“Good morning, Chocolate Monster.”Aara greeted her friend Samaira who was busy eating her third chocolate bar.
“Good morning, expression-deficient species.” Samaira greeted back with equal sarcasm.
“Samaira, you know, everyone was giving me odd looks in the classroom.” Aara shrugged while sitting beside Samaira at the front desk in the middle row.
“Means you don't know today's hot topic,” Samaira stated.
“What hot topic?” Aara was clueless.
Aara wasn't very popular. Alright, she was popular among nerds for her impressive English vocabulary, creative writing skills and of course, for being the topper's good friend. However, all in all, she was a regular student, whom everyone knew as Professor Danish's favourite student and his unofficial daughter. Because many times Danish had used the word Beta for her in front of the whole class. But, that's it.
“Wait a minute.” Samaira pulled out her phone from her kit and showed her an Instagram post made by the gossip page ‘Queen Bee’ of their college.
It was a picture that clicked the previous night. Of hers with Angvir. Both of them were smiling at each other. And the caption read “Prof. Danish's Chamchi is dating a young billionaire Angvir Mehrotra.”
Aara's eyes widened in shock and anger.
“Aara, look, cool down.” Samaira tried to handle the situation, but it wasn't her cup of tea.
“But how dare they!” Her eyes were watering because of anger.
“You should go home. I'll WhatsApp you the pictures of today's notes. Alright?”
“Who is the admin of this gossip page?”
Samaira hesitated a bit, the chocolate in her hand was long forgotten.
“Umm... Nayana Ahuja, student of fashion designing.”
“That bitch!” She cursed out loud enough for everyone in the room. Something very out of her character. But they say anger takes the best of you.
“Aara!” Everyone's eyes turned to the entrance of the room where Danish was standing.
Danish entered the classroom and stood in front of Aara's desk. Aara lowered her gaze, and all of her anger flew out of the window.
“Ten pages on William Shakespeare is your punishment.”
Aara groaned in her mind and anyone could see that from her face.
Because Aara hates Shakespeare!
“Yes, sir.” She said politely when all she wanted to do was a slap that Nayana Ahuja.
•••
“What are you doing?” Samaira asked.
“Doing my punishment task.”
“Well, you can take help from the internet. It will take less time that way.”
“My creative side despises using the Internet for writing.”
Samaira shrugged and continued eating her chocolate ice cream. Samaira's capacity to consume all sorts of sweets sometimes surprises Aara.
“By the way, tell me about that Nayana,” Aara said with her eyes glued to the paper.
“She is a spoilt rich brat of South Delhi. I had once heard from Mumma that Nayana's mother is a former model who was also a Miss India finalist. Moreover, her father is the owner of a Delhi-based fashion brand. But, Aara, from where she got that picture?”
“Last night, Danish sir dragged me to a party to introduce me to his writer friend. There I met Angvir. And we began chatting. That's it.” She skipped the parts that weren't meant to be told.
“So are you both dating?” Samaira asked excitedly.
“No! We are not even friends. He has sponsored my studies, so obviously I can't ignore him at a party. I have to be respectful towards him.”
“If you say so.”
•••
As the college ended, Aara went to the Queen's Cafe for her shift. As she entered the cafe, she was greeted by the gloomy faces of her fellow workers. Sadness was lingering in the air. And maybe that sadness was the reason there were only a few customers in the cafe. Maybe the vibe of sadness made them uncomfortable. Because it did make her uncomfortable.
“Aara, Maria aunty died last night.” Siya disclosed as soon as Aara put her feet in the kitchen.
“What!?”
It was a piece of bad news. Not because Maria died. She was eighty-five. However, now her greedy son will inherit the cafe. And he has been open about his plans of selling the cafe for a hefty amount.
“We should visit her house and pay our condolences. And then start finding another job.” Siya's words brought her out of the shock.
Aara wordlessly nodded and went to change into her uniform, maybe for the last time.
•••
After a day full of unpleasant surprises finally, Aara reached home around nine o'clock.
She was sad. Not because of that Instagram post or Maria's death. She was sad because Maria was a very generous employer and used to give them good salaries. No other employer will be willing to pay that much salary.
Now she'll have to find another job.
“Ughh! Life is so unfair.”
At the very same moment, her phone rang. She picked it up to see Angvir calling her.
“Hello.”
“Hi, I... I saw that post.” She knew what exactly he was talking about.
“How did you get to know about it?” That's the thing that surprised her.
“I was tagged in that post.”
“Oh, I am so sorry, Ang.”
“No, it's not your fault, Aara.”
“This day is one of the worst days of my life.”She groaned.
“I am not that bad for being your rumoured boyfriend.” He tried to joke.
“It's not about the post. Cafe's owner died. Her son will soon sell off the cafe. And I'll be jobless.”
He was quiet for a few moments.
“What will you do now?”
“I don't know.”
“Don't worry, something good will come out of this.”
“I hope so.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
And the call ended.
•••
Long time, no see.
Why are still clinging to this book, tell me?
YOU ARE READING
Oh, My Heart! ✓
RomanceBeautiful Cover by @75shadow ••• Aara was a normal girl trying make things work after her parents' death. Angvir was a not-so-normal rich guy with a messed up mental health. He crashed. She saved him. He met her. He got angry when she refused his fi...
