Mix And Match

Saved by the bell

"Ridhi...... I need to talk to you. Can we meet up at the park?"

"Yeah. Ok. I hav-"

*he hung up*

If she already knew what's gonna go down at the park, atleast she wouldn't have embarrassed herself by buying couple rings as a gift for their anniversary.

"I don't think we're meant for each other.

It's not you. It's me.

I think we are better off as friends....."

The words from his mouth seemed soulless, it was just as if he's reading a paragraph from a book 'How to break up with your very emotional girlfriend'

But the worst thing was that she actually didn't let him speak first and held his hand, pulled him to a park bench and showed him the rings.

"Happy Anniversary", she said as she slipped the ring into his finger.

He had a pitiful expression, a reaction which will be etched in her brain forever reminding her of all the things she had done for him but in return, that's what she got. An expression so clear, saying ' I pity you '

And down came the guillotine, severing the head of their year long relationship.

Atleast he could've told her the reason of his sudden change of mind. He showed no signs of being unhappy in the relationship. It was magical, atleast that's what she thought. Guess first love would always be magical no matter how crappy and awkward the experience was.

"Bye Ridhi........ hope you'll find a better match. I- I'm really sorry."

He didn't really mean it. She could tell. From what she saw in his eyes, he's already moved on. Maybe he's in love with another girl. That's fine. Atleast he didn't two-time us.

But what could have gone wrong?

What did I do to make him fall out of love with me?

Am I not good enough?

Did I fight too much?

Sitting there, drowning in load of questions popping up in her mind. She didn't notice that he left her there all alone and she didn't realise she was tearing up. Soon it built up, all emotions overflowing and turning into a loud wail.

Yep, definitely caught the attention of all the people who were in the park at 8pm.

Being alone was never a problem for her as she is accustomed to the independence she got when her parents went for work even on the weekends. But in this moment, she felt suffocated, she wanted her brain to shut up, and reboot. She needed someone.

And what's better than crashing at your bff's place when you had a heartbreak.

Hearing Samantha cussing out her boyfriend was cathartic but at the same time, past memories socked her fragile emotion barrier. And once again, the waterworks began, but now in Samantha's lap who tightly hugged her.

"Wait, he didn't return the ring, did he?

How shameless can a person be???

Let's go .....and rip it off his finger"

Livid Samantha was so scary that Ridhi completely believed that she would definitely do it if not stopped.

"No, Sammy, it's fine, he must have thrown it away by now," Ridhi pulled Samantha's hand as she was getting ready to go out.

"I have to see that for myself," she replied in a satirical tone. Ridhi put her arms on Samantha's shoulders and turned to face her.

"Listen, I don't wanna see his face right now. Please let's just forget it and sleep," Ridhi tried to calm her but knowing Samantha, she wouldn't back off without a punch.

"If you're not coming, I'm going," Samantha put on a leather jacket and still in her pajama pants. She opened her room door.

"Stop, Don't g-"

As Ridhi reached out for Samantha's hand, she fell and the impact woke her up.

Now at present, Ridhi's lying curled up on the floor in a room filled with unknown people earning every weird stares they shoot at her. Some even laughed. She quickly got up and met the glaring eyes of her class teacher.

Her first day at St.Mary's High school was not the ideal first day she expected. Drifting to sleep on the very first class she attended, a very cool thing to do by the way, she accepted that she's not going to earn a very good name among the staffs and by the looks of it, her classmates now think she's a joke.

Damage.

"Ridhi, this is not the kind of behavior I expected on your first day here. Do you not sleep at night? I thought you were sincere and bright. But guess I have to discipline you on your very first day.

Write- "

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiinnnngggggg

Mrs. Nalini was interrupted by the loud ring of the bell which came in like a God's blessing at the right time.

As the students got up, bowed and wished her, Ridhi sighed a breath of relief. But she knew that the incident will never sit well with her class teacher as she heard that Mrs. Nalini is one that keeps grudges and will never forget a single mistake that any student of her class has ever made.

Way to go on your first day Ridhi. Proud of you.

Her mind voice couldn't be more sarcastic.

As Mrs. Nalini left with an annoyed look, her classmates burst into laughter.

Ridhi felt mind-numbingly embarrassed as her face started turning red. Just then, among the students who sat at the row right to her, her eyes became fixed at the boy laughing along with his friends, she couldn't take her eyes off him for a while and kinda spacing out she didn't pay attention to all the jokes that flew around about her.

Her heart began pounding which accelerated fast like an alarm went off.

And when he turned to meet her eyes, She could hear angels singing around him.

He gently smiled at her with his face gleaming like the morning sun. It was love at first sight. It felt as if she was floating in the sky among the clouds. Metaphorically on cloud nine.

But when the girl seated in front of Ridhi shook her hand in front of the latter's face, "Are you alright?"

Ridhi came back to her senses. And the boy now looked at her with a weird expression. She quickly diverted her eyes towards the window and painfully came to know that her mind played dirty tricks on her and some moments later when she carefully sneaked a glance at him, the boy she admired was focused on reading the history book.

Did he smile at me or did I imagine it?

She couldn't even trust herself at the time being. The breakup she went through four weeks ago was still fresh in her mind and she felt shameful that she's already eyeing another person.

Eventually the laughter in the class died down. Ridhi just lied down on her desk not wanting to cause any more scene that will make the others mock her again.

But little did she know, the boy she admired, was also sneaking glances at her.