♛| xxv : he is just shy |

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|the naive rebel|
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xxv| He is just shy
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

word count- 2537

Ah. so. it's 7 PM when I actually start writing the chapter, and I promised an update at 9. So..

Also! Just an important notice this chapter DOESN'T have the club sequence because I realised there's a lot before that which I have to cover. *sighs*

Chapter 26, as I had said earlier will have that sequence :-)

Moving on,

Question of the update:

Your favourite colour and birthdate (if you comfortable sharing that!)

Mine is GREY!

Let's see if we have any date twins among the readers.

One pair I am already aware of ;-)

Happy Silver Jubilee🤍

HIGHLY UNEDITED- I haven't even proof read it, so there are possibly MANY errors.

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INAAYAT
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"What brings you here, Inaayat?"
Principal ma'am looks at me as I try sneaking into her room, but she catches me.

"Ah-I- I- Inaayat?" I stand before her, stuttering like a fool.

"That's your name, isn't it?"Her eyebrow raises and she looks at me slyly.

"Ah-Mm- Yes- No, I mean no." Can somebody please teach me how to lie?

"Yes or No?"

"Yes. I mean No, my name isn't Inaayat. It's Aayat. Aayat Mishra. Yes." I rant pointlessly.

"So Aayat Mishra, right?" She questions, getting up from the long chair moving towards me.

"Yes." I gulp.

"So are you at least doing your assignments there?" She questions stopping right in front of me. I look at her like a child sees a horror movie.

Mouth and eyes wide open.

"Which assignments?" I ask trying to be as innocent as I can. Truth being, I have already failed in my attempt.

"Inaayat, you think I would have let you miss an entire college year without knowing the real reason behind it?" She smiles softly.

"So..that means you know?" I throw the words.

"I know about Aayat and this case. Don't worry your secret is safe with me." She smiles and I sigh in relief.

"In that matter, yes ma'am I have been working on my assignments simultaneously." I pause but then start again, "Ah-how are they?" I frame an incomplete sentence but I know she would understand what I am hinting at.

My University's Principal also teaches my class and she knows about my friends and our group. I haven't been in touch with anyone since I came here.

"Everyone was shocked when they were informed about you dropping out in your last year. They couldn't process it and on top of that every source to contact you also vanished. Your parents don't answer their calls or questions, so basically they are angry, upset and confused. But, you don't have to think or worry about that. Focus on this case and come soon. We miss you," She says softly.

"Soon," I answer and I am pretty sure I have a huge smile on my face.

I'll be back soon.

"Soon." She repeats. "Also, don't worry. I won't let Mishti or Garima know who you are."

"Thank you, I have no idea what I would do if they come to know about me or about the case or my identity."I again start stacking my words and throwing them at her together.

She acknowledges my saying and then I remember something.

"Ma'am, there's a small problem. I would have to go to the city for some case-related work at night, around nine."

"You can for sure go, Inaayat."

I actually, didn't want her permission.

"But, my friends.." I hint towards the other four souls who leave no chance to play twenty questions whenever they see something suspicious.

"Ah, don't worry about them. I'll handle them." She smirks and I am certainly scared.

"Do me a favour, call everyone in the dining area." She requests.

"I will." Saying this I turn towards the door and leave the room.

First I call Garima and Mishti who have their rooms adjacent to each other and then go to Nikhil's room.

"Aunty is calling all of us at the dining room," I tell Nikhil and Ishaan who were unpacking their stuff.

Nikhil affirms while Ishaan looks at me with q questioning gaze about the scenario. Ignoring his look, I then knock at Sameer's door.

I hear no response, but I again knock.

"I know." I hear a voice confirming that Sameer is inside the room. I push the door a little to find that it's open. I am not someone to eavesdrop or enter someone's room without permission, so I pretend cough when I notice Sameer talking on his phone, his back facing the door.

On the cue, he turns back quickly, his eyes widen almost instantly and he cuts the call without even saying anything to the person on the other side.

"Ah-Aayat, you here?" His voice is hoarse and carries a little edge towards it.

I decide to ignore the entire suspicious scene that took place here and tell him, "Aunty has called all of us to the dining room." I inform him and leave the room.

The thing that makes me rethink the incident is, that for the very first time since we met, Sameer called me Aayat and not Angel.

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It's 7 PM now when all of us are sitting at the dining table with Ma'am. There is abrupt silence as we all stare at each other's face's waiting for the other one to speak first. I can hear the clock ticking and the crickets chirping outside.

The hall is big and has wooden walls decorated with various painting and lights.

The door swings open as a helper enters with a tray in his hand. He serves the cups of coffee to everyone and I look at him as if he is getting me stars or gold. Almost drooling at the sight of the South-Indian style coffee, I have pulled away from the chain of my thoughts when I hear someone declining the serve.

Angrily moving my head towards the person who dares to announce that he hates coffee, I start planning his murder.

"You don't like coffee?" Mishti asks with all the seriousness.

"N-No." That is it, I am officially disowning him.

You never owned him, to start with.

"Aayat is probably planning your murder, Shaan." Nikhil laughs and everyone follows.

I narrow my eyes at an uncomfortable Ishaan acting as if he is the most awkward- embarrassed human ever existed in the history of our mankind.

For a brief second, our eyes meet and he quickly grabs the water glass sipping it, his eyes not leaving mine for a moment. His eyebrow discreetly raises as if he is taunting me over my choice.

Nobody dares to judge coffee.

I look at the fork resting on the side of my plate. How I wish to poke it into his eyes so that he can stop giving me these looks which indirectly taunt or question or laugh at me or my choices.

"So, how was your journey?" Ma'am starts the conversation. We all reply except Ishaan who just nods his head. Ma'am doesn't fail to notice his silent behaviour.

"Son, I am sorry to ask this so directly, but do you face trouble while talking.." She tries to ask as politely as she can.

We all pass each-other comical looks, trying to control our laughter but Mishti fails and lets out a loud chuckle.

"He does," I smirk at Ishaan who is already looking at me, raged.

"Not in that way actually, he is just shy." Nikhil covers up for his friend.

"Very shy," I mockingly mutter under my breath.

"Did you say something?" Sameer questions and I shake my head.

"Oh. That way, it's perfectly fine my child. I understand."

"The reason I have called you all here at 7 PM is to have dinner. Yes, it may sound a little weird to you all but in my household, I follow some particular rules. Like dinner at 7 PM and to sleep at 9 PM."
And that is when it hits me.

"After 9 PM no one is allowed to go out. I consider 4 AM to be the actual start of the day which means the birthday party will be tomorrow morning." Ma'am informs us about the rules and I almost laugh seeing everyone's shocked faces.

"I understand you all are young and rebellious, but these are some rules I don't compromise on."

"Sure, Aunty. We'll follow them." I am the first one to speak.

"Yeah." One by one Nikhil, Sameer also agree.

Mishti and Garima don't look as shocked as Nikhil and Sameer, probably because they already knew about these rules.

These are the rules which will help us tonight.

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'Meet me outside the gate.' I read Ishaan's message and sneer at his to the point attitude. Before, I leave I quickly glance at the mirror checking my outfit. I am wearing ripped jeans and a black shirt-top. The best outfit to run in. After that day, I have sworn to never wear a dress or heels to a club.

Way too risky.

I softly close the door behind me and pause a second to look at Sameer's. My mind is still battling the incident that took place in his room.

Realising that I am late, I move towards the main door.

There is no one outside and it works in my favour as I jog my way outside.

"Hey," I say once I am outside and spot Ishaan waiting patiently. His arms folded, tapping his feet dressed in dark blue wash jeans and a white casual shirt. I understand the reason behind him shaving before the trip so that today he doesn't resemble a gorilla in the club.

I swear Shaan and Ishaan are two damn opposite personalities.

He turns towards me and sighs.

"This is how you go to a club, Inaayat?" I almost laugh at his tired tone.

"I mean, people actually can go to a club in jeans and a shirt. Look you are wearing that too."

"Go and change." He orders.

"Excuse me? See, I can't run in a dress or heels. This is the best option I have."

"We have to go there as someone who is trying to enjoy, okay? You were smart enough to wear a dress when you went to that club- all alone but now you are worried about running in heels. Inaayat, don't worry-this time I have a gun, and unlike you, I know how to use it."

"Can you not-like insult me every time we talk? It was my first visit to a club for a purpose other than drinking or enjoying."

Sighing he says, "You have five minutes, go and change. I am saying this for the last time or else I will leave you here and go alone."

"Stupid more-"

"Four minutes." He interrupts and I run my way back to the room.

If I fall today, I'll make sure I take him down too.

I scan my bag for the only dress I had packed for Mishti's birthday party. It's black lace, A-line short dress with off-the-shoulder small sleeves. I wear the dress quickly, the timer ticking in my head.

I had already applied eyeliner and kohl earlier, so I just apply a stroke of maroon lipstick and sadly, wear the same black heels I had worn that day.

'Please God help me.'

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"We are already late," Ishaan mumbles angrily, his eyes focussed on the road. I had explained to him how my principal knew about the case but not about him.

I guess I like it better that way.

Such a shy, innocent kid.

I repeat her words in my head and chuckle, only to get a hard stare from the driver.

"So? It's your fault you made me change my outfit." I retort.

He just rolls his eyes and I turn my gaze to the window.

'Uh-Aayat, you here?' I again think about the incident.

"Ishaan, you have researched about every student that attends the college?" I start the conversation.

"Yes."

"So you must know about Sameer too, right?" I question.

"Yes."

He and his one-worded replies.

"You never doubted Sameer?"

"No. Nothing was suspicious about his health background. I was here to check about the drug racket, his all tests were normal. I know a little about his family background but that's all about it."

"By the way, why the sudden interest in him?" He asks and I turn my head towards him with a jolt.

"I meant his background."

"Today something strange happened, but I guess I am overthinking about it." I clear off the thoughts running in my head since dinner.

"You are in this college since the start of this academic session right?"

"Yep."

"So you must have seen Sameer's girlfriend?"

How much ever I try, the thoughts don't leave my head and if I am unsure about Sameer, I may as well clear all my doubts together, today.

"Wait, what? Sameer hasn't dated in the past two years." His reply raises all the questions I had buried earlier.

"Ishaan, there is something wrong with him. I doubt him. He lied to me about his girlfriend, he acts as he knows everything about me."

"Feeling sad that he lied to you, Angel." He mocks.

"I am not kidding, I doubt him. The day we had a normal conversation for the first time, he had just started calling me Angel when I asked him the reason. He had just said, that he knew I am going to be his favourite person." I inform him about the incident.

"It could be all normal, Inaayat. Maybe you are just overthinking about it."

"I can be, but today when I had gone to call him for dinner-he had quickly cut the call seeing me. He was tensed for a moment, I saw it in his eyes-the fear of getting caught." I stress over the topic.

He looks at me for a second and then moves his eyes back to the road driving us towards the busy city. His hands tighten around the steering wheel and I know he his thinking about my words.

Sameer might be innocent- wait.

"One more thing." I had forgotten about it completely.

"Say.."

"He knew I wear black lenses. The day where we were playing treasure hunt, I had lost my one lens which he came to give me. He knows a lot more than he shows, Ishaan."

"I don't know if connecting these incidents is right, but I, too saw someone leaving the campus yesterday night-secretly," Ishaan says after thinking and framing his words carefully.

"Don't worry we'll keep an eye on him, track his locations and see what we find." He assures.

Who are you, Sameer Mehrotra?


Before I end,

These beautiful covers are made by these beautiful people for TNR:

By @fidaas



2) By- @books_hunger



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Until the next chapter,
keep dodging the bullets.
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