Chapter 5

2 years ago

TereNishaan

@dhun.laagi

PART 5

Prerna wanted to go and hide in the library. The only thing she had with her was her diary, which had been in her pocket and, thankfully, not in her bag. At first, it was a great distraction that kept her from obsessing over what had happened. If she could get through the rest of the day, then she would have more time to figure out how to talk to her friends again. This was a swing situation if there ever was one. So, she took a deep breath and left.

A hand reached out and grabbed her as soon as she stepped out from the washroom into the main campus. It dragged her into an alcove beneath the staircase. When Prerna finally got her footing back, she came face to face with Anurag. In the hand that wasn't still wrapped around her elbow, he held her bag. Prerna snatched the bag away from him with her free arm.

"Did you draw the lottery or something?" Prerna asked as she slung the strap over her shoulder.

"No, I wanted to find you," Anurag was frowning at her the way he had that day when their roles were reversed. "I had half a mind to go in there into the washroom  after you, but I realized that you are alone right now and it might be viewed as inappropriate."

"Wouldn't want that, would we, Anurag?"

"It wouldn't be the worst rumour about us," Anurag said. 

He moved his hand down from her elbow to her wrist, forcing her to turn her hand over for him. He ran his thumb over the fading bruises across her knuckles.

"But I'd be afraid that you'd go around taking shots at anyone who tried to spread it, and I think these pretty fingers of yours have done enough damage. They have a more remarkable purpose to serve in this world."

Prerna pulled her hand away. 

"I told you that I didn't do it. Do you not believe me either?"

"I believe you didn't stab someone. I mean, that's ridiculous. How would you have managed that? Did you sharpen the end to weaponise it? Hardly likely," Anurag said.

"Besides, that is more likely in my alley."

Prerna pinched her lips together so she wouldn't accidentally laugh at his jab at himself. 

"You didn't say anything at lunch. You wouldn't even look at me."

"I didn't want to say anything in front of the others," Anurag replied, "because I know what you've been doing. You've been fighting so I don't have to. I just can't figure out why."

"I told you why. You could ruin your future and I don't have one anyway, so—"

"I'm gonna stop you right there, because that's stupid. You have as bright a future as any of us. We both know that. So, why don't you try again."

"Without good influence, the first thing you did was get in a fight,"

Prerna figured there was no use in pretending anymore. He was just going to use his kind eyes and sweet words to pry it out of her eventually. She might as well get it over with. 

"And that's not the way it's supposed to be."

"Wait, do you think that guy was the first person to say something nasty?" Anurag raised an eyebrow.

"Wasn't he?" Prerna hugged her arms around herself, hiding her bruised hand under her arm.

"Hell no," Anurag swore and Prerna straightened her shoulders.

"There were guys making assumptions right out of the gate, about Mishka, about me. There were even a couple that suggested things about Anjali too. Not to mention Sid and his normal lack of social grace stirring up all kinds of trouble."

"What made that guy different then?" Prerna had to ask, because he would tell her the truth, she knew it.

"He was the first one to say something about you," Anurag tapped her chin, so she would meet his eyes.

"That can't be true. I do things all the time that must get people talking. There's no way that he was the first," Prerna said. She held his gaze, daring him to hide the truth again.

"He was the first one to imply that Mishka broke up with me because I was unfaithful, with you," Anurag revised his statement and Prerna's eyes widened.

"I overheard him telling his friends that if you were desperate enough to break up your best friend's relationship that it would probably easy for all of them to have a run at you."

"I doubt he was quite so polite when he said it," Prerna said. 

She squeezed herself tighter, digging her nails into her arms to keep her emotions level.

"I may be paraphrasing," Anurag agreed. 

"I heard him and his friends laughing and I snapped. I couldn't control myself. I only hit him once, but I think I broke his nose. The black eye and lip were courtesy of his friends who pulled me off of him. He told the nurse he got hit with equipment during gym, but he'll think of me if he ever breathes your name again."

"You see," Prerna watched the expressions shift on Anurag's face as he told his story.

"That's why I've been doing what I've been doing. That look on your face, right there. That satisfied half smirk. You know what you did was wrong, but you're content with the results. You can't think like that. He won't be the last person to say something like that. I'm a girl. Being called easy by moronic boys is a fact of life."

"But it shouldn't be."

"Yes, but you may be the last gentleman in this city," Prerna said.

"I need you to stay a gentleman; and you can't do that if you go around protecting my honour by punching anyone who threatens it."

"You're fighting so I can stay a gentleman?" Anurag was looking at her like she was speaking another language.

"Why?"

"Why did you fight to protect my honour?" Prerna countered.

They were in a standoff. Neither answered the other's question.

This time, it wasn't Prerna that crumbled first.

"I thought about it like this: if that's what people were saying when nothing had happened between you and me, I couldn't imagine what they might say if anything ever did happen between us," Anurag said. 

"And I didn't ever want to be the one to threaten your honour."

"Are you saying that you're afraid you might have a negative influence on me? You, Anurag the Good?" Prerna felt a stupid grin growing on her face.

"I wish you wouldn't call me that," Anurag replied. "I'm not Anurag the Good anymore, not like I used to be."

"That's what I was afraid of," Prerna said. 

"I wanted you to stay perfect, so I could know for sure that you were too good for me, so it wouldn't be so hard knowing I couldn't have you."

"I've never been perfect, Prerna. I've certainly never been too good for you," Anurag made her uncross her arms so he could take her hands in his.

"I'm pretty sure that wanting you the way I have, even when I wasn't supposed to, means I'm the one that's not good enough for you."

Prerna stared at their entwined hands, unable to say anything. She couldn't agree with him, but if she disagreed then he would argue with her until she gave in. It was better to stay quiet.

"Maybe it's time we stopped fighting for each other and started fighting for each other," Anurag said, squeezing her hands tightly. 

And just like that, the way of their world as they knew it ended.

Mr. Padhaaku was always supposed to be Mr. Padhaaku, nothing more, nothing less.

So, Prerna was struck dumb when Anurag pulled her into him, drew her up until he could meld his lips with hers, and became everything.

It occurred to her, as she wrapped her arms around him and he twined his fingers into her hair tugging slightly, that there was just enough good in her and just enough bad in him, for them to be perfectly matched. They might bring out the worst in each other, but it was possible that they had just as much potential to bring out the best in each other. For the moment, that felt true. They counteracted each other, creating balance that they had never known before.

Prerna would need to have a couple conversations with Anjali later, but until then, she was going to enjoy this moment.

This was just the start of something bigger than themselves. This was their beginning.