CHAPTER 3 : BETRAYAL ??

Tanya

Advik and I dragged Roma from the out-hall to the cafeteria, she was so on the verge of killing Nikhil. I know it's just been two or three days since I am around her but I thought she is one of the timid and introvert one. I am still getting the Durga Maa vibes from her (Durga Maa is one of the most powerful Indian goddess). She hasn't utter a word since the time we have entered here and she is eating chocolate like a maniac. There is just deafening silence around the table and now it's getting awkward.

ADVIK : Hey Roma, want to eat some sandwiches or noodles?? (Advik tried to break the silence and clear the stiffened air).

Roma gave red death glares to him. Alright, mental note : Never disturb Roma when her blood is hot white.

I : Romma, has anyone tolld you before that you lookk scary when you are angryyy….(I stammered while saying my thought out loud. I half expected her to get up and throw the chair on me).

She just moved her perfect round wide eyes from me to Advik like an infant's key powered robot. I thought I pushed her buttons so I grasped Advik's hand. But she suddenly burst out laughing. As if laughing is contagious, hardly after a minute or two, all three of us were laughing unaware of the reason behind the laugh. Roma isn't aware of the real situation which means she stood up for me this way, not knowing like everyone else that the situation wasn't as tragic as it seemed. No one was aware of the fact except me and Advik. I was overwhelmed with this as if I got a caring soul in disguise of a roommate.

ROMA : Merlin Tanya, I have never been told like that before. Honestly I have never reacted this way. Maybe because no one has pushed my buttons as much as that filthy toe rag…

ADVIK : Gosh! Roma you could have been in trouble if you were a second more longer standing in the out-hall. Also, is "toe rag" your nickname for Nikhil !?

ROMA : Oh no! Advik, Roma Roy gives nickname only to her loved ones. Nikhil is my antagonist.

(I noticed the inconvenience in her tone while saying Nikhil is not dear to her which was pretty strange but I dropped the plan of bringing it up for now).

Roma definitely doesn't knows who Nikhil is, I wanted to correct her but now was not the time. Moreover, how does she even reckons him….it's pretty unlikely to draw conclusions about Nikhil with the out-hall being the first place they met. I couldn't stop myself from asking.

I : Did you know Nikhil beforehand ?

Her face turned pale as if I threatened her to trigger a gun on her guts.

ROMA : I am fortunate I didn't. Today's meet and greet is ample supply for my intellect to remind myself that I loathe something more than smoking and gambling. *SOMEONE* to be more specific.

(It was pretty clear to read her face that she is lying. I really hope they reconcile soon).

Roma

A week has passed since the last time Tanya bombarded me with the interrogation about Nikhil. Maybe because I am spending almost four hours of my day at the college library after classes. Usually listening to this anyone would say that I am doing assignments and making splendid notes, which I am doing of course. But I get exhausted by the time I reach back to my room. Not because of studies but for gawking at Nikhil in the library. He reaches their before me standing at the door, starts packing his stuffs after I get up from my chair, looking me from the books pretending that he is devouring his books. How I am so sure he is staring at me? Because his eyes were fixed to a single point but his pages are being turned over frivolously (yes I glanced at him).

If it were for any other guy I would have claimed him to be a stalker but to him I don't know why I claim that he is making sure everything is ok for me or not. It's not that the library is a dangerous place but I feel safe and a sense of warmth to read under his stare.

Even though I notice everything, I pretend as if the scene at the out-hall never happened. Not because I am stubborn or embarrassed but because of insecurity. This sense of insecurity doesn't even makes any sense. Tanya and I usually reach out for college a half hour before the class begins and I dash out of her sight to avoid her for the half hour and during lunch breaks. She is like the crystalline drizzling of monsoons where you can never guarantee when and from what junk she will bombard a new question relating Nikhil.

I don't know what pinches me more in those 30 minutes. Avoiding to answer Tanya's questions or seeing Nikhil entering college with a new girl sitting on the backseat of his bike everyday. I was really uncomfortable with the latter part though. This should not happen. I should have hatred for Nikhil. I am here, in one of the best universities of the country at Bangalore, to study, not to fall for bad boys of the college. So I decide to convince my conscience the perspective of Nikhil I had on the first day.

For the past week I have been trying to ponder myself that Nikhil is not just arrogant and a devil but also a player. He just likes girls and women winding themselves around him. The way every single day, different girls have been trying to grope his shoulders and biceps while sitting at the backseat of his bike make me feel as if the girls are choking my throat and I am gagging to breathe. But I ignore it. Until last evening when I saw Tanya going downstairs of our hostel at after hours to see someone. It was unlikely of Advik showing up because he sees Tanya during the whole day at college. Morally I shouldn't sneak upon a friend but couldn't refrain myself. I peeked through the double doored window of our room to check who was there and seeing her companion, I forgot how to breathe.

It was Nikhil !! The literally last person on the planet I expected to be her companion. I tried to stop my tears, it was on the brim but was as successful as clenching sand to keep them in hand. I felt a sense of betrayal from Tanya, pity for Advik, angry on Nikhil. I don't have the faintest of the idea about how to face Tanya now. I saw them talking about something, both of their backs were facing me so they couldn't see me peeking. I couldn't handle it anymore so I closed the window and crouched down to stabilise my body from what I just saw. Suddenly I heard faint foot steps, so I jumped on the bed with my back towards the door to avoid Tanya. I usually set my alarm clock for me and Tanya to wake up in the morning. But at this moment I didn't want to have any concern for Tanya and as for me, all my sleep had gone over the clouds to find the rabbit on the moon. So cancelling my alarms I pretended that I am deep asleep.

TANYA : Roma, are you awake? Listen I need to tell you something. Wake up! (I clenched my eyes shut and didn't respond to her light jerks. She sighed and gave up believing that I am sleeping).

I was drowning in the ocean of thoughts. I was thinking about all kind of possibilities that might be the reason behind their meet up at this hour. I strongly believed Tanya was loyal to Advik, but second thoughts kept on prevailing. I wished this night to be over as soon as possible, so that tomorrow will be either the morning of confrontation or a debate about how stupid I am to think there might be something in between Tanya and Nikhil.