ShivOmRu SS ~ Cross Connections

Chapter 6

Shivay was sitting in his usual spot next to Tia's seat and humming a tune. Tia hadn't turned up yet, she had texted him that their car had broken down in the highway and she would take until lunch break to reach college. He was casually smiling and laughing at his classmates who sat around him chatting away till the professor arrived. He occasionally glanced at the entrance for Om to arrive, he was unusually late - normally Om arrived way early so that he could grab his breakfast from the canteen before college started, but guess he was caught up somewhere. After waiting for a while, he decided to call him up, Om had told him that he had overslept and would only arrive after their second lecture. Shivay sighed, guess he would be really bored today. But then he remembered Anika, well Anika would never bunk a class, surely she would arrive, and what more, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to talk to her without making it too obvious. They were a group, and when the others of the group didn't turn up, it was natural for them to hang out. A smile twitched to his lip, as he thought to himself - perfect.

He was busy flirting with a classmate of his when he heard her voice from near the entrance door, he went still, he recognized her voice of course but not that laugh, she was always too quiet, never this chirpy he thought confused out of his wits. Then he slowly turned around and the sight brought in a certain uneasiness about him - she was walking in with a guy, he looked like one of Shivay's type, he wore a polo tee with a distressed denim. He had a sling bag hanging from one shoulder and he was casually holding Anika by her shoulder and laughing at something she had said. He was at ease with his surrounding, and smiled at the new faces he came across as he entered the class. Shivay remembered about Anika's "wrong" text from the night before, he was right, it was a guy! He sat up straighter in his seat to mark his territory almost, as he expected them to sit around him - of course Anika would take her seat behind him and is the new guy tried sitting next to her, he would tell her it was reserved for Om, he smiled with satisfaction. Of course after that if he came to sit next to him, he would tell him it's for Tia - Mr. New Guy seemed smart, he would get the hint and stay away, huffed Shivay with a smile. But to his surprise, Anika never came to sit in her usual spot, instead she walked past him without noticing him and sat in the other corner of the class with new guy' by her side.

Soon a group of people went to them to meet the new guy' - silly guy, thought Shivay, he didn't even realize that he was the shining new toy, hence all wanted to know him - He on the other end was casually talking to all of them with a friendly ease. Shivay felt bothered, they were a group. And groups always sat together. ALWAYS. No matter what - even if they leave each other in the pub alone past midnight. He didn't say anything, but he kept darting glances at Anika, but she seemed too occupied with the number of people hovering around her seat. This irritated Shivay, so much for friendship he thought.

As Shivay sat through the lecture alone, he felt a little low, he felt lonely and friendless, and he never had a day in college like this before, where he didn't have his friends by his side. On that he could hear the girls excitedly whispering about the new guy and how hot he was - it irked him further - so new guy was competition huh? Well, silly girls, they didn't know, new guy was just another pretty boy, not a rockstar in making! He focused his thoughts on his music practise - he had started a rigorous training from the beginning of this sems, there was a talent hunt next month, he had registered there - he knew it he could make it through, but he needed undivided attention for that. His bade papa never stopped him for his music practise, but they wouldn't take it mildly if his academics suffered for that. Thank-God Anika was taking care of the assignments - at least his scores weren't the problem anymore.

After the first lecture, when he glanced a hundred times at Anika and she never returned the look, he decided he would go and casually greet the two - that way he could gauge Mr. New Guy and also see exactly how mad Anika was at having been left on her own at the night club - maybe he could discuss tomorrows assignment and also casually ask about her choice of seating? So, once the professor left the class, he casually got up and walked to them,