The Downsides Of Popularity ✓

Chapter 22

LET'S DO IT.

I STARE AT the school's clock tower and it's currently 10.45 am. I should be there in the Assembly Hall by 11.00 am unless I want to be dragged to the Principal's Office for being late.

But frankly speaking, I don't want to go in. Walking down a hallway full of people whispering about me and then facing Utkarsh- Oh no, no, no-

'Ma'am? Are you unwell? Do you want to go back home?' my driver's voice brings me out of my brooding.

'No, I-I'm fine. Thank you,' I quickly respond and open the door of the SUV to step out. The option of staying at home was already declined this morning as I wasn't down with a cold or a fever.

It'll all be over soon.

I keep repeating this sentence in my head as I enter the school and walk into the Assembly Hall. As predicted, every possible head starts to turn in my direction and people start speaking in hushed tones to one another. Suddenly, I spot Meera approaching me- more like running towards me.

'We need to talk,' she says and drags me through the crowd of students at the back and to the front of the Hall.

Most students are more invested in chatting and gossiping rather than forming lines, class-wise as there are still 5 minutes left until the clock strikes 11 and Principal Ma'am usually comes at 11.15.

'Okay, so did you talk to Utkarsh yet? After the fight?' Meera asks me, worry evident on her face.

'No. You're the first person I've talked to since I got here. Is there, something going on?'

'People are just talking on and on about the break-up. Nothing else,' Meera says trying to assure me but I can see how tense her shoulders are, which means she's withholding some sort of information.

'What is it that you're not saying?'

'I-' she's getting more anxious by the minute but decides to give in, 'Sometimes I hate your superpower of empathy,' and I smile.

Meera brings out her phone from her backpack and unlocks it. She taps on her phone numerous times and then turns the screen towards me.

I'm shocked. Did I expect that? Yes.

Did I expect it so soon? Never.

It's Kriti's Instagram page where she's posted a picture, holding a Starbucks coffee cup in hand. But that's not all. There's another hand, of a boy holding a similar cup who's probably the one taking the picture. The caption reads:

"My daily dose of energy at Starbucks with a special person." and then she tags Utkarsh's account. I scroll up on the screen to see the comments which consist mostly of heart emojis.

Meera pulls back her phone and logs out of Insta when she realises I was scrolling through the comments.

'No looking at the comments,' she tells me as she drops her phone in her bag. But I managed to see one of the comments before she swiped the phone away: "What about Shweta? So sad."