The Inmate
Chapter 8
Finally, the day of his release arrived. Radhika felt rejoiced and neil was relived for different reasons, obviously. That morning, Radhika’s heart fluttered. She could literally feel the butterflies in her stomach. But the adamant soul that she was, she slapped her forehead, “stop overthinking Radhika, it just because of the pizza, you had for dinner.” She tried to convince herself. A second later, she smiled involuntarily, “you know what, senior, you don’t matter to me, anymore. Mr. Arjun Mehra, You left me hanging once. Whats the guarantee, you wont do that again? But now,…now, I know. And wont give you that opportunity again.” She sighed, thinking of how quickly, she had gotten used to Arjun.
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College Days.
Arjun met Radhika on day one. Watching her play football with people, she didn’t even know the names of, like they are long standing friends, instantly made him realise that she wasn’t the regular fresher. She was the optimistic. No matter, how hard Arjun would try to make her back out, she wont. And moreover, he no longer even wanted to.
But, Arjun’s first impression rubbed Radhika wrong. A cool dude, walking out of a filthy expensive car, black leather jacket, coloured shades and faded jeans and an entire gang besides. He wasn’t even the kind of guy, Radhika would prefer talking to. But there she was, stuck with him for an entire semester.
Radhika remained hostile towards him throughout the first week, finding all the labs and rooms herself and completing all the group tasks alone.
This lone tigeress attitude was pissing Arjun off. For starters, she was the first girl to have the ability to ignore such an handsome personality as his. Then, he was her senior and technically, he should be completing all the tasks, and showing off to her. But this was an completely opposite scenario. This girl, Radhika was pretending as if she wasn’t even aware of his existence What the hell??!!
She used to speak and chat with everyone, including arjun’s friends, politely and nicely, but with him, she was an arrogant rude girl. Arjun interpreted her behaviour differently, than she would have intended him to. There behaviour was hurting his ego. And to think, he had lost his heart to her on the first sight itself.
After a few days, in the biology lab, the future doctors, were handed out rats to study. Radhika was terrified of rats. Once, the professor kept the rat on their work desk, she immediately pushed back on her chair.
Arjun was observing her intently. The cool little breeze was blowing her long tresses backwards, her face glowing in sunshine. Her eyes, the crystal balls… Her lips….when his gaze turned to her lips, he realised that she was trembling. He jerked up.
He turned toward her, forwarding a knife, “need help?” he asked nonchalantly.
Radhika looked at him, her eyes widening in surprise. This was the first time, he had spoken to her. Such ego, she thought. Had it been some other person, she would have immediately nodded yes, but it was Arjun…she couldn’t bring herself to ask for his help, no matter how terrified she of rats.
“no thanks! She muttered. She grabbed the knife and reluctantly forwarded her hand towards the rat. Internally, she prayed to god.
“its just a dead rat, it wont eat you, Radhika.” She thought, trying to boost her courage.
No matter how hard she tried, her hand kept trembling as soon as she was a few inches in diameter with the lab rat. Arjun looked at her and couldn’t help but lose himself in those big brown orbs. He tried to supress his laughter.
He shrugged. He kept his hand on hers and guided her through only to earn a deathly glare from her. She tried to jerk his hand off, but his grip only tightened with each of attempts.
Radhika finally, spoke out loud, all frustrated, “what? I can do it myself.”
Arjun gave her a amused smile, and spoke very calmly. “try saying that next time with goggles on, maybe you’ll convince somebody. one look and anyone will understand how terrified you are of rats. Your eyes….well, they express things, your ego wont.”
Radhika looked at him with a lot of anger but kept mum throughout the session. As soon as it ended, she collected her books and left.
“male chauvinist pig.” She muttered softly as she left. But Arjun heard her.
He grabbed from behind, by her elbow. As she turned around suddenly, all her tresses caressed his face.
Before she could say a word, he asked her in a polite yet firm manner, “to what do I owe this honour?” his grip remaining firm on her hand, only that his fingers travelled from her elbow to her wrist.
Radhika looked at inquisitively, “what?”
“who do you think of yourself? Arjun asked sharply.
“excuse me?” Radhika replied, getting even more bewildered by each passing second.
“how the hell can you judge a person just by his looks. Seriously Miss. Mishra, I expected more out of you. You were too quick to judge before even knowing me or my story. You believe me to be what you think me to be. But have you ever even for a second contemplated that? Maybe, I am not the person you figured me out to be, ever thought that?
Radhika Mishra, I don’t care if you don’t talk to me, or are rude me….but don’t you dare judge even before knowing me.” Arjun spat out venomously.
Radhika looked up at him and could easily recognize the truthfulness in his eyes. It certainly deemed on her, yes, maybe she had been to quick to judge him. He did deserve a chance.
Radhika spoke in a soft voice, the very voice Arjun had longed to hear, “Alright senior, you caught me, yes I was too quick to judge you, okay? sorry…” she said.
Arjun couldn’t help but smile at her easy going nature….how easily had she accepted her mistake. He, was pretty sure had it been some other girl in her place, she wouldn’t have ever accepted that she was the one wrong.
Over the days, they become best of buddies, roaming around….ice cream treats…car drives…
Radhika saw the world through arjun’s eyes. She realised as she smiled to herself that indeed, she was wrong to judge him. He wasn’t one bit, the way she had him figured out. Rather, he was the complete opposite, a true gentleman.
………………………………….
Radhika sighed. And since, that day onwards Arjun become an irreplaceable part of college life, well, until he decided to leave without a word.
She got up to take a shower. She come back within 15 minutes, dressed elegantly in a black and orange kurta with orange leggings, another one of her outfits from college days, she reminded herself sardonically. She made a light breakfast, and peeked in to check on sam. The lazy head was buried deep within her covers without any care. Radhika moved forward to wake her but decided against it. She wrote a cute little note and left it on her bedside table.
She grabbed her car keys and left for her clinic.
When sam woke up it was almost afternoon. She chided herself for being such a bone head. She glanced at her phone to see two missed calls from Radhika and also found her note. She smiled as she dialled her number.
“good morning Sammy!” came a cheerful reply, Radhika teased her some more before disconnected the call.
Sam got up to get ready, but slapped her forehead realising that in all the excitement yesterday, she had left her bags in Radhika’s room itself. She walked up and pushed open the door.
She was thoroughly alarmed to find a male figure sitting at the corner of the bed, rummaging through her cupboard. He turned around when he heard the door. She was about to shriek, but calmed down on seeing neil.
“good morning Sammy.” Came a brisk greeting.
She walked to him, “what the hell are you doing here at this hour and in her room, searching her almirah?” she spoke with annoyance.
“just looking for those college photographs.” Neil spoke, trying hard to sound casual.
But sam instantly caught his lie. She could clearly understand a strange madness in his eyes, something she hadn’t ever witnessed before. She was scared….but more than that she was worried for him.
She pulled his hands out of her cupboard and shut the door close. She pulled him towards the living room, and made him sit on a chair.
“what?” he spoke irritably.
But sam kept mum, which only added to his anger. She hand him a glass full of cold water. And pulled a chair opposite to his.
“out with it now.” She ordered.
“out with what?” he counter questioned trying to be discreet.
“as if you don’t know.”
“and maybe, I really don’t.”
She let out an exaggerated sigh, “okay neil, no more hiding around the bush, okay? I know something is bothering you…and to such an extent that you are unable to hid it or understand right and wrong for the matter. So, I want you to spill the beans now.”
Neil didn’t respond, he just kept staring at sam.
“and those photographs aren’t with her, they with me.” She added.
Neil tried to keep his burning lava within himself, but sam’s unearthing stare wasn’t helping much. He felt his emotions to spill out.
Out of frustration, he threw the cup he had in hand, forcefully on the ground, shattering the pieces of glass all over.
Sam was taken back for a moment. She had never seen this aggressive side of his. He had always been the calm and cool neil to both sam and Radhika.
Neil spilled his guts out, “I know it shouldn’t have happened…and I don’t know how it did….but Sammy, I think I am in love with Radhika.”
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So that’s that. End of chapter 8. How was it?
Surprised to see me back so quick? ?
Please ignore my typos and grammatical errors. No proof reading.
I’ll post legally yours next…really soon….i am almost half way done through it.
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