And then suddenly, a raspy voice says,"There you are Amaira." And my heart stops beating.

    I turn back slowly, with my heart racing against speed of light, clutching my shirt and looking  around me to see if I have any saviors I can call for help. No luck for tonight, but the sky is a bit clear and I can see my surroundings alright.

    I am now completely facing the intruder, 'wow a good name for a story'.

    'Can you not be nuts for at least once?', my conscience scolds me.

    I ignore its comment and look at the intruder, or can I say Rahul?!

    "Oh my God Rahul, do you know that I was scared shitless because of you?", I say and look at him with mock anger accompanied by relief.

    "Oops, I'm sorry. Didn't know I would scare you. By the way, where were you? I was standing here.....never mind", Rahul answers while rubbing his cigarette against a wall beside the gate.

    "I am coming back from Aarav's", I say nonchalantly.

     I am taken back to the situation which happened at his house when I went to collect my bag. Who is Radha? Why was Aarav so reactive at her? Was she a mistress? No, her voice didn't seem like she'd do such things to break apart a family.

      'Aren't mistresses usually like that? Breaking apart families with their oh-so-fake-honey-like-voices and plastic-surgery-faces?', my conscience again takes a stance to against me.

    Whilst I am in the deep trenches of my thinking, Rahul shakes me and asks,"Umm....Can I have some water? My throat's all thorny-thorny."

    I reply,"Yeah, sure. Come in."

    We walk to my house and I start talking,"Why did you create that smoke?"

    "Are you asking me because you want to know the reason genuinely or because you care about Aarav?", Rahul stops and asks.

    I too stop, think for some time and say,"At first, it was because I cared about Aarav. But now, no matter how many times I ponder over it, I can't find a single reason for you to hurt him. So why did you really do that Rahul?"

    "Then do you think that if I had the reason to, I would hurt him?", Rahul asks with a slight bit of edginess to his voice.

    "Sorry, that came off as a little rude, but I wouldn't really know the answer Rahul. I mean, we're not that close. I don't know whether you'd hurt a person or not", I try to put my thoughts into words.

   By now, Freddy must have heard my words, so he came to the door and starts barking. I open the door and Freddy engulfs me in a big hug. I so love the hugs Freddy gives me, except for the times he licks me after I'm completely dry and snug. Don't say it to Freddy, it's a secret between us.

    "Whoa, easy there boy. I'm gonna die of my head hitting whatever thing's behind me if you go at this rate", I complain to Freddy.

    Freddy releases me and looks at Rahul. I too take a good look at Rahul under the moon light. He is wearing a black hoodie paired with black jeans, or dark clothes maybe, I can't make out exactly in this light, with a slight smell of tobacco arising from him and a depth to his voice. A part of his hair was falling on to his forehead giving him the sexy bad guy look. He then moves forward to shake hands with Freddy and it leaves me thinking of how good he is looking. The exact kind of care that I want, homely, warm and comfortable.

   'Do you know that you are supposed to be thinking of Aarav like that, not some other guy?', my conscience oh-so-friendly reminds me.

  Is Rahul really some other guy? Do I know him? Do I trust him that he wouldn't hurt others for his gain? What exactly is Rahul to me? Can people admire the way their friends look? Is it just....

    I am brought out of my thoughts by Rahul waving his hand in front of me.

    "Can I go inside?", he asks.

     But I am still lost in my own thoughts so he shakes me and asks,"Are you alright Amaira? You seem so distracted since you are back."

    "Yeah, yeah, it's nothing, just some thoughts. Go inside, I'll be right back after closing the gate", I say and go to close the gate.

    Afterwards, I go inside, close the door and leave my shoes on the cabinet. I should really wash them sometime, I think as I go ahead to remove my socks. I then go inside and see Freddy intently looking at Rahul as if it has a crush on him. What the hell? Ain't Freddy a guy? I mean, male species? Rahul is washing a glass at the kitchen sink. He then turns off the tap and dries the glass. Placing in on the kitchen counter, he turns to face me and catches me ogling at him.

   He comes to me and says,"Do you have something you want to talk about Amaira?"

   How can one have such a deep voice? Oh my God, I'm gonna die at this rate with hotness and confusion between if I like Aarav or Rahul. Or is it just because I had no one to talk to(mostly) and now I have two hot guys caring about me? See, I'm still lost in my musing. I come out of it and look at Rahul. He is staring at me, waiting for an answer. So I blabber whatever comes out of my mouth at that instant.

    "Does Aarav have a problem with his mother?"

    Rahul looks as if he is considering this question, shifting his eyes down, and carefully says,"How would I know?"

    Yeah, right, stupid me. How'd he know? It's not as if Rahul and Aarav were best friends since their diaper days.

     "Yeah, we're not", Rahul says with an unknown feeling in his voice.

     "Shit, did I say that out loudly?", I ask with an embarrassed look.

    "Do you know that red suits you? I like your face immensely when it's all red and hot from your blushing", Rahul winks.

   That sets me into a blushing marathon, where everyone was cheering 'Go Amaira! Go Amaira!', as if it were some competition for Guinness record for the deepest red and long lasting blush. I recover from it when I hear a deep chuckle from the hot person beside me. Uff! It's too hot in here, I should really go and sit somewhere else. Fanning myself, I ignore Rahul and go to sit in the balcony's swing.

    (A/N: IT LOOKS LIKE THIS!, EXCEPT FOR THE WHOLE APARTMENT THING, IT'S A TWO STOREY BUILDING FOR AMAIRA.)

   I put all the pillows to my right and look outside. The night is creepy, with no sound of vehicles, birds and any other sources. Ours is a particularly calm society, we moved here after I turned ten, and I had no acquaintances or friends since then. 

   Rahul comes to the balcony, following me, and shifts the pillows to my further right and sits between me and the pillows. The gap between our legs is like one inch and I am on my nerves, jittery and all. 

    "Your balcony's cool. I'd love to spend my time here", Rahul starts a conversation.

    "Yeah, it's my favorite part in this house. Just give me a good thriller novel or a movie, a box of chocolates cookies and a milkshake, I'll never ask for anything else the entire day", I laugh saying.

    "I can totally imagine that. HAHAHAHAHA", Rahul laughs loudly.

   The only thing I could put all my attention on when he is laughing, is his eyes brightening due to the genuine smile. In this beautiful night, I am certain of one thing. I am crazy about both Rahul and Aarav and have no idea about who I like.

***********************************************************************************************

    I arrive at the school early today, after feeding Freddy and having my breakfast. I should really take that guy to walk today, lest he pees on the flower pots. I sigh once again, thinking of my non existent social life. I should try coming out of my shell, maybe everyone's as good as Rahul and Aarav. So I make a to-do list and that involves speaking to one person whom I have never spoken to before.

    The first class is Social Studies and I am bored as hell. The history part is interesting but everything other sucks. I yawn again, controlling the urge to sleep. Deciding I wouldn't be able to concentrate on this class anyhow, I take out my sketch book. I conclude to complete the shading of the pictures I had left before. 

    I go through the book, and stop at the drawing I made in class a few days ago, a picture of Sadhvi listening to music and a guy sleeping in the class. I decide to shade it. Drawing has been my favorite past time since I was alone most of the time. I tried to do a comic but decided that creating stories was not my cup of tea after looking at the sea of papers thrown astray in my room, after half an hour.

   As I almost complete the shading, the book is snatched away from me, my pencil scraping across the paper on the picture. I sigh in anger and look at the person who caused it. It is Aarav. I am gonna freaking kill him today.

   "Why in the hell's name did you yank my book?", I ask seething with anger.

    Ignoring me, he says,"You draw quite good. By the way, who is the girl in the picture? No, don't say, let me guess. Umm....it's Sadhvi, right?" 

   He looks at me with disbelief and says,"Don't tell me you've got a crush on her please. Hey listen up everyone, this girl right here, Amaira, has a crush on Sadhvi."

   What is this stupid doing? I look around and see everyone looking at me with mixed emotions of disgust and skepticism, with Mr Khan now where in sight. 

   (A/N: Mr Khan teaches them Social Studies)

      Aarav then throws my book on my desk saying,"Do not try to seduce two guys at once Amaira. It's cheap, and horrible. And don't go within a ten mile radius of my girl. Otherwise, you would wish you have never got to know me", and storms off.

   I am left with tears, my scraped sketch book and people mocking me. I brush my tears, pack my bag in hurry and rush to the wash room. There, I cry to my heart's content, thinking of the possible reasons Aarav might have done so. We were so good yesterday, now it all feels like a dream. And am I two timing? For God's sake, I don't even have someone to flaunt as my boyfriend. I hate you Aarav. This time, I am not gonna let you off the hook until you apologize. Suddenly, I hear the bathroom stall beside mine opening and I try to minimize my noises. 

    I hear the girl in the stall beside mine talking,"Yeah, that girl who kissed him in the classroom."

    Another girl from outside responds,"What about her?"

    "Heard she was two timing and he exposed her today in front of the whole class."

    "What?! It must have been devastating for her. But maybe she deserved it, for hooking up with two guys. Doesn't she have some sense ingrained in her? Typical bitches, fighting for attention."

   My eyes swell up with more tears, what I have ever done to offend them?

    I hear a new voice shouting,"I dare you to say that AGAIN!!"

   Then I hear both of them scurrying out of the toilet. I clear my tears and go outside to see who it is.

    It is Tacy and she hugs me, saying, "Are you okay Amaira? Stupid me, given the circumstances you would obviously be not okay. That punk Aarav, he needs a good beating from me. I don't know what crawled up his ass today. He's been moody as hell and shouting at everyone for no reason. I forgot the real reason I came here. I apologize Amaira, on behalf of Aarav. He just has this mood swing. Anyway, that's not a reason to do so. I'm really sorry for what you had to go through Amaira."

    "No Tacy, you shouldn't be apologizing here, it should be Aarav and I'm not gonna forgive him easily", I reply.

    "Gotcha, see how I'll play Aarav today", she winks and links her hand with mine, "But first, let's get out of here."

    Next two periods pass away with me paying no attention, and now it's lunch time. I'm tired of the whispers that start arising every time I am in a corridor. I sigh again for the nth time, and shut my locker door to head to cafeteria. I want to shout at every one and tell them it is not my fault, but in the end, people will believe what they want to believe.

    I arrive at the cafeteria to see Aarav jumping up in his seat, creating a scene, and shouting, "Who put that crawly things all over in my noodles? I really hate them, take them off!"

    Tacy and Trystan are laughing and they hi-fi under the table. Immediately I understand who has done that and smile for the first time today. Having friends is really fun and entertaining, they'll be there when you are feeling down, assuring you that all will be better with time. I shake my head and grab a meal set, sit at a nearby table and start eating. Now all the whispers and insults behind my back are faded into the background, leaving me only with a sense of something I've never experienced since almost a decade. Today, I have achieved my goal, talking to some one whom I've never talked to before, and I am proud of myself that I did that with such a nice person. Though I didn't start the conversation and if the circumstances were different, the situation would have been different, now I'm pretty confident of myself that I'd be able to open my heart to someone over a period of time.

    Tacy looks at me at some point of time and asks me to join over. I shake my head and give her  a smile in reassurance. She nods and turns back to Trystan, saying something in his ear. They both laugh goofily after that, looking slyly at me and Aarav. I ignore them, getting lost in my ocean of thoughts about my life.

    Afterwards, I complete my lunch and start to head off to math. Just as I am about to push the door, someone pulls it from the opposite side and walk away fast. He goes to Aarav's table and drags Aarav by his collar. Aarav gets up from the chair and looks angrily at the anonymous person. Then that incognito person punches Aarav on his face, Aarav falls back from the impact, and that person lashes out, "Stay. Away. From. Her." He enunciates each word by gritting his teeth and turns around.

     PHEW! *WIPES OFF IMAGINARY SWEAT* JUST COMPLETED A LONG ASS CHAPTER, JUST FOR YOU GUYS. HOW DO YOU GUYS LIKE IT? I'M REALLY SORRY FOR UPDATING THIS LATE, BUT I WANTED THE CHAPTER TO BE GOOD, NOT IN A HURRIED MANNER. TOTALLY NOT BECAUSE I WAS IMMERSED IN VAMPIRE DIARIES XD. JUST KIDDING THO, I'VE JUST COMPLETED MY EXAMS AND THEY WERE WORSE OF ALL, YA KNOW? I STUDIES SO HARD FOR THEM, BUT AT LAST, THE TEACHERS AWARD MARKS LIKE THEY HAVE TO MISER ABOUT THEM LMAO. WISH ME LUCK FOR MY NEXT EXAMS THEN! NEXT UPDATE WILL BE WITHIN 3-4 DAYS, KEEP YOUR EYES OUT FOR IT! UNTIL THEN, GOOD NIGHT! (OR MORNING LOL) AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE AND FOLLOW ;)