Saavi

******

I ventured into the large structure of my school apprehensively. The dread of experiencing individuals who menace me wasn't leaving me, yet I needed to attend. I didn't want to flee like a weakling. I had made up my mind to face my issues no matter what.

Taking a full breath, I went inside the library. Dhruv and the others came early and studied with me, even Jai went along with us. I was not inclined to agree, because I didn't need anybody to see us together. The second any of my harassers would have seen me with Dhruv and the others, they would do something to me.

After the bell rang, I rushed to the study hall. As I was going to enter my class, I stumbled over somebody's foot and was going to fall when a pair of arms saved me from kissing the ground. I hoped to track down similar green eyes taking a gander at me with concern. Pulling it together, I was going to leave when Dhruv held my hand and said to somebody, "Apologize to her."

"What did I do?" I heard the recognizable voice and discovered it was one of Jai's friends.

"You did it intentionally. I saw it with my own eyes. Apologize, right now."

"I will not," he said and began chuckling with others.

"Apologize, Nikhil." came Jai's voice.

"What? What's up with you? You, surprisingly, are saying that?"

"Indeed, you fouled up and now you need to apologize for that," answered Jai.

"What on the off chance that I don't?"

"At that point from here on out, I am not your friend."

I needed to interfere to prevent them from belligerence and I went to sit on the last seat. Riddhi came and sat close to me. Dhruv and Namit picked the adjacent seat, while Arjun and Rohit sat on the seat before us.

The entire class was stunned and gazing in our direction. Jai and Nikhil have been best of friends and now Jai was perched on the seat in Dhruv's front, alone. Niharika was frowning at me and I could detect something was going on in her psyche.

During the chemistry lab lecture, everybody went to the lab however I remained behind coming up with an excuse. I was making an effort not to be seen with the elite group and I even succeeded but only in that lecture.

I thought about going to my ideal safe-house place during lunch, where no one will discover me except for Jai who discovered me before I could go there.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"Mrs. Pathak called me." Lying about the explanation I began to disappear when he said, "The staff room is that way."

"Yeah, I know," I said and moved towards the bearing of the staff room.

"Saavi, wait. I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault Jai. What Nikhil did was...." Cutting me off in mid, he said,

"I'm not discussing Nikhil. I realize you don't bring lunch as a result of me. I'm sorry." Saying this he looked down low.

"How often do I need to disclose to you that I have pardoned you as of now?"

"Then Why are you here and not with us?"

Now, what was I expected to say? I stayed silent and he took me to the cafeteria. When I entered the cafeteria, the individuals who knew me looked at me as though they have seen an apparition. Obviously, they would act like that all things considered, I ventured into the cafeteria for the first time in my life. Dhruv came towards me, held my hand, and took me where most of them were at that point sitting. Jai left his old companions and went along with us as well.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me and I was getting restless. Dhruv held my hand which was on my lap and interlaced them. He inclined nearer and murmured in my ears, "Calm down, don't get restless. Nothing will happen to you. I will not allow anything awful to occur."

Moving back he grinned at me and signaled me to eat. He brought various assortments of food. I was contemplating how Sheela Aunty cooked so much in the early morning.

After lunch, everybody was returning to the class and I excused myself as I needed to utilize the washroom. Cleaning my hands, I wiped them with tissue and when I pivoted I discovered Niharika with her friends.

I attempted to move yet she obstructed my way. "Where do you think you are going huh?"

"Class," I answered and moved from the spot, however she pulled me back brutally holding my arms.

"Young ladies, this little witch has a voice. Did you all hear? She talked without stammering?" and they all giggled.

"So, last week when you didn't come, you were approaching the elites of our school?"

"What the heck isn't right with you Niharika? Do you by any chance realize what you are saying?"

Grabbing my jaw with her hand she spoke, "obviously, I know bitch what am I talking about."

"So advise me, how long you have been laying down with Dhruv and Jai, that they are adhering to your side like paste. Hold up for a second, you more likely than not laid down with Arjun, Rohit, and Namit as well, right?"

I pushed her hands and yelled, "ENOUGH."

"I didn't realize you think so low of me." I was going to go, however again somebody pulled me by getting my hair. It was not Niharika, but rather when I saw the individual I was stunned. It was Shivani, the girl who I once saved from being bullied. I realized that she had become Niharika's friend but she was just an observer of me getting tormented till now.

"You are cheap, that is the reason we think of you so low. We don't have the foggiest idea about whose illegitimate child you are." Shivani expressed the venomous words.

Those words cut me like a blade. How is it possible that someone would say something like this? I failed to recall what sin I committed to deserve all that? I attempted to free my hair however it was not fruitful. One of Niharika's friends was holding my hands and Shivani was holding my hair. Niharika was going to slap me and I shut my eyes but her hand never arrived on my face. I opened my eyes gradually and discovered Riddhi holding Niharika's hand.

"Might you venture to touch her, I won't reconsider before making a move against you."

"How might you all spend time with her? She is so cheap, downmarket, and in particular chara...."

Riddhi didn't allow her to utter her sentence and yelled, "Enough, don't even think about saying that word. She is my best friend and I know her better than you. So you better shut your mouth."

Niharika and others left from that point not prior to frowning at me. When they left, Riddhi embraced me. She was crying and I was consoling her.

"For what reason are you crying?" I asked while scouring her back.

"How wouldn't I when I saw those simpletons tormenting my best friend." A little grin showed up all over and she inquired, "For what reason would you say you are grinning?"

"Because I had no idea I had such a good friend." Saying this, I cleaned her tears and we both went to the class.

******

The rest of the week till the exam went typical which was surprising for me. Niharika and some other students were irate and desirous due to me drawing near to Dhruv and the group however I didn't mind any longer. Some were uninterested which was more than fine for me, yet there is one thing that was concerning me and that was Shivani's conduct.

Prior she used to take a gander at me with compassion, which I didn't care for, however from the previous few days, she has been viewing me as though she was appalled by my essence. I made an effort not to consider it much as it involved a couple of days until our school life gets over.

Jai made Nikhil apologize to me and I don't have a clue how he did that. I forgave him since his statement of regret was genuine. Furthermore, on the most recent day of the school, many individuals came to apologize to me, those too who were just a quiet onlooker of me getting bullied. I got emotional at the unexpected change in their conduct and was more than cheerful. I couldn't ask for more. At last, I could go
to London with no bad sentiments.

'But can I leave Dhruv and go to pursue my dream?' I thought.

What the heck! Where did that idea come from?

'From your mind.' derided my inner self

For what reason wouldn't I be able to abandon him? We are friends and friends who support one another and I am certain he will uphold me when he becomes more acquainted with that. I am going to London for my studies.

'Assuming you are only friends, for what reason do you all clasp hands in the cafeteria consistently.'

Furthermore, my inner self did not quit ridiculing me.

He held my hand on my first day in the cafeteria to help me with the goal that I quit getting restless.

'You were fine from the second day itself however you didn't advise him and let him hold your hand. '

Friends do hold hands.

'Why didn't you hold the hand of some other person other than him? '

Stop it, you are driving me up the wall now.

'I'm expressing realities. You like it when he holds your hand, Just acknowledge the reality.'

It's not like that.

'It is that way. What's more, do you know why?'

Why?

'Because you have feelings for him.'

"What?" I shouted, alarming everybody. I was at Dhruv's place doing a group study with my friends and simultaneously I daydreamed and began talking to my inner self and now I humiliated myself before everybody.

"What was the deal? Are you fine?" Dhruv came towards me and my heart began to pulsate uncontrollably with our closeness.

"Yes..yes." I faltered accordingly and pardoned myself saying I needed to drink water. I rushed to the kitchen and began to compose myself.

"What's going on with me?" I muttered to myself.

"Nothing." I heard Riddhi. She followed me to the kitchen with a bottle in her grasp.

"The bottle was there, however you didn't take note." she pointed out my preposterousness which I just showed before everybody. She gave me the bottle and I emptied half of it.

"It happens," she said

"What happens?"

"When there is somebody more intriguing to see, we choose to disregard our environmental factors. That's what happened to you."

I was unable to get what she was attempting to say. "That's what happens to me when I look at Rohit." saying this she winked at me and left.

Did she see me gazing at Dhruv? Crap! Now, how will I respond? She will think wrong of me. But why was I even staring at him?

'Simply acknowledge the reality, you like him.' I denied the statement of my inner self before I went back to study.

******

Something isn't right with me on the grounds that from the previous few days all I consider is Dhruv, I see him all over, at whatever point he approaches me my heart begins to thump strangely. The issue is I can't even stay away from him, because then my heart requests to see him. Just I know how I have had the option to focus on my examinations these previous few weeks. Today is the last exam and I will be informing my friends concerning my arrangement of going to London. I simply wish everything works out positively.

The paper went well and when I emerged from the exam corridor, I didn't discover anybody. At last, I spotted Nikhil so I called him.

"Where are others?" I asked, not seeing any of our friends.

"Ah...they...ah..." he battled to answer, which I found bizarre.

"Saavi," Dhruv called and Nikhil left saying he had some significant work and he will meet us later.

"Where is everybody?" I asked going towards Dhruv.

"They left."

"Left? Already?" and he nodded.

"How about we leave? I will drop you" Saying this he took me to his vehicle. We both sat inside and Rana Uncle headed to my location. Meanwhile, I could feel Dhruv was gazing at me. Furthermore, when I turned towards him he moved his look and began looking outside the window. There was an alternate sort of quietness in the vehicle. It seemed like he needed to say something to me, however, he was out of words.

The vehicle halted before my house and Dhruv got out too saying he needed to drink water. Going inside my home I kept my bag on the chair and was going to go to bring water when Dhruv held my hand and turned me around.

And afterward, my heart again sped up. "You recall, you guaranteed me that you will give me a wish."

He was discussing the wish I conceded on the day Jai came to seek an apology from me. I gestured recollecting it.

"Anyway, will you give me something, on the off chance that I ask you to?"

I was considering what it may be. He had everything and what would I be able to give him?

"Will you go out on a date with me tonight?" He asked, leaving me shocked with The Unanticipated Proposal.