BusKing!!!

SIX

Ch 6 [Mission failed successfully!]

A week had passed since I was going to school and I had only make one friend. Others treated me well but nobody bothered to get closer to me. Everyone had their partners. I was the only one who used to sit alone. Father must have noticed that. That is why on the weekend when we were at our shop, he asked me, "Have you not made any friends yet?"

I looked at him, "I have." I smiled.

He nodded, "But I always see you alone." He returned while sweeping the floor. "Are you lying again?"

"No! I'm not lying. Ishan is my friend. Others also treat me well like friends." I immediately replied.

He laughed and put the sweeper aside. He walked towards the chair beside me and sat on it. He sighed while looking outside. It was getting dark and the street lights were on. "Your mother had a lot of friends back then unlike me. I was like you. I had no friend. In my whole life, I made only one friend." He said and looked at me, "You seem just like me. Make sure that friend is a true one. Otherwise, you'll regret it." Saying this he once again looked outside as if he was reminiscing something. He didn't say anything particularly to me after that but I heard him mumble, "Just like me." As he shook his head.

I knew he had some mysteries in his life that he had been hiding from me. Next day was a holiday. So, I went to Aunt's home in the early morning after breakfast. She was washing clothes at that time. I went to their roof and found uncle sitting on the chair reading newspaper while brother Sushant was studying beside him. He saw me.

"Sattu!" Brother called me with a smile and asked me to sit. I nodded and walked to him.

Uncle saw me too. He was a very sweet man. He smiled widely at me, "Come, come. Sit. What will you like to eat, son?" He said.

I greeted him and replied, "I just had breakfast." I smiled. I sat on the floor beside brother Sushant.

"What brings you here today?" Brother asked me.

I looked on the floor. He seemed to be studying science. He was in the final year of his college. I didn't want to disturb him. So, I made sure to ask, "Am I disturbing you?"

He shook his head right away in reply, "No way."

I felt relieved. "You see, there is something I'm curious about." I said.

"Which is what?" He returned. He looked at me with full concentration.

"Who was my father's friend?" I asked him, "Did he got betrayed by him?"

This question seemed like a threat to him. He glanced at uncle who was reading his newspaper. Uncle looked at him too after hearing my question.

"Why are you asking this?" Uncle asked me.

"I'm just curious." I replied.

"Satvik, your father used to be very innocent. I will say just one thing, that is don't repeat the mistake which he made. Don't trust your friend blindly. If I tell you more than this, you might come at me." He laughed. Brother looked at me with worry.

I didn't get the answer that I was expecting but what he said sticked to my mind for a really long time. I started to look at Ishan that way. I think I took uncle's advice way too seriously because I remember I used to avoid making any contacts with Ishan. In the morning when he used to stand with his friend circle around their desks, I never looked at them and just sat on my desk quietly and if any of them approached me, I'd run away from there. I might have acted too weird, because after two weeks of my strange behavior, my classmates finally surrounded me.

"What are you always running away for?" Our class monitor said. His name was Rudra. He seemed like a sweet person but only from far.

"Right. You act like we are some kind of robbers that you need to be careful around." Another classmate said who was named Arjun. Rudra and Arjun were both standing facing me while others were whispering something to each other. I could hear the girls chuckling as if they were making fun of me. I didn't want to make a scene so I kept quiet. Right then, I heard Ved from behind. I didn't imagine him being there because Ishan wasn't there too. So, I thought he'd be with him. But I was wrong.

"We are talking to you." He said.

I turned and looked at him. I smiled, "I'm sorry." I said.

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong." Ved replied and stood up from his desk. He always gave the vibes of a mafia student who'd thrash you to death if you mess up with him. So, I was acting wisely.

At that moment I was confused what I should do but I was saved by a voice that suddenly shouted Ved's name. I turned to the door and found out it was Ishan. He told him to go somewhere with him in gestures. Ved walked to him and they left from there. I was just wondering how they could trust each other and not be afraid of each other when someone wrapped their arm around my shoulder.

"Hey, tell us. What are you afraid of? We can be your friends, you know." A short guy it was. I pulled my shoulder away from him. He looked disappointed but the next moment he smiled, "I see, you're uncomfortable. It's alright. It happens when we first meet someone. I hope we'll make good friends." He extended his hand towards me, "Myself Ivan." He said that with a smile that made me shake hands with him without any second thoughts.

"But seriously, why are you avoiding us though?" Rudra asked me. He looked curious.

I looked at him, "I thought you guys don't like me."

"What? What did you say? Who told you that?" He screamed. Others chuckled.

"These girls were laughing at me just a moment ago." I returned.

"shut up!" A girl gave me a straight and clear answer, "We were not making fun of you. We were laughing because you looked so innocent. Now, I think you're not as innocent as we thought." She said. "Let's go girls. If you want any help, you can ask us." She said that to me and then they went out. She looked like she was the leader of the girls group. All the girls were walking behind her.

"Why is everyone heading out?" I asked looking at Ivan.

"Well, because its recess you idiot!" He replied and laughed. How could someone be so frank with a stranger, I wondered because he just called me an idiot when we had just met.

So, finally, the mission I had imagined of avoiding making any friend had successfully failed. I made new friends after all. Now that I think about it, uncle never said to not make any friends. He only asked me to be careful of the fake ones.