Song: Ek Dhund Se Chahi Hain

His classy white Mazda-2010 pulled inside the parking lot of Stanford High, eyes darting from side to side to find a vacant place where he could park his car in. Finding an empty spot next to a Ford Mustang he drove his car to that space, and parked the car there, promptly taking out the keys from the ignition and placing them securely inside the pocket of his school pants. Bag, on his shoulders, head up high, eyes in search he entered the school ground, making his way directly towards the class, conveniently ignoring anybody who was calling out for him in the always crowded main hall of the campus. Suddenly an announcement from the Principal changed the entire scenario of the corridor, which was now acting as a path way to the main ground of the campus, where they had all been instructed to get assembled.

Vivek left his initial track of going to class, where he knew Khushi would be waiting for him, and went directly towards the ground where the rest of the crowd was marching towards, in full confidence that Khushi would ultimately get there as well. Once in the ground he did a quick search of the people around him, and proceeded towards the group of students which he thought represented people from his class. Most certainly it was that group, and Khushi was standing there, looking evidently mismanaged and disheveled but otherwise she was just fine. Not a miserable standout, that's how he put it to be.

"Hey Chun!" He walked towards her, keeping a hand on his shoulder, to which sounding a bit bewildered at first immediately reacted and greeted him with a small yet uneasy smile.

"Hey." She said soberly, her smile somewhere lost, not that he did not why, but even her eyes seemed to be searching for someone.

"Searching for him?" Vivek asked her cautiously, having her attention completely diverted towards him, and an angry scar spread on her face, her expression showing the indigence and annoyance she felt at her actions.

"No. I am looking out for the Principal."

"When he comes, you'll know. He aint a dwarfed creature." Vivek said in a straight forward mode, now beginning to feel the first sparks of annoyance growing inside him seeing her ever concerned, stubborn attitude. For one, she was trying to mask her self into being something else, which he did not want her to do, second she was losing her priorities and yearning for something that he knew would come when it wanted to. Khushi passed a weird questioning expression at him, but before he could answer, the voices in the ground were quieting down to merrily hushes now as Principal Hashmani entered from the path way that came to his office, his steady legs drawing him towards the center of the stage right in front of the tall stand holding the mike.

"Good morning students. (Faint reply to his greeting from the students) After the highly appreciated and eventful field trip, now students are required to get back to studies and abandon the face of extra curricular activities. As decided by the management, exams for all classes from Grade 9-11 will be starting from the next week that is 1^st Dec. Timetables will be handed out to the students today, by the respective class heads. We hope to see great results being produced by all students. (a round of silent whispers among students the students) The assembly is dismissed." Principal Hashmani ended, in his grim accented voice, and stepped off the stages, the students in queues making their way back to the class.

"I'll be right back from the library." Khushi told Vivek, and he nodded at her as she distanced away and made her way towards the library, her mind rattling with a dozen thoughts churning inside her head at some undecipherable speed. Once she had collected her stuff from the library, and the notes she required she made her way down the steps and back towards her class, when suddenly a heavy hit on her shoulder, with something muscularly hard caused her to collapse on the ground, the stacks of paper in her hand flying away spread out like a blanket of printed paper around him.

Pass Sein Dekhaa Nahin

Door Sein Dekhta Nahin

(From near it has not been seen

From a distance it cannot be seen)

"Hey..wat..ch..i." She began turning around fiercely to face the person she had bumped into, her words choked inside her mouth as her eyes met with the boy who was sitting on one of his knee, collecting the papers she had let slip, their eyes meeting with eachother and for a moment she froze, her hands lay limp , his own body stiff.

"Hey you, watch it, can't you see"she angrily called out to the boy who had just knocked her to the ground, while Vivek helped her pick up the papers and compile them together, she kept her glare fixed in that boys direction, until he turned around, a not so important look on his face.

"Not my problem, if you have buttons instead of eyes"Arnav told her haughtily, as she passed another angry glare his way.

"Sorry." Arnav said handing over the stack of papers he had collected from the ground, her eyes changing expression completely a stoned expression masking her face, her eyes staring at him coldly, as she rudely snatched the papers out of his grip, and got up to her feet, rubbing dust off her warm jacket.

"Oh yeah? You have eyes? Use them then!"

"If ducks quack around in the corridor that really is not my fault or is it?"

"How dare you call me a duck!"Khushi got up to her feet, her eyes burning with fury. What irritated her most was his calm reaction to all of it. Where did he come from? Directly out of the zoo or something?

" I can call you whatever I like Gupta, my tongue, my words" Arnav replied back non chalant and saying that turned around and walked his way out of the corridor, leaving a threatening Khushi behind who kept mumbling all kind of names between gritted teeth. How could he refer to her with her last name? Did his mother not teach any manner to him, or was he born eating crows?

"No I am sorry Arnav. I bumped into you. Apparently I am never going to have eyes." She said in a bitchy tone, swallowing the pain that was rising up her throat, her eyes breaking free from his, and quickly before he could say anything else, she marched towards the class in front of her, asking for permission from the teacher inside, and disappeared inside the class, leaving Arnav to stand still, a silent spectator to the drama he had written.

Ishq Aisa Raaz Hain

Dil Pein Jo Khulta Nahin

( Love is that kind of secret

Which does not open to the heart)

Collecting himself, adjusting the bag on his shoulder again, he too made his way towards the class that Khushi had disappeared into earlier that moment, her back turned towards him when he had entered the room, and quietly he took a back seat next to a boy he hadn't spoken in the last three years, even thought they had been in the same class since quite long.

"What happened?" Vivek whispered into her ear, curiously eyeing the contorted lines that were painted all over her face, her expression showing clearly that something had happened right before she had entered the class.

"Nothing. I am fine." Khushi said in a low tone, finding it hard to get any voice out of her voice box at all, her eyes flitting away from Viveks constant gaze on her since she knew she was going to break into tears if she did so and creating a drama in the class right now was the last thing she wanted. Vivek knew she was fighting an internal battle of her own and he knew she needed him in it, but right now was no the time. Maybe after class, they would talk. They would assuredly talk.

After the class ended and the teacher had left, Vivek and Khushi along with the rest of the class walked out, some distance behind Arnav walking out alone too after them, their paths crossing for a moment but none of them could even as much as look up to meet each other's gaze, giving Vivek the assuring him that something had gone past between the two of them.

"Cafeteria?" Vivek asked her, and she silently nodded, her eyes still down cast, bag hanging loosely on her shoulder, most of her mind concentrated on avoiding into bumping with anyone, the prime reason she was walking as close to Vivek as it was possible. They were about to turn out of the corridor towards the staircase that led to the cafeteria when from the other end, accompanied by her group of friends Vishaka came in towards them, her eyes boring venomously into Khushi, and then flickering back into a mode of utter aggravation when staring at Vivek.

He knew he was being unfair to her, and he knew that Vishaka was being dragged into this without much fault, but there also another thing he knew. He cared for Vishaka, but he cared for Khushi more, his Chun needed him right now, and well for that matter if Vishaka really wanted to be with him, she would stand by him, instead of bitching around his back about his best friend, at least Arnav did not do that, not that a guy was capable of such an act anyway.

Vishaka measuring her steps correctly, taking the full advantage of Khushi's unsteady form, clasped Vivek's wrist tightly in her hand pulling him away from Khushi, who had lost considerable support standing, and fumbled a bit before gaining steady footing, her face registering the expression of shock and anger, combined with something call fear for the worst, because she before Vishaka had dragged Vivek to the corner, she hadn't missed the uneasy determination on Vivek's face.

"Are you toying me Vivek? Are you f**king toying me? 37 missed calls danmed, 25 disconnected calls! What the hell do you think you are doing? Think of me as a freak whose going to run after you when you are all indulgent in that bitch of a girl you call your best friend? (Vivek looks in Khushi's direction, and then at Vishaka, his face twisted into a horrible expression) Puh-leez. I am over you. Spare me the shit of saying sorry, or trying to tell me how you need time. When a f**ktard like you has no time for his girl friend, and has a lousy best friend on his heel the whole day long, the guy doesn't need a girl, he needs mental treatment!" Vishaka busted out loud, her entire face contorted into an extremely displeased bitchy expression, her eyes stormed with a dark grey blanket of revenge and pure hatred for Khushi and him.

Har Rishta Aik Fareeb Hain

Har Chehra Aik Sawwal Hain

(Every relation is a betrayal

Every face is a question)

"So should I do it, or you want to do the honours?" Vivek asked folding his arms around his chest, his face plain of any expression, like nothing had ever gone past, even if a part of him felt hurt, he knew somehow this was going to happen, and he didn't need time to make a decision, he had already made one, Chun over Vishaka was the right thing. Chun over everyone else would always be the right thing.

"Do what?" Vishaka asked her face not losing that snake like consistency to it, but the confusion of Vivek question spread all over her face waiting for him to say something.

"Declare this over? Break up as it is generally put?" Vivek replied back in a normalized tone, drawing the stunned, eyes popping expression on Vishaka's face that narrowed down to an horrifying expression, making her face bones come up to the surface.

"You are not even going to make one single attempt to make this thing right? To clear up this mess? What kind of a guy are you?" Vishaka asked in extreme uneasiness, deep resentment flowing through, as her eyes connected straight with Vivek's determined expressionless eyes.

"The kind of guy who wouldn't go about messing a girl's life when he knows she could do with someone much better. Here's the thing, I like you. I still do. But on a honest tone, you really need someone who can give you undivided time. Not me. I can't give you undivided me. If you want me, if you want to be with me, you'll have to accept and adjust to the fact that my time will always be split between you and Chun and the rest of the people in my life. I can't devote my love to you. Too young, too complex, too lazy to do that. Simple." Vivek said truthfully, his face reflecting no such expression that contradicting his words, it was all plain and simple, he had kept everything in front of Vishaka crystal clear, she could make the decision now, and he would follow. Vishaka looked at him in deep apprehension; unsure of what to say, unsure of the kind of person he was, unsure if she ever even knew him.

"Alright then. This is over. This relationship is over. (Vivek nods solemnly) I am glad to have spent some time with you. My time with you has to be one of the most memorable times of my life. Good Bye." Vishaka said, putting a small smile on her face, extending her hand towards Vivek who promptly took it placing a small parting smile on his face.

"It was good to know a girl like you too. If you ever decide to look for a friend who you want to share stuff with, remember I'll always be there." Vivek said good naturedly, causing Vishaka to nod, a single tear making her way down her cheeks as she let go of his hand, walking past him not before stopping for a second and meeting his eyes for the last time.

"I am going to miss you, And everything that you are. I envy Khushi's luck seriously." She told him, turning away from him before he could even respond, disappearing from the place, not even waiting for her friends who had been eyeing the two of them along with Khushi, and seeing her depart, throwing an ugly look at Khushi they walked away to where they had seen Vishaka go. Khushi on the other hand, took fast paced steps towards Vivek who was standing there motionless for a second, and as he saw her approaching he returned back to normal, drawing up the mask like nothing had ever happened.

Kuch Aur Nahin Yeh Zindagi

Aik Sazishun Ka Jaal Hain

(This Life is nothing

But a web of plans)

"What did you do Vivek?" Khushi asked breathing heavily, studying his face, the deep lost expression spread all over it, even thought he had successfully draped a mask over it through which nobody but her could see through.

"Nothing. We broke off." He said casually, offering no more explanation, walking away as she followed him on his heel, him occupying a seat at a vacant table in the cafeteria, sitting silently not uttering a word. Before she decided to ask what was happening, she decided to order something for him since he looked disturbed and lethargic not that she he wasn't and quickly placing the order she came back him still sitting motionless on the seat, playing with his hands.

"Now tell me. What happened?" She said worriedly, pulling her chair to the other end of the table right next to Vivek who seemed lost somewhere in his own world, and took some time responding to her question.

"I just told you. We broke off. No big deal. She was a girl. She came she went, it's over now, life goes on." He said imitating the tone of a peaceful man, who had went through the worst tragedy of his life, and yet knew and had faith that whatever had happened, had happened for the very best.

"Vivek. (turning his face towards her) Look at me you dork face. Look at me! If you think I am a dumbass to not know that you are lieing then well you may as well get admitted to a good hospital. Do you understand? Now stop playing foul, and telling me what happened. With exact details this time." Khushi said fiercely, her face stoned with determination, eyes fixed on Viveks face, which seem to ponder over the option of telling her or not but finally letting go off all his guards, he told her in exact detail like she had asked about what had happened. As he concluded Khushi stumbled back to her chair, letting her had rest against the sharp head rest of the chair, closing her eyes in extreme desperation, and after a few moments opened them again, only to find Vivek staring at her in annoyance.

"That is why I wasn't telling you. I knew you were going to take the blame for this on yourself too." He said evenly, his eyes showing off the utter disgust that he felt at her self-undermining thoughts.

"What wrong am I thinking? She did breakup because of me. She did breakup because I was the prime focus in your life, and I don't blame her for thinking that. No girl would want to share your time with me. For God sakes she was your girlfriend, she obviously needed her time! (Her eyes downcast and weary, face tired) Vivek. Why do you care so much?" She asked a bit exasperated a bit disappointed a bit of everything to be quite sure, she didn't know what to think, it was like her brain would pop out any moment out of cranium. She had messed up her life, her best friend's life, and all because of one rejection. All because of one person's words. Arnav.

"Why do you care so much?" Vivek echoed back her question, the question hitting her square in the face, his eyes hollow, the black beads looking directly with a serious expression into her own hollow hazy beads and she knew he was right. They both cared too much. For everyone, for everyone that matter, especially for each other. It was true enough that they were the kind of flowers to each other that they were to keep fresh for the rest of their lifetime, but there was no denying that the prickly horns in either of their lives affected both of them equally.

"I'll stop caring if you do." She said after some while, her voice tired and exhausting as if already tired of everything that was happening. She just wanted to flee right now, she was just so tired, so tired of being strong, life had taken enough of her, she wanted some peace. Some peace.

"Okay. Deal." He replied back, as the order finally arrived, Khushi pushing the glass of orange juice towards him practically thrusting it into his hands so he would drink it and calm his nerves down, thought both of them could agree they both needed the orange juice instead of Vivek alone.

"Hey. We should make a pact. A best friend pact. (Vivek looks up from the straw he was drinking from giving her the gesture to continue) No matter what shit happens, how many Arnav's and Vishaka's come and go out of our life, we are going to make it a point to stick to each other, alright? Screw the world we are not drifting apart from each other. Ever. Like I mean ever. Done?" Khushi said, a flicker of hope and determination causing her face, the streak leaving an illuminating mark on her face, as Vivek kept his half drank glass of juice on the table, a small smile lighting up his otherwise troubled features.

"Done." He said with sheer assurance, extending his fist towards her, the typical best friend gesture, as she let a small smile of her own cross her face, clenching her own fist and rubbing it against his fist, both of them at some peace in their heart, they knew together, as one unit, they could do anything, that was the kind of bond they shared, it wouldn't break because of others, it was strong enough to withstand the storm, to withstand everything and.. PAIN.

Dhundlein hain sab hein manzar

Ek Dhund Si Chahi hain

(Blur are all the views

A mist is draping us all)

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nav_bat2013-04-02 01:29:27