Monday morning had me dressing with extra care. I was in no mood to talk about Friday night with anybody at any point. So I was focusing on my upcoming audition. I all but had it in the bag but I still needed to give it my best. 

I thought of the morning after the party. Vahni had been ecstatic at how the evening had turned out to be. Not only had she met Red Wagon but the lead singer had driven her home and had helped her when she was alone outside throwing up. My lecture had fallen on deaf ears because she had zero remorse for how she had handled her drinks. 

I refrained from mentioning how my last conversation with Angad had turned out and I meant to keep it that way. The last thing I needed was more drama. It wasn't like I was into him or anything, it was a drunken mistake and I would apologize to him the first chance I get. I am sure he did not find my drunken self kissing him attractive at all. Or, on second thought, maybe he did. In that case, I had to make it clear that I hadn't meant for that to happen. 

Either way, I was anxious for the audition because I had to sing and sort this mess out with Angad. 

When we were finished with our classes Smriti left because she had someplace to be. Vahni had her fashion society audition so I was left to walk to the stage area alone. I could see the Red Wagon members already seated on chairs right in front of the open stage. A group of nervous freshers like myself stood in a group awaiting their turns. I recognized some from the fresher's party competition. 

Siddharth and Angad sat side by side and Yug was slumped over his chair dejectedly. Shreyas was nowhere to be found. I debated on whether I should go and say hi or maintain a senior-junior hierarchy.

The thought of talking to Angad in front of a crowd did not appeal to me so I sat back and watched a few auditions go by. There were some good singers among the crowd while the others were abysmally bad. Some needed a little polishing. Finally, when the crowd thinned I walked up to the stage. 

Siddharth smiled at me and waved. He nudged Yug who looked up and saw me. 

"Hey! Elvis! Didn't think you were coming. We thought we had scared you off," he said. 

"It's gonna take a lot more to scare me," I said cheerfully, purposely not meeting Angad's eyes. That would have to wait. 

"Well, we would love to hear you sing something but you don't strictly have to. You are in." Siddharth said. 

"I think she should sing," Angad said and I finally looked at him. 

He smiled mischievously and turned to the rest of the juniors,

"I mean it's only fair. Everybody else did too. I think I speak for everyone when I say we would like to hear her sing " he continued. 

"Angad, c'mon. We all heard her sing on Friday." Siddharth said but I intervened.

"It's okay Siddharth. I actually insist. It's only fair." I quoted Angad pointedly and gave him a tight smile. He just winked at me. I narrowed my eyes, he was toying with me. I should have expected nothing less from a Grade A player. 

"I think I am going to sing 'I knew you were trouble' by Taylor Swift," I said and took a deep breath and started singing. 

"I knew you were trouble when you walked in 

So shame on me now

Flew me to places I'd never been'

Till you put me down, oh

I knew you were trouble when you walked in

So shame on me now

Flew me to places I'd never been, yeah

Now I'm lyin' on the cold hard ground

Oh, oh yeah

Trouble, trouble, trouble

Oh, oh

Trouble, trouble, trouble..."

I finished at the chorus and heard light applause.

"That was amazing, Elvis!" Yug cheered and Siddharth smiled still clapping. 

"Alright, that about wraps up our audition. Thank you, everyone, for coming. We will be putting up the final list by tomorrow so check back in. Meera, can I talk to you for a minute?" Angad announced and turned to me as he said the last part. 

Pretty much every person turned to look at me with curiosity and I blushed in embarrassment. This was going in the opposite direction of how I wanted it to go. I wanted it to be discreet drawing the least amount of attention to ourselves. Angad was creating a spectacle. 

I walked down the steps and up to him. 

"That was not nice," I remarked. 

He just kept smiling and gestured to the seat next to him that Siddharth had just vacated. 

"No, we are not sitting here, walk with me," I said and turned around to start walking. 

"Hey, I was just teasing Meera," he said jogging to catch up with me. 

"I wasn't amused," I said raising an eyebrow. 

"In that case, I apologize."

"It's alright. I actually did want to talk to you." 

"Yeah, me too." he said and took ahold of my hand, stopping me in my tracks, "slow down, Ice Queen. You seemed friendlier on Friday."

I freed my hand from his grip and looked around. We were on the ground behind the stage. I guess this was a good spot as any. At least nobody could eavesdrop.

"About that, I just wanted to apologize for the drunken mess you had to encounter on Friday. I can assure you it won't happen again,"

"Don't apologize, I have no complaints," he said holding his hands up, "When are you free? I would like to take you on a proper date. When you're not drunk." 

"Angad, no,"

"What?" he asked in confusion. I suppose he wasn't used to rejection. I would have to spell it out for him. 

"I don't think that would be a good idea," I said. 

"Why not?" 

"I am not looking to date right now." 

"And may I ask why that is?" he asked a little incredulously. 

"I just don't think it's the best idea for us to go out,"

"What about Friday? You seemed to think I was really nice back then," he said and smirked. 

"That was a drunken mistake, I am sorry you were on the receiving end of that," I muttered blushing. 

"Then I guess you aren't sorry I stopped the mistake from moving any further since you seemed pretty eager to--"

I cut him off sternly, "Yes, I am very grateful for that." 

"Then I take it you aren't interested in me." 

"No," I said curtly. 

"Message received," he said and left. 

I took a few calming breaths and then walked off in the opposite direction. 

I went straight to the auditorium where the fashion society auditions were taking place and found that Vahni would still be a while. I decided to leave and get home early today but at the main gate, I ran into Yug.

"Hey Yug, finished with the final list?" I said as I passed him. 

"Hey!" he said and turned to me, " Yes we're done with the final list. Are you leaving?"

"Yes, all my classes are over."

"Join us then. We're going to Sudama's for tea and cigarettes. Have you been there?"

"I haven't been there but I have heard a lot about it."

"It's the best tea you'll ever taste," he said.

I was very tempted, Sudama's stall had been on the list of places I wanted to visit and I had been putting it off. I didn't really want to go home yet either. On the other hand, I absolutely did not like the idea of facing Angad again. 

"Who all are you going with?" I asked.

"Oh, just me, Nikhil, that's my boyfriend I think you met him on Friday, Shreyas, Dipani, that's his girlfriend, you met her too, and Siddharth, probably, I don't know, he doesn't like tea so he might not come..." his phone rang and he answered it. 

The two things I gleaned from his reply were that Angad was definitely not coming and Yug had a boyfriend? 

Wow, that was a bummer since he was the cutest member of the band. He might not have been classically 'hot' as the other ones but he had dimples and curly hair and that added to his almost Frodo-like charm. 

Nikhil walked up to us and slung his arm around Yug in the most non-coupley manner and he put his arm around Nikhil's waist still talking on call. They did look cute together.

"I would love to come," I said as soon as Yug hung up.

"Wonderful," he said and I followed them outside. 

Siddharth was walking towards his car supposedly when we met him right outside the gate. He had a pack of cigarettes in his hand which I presumed he had gone out to purchase. 

"You guys are going then?" he asked and then noticed me. 

"Meera, are you going with them?" 

"Yeah, I'd like to see for myself if the tea there is overrated or not," I said.

"The invitation still stands," Yug piped in. 

"Alright, I'm in." he said and then whispered to me, "Can't let you be the fifth wheel."

I chuckled and started to walk with them.

"You'll have to drive obviously," Yug said to Siddharth as we approached Nikhil's car. Shreyas and Dipani were already there and I greeted them.

"Yes, obviously," Siddharth rolled his eyes, "Meera can come with me."

"Yes, that's a better idea. We won't have to be cramped."

Everyone agreed and I followed Siddharth to his car which I was curious to see. They all had such nice cars here. Siddharth drove a black Skoda Rapid. He actually opened the door for me and closed it once I was seated. 

"Thanks," I said and he nodded before going over to his side and getting in. 

The drive to the tea stall was a short one since it was very close by and we only got to talk about the auditions for a few minutes. We got out of our cars and walked up to the very crowded stall and ordered our teas. Siddharth was the only one who didn't. When I asked him why he didn't like tea he told me he preferred coffee. 

"I prefer coffee to tea as well but that doesn't stop me from enjoying tea, especially when it is this good," I said. 

"You do? Maybe then I could show you my favourite spot for coffee sometime," he said. 

His invitation reminded me of Angad, but I am sure Siddharth's wasn't less than innocent so I nodded. I hadn't kissed him drunkenly on Friday. Why hadn't Angad joined this group though? The whole gang was here minus him. I hoped it was not on my account. But Yug hadn't mentioned his name even before I had decided to accompany them. I had to physically shake my head to clear it off the Angad spiral. 

We spent the rest of the evening hanging out near the stall. I felt surprisingly comfortable with them. They were warm and welcoming and I almost forgot that I had just met them a couple of days ago. 

We parted ways a little before sunset and I smiled all the way back home completely forgetting the interaction I had had with Angad.