What's her problem , man?" Siddharth grumbled frustratedly, holding his head into his hands as he sat in their usual corner of the canteen.
"Don't tell me you are still thinking about that girl!"Sagar said sloppily.
Naman put his hand arm across Siddharth's shoulder and said," For the last time ,brother, what she said is true. It's her choice. "
Siddharth looked up at him with a scowl and said,"I'm not talking about that. Why does she have to smile like that all the time?"
"What? A few moments ago , you were frustrated because she refused to listen to you. Now, you are frustrated because of her smile?",Rishab asked with a funny smile on his face.
Siddharth ignored him and took a sip of his tea . Seeing him sit quietly ,Milind said,"Seriously, bro, why do you have a problem with her smile? She looks cute when she smiles ." Naman and Rishab nodded in agreement. Sagar just looked into his mobile.
The President groaned and looked at Milind,"I know , dude. Every time I try to scare her into submission, she just gives me that smile and denies my orders . How am I supposed to react to that? People get scared of me with just one look of mine and even guys don't dare to meet my eyes. I've seen all that. But this girl, she... she isn't afraid at all . All she does is look at me in the eyes and flash that ..that..that dangerous smile and ...Just what the hell is she? I don't understand her, man."He pulled his hair in frustration.
Frustrated. Angry . Confused. That was what Siddharth was feeling as he sat thinking about that Oh-so-dangerous girl. The previous day when he had seen her walk into the canteen in a simple attire, with a book in her hand and a tiny smile on her face , he had taken her for an innocent little girl coming from a small city . She had looked like she would burst into tears with just one glare from him. Boy, was he wrong. When he had come to know that she couldn't understand Hindi , he had taken it as a chance to have some fun at her expense. But his smugness had washed off hearing her speak fluent Hindi and make a fool out of him in front of his friends and Ramu Kaka. It was as if she had predicted he would do something like that ,so she had just decided to play ignorant and know what he had planned for her. He had lost it the second she asked Ramu kaka to bring him the same type of coffee. As soon as she left ,all of his friends had started praising how she could do something none had done until then. All except Sagar. He had been angry ever since,just like Siddharth. Early that morning when Sagar had told him about her friendship with Naveen ,Siddharth was pissed. For a reason that was not justified even to himself. His friends had played along like they always did, without asking for a reason. They didn't need a reason to 'enjoy'. Later, when he had seen her in the auditorium, she had looked beautiful in her pink dress . Of course he wouldn't tell that to his friends. He had only taken his eyes off of her when the principal had begun his boring speech. And when he had asked her to not be friends with that Naveen guy anymore , she had given him that lovely smile and refused politely. How could she talk so politely when he was being so rude to her? How could she handle tough people with such politeness? Tough people like him.
"Hey, hey .Relax ,bro. Why are you getting so worked up? She's new here . She doesn't know who you are. Who your father is. She will eventually know everything . Just let her be for now ,"Said Naman with his arm rubbing Siddharth's shoulder.
Upon hearing this, Sagar looked up from his phone and glared at Naman," Let her be? Are you saying we leave her without consequences of what she has done? You saw how she insulted us. Do you remember who was the last person who said no to us in our faces? No, because all people have done is shake in fear when they are in front of us. But this bitch fro...". He was cut off by Siddharth,"Sagar" .Sagar looked away and cursed under his breath.
Siddharth was a bit shocked hearing Sagar . Though they bullied people all the time, they never used inappropriate language when it came to women.
Rishab looked at Sagar incredulously and said,"Bro, you are thinking too much. And when did you start cussing at girls, man? "
"Yeah, brother. Just let it go. She is too beautiful to be called names,anyway",Milind added cheekily.
"and innocent too, isn't she ? " Naman asked nudging Siddharth's shoulder with his.
Siddharth hmmed absent mindedly. Sagar scoffed ,"Like hell she is! Don't tell me how she didn't try to be a smartass yesterday. She is anything but innocent."
Siddharth scowled at his grumpiness and asked him,"What's your problem , bro?"
Sagar chuckled humorlessly and replied," MY problem ? SHE is my problem . I won't stop until I teach her a lesson".He slammed his glass cup on the table and walked away.
"SAGAR", Siddharth called for him, but Sagar turned a deaf ear and went out of the canteen.
"What's his problem ,man?"
"What is YOUR problem, bro? Why are you asking about everyone's problems today?" Rishab chuckled followed by Naman and Milind.
Great . Now he had become a laughing stock . Just great.
Siddharth sighed and stood up,"I'm going to see what he's up to".
As he walked out of the canteen, he thought of how bothered Sagar had been. He sure needed to talk with other boys. Siddharth took out his mobile phone and dialed Sagar's number to ask where he was, only to know it was switched off.
Ugh. Why the hell did he even carry that damned device?
Sagar had been his best friend as long as Siddharth remembered. They were together all throughout the school , while Naman ,Rishab and Milind had joined them in the 7th grade. He knew everything about Sagar like the back of his hand,but off late his behaviour had turned mysterious. If not before , at least from the previous day. Ever since they had gotten fooled by the girl with the deadly smile, he had been extra grumpy and snappy.
He wondered where his friend could have gone. As Siddharth walked through the college corridors , the students had their eyes trained on the ground ,not daring to look at him, let alone look into his eyes. This was the fear he had expected to see in Payal's eyes too. But the girl just wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He sighed again chiding himself for remembering her. He walked towards the parking lot of the campus twirling his car keys with his index finger. When he reached his car, he saw Sagar leaning against the bonnet of Siddharth's Land rover , thinking deeply.
"What's wrong with you?" Siddharth voiced his concern for his best friend.
"Nothing".
"Doesn't seem like nothing. Mind telling me what you were going about at the canteen?"Siddharth questioned, raising his eyebrows at Sagar.
"I didn't say anything wrong. Don't you want her to fear us like everyone?"
"Ye-yeah ,but.....Why are you thinking so much about this?"
"Aren't you?"Sagar asked with an I-know-you-very-well look
Siddharth remained silent .
He couldn't lie in front of Sagar. He might as well shut up.
Ignoring Sagar's question he said, "Naman is right . We should let it be."
"And ? Let her slide after she shamed us?"
"Bro, it's not like anyone witnessed that. We still have all of other 3999 people to fear us".
Sagar scoffed,"This is how it starts , Sid. With one person. How do you know others won't start to stand up against us like she did? You need people to fear you, us. "
Siddharth sighed and asked ,"Are you sure you haven't been spending time with Dad?"
It was Sagar's turn to remain silent.
Siddharth raised his voice,"We have talked about this ,Sagar".
Sagar grimaced," Come on, bro. He is your father. He wants the best for you".
"Sure he does",Siddharth replied sarcastically looking at the ground.
He then looked back at Sagar and said," Don't come back to me until you realize that my father cannot be more wrong."
Sagar huffed and tried to grab his friend's arm, only to get pushed back.
"Sid,Man. Listen".
Siddharth ignored him. He sat inside his car and drove off before Sagar had the chance to speak any further.
Siddharth's father had been rubbing off on Sagar lately. He could see it in his action, hear it in his words. The same viciousness he was trying hard to get away from, had now infected his best friend like a virus. It had affected his mother greatly, and it wouldn't be long until it affected him and the people around him as well. And there was no escape.
That's how it had been since his father had stepped into the dirty game.