Dil Jaanta Hai | ✔

forty-seven

||CHAPTER 47||
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Suprisingly, Mr. Gaur was absent that day. Which inturn meant that the Psychology students had to accompany us, the P.E. students, to the sports room for indoor games, or in other words, the freedom for the ones who did not like running lapses.

For the past ten minutes, Vansh Mehra had been discreetly staring at Karan Bahl, who was playing table tennis with Avni. While we awaited for our turn on the fifth table, nothing but awkwardness filled in the space that did not welcome it. I cleared my throat. "No matter how shocking the news is, you always have to act like you don't know, Vansh."

He turned abruptly to look at me, "I was... just thinking, what if we were in his shoes?"

I didn't need to think about it, but I pretended to, for his sake. "I'd be scared if others' found out."

"Exactly!" He glanced at everyone around us. "But we did, Arvika."

Maybe it was because he still dreamt of a world in which there were people you could rely on, people who had your back. But I could understand what he was feeling; instability, like that dream was slowly fading out in its realms.

"I had warned you, this was going to be crazy."

"It can stop being crazy if we try," he was instilling hope. He was juggling his feelings.

We were passed a pair of tennis racquets, and we took our positions.

I wasn't the only one who digressed all the frustration through the smashes.

¿¤?

I was with Armaan Qureshi in the second floor during the break, when Mrs. Negi stopped infront of us on the stairwell near the library.

"Good Afternoon, Mam," we chimed, rising up to greet her.

"Won't you guys have your lunch?" She asked, glancing at her wrisy watch. "Just ten minutes left!"

"We already did mam," Armaan replied, slithely dumping the biscuit wrappers in his trouser pockets. "We were just using our time to study."

She nodded at him, looking at the Math textbook on the stairs. Then, she met my eyes. "Do you mind coming to my faculty room for a moment? I need to speak to you."

Finally, I thought. "Sure, Mam."

I followed her to her faculty room, by the Social Studies lab. It was just like any other normal faculty room in the room, except there were no teachers around. She lead me to her table, and motioned me to grab a chair. When we were seated, I asked, "Is this about my English exam?"

Arranging a few papers on her table, she shook her head. "No."

I waited patientlg for her to continue.

"Alright... so, I read a few things about you on the internet."

I nodded, not understanding her sudden need to do so.

"Is it true that the Deewans have taken over a third of the Yatis company because of you?"

I smiled. "There might be some truth to it."

"I don't think Raman gave that to you willingly," she didn't sound accusatory, "what was your bait?"

"I apologise, Mrs. Negi," I stood up, "but I am not comfortable speaking about my family and business with anyone in the school. If this is not about my academics, or overall wellbeing, I suppose I'm allowed to leave? I heard the bell ring a few minutes ago."