He was unpredictable.

Pari didn't know whether to feel relieved or hurt by the fact that he didn't ask her out again. She didn't see him in college or in the cafe for a few days.

In college, there were rumours about his breakup with Noor and it was confirmed when he was seen with various girls. She didn't know his relationship with these girls but she often saw him with different girls.

"Ugh! I hate such....such whores." Pari searched for a word to term 'Salem' and Priya hit her for using such a word. Even though they stayed in a locality where it was common to verbally abuse and use crass language, their family values never allowed them to utter bad words.

"He is a whore. A manwhore, so I will call him that! I am not lying." Pari defended herself.

"Ohho! So you are feeling bad that he didn't give you any attention." Priya concluded. They were both lying on the small bed, staring at the white ceiling and fan.

"Why do you always say the most illogical thing possible?! I am not feeling bad over it. I am just appaled at how easily people lie about their feelings and move on." Pari said.

"Oh, you are hurt that he didn't even give YOU - the 'husn pari' (angel-like beauty) a second glance!" Priya was still on about the same thing.

"Shut up! It's useless to tell you anything. I am not hurt! Aise 100 aate hai aur 100 jate hai." (Have seen hundred others like him.) Pari acted like she wasn't bothered about him but it irked her seeing him with girls and behaving so sweetly to them. Even in their class, he always behaved like a sweet guy that, it made her feel a bit like bi*ch for saying no to him.  Then, there was Priya in her life who would constantly tell her that she should have said yes to him based on Pari's tales of him.

Ashley, her friend had come and told them about Salem's particular incident which made Pari feel like it was actually a better person. Ashley narrated how for their fashion show, Noor and Salem were to be the main stars of the show but a certain senior named Varun was not happy about it and had bitter attitude towards the team as he felt he could walk better than Salem and should be the lead. When Salem got to know about this, Salem gave his position to Varun, without any drama. Varun, who had grudges with Salem actually apologised to him but Salem only said that it doesn't matter who walks as a show stopper, the thing that they should concentrate on is to win the competition and be the best. Nobody had expected Salem to give up so easily but he did.

He had a huge group of friends in college. Even when he visited the cafe, apart from the girls, he was sometimes accompanied by his group of boys. She noted in her head that this was the biggest difference between them. Pari could never be comfortable around such large groups of people or imagine having so many friends. She also noticed how fondly everyone talked about Salem.

At night, she looked at herself in the mirror of their old dusty cupboard. It was the only long length mirror in the house. She looked at herself dressed in her shabby kurta from head to toe. Apart from her face, what could attract such a popular boy towards her? She dresses below average in dresses that hide her body. It was their mindset to get kurtas two sizes large for two reasons. One - it should fit both Pari and Priya. Two - incase they get fat, it should still fit them, so they don't have to buy if their size changes. She had seen girls who dresses better than her, who looked flawless in their make up, so what could appeal him about her?
In her mind, a small part felt flattered that this famous guy had asked her out. Of course, she wasn't going to mention it to anyone in college and be the point of gossip, but it felt nice to still be noticed by a guy surrounded by attention.

Priya was just entering the room when she saw Pari staring at herself in the mirror.

"Kitna ghoorogi khudko? Nazar lag jayegi!" (How much will you stare at yourself? You will catch the evil eye)

Pari snapped out of it and told her the question bothering her - How could he notice her?!

"Tch! Because you are the only one insecure about your clothes and background. Trust me, the way you carry yourself, noone will ever guess you think so low about yourself. How many times should I tell you these things don't matter much?!" Priya tried talking some sense into her sister.

"I am not insecure and these things do matter." Pari replied.

"Accha, let's say it matters. But as long as you are confident or atleast pretend, nobody cares what you wear and all." Priya and Pari lied down on the bed but both didn't sleep.

"He is cute, isn't he? I want to see him." Priya teased Pari.

Pari smiled a bit and said, "He is. He is.... handsome." Pari confessed which made Priya jump and sit on the bed.

"What?! I have never heard you say this before. Wow! I got to see him." It was extremely rare of Pari to praise boys.

"But that doesn't change the fact that he is a whore. I mean, a playboy. Huh." Pari's scowl was back. A while later, she said, "Come to Oliver's cafe in the evening around 6 or so. If you are lucky, he will drop by."

"Aahhhhh!!!!" Priya screamed in joy but Pari kept a hand on her mouth while glaring at her and mouthing, "Are you crazy?"

"Sorry, sorry," Priya whispered. "Okay, I will come by and really pray that I see this guy....ahhh!! Can't wait."

The next two days, Priya dropped by and waited for 15 minutes at the cafe but Salem didn't show up. The third day however was different.

Priya had come in and was at the counter when Pari said, "I don't think he will show up today." Priya was ready to leave as well but then a group of boys entered.

"It's him in blue." Pari whispered to Priya, who had to control her jaw from dropping. She couldn't believe a guy could be so handsome! He was a well dressed guy with a lean body. It looked like he walked out of a commerical.

Salem walked towards them and asked Pari about Oliver. Salem could sense a set of eyes on him and he looked towards his left to find a girl staring at him. He gave her a tight lipped smile and she looked away embarassed.

"I understand. I understand everything now." Priya said looking blankly at the ceiling and continued, "I understand why you were looking at yourself in the mirror. How can he like YOU?" Priya said and Pari instantly hit her shoulder for the insult.

"No! You know you look pretty but he...he looks super handsome! If he hadn't asked you, he would have been my crush." Priya confessed.

"Still doesn't change the fact that he is a whore." Pari said in her blunt tone.

Looks...did they really matter? They  did. To a lot of extent. But all good things come to an end, except a few. But looks aren't an exception. As much as Pari benefitted from her looks, her parents always told her never to be arrogant about it. That was one thing she took seriously, for she knew arrogance over beauty is a sin but moreover, it's a delusion. She can be a sinner but never delusional.

Pari was a proud person but people mistook her pride thinking it is because of her beauty. Instead, she always felt pride over herself and her nature. She was proud of her stubborn self that no person could tame her or make her submissive like her mother is. She was proud that she wasn't as naive and gullible as her father. She was proud that she had ambitions and dreams bigger than her reality. She was proud that she dared to dream and somewhere she knew her dream of money and a big house would be true, one day.

**

It was like an open playground for Salem now that he was newly single. Pari saw him with various girls in college and at the cafe. She didn't know why she even noticed him. She should just mind her own business like before.

Thinking of the devil, the man walked in with a girl in the cafe. Somehow, working in the cafe had made her intuition stronger. She could read people and their relationship. Just by looking at two people and their mannerism, she could tell if they were just friends or dating. This girl Salem had brought with him was definitely a date. It was confirmed when Salem asked for the garden seat.

"Sorry, it's booked. You can take the corner seat." Pari pointed at the empty seat.

"I need that one." He said. It wasn't an order, just a wish. But whatever Salem wishes, he gets.They both knew Oliver had asked her to give Salem whichever seat he wanted, but now that it was booked, she wanted him to adjust but he wasn't ready. The girl's cellphone rang and she excused herself.

"I would like that seat. Look, my date has come from far. Don't ruin it." Salem said softly, insisting on the same seat.

"Sounds like a you problem. Oliver isn't here and I am not going to cancel a prior booking for your unplanned date." Pari was taking liberty to speak so much only because she knew Salem.

"Babe, is the seat booked?" The girl asked while she was still on call. Salem just actioned her "two minutes". He lit a cigarette, getting impatient with Pari's denial and attitude.

"I suggest you take the corner seat." Pari said, again, which only made Salem angry. "And I said, I want that particular one." He replied calmly.

"Whore." Pari muttered and looked in the accounts book, not wanting to argue with him anymore.

"What did you just say?" Salem questioned. Unknown to her, he had extremely sharp ears.

Pari's face left colour and eyes widened. "Nothing." She lied.

He took a puff and let it out near her face, staring at her eyes with intensity.

"Okay. Let me bring this to Oliver's notice and let's see what he has to say on this." He threatened.

"What are you? A child?" She didn't show it, but she was scared at Oliver's mention. She tried to cover the topic by asking him if he is a kid.

"No. I am a customer. And I see nobody told you the rules. So, let me do the honours. Rule No 1 - Customer is the King! And you just disrespected me which was totally uncalled for. So let's, see what your boss has to say!" Salem replied.

In an ideal situation, a person would have apologised before it escalated but Pari...she was not ideal in any situation. So, she waited for Salem to do what he wanted, without bothering further.

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NOT Edited at all. Let me know incase of any mistakes.

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Extremely caught up with work!