Hello *waves frantically* Yep. You saw it right. I updated. Twice. In one day. Can I get a kiss? No? At least a hug? . . . No? *brushes of the disappointment* Okay. So the matter is you may see the word 'MESS HALL' in this chapter. Maybe you know the meaning but not most know this. It is just another word to describe the cafeteria or diner or whatever you call it.

Dedication to EmSlough since I love her 'Pillow talk pact' (now it's called Pillow talks). I read it when I was still a silent reader (sorry, Em) and till date, that story has the most realistic ending among all the books I've ever read (though it made me cry). If you haven't, try her stories!

That's it for now.

Enjoy reading ^_^

2020 A/N: I miss sounding this hyper ↑ :')

First posted: mid 2015 (?)
Status: <unedited>
<not proofread>

03
How about you be the onion in my stew and I'll be your alarm clock?

<unedited>

How the hell was I supposed to find the dining hall if I didn't want to converse with any of them?

I looked at the direction in which the majority of the boys where going. It was dinner time so they would be going to the dining hall right? Right?

I looked back and forth at the two corridors that forked from the corridor which had my room. And when I saw that both the corridors had almost equal number of boarders taking it, I wanted to punch a whole on the nearest wall.

Normally I was a very calm, composed girl who didn't get angry unless absolutely necessary. But right after I stepped into this school, my temper has skyrocketed past the stratosphere and I don't even know why! I'm constantly irritated and I seriously want to scream at the top of my voice to let out this frustration. And let me tell you again, I don't have a freaking clue as to why I feel like this.

Maybe it's the Testosterone oozing in this Testoster-zone.

Uthra, take a deep breath.

A deep breath.

A deeeeeep breath.

Yeah, like that. You're doing great. Keep it up.

You are calm.

You are very calm.

Like the Buddha.

Yep calm lik—

Argh screw it! I wasn't calm! I was no where near calm. Okay? Okay?

I stomped my foot as I pulled at the tips of my hair, groaning loudly. In the middle of a corridor. In front of twenty percent of the dorm's population.

Sweet.

"Did we hire a one man circus here?" A voice with an annoying drawl asked to my left.

I glanced there to find the other guy from the Dorm Head's room. What was his name again? Karan... I guess.

He smirked at me and in return, I gave my deadliest glare.

I felt a weight on my shoulder and turned to my right to see the dorm head.

"What do you want?" I barked at him and he gave me an amused grin.

"Well hello to you too," HHrithik the Dorm Head, said cheerfully but I just stared at him point blank.

My tongue was jumping to ask him to keep his hands to himself and not evade my body but I tried to control it considering I am a boy here.

Yay! The perks of dressing up as a guy.

Awesome.

Not.

"What were you doing?" Hrithik anna asked ignoring my glare.

Were all these guys here thick skinned or was my glare that useless? No one bothered about it even when though it was my best glare.

I stuck my nose up, contemplating what excuse would sound appropriate. Seriously, saying that I was looking for the dining hall when I was being this... hot headed with these guys would only make them want to make fun of me more.

"I—" I stopped.

Apart from the rooms and the dining hall, I didn't even know what places existed there.

I mentally face palmed.

So much for an excuse.

Just suck up your pride and ask him. Remember that you weren't such a brat before.

And for once, I had to accept that what the annoying voice said was really true.

I swallowed.

"I was looking for the dining hall," I said, my voice hard and my face careless so that I made it evident that even if they laugh at me, it won't get to me.

But instead of the boisterous laughter I was expecting, I heard a small chuckle.

"We'll take you," Hrithik anna said and thus with two boys and their stuffy, strong hands around me, we walked to the dining hall.

*

*

*

The mess was at the end of the left fork. It was a huge room which was filled with metal tables. Steel stools with a single leg were fixed to the ground. Each table had five stools on either side. Towards one corner, there was a counter where the food was being served.

It was crowdy inside since the whole dorm was present there. A big queue was present beside the counter.

Once we were fairly near the counter, Hrithik anna pushed me towards the queue.

I looked back at the two older boys.

"You not joining?" I asked as I took a plate from the stack present at the start of the counter, seeing the other guys on the queue do that.

Karan anna gave a cocky smirk and I had to slap away the inner urge to roll my eyes. Typical pretentious jock type.

"Food has already been served to us," he said winking, "well can't let it to cool. See ya shortie."

I didn't even bother to ask him to shut up.

Jerk.

The line moved relatively fast and I was soon receiving my food.

"You look new here honey," the big lady who was serving said smiling, her prominent red cheeks becoming even darker with the smile.

Wow. One female. Yay!

I smiled back.

"I joined today," I said and nodded as a form of goodbye. She nodded back before turning away to serve the next kid.

My eyes automatically went towards the direction Hrithik and Karan anna had been standing and I found the two guys on a table towards the further end.

They were already eating along with a group of seniors. They were all laughing at something and it was evident I can't go and sit there without them inviting.

I looked around the cafeteria searching for an empty seat. My eyes then settled on Ryan and his table. There were three empty spots but same went for him. They didn't invite me and I just can't go and sit there.

Hey c'mon! I was a girl. This was how my brain works. Just because I cut my hair and wore male clothes didn't mean suddenly everything was casual and everyone was friendly. I was a girl and girls were known to make even easy decisions, tough. So deal with it.

I let my eyes wander around the cafeteria to see an empty table so that I didn't have to ask anyone for permission, when my eyes halted on a ball of black hair which was rested on slumped shoulders.

Mission.

Seriously Uthra? Mission? Still under the fantasy you're female undercover to catch a criminal? Jeez.

I dragged my sluggish feet towards the corner table of this side of the hall. Right opposite to Hrithik anna's table but the whole room was in between them.

Rohan didn't show any form of recognition as I stood behind him, waiting for him to turn around and acknowledge me.

He didn't turn.

Maybe he didn't hear me.

Yet.

Or maybe he wasn't used to people acknowledging him that even though he heard you, he discarded it thinking you weren't going to come anywhere near him.

Even though this annoying voice was infuriating most times, what it said now was maybe true.

"Rohan?" I called mildly and Rohan's shoulders jerked as if someone just douched him with icy water.

When he turned around, all I could see was startled terror in his eyes and unconsciously, I staggered back.

His widened eyes started relaxing until they were back to their normal size. Blank and stoic.

I grinned at Rohan as friendly as I could.

The terrified look seriously caught me off guard. Never expected it in a million years.

"Yes?" a whisper pulled me back into reality.

"You—" I cleared my throat, "You think I could sit with you? You know, since we're roomies and stuf—"

"Sure," Rohan said interrupting me, flashing me a tiny half smile.

My heart skipped a beat.

It was so small... too small to see, but it was still there.

I sat across him and started eating. Rohan and I didn't talk much as we ate. Well, to be precise, we didn't talk anything at all.

Most of the times, my tongue was throbbing to start a conversation but I knew I had to take things slow. This making-Rohan-social thing was a little complex and it needed time and patience. And doing it all on the very first day wouldn't be... sensible. Or productive.

And that's how my first meal at this new place went. Sitting with a lonely boy, in a bustling mess, with no conversation.

Epic.

*

*

*

I stretched my arms not knowing what else to do. Tapping my foot, I glanced at the clock for the hundredth (no exaggeration) time. But the clock was persistent that it wouldn't make the time go any faster even though I was throwing daggers at it.

It's six in the morning and I was ready to go to school. But I knew that the school's gates wouldn't even be open by now and so was the dining hall.

Tsk why am I such a morning person?

I looked at the figure to my side.

Rohan's face wasn't visible as his face was buried in the pillow. The sight looked like limbs and bedsheets. Not a human sleeping.

I contemplated waking him but seeing that it was no more than ten past six, I left it.

Taking my biology book, I settled on my study table and flipped through its pages. But I knew everything that was in the first few lessons. It's just that my former school was a little further down the syllabus and those portions were just being taught in this school now.

After about half an hour, I closed the book. Automatically my eyes shot to the sleeping figure.

The next moment my eyes were on the clock.

6.43 AM

I think it was decent time to get up and get ready to school.

"Rohan," I called.

No reaction.

"Oi Rohan," I called a little louder as I moved near him.

Nope. No answer.

"Hey, get up!" I said as I mildly shook him.

Still no answer.

Was he dead or something?

I glanced at the clock once more and it was time he got up. Otherwise he would be late to school.

Suddenly a crazy idea flashed in my mind and even though the consequences would vary from instant death to coma, I brushed the warning and got to my feet.

Grinning like a maniac, I lowered my face till it was near his ear. Pinching his nose with one hand, I took a quick, deep breath.

And I wolf whistled.

Yes.

I whistled.

Blocking his nose.

With a startled 'ah' and a gasp, Rohan sprang forward, his hands clutching the blank space in front of him, his eyes wide and looking bewildered.

I stumbled back hastily as he turned to me, a death glare in his beautiful black eyes.

Beautiful? Even now? You're a loser, Uthra.

Suddenly, it didn't seem like such a fun idea.

I shot a peace sign. "Hey, you weren't getting up. See! The time is seven," I shouted defensively.

Rohan's eyes didn't soften as he took painfully slow steps towards me. I gulped as I stared at the tall body which was looming over my short one.

He stretched his hand as if he was going to clutch my collars. Or worse. Strangle my neck.

But when his hand was just an inch away from my neck, he dropped it. He took a deep, calming breath.

"Don't," Rohan spat, pressing the bridge of his nose, "ever do that again. Well, the pinching part."

And I did the stupidest thing ever known to mankind.

I gave him a big goofy grin and smacked both his shoulders.

"Don't worry, mate," I smiled, still smacking his shoulders with my petite hands. "Next time, I swear to drop the pinching."

Rohan looked at me as if I had lost my mind before shaking his head and walked into the bathroom.

Well I didn't blame that kid. Even I was starting to doubt my sanity.

But the grin was still on my face and even though I shook my head, slapped my cheeks and pinched my wrists, the giddy happiness didn't drop.

Now, this was fun.

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