I couldn’t feel my legs. They seemed to be giving away. This was too much information to process.
She went on,
“How could you do that Sani? That’s freaking nepotism! Just because you have a good rapport with a Professor you are using it again others.”
I gaped at her, hearing those words.
Are they insinuating he is partial to me and I'm using that?!
“We are friends of Elli's, so we have come to tell you what you did was wrong and we will make you pay for it one day.” with the last threat and glares, Tina and her friends turned on their heels.
“I didn’t do anything. Trust me.” I pleaded, but they had already gone.
“Trust me Rose.” I turned towards my friend but she gave me a disgusted look, not even seeing that I was trying to catch her hand, as I felt dizzy and had no strength to form words.
She pinched at the bridge of her nose and started talking over the phone with Mirelle, while I took support of the wall to stay upright, as I kept whispering,
“I didn’t do anything.”
I don't think Rose heard me. It felt good to say nonetheless.
Hanging up her phone, she dragged me inside the food court and Mirelle appeared soon. They both wanted to know the truth, wanted to give me the benefit of doubt. I was relieved they did not totally jump to conclusions. I told them everything I had told Aariz, but they did not look convinced. Making me feel like shit all over again.
Reaching home, all I could think about was if it was my fault. Was my tone complaining? Did my tone make Aariz feel I was frightened and will scare away my classmates as well from choosing his subject further next year? Was it just because of me that an innocent girl had to withstand the worst of Aariz's anger?
Before I could curse myself and ponder over all this, I realized, I needed to figure some other shit out first. This guy was a constant in my life since past few months. Why does he fight the world for me? Bashing my classmates, just because I had a fight with him a day before, getting himself in a state, becoming all caveman, just because he thought Zee wasn’t being protective of me in front of other guys. What’s his deal? Who the hell is this Aariz? And behind most of his actions, why just me?!
My reverie broke by a chiming voice that greeted me. Before I could turn around and answer, a pair of arms pulled me into a bone-crushing hug from behind.
Source of that voice, was none other than Umber.
“Thank God I caught you. I wasn’t expecting. I thought you might be out with friends.” Umber giggled.
Friends? Yeah, right. Thanks to my caveman, Rose freaking hates me and Mirelle is unsure if she should hate me too or just not trust me. And Zee my bestie was stolen by the aforementioned caveman.’
Umber broke the hug and I turned to face her,
“I'm glad you are back from your trip. I needed you...you have no idea how much...For more reasons than one.” I murmured forcing my smile to last.
Umber gauged my stress nonetheless.
“What the hell has happened?! Tell me Sani.”
“You remember Aariz?”
She chuckled,
“Of course. Ibbi mentioned you have agreed to allow Aariz for a trip with us.”
Oh God...
“So Ibbi is really serious about the weekend thing?” I cringed at the thought.
“Yep. But why are you so off?” Umber looked at me confused.
Taking a deep breath, I told her the crust of it,
“Aariz is my new Professor in college.”
Umber did not find it that shocking, like I had. Maybe because she hadn’t been dreaming of him ever since she saw him, as I had.
Wiggling her eyebrows, she shook her head at me with a knowing smile,
“And you must have fought with him just because he smiled/laughed at you in that party!” She sighed, “Sani...you still aren’t over it?”
I was thoroughly miffed,
“I did not!”
She gave me a look that said, Yeah...right!
I gulped unable to meet her eyes,
“I mean, currently I'm not fighting with him about it.”
Walking towards the window, I added morosely,
“Currently we are not fighting at all. It’s just that the guy is a puzzle to me. A freaking mystery.”
“Why?” Umber became curious.
I did not wish to tell her everything that happened between us since day one, and the meanings my dear heart took out of them, just to get a brutal reminder not to think too much. Thanks to his brush-off text. I had made myself realize I never was that gooey over him anyway. It was not as if he broke my heart or anything. As he didn’t have feelings for me, I also never had them for him. I might have been attracted to him for a while. But I was not stupid. He was my Professor. End of story.
Therefore, without giving Umber more fodder to think I had some flame burning inside of me, I told her as little, yet everything I could. So that she’d help me solve this puzzle,
“Aariz's behaviour changes with the wind. If I'm mad at him or we have an argument, he goes all moody and angry on the whole class. Sometimes he is over-protective of me. Be it in the restaurant when he thought Zee wasn’t being a good friend and standing up for me in front of random guys, or be it like today when a senior girl tried to scare me about Master’s syllabus and Aariz thrashed her, because he thought I was suffering due to that girl. As if, I'm little and vulnerable, who needs protecting!”
“That’s just so romantic!” Umber squealed and I gave her a warning look.
She went on smirking, “All right. Isn’t it a good thing that he is being friendly? He is our friend Sani. What’s wrong if he supports you and tries to help you in college. Take advantage of all the privileges you can get. That’s what friends are for.” She nudged me with a mischievous grin.
I gave her an earnest look,
“That’s my point! He shouldn’t be over protective of me. He shouldn’t even be protective of me in anyway. I just don't get it. He is not that close a friend of mine. But he is always there when I...”
“Need him?” Umber finished it for me.
I nodded and she went on,
“Sani, you are thinking too much. All because you had a slight misunderstanding about him and he came on your wrong side in that party.”
Maybe she is right...
Umber pulled me to sit on my bed with her,
“Forget about Aariz. Think about the weekend plan Ibbi is making. If we let him, he will take charge and it will be a disaster as you very well know.”
I laughed understanding exactly what she meant,
“I'm excited about this outing. It’s been so long, since we all went out together.”
Even with Ibbi going overboard, it would be fun...
“Yeah, the last time we had gone was, when Zidaan took us somewhere near L.A.” Umber smiled going down the memory lane.
“I think it was two years ago...” I giggled as the memories of that day flashed in front of my eyes,
“It was wonderful. Not to forget the hottie who was better than the scenery...”
And my smile vanished.
I squeaked wide eyed,
“Oh my dear God...!”
My breath came out in puffs,
“The hottie!”
“What?” Umber jerked at my shoulders making me turn to her face.
“Don't you remember the hottie?” I urged her, while trying to get a grip at my own fast beating heart.
Recognition covered Umber's face and her eyebrows rose to her hairline.
“Shit!” Umber grinned.
A smile was taking over my lips, but I couldn’t decide whether to laugh my head off or beat my head for being so dumb.
Bewildered and chuckling I rambled on, “I have been so consumed with college drama, friends’ drama, and projects and just about everything thanks to Aariz. All this made me forget. It simply slipped out of my mind...”
Umber clasped my shoulder,
; “I forgot it too. It’s because we had seen him just once and that too, a couple of years ago.”
I made a face trying to be mad, but couldn’t for the life of me,
“It’s all Aariz's fault. I did not recognize that the hottie I had spent a better part of months after the outing, fantasizing over, was none other than Aariz himself!”
I gasped in bewilderment,
“It was Aariz that day I drooled for a taste off!”
Umber elbowed me in the ribs chuckling naughtily,
“You can have him now. Work your magic on him. He is been served for you by the universe to be stared and have a chance at, all day if you want, as your Professor.”
I smiled serenely shaking my head and murmured,
“No, he does not feel the same way.”
“How can you say that? I thought he was on the edge of being called ‘Possessive!’”
“I just know.” I whispered, then went on giving her a bright smile and rolling my eyes for added effect,
“Anyway, don't you remember he had a girl with him that day? Most probably, a girlfriend, fiancée, or God knows maybe a wife! Who might still be around for all we know. That’s why I had not bothered to get introduced to him that day.”
Had just stared from afar. Because, that is what you do with things beyond your reach.
18-DESIRES
Aariz
It was a picnic for Sani's batch arranged by the child at heart, Prof Philip, who had fallen ill at the last moment. Therefore, here I was, alone with them. I could not have been happier with this chance of getting more time with Sani away from college.
Finally, there were no misunderstandings between us. She called me her friend. She was not mad at me for blurting the nickname I made for her.
I want more...
But it was okay. I could just be a friend to her if it meant I’d be around her. I will be happy.
We had reached our destination a few hours ago, a beach in the small town called Lovern...ironic, really. The last I had seen her in an outing with her cousins, was also on a beach. And I was unable to take my eyes off her.
This time was not much different. I could not help but glance at Sani every now and then. Whether she was playing in sand with her friends, running along the seashore, or was getting mischievous while looking sexy as hell having fun in the water with all of us. I would sneak a peek at her and every time my face lit up with a smile.
Sometime later, I saw her going angrily towards the water, after talking to Rose. I wondered what’s wrong. Had Rose hurt her some way? Next moment, my breath was stuck in my throat and I just could not stop staring at her profile as she sprinkled water on her face. She straightened and turned giving me a chance to look at her whole face that was glistening with water droplets. She looked pure than a prayer to me.
‘Sani you have absolutely no idea the way you look right now. So fresh and so...’ I chuckled to myself at her innocence, ‘It’s cute...to be so unaware.’
Sani
Sometime ago-
Aariz had brought us to a beach...A freaking beach! My favourite place in the whole world! I just love the fresh air mixed with the background music of waves. It always soothed me, like nothing else could.
That’s what was happening. I had forgotten all the worries and confusions about Aariz and Elli and her threatening friends. This was heaven! Quite literally. If we do not forget the eye socking sight, that went so well with the atmosphere...my hottie!
Aariz had worn a white button-down shirt and ripped jeans. When I last saw him, his shirt was sticking to his body, because he had been playing ball with all of us in the sea. What’s sexier was, the wet shirt had turned transparent like whites always do, thus, giving me the glimpse of all the hot stripping muscles hidden underneath.
Rose sighed looking over my shoulder,
“He looks so edible...”
“Who?”
“Prof Aariz! Who else?”
I followed her gaze. Aariz stood talking animatedly about some soccer game with a few boys from our class.
Just like me, Aariz had not brought a change of clothes either and yet had gone swimming without taking them off. As he combed his wet hair with his fingers, his muscles flexed. The shirt that so beautifully showed off his build, rode up giving me a view of his waist. The fair skin glittered golden in the sun. I could easily detect the V peppered with slight hair disappearing in his jeans. He being strong and careless preferring to air dry himself in this cold wind, rather than asking around for a towel just made the picture perfect for me.
He looks more than edible. Delicious is the word.
Realizing I was thinking about Aariz, just as Rose and almost all the girls in my class did and thus stooping myself to the level of schoolgirl crushing, I turned back to her rolling my eyes,
“Please! ‘Edible?!’ You are talking as if he is a food product.” I made a face, to show her and myself that he does not affect me.
“You do not understand anything Sani. Just look at him! He is all wet and...”
Before she could complete, I stopped her, “Rose, I’m also drenched. We have all been in water. Even my clothes are sticking to my body, because I do not have anything to change into, and hence, had gone into water wearing these. So do I also look edible to you?” I gave her a look, “He is not some celebrity for God sakes! Just stop talking rubbish about him, please.”
She made a face.
I knew my anger was uncalled for, but I couldn’t help it.
Hearing Rose’s comments about Aariz, made a certain green-eyed monster named jealousy roar in my head.
I stormed-off wanting to get away from her. She had come around on her own after Elli's incident, assuring me that it does not matter to her. And she would like to keep our friendship away from that of mine with Tina. Fair enough! Though come to think out it now, I guess she just wanted my company in this trip.
Annoyed and pissed, I sat down on the sand, at the edge of the shore and sprinkled a lot of seawater on my face to cool down my temper. As I stood up, I realized I had nothing to wipe my face with, and that was how Aariz saw me. The loose black top I had worn over my jeans clung to my body as if; scared I will get rid of it. The top, whose shoulder for some reason chose that very moment to slide off slightly.
Aariz stood at just a little distance and the fact that he was not even blinking, had me all sorts of heated, though I was wet to the skin, and had immediately pressed my sleeve hard on my shoulder.
“Here, pin-it.”
“Huh?” I glanced away from him, to see Aya standing beside me holding a big safety pin.
She rolled her eyes, “How long do you plan to keep pressing your palm on the sleeve like that? It’s bound to slide because you are drenched.”
As if, I did not know that.
She smirked, “And something tells me, lover-boy would mind if other boys got to see you this way.”
My jaw dropped! She couldn’t seriously be calling Aariz my lover-boy! Then, whom was she talking about?!
Before I could ask, she leaned into my ear and scoffed, “Just a guess, since he quickly looked around to check if anyone else saw your bare shoulder a moment ago.”
“You...you are wrong. There is nothing like that. He is our Pro...”
“I never took his name.” Amused and smirking even more so, she handed me the pin whispering, “Also...he is still staring. So yeah, pin it up.”
Aya left and I glanced to find, he really was...staring.
God I need distance from this guy.
I quickly pinned up the sleeve and ran towards Mirelle...far from Aariz.
Just then, a few of my classmates passed us. They were going for a swim again I guess, while the tides remained well, high!
“Back it up guys. Tides are high. It’s dangerous.” yelled Aariz, walking towards us.
Sahil, who led the group, did not pay much heed to Aariz's shout and instead urged his friends to be quick and come in the water.
“C'm
on guys! Hurry up. Don't worry about Prof Deewan. Anyway, half of our batch mates are around our bags, lying on the sand. He will get busy with them and forget about us. Chill! He is just shouting for no reason. Let’s go.”
Sahil then turning towards me, went on, “Sani, Mirelle why are you both just roaming around? Join us in water. It will be fun.”
Yeah, right! Fun in high tide...Go and kill yourself dear boy. I want to live!
Besides, I did not know how to swim, but he didn’t have to know that.
“No thanks.” I gave him a small smile and pulled Mirelle along, but we had not moved one-step when-
“I said, back it up! Are you deaf? Couldn’t you hear me shouting since then?! Or are you so blind that you can't see the high tides? How much more time do you want to stay in water? Have you guys not had enough yet?!” yelled Aariz, who had come running.
Aariz's gaze zeroed in on me,
“And you! Do you...”
Before he could complete, I interrupted knowing he was about to scold me, of course for no reason like always.
“Sir, please! Before you say something, let me tell you I was not going into water. Mirelle and I were just taking a walk. In fact, we were about to go towards our bags just now.” I said with my nose held high.
I started to walk away passing Aariz, brushing my arm with his on purpose in order to hit him in the process. And felt goose bumps on my skin instead, as it exposed to his.
Clearing his throat, Aariz continued with the yelling as if I had never interfered,
“And you! Do you realize you were just about to risk all of your friends’ necks by dragging them into water?”
I turned around, I saw him bashing Sahil, who had been standing behind me. Meaning, earlier when his gaze had centred in my direction, it had actually been on Sahil behind me. Oops!
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