Chapter 10 The differences

Raghav thought always this girlfriend of Ayaan is again some attention seeker or some crazy girl who wants to just be his girlfriend for the sake of it. It's been a month since that party and he has been spying on her from the day of that party. What he figured out is, she is someone who is an introvert who hates attention and crowd. She travels mostly in narrow paths of long routes so that she could avoid the crowd. If no lecture, she used to stay at the library.

“Hey… umm… you are Ayaan’s girlfriend right?”

As Raghav questioned her, she started to look around as if she didn’t hear him and tried to flee at the moment she got but Raghav held her back. By holding her elbow he didn’t let her leave.

“Hey… ”

“Please leave me alone...”

“Come on… I am not gonna take a lot of time. I just wanted to talk-”

“I don’t want to. So just let me go now.”

“Hey-hey-hey… I am just trying to be friendly… am I having a bad breath or sweating?”

At that moment Sparsh chuckled and relaxed a bit causing Raghav to loosen up as well.

“Uhh… sorry that umm… that was really awkward. But… hi, I am Raghav Singhaniya. Ayaan’s cousin.”

“Uh… Sparsh Shinde...”

Sparsh hesitantly shook Raghav’s hand while Raghav held her hand much longer than he was supposed to due to which she pulled her hand out from him.

“Sorry, I-I don’t normally do this… I am not a creep I assure you...”

Sparsh started to laugh while Raghav’s face turned tomato red.

“Sorry… I uh...”

“It’s fine I can understand but I need to leave umm… class”

“Yeah, sure. See you in the library?”

She was already leaving while he tried to persuade her to meet her again. She gave an affirmative nod hesitantly and left the narrow path.

“Guess she got scared because I stopped her in this empty street?”

When Sparsh reached the lecture hall Ashita waved at her causing her to wave back they both took a seat together and converse about their usual things. Sparsh got comfortable having Ashita beside her as days passed. It felt like she has known Ash from her childhood. Hanging out with her and sometimes even Deepali used to join the two ladies and it was fun hanging out and talking about movies, romantic books and clothes. She felt like a normal college-going adult.

“You know last night, I ate that dish which your mom gave, and I kept on gobbling up. So next time ask your mom to pack me more please… pretty please?”

Sparsh couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that her friend loves the food that her mother cooks made her feel funny. Even though her mother cooks for few homes who hired her, and she too eats the food her mom cooks, hearing compliments from another person amused her.

“OK I will ask my mom to pack some more for this foodie monster next time.”

“Aaaahhhh! You are darling.”

Asita hugged her from the side while she grunted letting Ashita know that she hates it. Within a month, Ashita knew that Sparsh hates human contact unless and until it’s someone she trusts. She has also figured out that Sparsh is avoiding Ayaan at all cost hence she is hanging out with her. Ashita knew that questioning her might make her upset or angry hence she gave her the much-needed space.

Ayaan tapped his bat on the ground a couple of times and the bowler ran towards the crease and he bowled as the ball spun at a lightning speed and he hit the ball with the same vigor causing it to fly high and away from the pitch.

As he finished his practice he took his shower and kept his gloves and other stuff and left to cafeteria. He took out his phone and searched Sparsh in his contacts before he could press the call button, he exited the contact page and strode through the hallways as if nothing happened.

“And here comes the star cricketer of the year, Ayaan Singhaniya… woohoo!”

And hyper as hell Nikhil announced Ayaan’s presence as if he is welcoming Virat Kholi. Well, exaggeration at its best. He sighed and sat over his chair and took a slice of pizza and started munching down while Deepali, Ron and Nikhil were glaring at him as if he stole something which is very dear to them.

“What?”

He looked back at them chewing a mouthful of pizza while Sonal looked at both of them while sipping her milkshake as if she was looking at the tennis match.

“You took my pizza-”

“Our pizza dude-”

“Hey, I ordered it.”

“Whatever, stop stealing food and grab your own. And yeah, that is my point.”

Ron spoke up with a raised tone causing everyone on the table to stare at Ron. He squirmed under their stare while Ayaan swallowed the pizza he had in his mouth. He didn’t expect his friends to be this shrewd when it comes to pizza so to tease them further he took another slice and gobbled up and all three groaned while Sonal chuckled at their faces.

At times he used to wonder why did he even used Sparsh as his girlfriend and brag about that to his friends? His friends are his family and pretending in front of them felt like a mockery but he should be obviously be alerted as his father could sneak around and get information. All he could do is pretend that he has a girlfriend who is a scholar who was supposed to receive the goddamn award from his father.

Sparsh took the same narrow lane which led to the exit of institute and there he stood crossing his hands over his chest as if he has been some busy business man cracking a lot of deals with that crisp linen shirt over a jean pants.

“Raghav?”

“Oh hey, you remember my name atleast, so you didn’t come to library?”

Sparsh was still staring at him as if he is some alien. Raghav Singhaniya is really a lunatic if you ask Sparsh. She laughed a bit as he tried to correct his appearance a bit.

“What? What are you laughing at?”

Sparsh started laugh more as he started to brush his hair through his hand.

“What Sparsh?”

“You… look… so stupid with that that hair and such shirt.”

“Well, now you notice huh! And don’t judge ok? I took out this shirt because all my other tees are in laundry and after the soccer match my tee got really sweaty. I bet you would never want to see that-”

“Its okay… I it’s alright.”

He stared at Sparsh at a moment and he grinned as she laughed at his looks.

“You know, I do modeling for part time and people like my looks. And you are making fun of it...”

“Sorry… I-”

“You guys are getting really close these days is it?”

Both of them were cut off of Ayaan who interrupted them.

“I never knew you are stealing my girl these days. Don’t have guts to get your own?”