Ch.1- The Beginning of an End
“Mumma no…I listened to you and cut my hair. I even changed my hair style. You took me to weird spas and parlors, so I went. You made me join guitar classes, I did. But this is ridiculous! Let me just wear my normal clothes.” Anya pushed the dress away from her and headed to the brown wooden closet.
“But I bought so many dresses for you!” The lady, who looked in her late 30s, complained holding up the red dress again.
“Exactly! What’s the need to buy so many dresses that you know I wouldn’t wear. A big waste of money. We could have used it to go out for dinner on the weekend and enjoy some hot Chinese food.
“Okay then we go out for dinner tonight.”
“Tonight?” Anya was getting more irritated at her mom’s lack of cooperation. “I said the weekend mumma.”
“But today is Valentine’s Day.”
“So?”
“Nothing.” Her mom replied without looking at her.
“Wait. What’s going on with you? You are hiding something from me right?”
“Well yes. But if you want to know then wear what I give you.” A devilish smile played on her cheeks.
“Mumma!”
“Come on Anya. Look at you. You are a 19 year old living in the 21st century. You have almost completed your college but you don’t have 1 boyfriend!”
“Life doesn’t revolve around boyfriends.”
“But college life, even teenage life for that matter, does. I used to have boyfriends in 6th grade. Your mumma has had over 100 boyfriends in her life and look at you.”
“Good for you.” Anya rolled her eyes and was about to go to the bathroom with a pair of jeans and shirt when her mom’s voice disturbed her.
“Don’t you want to know about your mom’s valentine?”
Anya turned around with her jaw dropped to her knees. She huffed and came towards her mother, trying her best to find the lengthiest dress among the group her mom brought for her. She picked out a royal blue knee length dress with a pearl bordered neck and went to change.
After a few minutes she walked down to the living room ready to go to college and attract some unwanted attention because of her none ordinary dressing sense today. But before stepping out Anya asked, “Now tell me who is he mumma?”
“You will see him tonight. I will pick you up and we will go to dinner directly from there. Have fun at college!” Her mom kissed her forehead and pushed her to the auto waiting outside.
Scene Shift: Principal’s Office
“I am glad you could make it back. This school has missed a talent like you immensely in the past year. I hope Aliya is doing well too. Welcome back boy!” Mr.Malhotra, the college administrator said patting the young guy’s back.
“So I can resume from today?” He asked nonchalantly.
“Yeah. But first go meet your coach. He missed his champion.”
“Coach is here? But its off season right now.” The boy was surprised.
“Your part time coach is now our full time PE teacher Sumedh.” The principal revealed. A genuine smile had crept on Sumedh’s face now. Thanking Mr.Malhotra, he headed out the door.
Scene Shift: LAU Lounge (A simple room decorated by the LAU’s for their hangout spot)
A group of boys were sitting around quiet and focused as they pointed to the girls passing by.
“What’s happening here?” Vishal asked them in a strict tone.
“Nothing at all.” A guy from the group said, followed by another, “So who is the lucky one Vishal?”
“What nonsense?” Vishal scowled at them.
“You are wearing red.” The guy said matter of factly.
“So?”
“That’s what these boys have been doing since long. Waiting for their crushes to enter those doors wearing a certain colored dress.” Kabir came from behind and put his hand around Vishal’s neck. “Valentine’s Day fever has everyone sick. And the Elite Crew made it worse by posting this stupid color chart everywhere.” He slapped a paper onto Vishal’s chest.
The Paper: It’s a Valentine’s day color dress code
“I am damn sure this is all that nautanki Fiza’s doing.” Vishal crushed the paper in hand and stared fiercely at the group of guys before walking off from there.
Scene Shift: Lockers
“Excuse me, what are you doing in that locker?” Mahi inquired the girl in a blue dress standing in front of her friend’s locker.
“Okay listen Mahi. I know you hate these sudden surprises and changes so I am already warning you right now. This is your best friend Anya who looks like anything but the girl you knew before. Please don’t panic on seeing me, I don’t want you to freak out. I am turning around now, 3…2…1” Saying so Anya turned around slowly so that Mahi would not flip in shock.
Knowing Mahi for 2 years, she was well aware of her friend’s mental condition. She was never able to handle sudden changes and random surprises or out of the ordinary noises at all. Everything had to be presented to her in a calm and orderly manner or she would freak out and before you knew, she was lying on the floor unconscious.
“You look out of this world. WOOWW. Is this you?!?? You’re so pretttyyyy!” Mahi held Anya by the shoulders and turned her in circles as if she was a doll.
“Guys. Hellooo.” They heard a distant voice calling to them. They looked in the direction of the voice and saw their friend walking towards them.
“How do I look??” Riya asked blushing and spinning so that her dress opened up like an umbrella.
“You look so beautiful in this dress Riya.” Anya complimented her.
“Yeah it looks very cute on you.” Mahi commented as well.
“I know. Raunak gifted it to me. And he’s even taking me on a surprise date tonight. By the way, whose proposal did you accept Mahi?” Riya asked her friend teasingly.
“Huh?”
“You’re wearing green…And Anya don’t you think its a bold move to wear an out and out blue dress.” Riya said. But Mahi and Anya stood there completely lost about what she was saying.
Riya ripped a paper off from one of the lockers and passed it on to the girls. “Blue means a girl is open to any valentine’s day proposals, and green” Riya moved to Mahi, “means a girl accepted the proposal, whose ever it is. This is the dress code…”
“Made by Elite Crew members. So you don’t need to follow it.” Kabir walked near, all the while looking at Anya. He was clearly mesmerized by her. She was looking like an angel covered in blue, her hair let down with curls flowing freely. Riya and Mahi shared awkward looks at each other while Anya was too flustered to say anything, she simply watched him approach her.
Kabir was wearing a dark gray hoodie with black jeans. His hands were firmly put inside his jeans pockets as he walked near them. “Fresher?” He asked curiously.
Riya jumped right in between Anya and Kabir, “Last year. I am sure you hadn’t noticed till now.”
“I know you Riya. I was wondering about her. She seems new here.” Kabir looked behind to see Anya still frozen at her place.
“Anya Rajput, last year student as well.” She finally spoke and then silently gestured Mahi to make a move from there.
Riya moved out of his way and went to her locker next to Anya’s. The three girls fidgeted around in their respective lockers while Kabir stood there feeling extremely stupid for what he just did. He brushed his hair with his hands cursing himself for asking such an idiotic question.
Anya realized his uneasiness and decided to say something to break the ice. She turned to him and he stood straight up looking at her, waiting to hear her speak. But before she could say anything Kabir was bumped by someone from behind. The guy was in a rush to get somewhere so he turned around only after walking a few feet away.
“Sorry!” The guy yelled back but seeing Kabir he stopped running. Everyone’s gaze was fixed on him completely.
“Sumedh…” Kabir slowly said his name out loud, as if unable to believe that the guy was finally back.
Sumedh glanced at the 3 girls who stood near his nemesis and then went on his way. He has a lot of time on hand to deal with these people later on. But first he needed to see his coach. And as it is, he was back for good, even if people liked it or not.
EL FIN!
So that’s the first chapter…I made it short, and I am hoping to make my future chapters this length too…So you would see frequent updates. Hope you guys like what you read 🙂
Characters will be introduced as the story goes on…Just have a little patience hehe…Love you all and thanks a ton for all your support…LOVE YOU
-Ruch <3