much and also had lines of my own fans and then there was this out of nowhere came kid, Sahil smooth talker with genius brains excellent in everything though might lack a little in looks department compared to me but still passable. And ...he had everyone hating him"

My eyebrows furrowed,

"You are surprised Serra!" he exclaimed

"Indeed I am Faisal," I said distastefully.

"Glad, I can get some meaningful reactions outta you"

I shot daggers at him.

"The mystery will be solved in the next episode of Awesome Saga of silly gorgeous Faisal" he made a show of getting up

"You are not funny," I told

"You are a bad liar"

"Agghhhhhh continue before I throw you in the water"

"Calm down dear, I have no heart to keep you awake at night thinking of me-

"Faisal..." I trailed exasperated.
He was freaking frustrating!!

"Okay...so everybody that is in our little group of rich and boring people didn't much like Sahil. Even though he was just a child a fucking genius child every father would be proud to have him as a son. But Not even his father liked him You ask why? Serra dear."

I nodded, gritting my teeth

"Well it's because he was an outsider and what rich and boring people don't like is an outsider among them. Someone who doesn't belong to their group, doesn't have that rich blood in them, he is titled as an outsider, he doesn't deserve to have any talents he doesn't deserve to appear so fucking likable he just doesn't deserve any superior qualities. He was an orphan. Mr. Rathore Sahil's father actually brought him from some village just to make sure that his well-established estate is in some capable and better hands that are in his control than his real deaf son whom he abandoned when he was born."

"We became friends with him because both Dhruv and I love to incite our parents. They didn't want us to hang out with Sahil but they never listened to what we want so why do we bother following their baseless instructions, fair enough?"

I stayed silent taking in whatever he told.

"We became friends then best friends because damn that guy is fun to hang around you don't feel any boundaries any limit when you are with him. We did whatever we want by being the character we actually want to be in real life. Dazzle, Dark, Dash. We experienced freedom. But like I told there was something off about him. Dhruv called me a dumb psychic because of course, I am a tinge of psychic just extra quality to my charm. I felt this dark energy around him nope you might think of Dhruv as the dark one because he wears dark clothes"

I made a face, "I never thought of that way"

"Ah," he smiled, "don't lie and be a pick me, girl, I don't do that, I don't like pink, I am such a nerd.. I am not like other girls..you all girls are the same"

I glowered at him

"Hopelessly romantic" he brushed off my pebbles aimed at his way. "so I was saying Sahil has this odd habit or you can say affinity towards miserable and you know... broken people. That's very strange" he eyed me pointedly. "He tries to heal and help them get out of it even though he doesn't mean to .. it is just you know an involuntary behavior where you think you will be okay by making others okay or by making others not okay He knows not the correct ways that's why he ends up ruining them more. Just like it happened with your Aarav."

"You were there too! You were responsible too!" I said getting up and carefully walking to where he sat calmly dusting the dirt off his hat

"I couldn't care any less Serra it was past and I have forgotten about it you should try too" he suggested.

"I loved him! He was my best friend... You guys bullied him you compelled him to-

"It was Sahil not us, not me," he said finally riled up too. He was missing the bigger picture they all were involved whether he accept it or not.

"So you didn't beat him in the music room?, I saw you there clearly it was you" I half lied.

He appeared guilty and uncomfortable then got up casually. "It doesn't matter, you only saw Sahil. He made us do that okay! We were stupid back then we didn't care much about our actions"

I stopped right in front of him breathing hard, the wind ruffling my hair, "your stupid actions cost someone's life! left someone miserable and you say you don't care about that? Be real accept your mistakes!"

He glared at me with hatred and or was it self hatred for the first time he appeared less harmless and silly Faisal, "I don't give a damn about that nobody Aarav or you. I am here to live my life without having this stupid case pulling me back again and again, Be gone Selena!" he pushed past me and walked down angrily.

I clasped my lower lip in trepidation, then said lifting my eyes with confidence looking at his retreating figure, "I would like to see you live your life Faisal after the same incident happens to your love one" This time I pushed past him while he stood froze side glancing at me, unsure .

It wasn't a threat

It was a prelude to what was going to happen

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