I'm blessed to be me

CHAPTER 25

"What?" I repeat dumbly.

"I....I...did it on purpose" he stammers ashamedly.

"Why?" I whisper, grabbing his collar, slowly his words sinking in. By now, Aadhi has come along with Iniya to my side.

"It was.....because I......wanted to know your secret........and I figured out.....that.... you act odd when shocked" he says awkwardly scratching his neck "But I never imagined it to be this serious!" he swears.

My palm meets his cheek with full force, ignoring the sincerity in his look.

"I never expected you to be this cheap!" I spit. He remains rooted there, quietly watching me with reproachful eyes. I turn on my heels dabbing at my fresh tears. I grab an incensed Aadhi with shaky hands to prevent him from doing something rageful and rush towards my bus.

"She has actually slapped him" a girl who I presume to be an admirer of the jerk squeaks. "A tight one at that" another says.

I give them a deathly glare that makes them disperse away.

Of course, they wouldn't in the least have any idea of what he had done to me..........But are more than ready to judge me on my behavior.

I shake with fury as I enter the bus, still not able to digest the happenings. Few more tears prickle my eyes.

How could he.....How could he even imagine doing such a thing?

Aadhi leaves and our bus begins to crawl. And my mind is as hustled as the traffic outside.

Aarghh! I hate him!

Just when I started to think of him as a good friend, rather more than a friend, yeah.......I had started developing feelings towards him. But now he has done a misdeed that I would not forgive for a lifetime!

Am I a toy to be played with?

I have never heard of a person who would go to such extents to complete a mere challenge, even if it is called one. I tick off an angry tear again.

One minute he makes me believe he's too good and another......poof! He has shattered my thoughts and hopes.

I really hate him!

We travel in utter silence with Iniya glancing at me now and then.

"What was all that absurdity about?" she asks at last, when I finally get a grip on my temper. I sigh and let everything fall to her.

"I'll count his bones surely" she says with wide furious eyes.

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"Hey! C'mon change the song!" I shout to Iniya over the blasting music, panting. She changes it to 'One, two, three, four' from Chennai Express, one of our favourites of kuthu dance.

It is our weekly dose of dance, celebrating the weekend, as usual. My parents are watching television in the Living Room.

This time I'm on it in an attempt to sedate my worries.

"Get me some water" I shout to Iniya, practicing a new step.

"What?" she asks daringly, raising her brows.

"Please, get me some water Iniya" I amend my order.

"Ask like 'Iniya sweetie, pleeaasee get me some water babie......'" she goes.

I huff and advance on her while she takes on her heels. We play 'Chase and catch' around the house with our parents yelling for us to stop the chaos.