Sarita woke up later that morning and realized that despite her scream, her parents didn't wake up to find out what was going on and then she remembered that they were heavy sleepers. Even if the earth was shaking, they'd never wake up.
She got out of bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. She rotated her arms and felt the pain which made her frown.
"Very funny." She muttered under her breath. She'd probably overworked her arms during gym class yesterday and the pain wasn't due to the yanking her arms had been subjected to in her dream.
After her shower, she put on her uniform sans jacket since it seemed as if it was going to be a hot day and sat at her reading table to read for the history pop quiz she knew they'd have that day because the history teacher Mr Bradley was predictable like that.
She tried hard to read but she couldn't concentrate as her mind decided to take a trip down memory lane which was early this morning about the dream. She found it absurd that Vikrant Suryavanshi would like someone like her.
She wasn't beautiful like Kalyani or Divya, she was on the pretty side of the scale with her auburn hair, pale skin, round face paired with lips that Kaly claimed she was jealous of, hazel eyes and she was not that tall.
"If Raj didn't notice you one bit for the past three years, why would Vikrant?" Her subconscious sneered at her, making her shake her head to clear the thought from her mind.
By 6am, Sarita went to the kitchen to help her mother out, helped Abhimaan look for his socks and they had breakfast before Kalyani arrived, then they both left for school.
School was no different that day, it was like all the other days and as usual Kalyani sat with Michael and his teammates at the jock table but Vikrant was absent.
"Library?" Kaly guessed as Sarita made her excuses.
"No. I'll be in the music room." She said,
"Okay." Kaly nodded then looked around as if just noticing something. "Mike, where's Vik?"
"Dunno. He left the court immediately after practice." Michael replied. "Seemed kinda... off today. Are you worried?"
"About him? Nah." She shook her head.
Michael chuckled and shook his head. He'd never understand the relationship between his girlfriend and her cousin. They weren't enemies but they weren't friends either.
Sarita found her way to the music room since she didn't feel like going to the library and it was lunchtime so there won't be anyone there now. She wanted to see if she could learn to play some tunes on the piano but on getting to the music room, she heard someone already there playing a tune on the violin.
This made her curious so she gently opened the door, stepped in and shut the door and was shocked to see Vikrant Suryavanshi with his back to her, playing a very sad song.
She felt like crying when she heard the song and a tear immediately dropped on her hand which surprised her because she'd not actually planned to cry. She sniffled, blinking back the tears when he turned sharply and glared at her for the intrusion.
"Who are you?" He bit out.
"Um.... I'm so sorry." She unconsciously took a step back as he set the violin down. "I... didn't know someone was in here." It was a blatant lie but it was better than telling him the truth. "I'll go." She hurried to the door.
"Wait." He called and waited until she turned back to look at him. "Do you want to use the violin?"
"Er... No." She shook her head. "I play the piano."
"Very well?" He questioned.
"Yeah... I think so." She shrugged. "I've been playing since I was six so I think I'm very good at it. Although, now that I have seen and heard how amazing that tune sounds on the violin, I think I want to learn."
"You think a lot, don't you?" His lips curled up in a half smile.
Sarita's gaze was riveted to his lips and she wondered what would happen if he actually smiled fully.
"Earth to, redhead." He snapped his fingers.
Sarita jumped. "Oh! I'm sorry. You were saying something?" She blinked.
"My lips feel weird all of a sudden." He remarked and lifted a finger to stroke his bottom lip. "Were you thinking about kissing me?"
Sarita froze. "What?" Her face went white.
"You spaced out." He said.
"I wasn't thinking about your..." She coughed and cleared her throat. "I'll leave you to your... music." She turned to go.
"I'll teach you." His voice made her freeze in her tracks.
Sarita whirled around with a shocked look on her face. "Really?!"
His brows furrowed. "Yes. Why are you so shocked?"
"Ah... Well... Because, you're Vikrant Suryavanshi?"
"You say that like it's a bad thing." He muttered with a frown.
Sarita shrugged. "I'm just surprised you're willing to teach me, even though you don't know me." She told him.
"And this is where you tell me your name since you know mine." He suggested.
"It's Sarita. Sarita Madhav."
"You're Indian?" He looked surprised.
"Yes. Why are you shocked?" She threw his words back at him.
"You look like you're from here." He shrugged.
"Thanks?" She didn't know whether that was a compliment.
"You're welcome."
So it was a compliment. "So, um... If you teach me how to play the violin, what's in it for you?" She demanded. He couldn't just offer a fantastic opportunity like that and not want anything in return.
Vikrant stared at her for a few seconds before he sighed and put his hands in his pockets. She would do. "I have this... event I have to attend for my dad. It's next Saturday and I don't want to go alone." He said.
"In other words... you want me to go as your date?" She inquired.
"Yeah. Just this once though." He replied.
"Um... Okay." She said, She didn't know if her parents would let her go but she was willing to convince them. It was the first time in her eighteen years of life on earth that she'd be asked out by a boy.
Well, he didn't exactly ask her out because this was a quid pro quo sort of deal but it was something.
"Okay? That fast?" He'd expected that she'd tell him that she would like to think about it but then she was a girl and she didn't look like someone who had boys breaking down her door to ask her out.
She was very beautiful in her own way with hazel eyes, and lips he was having trouble keeping his eyes away from whenever she opened her mouth to talk.
"Did you want me to think about it first?" She frowned.
Even her frown was cute. Don't get ahead of yourself, Suryavanshi!
"No, that's okay." He said quickly. "We'll be photographed together and stuff, you know?"
"Yes I know." She nodded. "My dad goes to these sort of events too."
"Your father is a businessman?"
Sarita was embarrassed to tell him her father worked for his father but she did anyway. He probably wasn't a spoiled rich kid who looked down his nose at other kids who were below his status like Divya whose parents weren't even half as rich as Kaly's.
"Um... He's the head of marketing and advertising at VS group." She muttered.
"Head of marketing... Oh!" He said. "Your father is Jevan Madhav?"
"Yes." She nodded.
"I like him." He said. "He's an honest man."
Sarita was glad Vikrant had something nice to say about her father and she was also glad he didn't think he was better than her because he was a rich man's kid.
Vikrant stared at her with a frown. "How come I've never seen you in school before?" He asked. "I know almost everyone in school. Well... Seniors."
"GGH is a big school so you can't know everyone." She said,
"You must know Kalyani Singh, then? She is annoying and loud. You can't miss her." He grumbled.
"Kaly's my best friend." Sarita chuckled. "And she's anything but loud. She's the sweetest girl in the world."
"What? Really?" His eyes widened as he looked her over. "Tell me you're kidding? Since when?"
"Ten years and counting."
"Blow me! Seriously?" He covered his mouth.
Sarita didn't understand why he looked so shocked but she found it amusing that he was.
"Wait, is your name Anushka by any chance?" His brows furrowed.
Sarita blushed. "Yes. How did you know?" No one else apart from her family members and Kalyani knew her middle name.
"I might have gone through Yaya's diary once." He explained with a smirk.
Sarita gasped. "That is very very bad." She reprimanded him. "I was looking for her password." He said. "It's nice to finally meet you, Anushka." He held out his hand to her. Sarita stared at his hand in awe then she looked at his face before she shook his hand shyly. She gasped when she felt a tingling sensation run up her arm and she quickly withdrew her hand from his. "Um... It's nice finally meeting you too, Vikrant Suryavanshi." She smiled. "I'll call you Anu from now on, okay? It's Anu for me and only me." He informed her. "Um... Okay." Sarita blushed harder, if it were possible. "You can call me Mayank. Only my dad calls me Mayank, seeing as he's also Vikrant. I don't want you to call me what others call me." He told her. "If you call me Vikrant, I won't answer you." "Why not? It's your name, is it not?" She angled her head to study his face. "Yes, but I don't want you to call me Vikrant." He reiterated. "Like we're friends?" She wondered. "Yes." He nodded. "Okay."
"Is that possible?" Sarita was stunned. "There is not one soul on this earth that does not lie.""Not Vikrant." Kaly's grin widened."I don't believe you." Her eyes narrowed. "Don't ask him.""You know I will." Kaly winked.Sarita knew she couldn't talk her friend out of it so she gave up. "Just don't tell me what he says."Kaly stared at her friend. "You're so..." She paused. "Grrr!" She bared her teeth.Sarita laughed. "You love me anyway." She smiled cheekily at her."Unfortunately." Kaly mumbled.*******Kalyani's smile widened as Vikrant grudgingly sat down in front of his laptop with a death glare directed at her but she wasn't intimidated. He refused to pick her calls so she'd decided to do a video call."If you'd only picked my calls then I wouldn't have to see your ugly face." She told him. "So deal with it.""This better be important." He growled. He'd had to pause his video game to answer her summons. If he didn't, she'd never let him hear the last of it. Her sister was now
Sarita stood by her locker, deep in thought, staring at the picture of Rajveer that she'd pasted on the door of her locker and didn't notice Vikrant standing behind her. "Boo!" He yelled in her ear. "Goddess!" She jumped and slammed her locker door shut in fright, only for it to catch her pinky finger and she yelped. "I'm so sorry." He apologized. "Let me see." He took her hand in his to examine it. Her finger was red and it was bleeding from the cut she'd sustained. "It's... It's fine." She muttered and withdrew her hand. "Don't be silly." He chided and took her hand again, firmly this time in his. "I know it hurts like a bitch so it's not fine." Then he surprised her by putting her finger in his mouth. Sarita gasped and with wide eyes, looked around and saw students staring at her then at Vikrant in horror. "What... What are you doing, Mayank?" She whispered, tugging at her hand. "Stop." Vikrant didn't release her hand until he wanted to and even then, he still held on a lit
He shouldn't want to be with her every time but he couldn't help himself. He knew she probably had a crush on his best friend but he didn't want to care. Girls only wanted two things from him; money and sex and he was tired of being seen as a walking dollar sign. He wanted something different and Sarita was different. Sarita was a fast learner as she immediately played the tune he'd taught her not even a minute ago and got it right. She smiled big at him after she was done and he fought the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her. "You're so fucked, Suryavanshi." He thought grimly. "About the concert thing... you're not lying to me, are you, Mayank?" She asked. "I mean..." "I don't lie." He cut her off. "I'd show it to you but the pictures are on my laptop. I lost my phone at that same concert but I was able to get everything back." "And the only way to see these pictures is... how exactly?" "Will you be at my party this Saturday? I could show you." He said. "I don't like
A knock on Vikrant's bedroom door brought him out of his reverie and he got out of bed, padded barefoot to the door and opened it."Hey son." It was his father."Hey dad." He left the door open and walked back into the room. "When did you get back?""A little while ago." Rohan Suryavanshi had named his son after him and not to confuse anyone else about the names, decided to use his middle name which was Rohan after his son was born. "How are you?"Vikrant plopped down on the sofa in front of his bed with a sigh. "I'm fine dad.""Are you really?" Rohan arched a brow as he settled down on the wingback chair facing the floor to ceiling window."To be honest, I don't know." Vikrant replied. "I'm bored out of my mind and I have a thousand and one things on my mind.""Like what? It helps to talk about whatever is on your mind." His father offered."I'm sure you have something more important to do than listen to me talk.""Son...""I am not accusing you of anything dad." Vikrant was quick to
"It's Mayank's birthday today?" Sarita asked Kalyani as they passed by Vikrant's locker and saw the gifts piled up in front of the door."Tomorrow." Kaly replied. She stopped in front of the pile, took out a brown envelope from her backpack, opened it and pulled out a blown up picture. "Hey guys!" She called the attention of the students."What are you doing?" Sarita questioned."This is me saying a happy happy birthday to my dear cousin Vikrant Suryavanshi!" She turned then proceeded to paste the blown up picture on his locker door."Oh my gosh!" Girls screamed when they saw what it was. It was a baby picture of Vikrant being bathed by Kalyani's mother and he was making funny faces at her. He couldn't have been more than two or three years old.Sarita was pushed around as the students tried to get closer to the picture but Kalyani warded them off. She wanted Vikrant to see this and know that, although her revenge was childish but she got it anyway."He's going to be raving mad once h
"So, you're not having a random party this time." Sarita said. "It's your birthday tomorrow. Why didn't you tell me?"Vikrant shrugged. "It didn't come up in our conversations.""You invited me to it but you didn't say it was your birthday." She said in an accusing tone. "I don't think I have the time to get you a present now.""Your presence at my party would be a better present." He said."Are you always this smooth, Mr Suryavanshi?" She teased.Vikrant laughed. "Is it working?""You'll have to be more convincing than that." Sarita grinned."You'll be at my party tomorrow." He told her."Overconfident?" She arched her brow."Not really." He said. "But it's something I know. Here we are." He stopped in front of room 202."Mrs Newton will be so mad." Sarita muttered as she peered into the class through the glass. "She hates tardy students.""I'll talk to her." He knocked on the door before Sarita could stop him and opened the door.Twenty something pairs of eyes turned to look at him
"Why didn't you tell me Vikrant Suryavanshi invited you to his party?" Jevan asked Sarita as they ate breakfast."Um... I'm not going." Sarita said. "It's movie night today.""You can go." Jevan sighed. He'd given his word and he couldn't back out now."Really?" Sarita was surprised. "Can I go?""Yes. But you must be back by 10pm." Jevan told her. "Not even five minutes after 10.""Okay! thank you papa." Sarita beamed. "How did you know?""Mr Suryavanshi almost begged me to let you attend the party. He probably didn't want his son to be sad on his birthday." Jevan shook his head. "I had to put him out of his misery.""Yes, I've heard that he'd do anything to make his son happy." Priya spoke up. "Is it true he broke his engagement with Priyanka Arora?""Yes. His son didn't like her for him so they broke up." Jevan replied.Vikrant Mayank Suryavanshi was, who you'd call daddy's boy or better yet a son after his father's heart. He'd grown up without his biological mother and had lived wi