My brother's best friend

Chapter 24

The classroom doors opened, and Pandit barely stopped himself hissing through his teeth. He forced himself to look at Sameer– the real Sameer, the one standing in front of him with his hand propped against the claasroom doorway to keep it open, not the one he'd been mulling over in his mind for the past couple of days, the one who betrayed their friend Arjun – but didn't say anything as he forced a clearly artificial smile, not the warm one, but the classic mocking smile. Pandit had almost perfectly predicted how Sameer would respond to his declaration– eyes widening in surprise, face flushed with knowledge of getting caught, mouth half open in surprise and a little while later, after the gravity of situation would finally sink in, head lowered in shame– but he hadn't anticipated how much deeper the lines around Sameer's mouth would be, as though he hadn't stopped frowning since they'd left the cricket ground to talk privately. Pandit had almost denied his request for a private conversation, what could be done now anyway? As if Sameer is left with anything to explain.

So yeah, he hadn't actually called Sameer here. He'd thought about confronting him much earlier though, even gotten as far to call him at his home. He shuddered at the thought of this kind of conversation taking place on a phone, with God forbid, their family around.

He had been dreading this conversation since the past few days. Mulling, dreaming, even daydreaming- about how things might go. On one hand, Sameer might give a reasonable explanation for his deeds, as if there could be any, and on the other (and more possible) scenario, he won't have anything to say. Pandit hadn't mentioned his nightmares had he. He doesn't wannna elaborate, but they had something to do with a certain Arjun breaking off his friendship with Sameer.

Now, in front of him, solid and real and definitely not a daydream, Sameer offered Pandit a small, sad and uncertain smile. Pandit folded his arms, and Sameer dropped his chin in what Pandit dared to believe was acceptance.

"Pandit," Sameer said, too quietly to sound anything like the college President, or the cricket captain, or his usual confident and charming self. He looked up, looked Pandit dead in the eye. "Bhai tujhe bahut kuch batana hai."

"Kaha se shuru karu...." Sameer propped his hands low on his hips, pulling his elbows back.

Pandit shook his head, and Sameer, to his credit, dropped his jaw a little in surprise.

"Jahaan se shuru karna hai kar. Waise bhi tu kahaan mujhse poochke ya mujhe batake kuch karta hai"

Sameer visibly flinched at his harsh words, but Pandit didn't let himself get affected. If he wanted to set things right, he had to be ruthless. He very well knew that someone will definitely end up getting hurt beyond repair at last, so why not be hard on everyone from this moment on. At this point of time, he just had to prevent maximum damage right? Damage which had already been done cannot be repaired. The least he could do was protect the others.

He stared at Sameer, daring him to continue, daring him to explain his actions. All this while, the latter lowered his head and refused to meet Pandit's piercing gaze. But now, Sameer appeared to be waiting for Pandit to finish his thought for him. Instead, Pandit raised his eyebrow and shrugged in a sardonic display of feigned ignorance. He was pleased when Sameer sighed.

"Main aur Naina- " Sameer started with a newfound vigor, but immediately found himself getting weaker by each passing second. " -mera matlab hum do-" he sighed again "-no ke beech jo bhi hua, woh Fresher's party ke din start hua tha." He then proceded to elaborate about how he started feeling things about her, things he never should have felt in the first place. How the kiss at locker rooms changed everything.

Sameer felt Pandit's gaze hardening by each passing second, but Sameer didn't let himself get affected again.
Lehro se darkar naiyya paar nahi hoti