Nearly half an hour slipped away, and I remained in my spot, seated beside Advik. His gaze hadn't lifted from his phone even once during that time. I couldn't help but wonder who on earth held his attention for the past thirty minutes?

I gulped and stole a glance at his phone. Maybe he might have a girlfriend...?

nahi nahi nahi! Acchi acchi baatien socho Anika, achhi acchi baatien!
(No, no, no! Think positive, Anika, positive.) My inner voice said,

Shut up, dude. What else can I do if he has one? He doesn't even see me as more than a responsibility or someone who always causes trouble.

Suddenly, Veer's voice broke the silence. "What are you thinking?" he asked out of nowhere. I shot him a glare, and he immediately sealed his lips into a thin line, sensing my annoyance.

"69 ways to pass my exams without studying" I passed him a sarcastic smile

"You don't have to, you'll get married after you turn 18 and then you can-" His sentence hung in the air, unfinished, as I punched him in the stomach.

"That's rude! No one will marry you if you behave like this, Anika Kashyap!" He taunted me, and I couldn't help but laugh. "And you should learn some new jokes, Abhinav Singhania!" I taunted back, mimicking his tone.

Abhinav Singhania, or Veer for short, is another clown in my friendship zoo. Why do we call him Veer? I don't know. He says he likes being called Veer more than Abhinav. Apart from that, I worship his humour.

He knows when to joke and when to behave carefully; he is chaotic and good at his studies too. He teaches me basic things without making me feel dumb, which makes him a hundred times better than Savi and Raghav, to be honest.

"Abhinav Singhania!" The teacher calls, and he gets up with his guardian before smacking my head lightly and ruffling my hair. God! It took me so long to set those curtain bags in place!

Veer came back again, this time to take his backpack and again smack me on the head with his A4-size admit card. Aggression 100%, damage 0%, tsk tsk tsk.

"Study well, or Uncle will get you married if you fail, Anika Kashyap!" He showed me his tongue, and I pouted in response, fixing my hair and faking my sadness at his words.

"You're so mean, Abhinav Singhania." I passed the sarcasm, and he laughed before walking away.

"Fu-" I paused, realizing Advik was still seated near me.

Izzat hai nhi inke saamne or bigad jaegii
(my self-respect will become worse in front of him.)

Thinking of self-respect I looked back at him, only to find him staring at me. For how long? I don't know. He raised an eyebrow and shifted his focus to Abhinav-
correction: Veer

and then he looked back at me. His eyes weren't glaring, but they weren't soft either, as if he had been observing us for so long.

Did he get to know that I was about to call him a fucker? shit.

"Anika Kashyap!" My head turned to my teacher, who had just called us. Thank God.

Good timing, sir.

I looked back to Advik and awkwardly pointed at Sir, saying, "Sir is calling." He nodded and got up, leaving me on the desk. It was not a guardian-friendly move of his.

I looked at Advik's back, who was seated in front of the teacher, talking to him about... probably me? duh!

I was dead sure it was another session of discussing my epic struggles with math and other riveting topics.

I mean, seriously, what's the deal with these meetings? I sat there, wondering why these grown-ups felt the need to roast us in front of our guardians. It is as if they were hosting a private stand-up comedy show, and I was the unintentional star.

Advik talked with him and looked at me, his expression telling me to join them, which I obediently followed.

"Please sign here," He passed the admit card to Advik. He signed the paper followed by me and then I kept it in my backpack

"Thank you, sir. It was nice meeting you," Advik formally stated

"It's all good, Mister. Anika is a good girl. I'm wishing her well for the finals." He said, faking his smile as if I'm not always his primary target in class

Advik nodded and I turned around to take my exit but paused as sir asked Advik,

"Oh, and you're her brother, right-?"

Advik looked at him, and then at me. I raised an eyebrow and said, "Yeah!" He nodded, and we walked out of the class. Did I just call him my brother in front of my teacher? yeah. But do I care? no.

I walked out of the class, and instantly my eyes fell on Veer and Savi. They waved to me, and I walked up to them, "Did he complain about you?" Savi asked, and I furrowed my brows. did he? Advik and Sir were talking like a father-son duo, and from their expressions, it didn't seem like he complained about my fight.

Paper balls fight!

But still, it was a fight.

"That means you will not get married. I thought I'd wear that black kurta to your wedding," Veer faked crying, earning a bombastic side eye from Savi. Why is he so dramatic?

"Worry about yourself first, Abhinav. No one will marry you if you fail." I mocked him back, even though I knew it was nearly impossible for him to fail.

"Then I will marry you." he shrugged his shoulders I shook my head, clearly so done with him. and he decided to open his mouth again.

"But if you don't study well, I'm sure your father will get you married, and then you will have kids, and they will annoy you, and then..." He suddenly paused and sealed his lips into thin lines as his eyes widened.

"Yes, continue, please," a voice interrupted from behind. My heart leaped. 

I whirled around, finding Advik standing right there, listing our nonsense.
correction : Veer's nonsense.

"Let's go," he said, locking eyes with me, and I gulped, nodding in response.

"And you," He said, turning to Veer. "Your class teacher is calling you," he said before swiftly grabbing my backpack and dragging me away from the group.

Silently, we walked out together. He fished out the keys to his bike as we approached the parking area. I stood there confused, wondering if I should follow him or not. 

Is he going to drop me back? What if he has some other work to do? Should I tell him that I can go by myself?

"Are you leaving?" I asked him, "Do you want to stay here?" He answered blankly, and I furrowed my brows. Of course, I wanted to go to the library with my friends, but you dragged me here.

"Are you angry?" He looked at me, and I blinked twice, waiting for his answer. "Why would I be angry?"

"Because the teacher complained about me?" He stared at me and parted his lips to answer, but before he could, I spoke again. "See, that girl started it first, and I used the old pages of my notebook to make paper balls, I swear!"

He chucked and shook his head. "Here." He said giving me his helmet again. "I can go back by myself." I defend myself only to get a "no." in response.

I clung to my dear life, fingers gripping the straps of my bag as if they were a lifeline. Advik wasn't zooming down the road, but for some reason, today felt oddly more terrifying than the last time. The backseat of his bike had a slight tilt, and he was missing his backpack, making it harder for me to keep a comfortable distance between us.

Suddenly, the bike screeched to a halt, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I almost collided with his back. Almost. "Do you like ice cream?" he asked out of the blue. I scanned the surroundings, spotting an ice cream parlor at the road's corner.

"Yes!" I said, and he stopped the engine. "Let's go then."

We strolled towards the ice cream parlor, and I attempted to unfasten the stubborn straps of Advik's helmet. I twisted and turned it, but they seemed determined to play hard to get.

Fantastic.

"Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, butterscotch, mint chocolate, and I don't know what these are called; which one you'd like to have?" Advik rattled off the flavours, pausing as his eyes locked onto mine.

"Wait what are you trying to do with my helmet?" probably not making out.

and I stare at him, pointing at his helmet, which didn't come out of my head.

"What?" He looked at me confused, "I think I'm struck in your helmet." I said.

"Isn't it good? You look better in it." He grinned

"So funny. Help me remove it."

He pressed his lips to prevent smiling and crossed his hands on his chest.

I snarled, twisting the locks again, before mumbling in frustration, "Aag lage tumhare patakha ko."
(May your bike catch fire.)

"Maine sun liya."
(I heard that)

"Aapke sun ne ke liye hi bola that," I said, rolling my eyes.
(I said it just for you to hear,)

I felt him inching closer again, his cold hand connecting with mine, sending shivers down my spine He pulled the locks of the helmet, and I stopped struggling and let my hand fall on my sides, allowing him to attempt to unlock them.

The straps twisted once more as his finger brushed a little against my neck. My breath hitched at his cold touch. His hands were cold but soft making my stomach churn, and the red-colored plastic thing made a sound.

My eyes lit up as I looked at him, and he removed the helmet from my head. I finally let out a breath.

"You were about to cry." He casually said that, and I scoffed. Cry? Me?

"I wasn't."

"You sure were; your heart was beating fast." he pointed out. Warmth flooded my cheeks, and in embarrassment, I absentmindedly touched the back of my neck.

It was because of you, Advik.

He chuckled.

I hate him.

"Sir, what would you like to have?" The shopkeeper's voice pulled us into reality. Advik turned to me, a smirk playing on his lips, his eyebrows raised in question, still smiling.

"I don't want," I retorted, shooting him a glare, and he strolled over to the counter.

Really? Ask me again, and I might just say yes.

"Chocolate for this sweet lady, and vanilla for me," he declared. I shot him a puzzled look. How does he know I like chocolate?

"How do you know I'd ask for chocolate?" I questioned, and he just shrugged, saying, "I just know."

He paid the cashier and handed me the ice cream cone, yet again, my attention went to him and he had ordered vanilla for himself.

Once again, my mind draws back to his cologne and how he smelled like vanilla and soap. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a dark blue flannel shirt, which gave off a masculine yet soft vibe, and his slender finger wrapped around the ice cream cone.

Stop. Stop. Stop. It's bad. Anika. Very bad.

"Why Vanilla?" Again, my mouth decided to speak without my consent.

"Because I like vanilla," he responded, raising an eyebrow in a gesture I've become familiar with. Whenever he was confused, he would raise an eyebrow. amused? both eyebrows. ask me something, raising eyebrows. His eyes speaks more than him.

"You can mix another flavour with vanilla, and it will turn into whatever flavour you mix with it. It loses its identity easily." I tried to articulate my profound philosophy on the versatility of vanilla.

"Exactly. Stick with the original when everyone else is trying to be someone else." He smiles. "You don't have to be extraordinary to be accepted, you know. You can still like basic things and still be unique as your own." His words lingered in the air, settling in my mind.

You can still like basic things and still be unique as your own.

"I don't like vanilla ice cream, chocolate is better." I said as I licked my ice cream,

"Nope. Vanilla better." He said and shook his head

"No," I said

"Yes"

"No"

"No"

"Yes"

"Yes"

"Yes"

Aaiyen?

I looked at him, and he laughed, making me huff in annoyance. Okay, you win this time.

I consoled myself with a lick of my ice cream, a bittersweet response to my recent defeat. Just as I was savouring the moment, a notification interrupted my ice cream therapy. I took out my phone. It was a text from Veer.

Veer: Anika, I'm sorry 🥹🥹

Me: Why?

Veer: Your brother thought I was bullying you, so he had a chat with the principal and bam! I got a week-long vacation from school.

My brows collided in a puzzled frown as I read his text. Bullying me? Vacation?

Me: ???

Veer: Suspended :')

My head shot up from my phone to Advik, who was enjoying his ice cream.

Suspended?

aayien?