Cigarettes & Peonies

27

"Who the hell has given him your number??" vaishali said shocked. Maahi looked at her and huffed.
"I asked him multiple times but he just wouldn't answer." replied maahi timidly. Vaishali blew out her cheeks.
"Gosh!! He was good in Italy doing modelling for Dolce and Gabbana, why the hell did he decided to come back. He's such a dork. Show me his messages." asked vaishali. Maahi unlocked her phone and handed it over to her. Vaishali straight went to the messages and read them all in a single go. Her eyes were wide like an owl as she read the conversation between them.
"WTH!!! Is this guy insane or what!!! Who the hell talks like this?? I am not liking you dork...." hissed vaishali as she searched for the block icon and tapped on it. And this is how Karanvir Roy, the bad boy, was blocked from messaging maahi khandelwal. Vaishali smirked in triumph.
"That!!! Now this dork won't ever trouble you." vaishali grinned. Maahi smiled softly. Meanwhile the bus slid inside the university's gates and was running smoothly over the newly laid pathway. When the bus drew up inside the bus stop, maahi and vaishali began climbing down the bus. Now, usually it's maahi's father who drops off maahi to college. Today, however, he had to leave early for his office as he had an urgent conference meeting with delegates from Delhi. Therefore maahi came by the bus and didn't regret for she was happy to be with her best friend. Once they hopped out of the bus, the first person they encountered was, no surprises, the creepy Karanvir. He stood there, by the column of ornamental trees, clad in jet black clothing, blushing like a groom. Maahi was the first one to ignore him and then came vaishali.
"Don't look at him maahi. Just pretend we have not seen him." vaishali whispered in her ear.
"I'm trying." maahi said.
"That dork....."
"Hi maahi." the girls gasped and sprang back in surprise.
"Take it easy girls, I am no ghost." Karanvir said and chuckled. Maahi tried to catch her breath while vaishali was already glaring daggers at him.
"Ofcourse you're worse than that. What the hell were you thinking?? And you better leave our way." snapped vaishali at him. Karanvir huffed.
"Why do you love me so much vaishali!!" Karanvir leered slyly. Vaishali fumed. Maahi was ill at ease. Why can't they just push this creep off and run away??
"I love my boyfriend, did you understand dork!!! And stop nagging my friend!!" vaishali yelled at him. He rolled his eyes.
"I've some hearing issues going on so I can't hear you. Now, hi maahi. How are you?? Didn't your father came to drop you today??" Karanvir blushed and said. Maahi looked up at him nervously.
"Um, my classes will begin soon. I need to go." her voice quavered as she swerved round to leave. Karanvir immediately yanked her wrist.
"I think we had talked this out that you won't ignore me ever." Karanvir said darkly as maahi looked at him in fear. Vaishali wrenched her (maahi's) hand out of his wrist and gnashed her teeth at him.
"You need to learn how to behave Mr. Roy. Don't ever fucking lay a finger on her ever again!!!" hissed vaishali angrily. Karanvir glared down at her. Maahi gasped loudly.
"Listen here you idiot girl, I don't like when someone tries to come between me and maahi." Karanvir declared threatningly. Maahi was flummoxed.
"Oh really!!! And why is that?? Who is maahi to you??" vaishali yelled at him. Maahi grabbed her hand and started dragging her away just so both of them couldn't kill each other. Karanvir's dark eyes watched as maahi and vaishali left for their classroom.
"She's everything to me stupid girl." Karanvir muttered under his breath, controlling his urge to throw her infront of Yercaud express.

Maahi sat in her classroom, listening to her lecture. Suddenly there broke a confused cacophony inside the classroom. Looking at the door she found Karanvir the creep walking inside with his doltish friends.
"Where do you think you're walking in Mr. Roy??" asked the professor irritated. Karanvir, whose eyes were hooked on his precious maahi, threw him a casual glance and said.
"I think I am walking inside the classroom." and the students burst out into laughter. Professor's stern look silenced them all at once.
"That I can see but why are you walking into the classroom when I'm taking the class. And by the way, the department's gate is open...."
"Cut it, I am here because I want to sit here. Need any more reasons." karanvir's dark eyes shut the mouth of professor then and there. He had no say in the matter and therefore the creep Karanvir was marching towards maahi. Maahi's blood froze. And her figure started trembling when Karanvir actually came and sat beside her on her seat. His strong, musky cologne filled her nose and she just wanted to puke because his scent was just too strong for her liking. It no doubt was good and pricey, but only if it had been a little more milder than perhaps she might've ended up liking it, but right now it was a big no from her side. Anyways, Karanvir now was sitting next to maahi and her heart was drumming compulsively in her chest. He brought with him a distinct warmth as if he was a walking heater. Now, Karanvir Roy, the most popular bad boy of the college was sitting beside maahi, it was undoubtedly the news for the college gossipers. The girls envied maahi while the boys were puzzled (except few who had a major crush on maahi).
"I need pin drop silence now. Let's continue with our lecture." said the professor loudly. Maahi quickly tucked few wisps of her hairs behind her ear and looked at her professor, trying all possible ways to ignore him.
"Hi gorgeous." he whispered huskily in her ear. Warmness spread inside her body as he inched closer to her. His big frame literally unnerved her.
"Wanna have lunch with me today??" he asked. Maahi really wanted to punch him in the face but then she wasn't disturbing the whole class because of, well, a dork. She ignored him. But that triggered him.
"WILL YOU STOP THAT ALREADY!!!" Karanvir punched on the desk and yelled. Professor stiffened and turned towards him. Maahi shuddered in fear. The class went silent. Now Karanvir turned towards maahi, his eyes dark and unyielding.
"Will you have lunch with me today maahi??" he asked her, more like ordered her. Her fingernails digged deeply into her notebook as she could feel all eyes on her. There were faint murmurings from behind the class. Students had already began discussing this shit.
"Answer me maahi." ordered Karanvir creepily. Maahi gasped loudly. With that evil look in his eyes it was clear that he won't take no for an answer. Hence, just to buy some time and also to ease this intense situation she nodded meekly. He grinned. He turned towards the alarmed professor and smiled.
"Continue." and then he sat beside her and didn't disturb anyone until the class was over.

Maahi skulked outside the university surreptitiously. After that drama in the classroom, maahi had another class and she literally had to request Karanvir to leave as his presence was discomfiting for her. He, surprisingly, was 'kind' enough to leave after she asked him to. However, he did take a promise from her that she will do the lunch with him. She lied and he left. Now after the classes were over, maahi fell in a quandary. Should she go to canteen and have lunch with him, which she didn't wanted, or should she call vaishali and tell her everything so she could handle Karanvir in her own style?? She resolved to do the latter. After she described today's drama to her, she immediately sprang into action and dialled her boyfriend's number. So now, her boyfriend was waiting for both of them outside the university. This was the only way to escape Karanvir. Besides maahi had no classes after lunch so it was a pretty good idea to leave for home. Carefully maahi left the university, sat inside vaishali's boyfriend's car and together they set off to their homes. Maahi reached her home on time, ate lunch and then dozed off.

In the evening maahi woke up. When she went downstairs her brothers were already there. They smiled at her.
"Hi maahi!!! How did you came so early??" asked luv casually. Maahi told him everything, editing out the karanvir's part just to not freak them out. They nodded.
"Ok. Well, Karanvir was asking about you. He looked kinda pissed off for some reason." kush said and maahi gasped loudly. Her feet turned cold. Was he angry because she lied to him?? She didn't ask her brothers anything about him because she felt that it wasn't her concern. But she was very wrong to think like that. By the time night arrived, maahi had completely forgotten about the creep Karanvir. She did her dinner with her father and family and later her brothers took her out for walk. They were scouring along the streets of Vanasthali as the night breeze swept over them. Maahi's brothers went astray, well not exactly as they found few of their friends and they just stood with them and talked. Maahi stayed close by and enjoyed the night wind. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her.
"Promises are not meant to be broken baby girl." said a voice from behind. She gasped loudly on realising who was it. Fearfully she turned back to come face to face with the creepy Karanvir. He certainly didn't look happy.
"Um.....Um...." she tried to find her voice but couldn't succeed. He smiled cruelly and grabbed her by her wrist.
" You have already madden me enough, now don't try to piss me off more. Come with me." he hissed before dragging her with him. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she looked helplessly at her brothers who were way too busy to look at their poor sister. She wanted to shout but she couldn't. Silently she cried as he took her inside a nice looking ice cream parlor. Trying to be chivalrous, he pulled out a seat for her and made her sit forcefully next to him. She was shaking with fear as his big figure sank into the chair next to her. His aura yelled dominance and she could see how much people feared him. His one look and the entire parlor was empty, except for the staff. He threw his arm behind her chair and she jumped slightly on her chair.
"One choco chip regular and a strawberry smoothie." he ordered and surprisingly, they both were her favourites. Maahi sniffled inaudibly, trying not to draw his attention but his attention was always on her, whether or not she likes it.
"I was waiting for you at the lunch you know!!!" he said. Maahi sniffed and kept quiet.
"Why do you run away from me maahi??? Hm!!!" he asked hatefully. Maahi couldn't muster up the courage to look him in the eye.
"Please...let me go......" she whispered with tears. He came closer.
"Never gonna happen baby girl." he hissed. The waiter quickly brought their order and placed it on the table in front of them. Karanvir leaned back in his chair.
"Eat it. NOW." he stated firmly. Maahi, not wanting to piss him off, started digging in with shaking hands. The ice cream was really good to be honest.
"So now baby girl listen, you will never run away from me. Am I clear??" he said, his hot breath fanning her face. She shuddered.
"What do you want from me??" she asked with tears. He quickly wiped them off with the back of his thumb.
"Stop crying. I haven't been angry until now." he said. She looked up at him and gasped.
"Than what was this??" she asked with fear. He brought his face closer to her.
"This was just a trailer gorgeous. You have no idea what monster I am when my anger overpowers me." he smirked cruelly. Maahi looked at him in horror. He smiled at her terror strucken face. He found it adorable.
"How precious you are maahi!!" he whispered, running his finger along the side of her face. She gulped in fear.
"Their's a guy called kunal dhawan right?? So now my pretty Peony, if you wish to see him alive than you are staying away from him. Am I clear??" he said darkly. Her eyes widened in fear.
"Why....." she asked in a whisper. His lips touched the skin of her cheek where they left two gentle kisses.
"Because I own you my little Peony. And I don't like when you spend time with anyone except for me." he declared as maahi watched him in pure horror.
___________________________________________
Every single vote matters and every single follower adds up to my family. So make sure you leave a vote and also follow me if you are liking this novel.