“Chapter 3!”
“Lady Swara, do you remember me?” ..a boy called out, when she walked past him, she halted briefly and turned back in response.
“Oh, the squash boy?” Swara let it out carelessly, which had in return hurt the boys feeling.
“I’m called Laksh! Lady Swara_pls remember it.”
“Lady! Dude, you cannot be serious?” Sanskar pushed his way between them, “have your eyes checked, there’s no ‘lady’ here, but an animal on the loose.”
“In the middle of ‘none of your business’ season; Sanskar, you have to be lurking everwhere.” Swara made a annoyed face.
“I’m a flu, I get attracted to germs.” Sanskar grinned, “let’s go!” Sanskar called out to Laksh.
“You are not taking the poor guy anywhere, I will not permit you to bully him.” Swara said holding on to Laksh’s hand in attempt stop him from following Sanskar.
“But of course, I have always been needing your permission; right, your highness.” Sanskar used sarcasm. “Let’s go, bro!” He signalled Laksh.
“Bro!” Swara looked surprised, more like shocked. She wonder, ‘how come such a ill mannered brat has such a cultured brother?’
“Are you thinking? How come such a ill mannered brat has such a cultured brother?” Sanskar repeated, making Swara speechless for a moment, “did you read my thoughts?”
“Why bother, there are written all over your face, try to put more effort to hide them.” Sanskar mocked, “maybe it’s a little impossible for you.”
“I’m Sanskar’s brother, I was studying abroad before I joined here, it was the day when your sister squashed me to a pulp.” Laksh explained, “by the way, sorry for what happen at Principals office last time. It was not my idea to get you ladies in trouble. We apologise!” Said Laksh addressing himself and his brother.
“You apologise! Don’t bring me in it?” Sanskar reacted, and left the place angrily.
“Don’t worry, it’s not your fault.” Swara answered kindly, “I can make a obvious guess, who must have force you into it?”
“Thank you, but believe me, Sanskar is not as bad as you think he is. If you know him like I do; I’m sure, you will come to like him.” Laksh said with a honest face.
“Why do you keep calling me, ‘Lady Swara’?” She completely blew off Laksh’s topic on Sanskar being goody too shoes.
“Does that bother you, my lady?” Laksh sounded worried, “had I offended you any way?”
“No-no!” Swara replied immediately, “I like being addressed as Lady.”
“What about me? I’m I Lady Ragini to you than?” Said Ragini who overheard them, she was returning from cafeteria, carrying a coffee mug in her hands.
“Oh, the-Ragini!” Laksh sounded fretful.
“Oh, the-Ragini!” Ragini repeated after him, “what happened to Lady Ragini?” She complained, “with that attitude of yours, now I’m sure I did a great favour on humanity by squashing you. You! Squash-nut!”
“Will you be my friend, Lady Swara?” Laksh asked, ignoring Ragini.
“Who will want to be your friend?” Ragini slammed the words angrily at Laksh.
“I didn’t ask you?” Laksh threw her words back at her.
Ragini pulled a angry face at Laksh, “let’s go Swara,” she said pulling on Swara’s hand.
“You can’t force Lady Swara to leave?” Laksh argued, tugging on Swara’s her other hand.
“Why can’t, she is my sister?” Snapped Ragini.
“You can’t, she has not yet answered my question?” Laksh retaliated with force.
“Who cares about your dumb question, go find friends in zoo, you might get some besties who’s similar too you.” Said Ragini stormily.
“Instead, why not_you join the zoo? You have remarkable resemblance to them, you will fit right in!” Laksh retorted.
Listening to their bickering, Swara felt like prey seized in their claws, like wolves fighting over their food. They look so contrary to each other. “Time-out!” Swara called out loudly, which made both of them fall out of their argument. She slide her hands from their grip, relaxed herself and went ahead and grabbed Ragini’s coffee cup and took a sip as she stepped around them and smiled, “…now continue.”