~Rishabh's POV~
I just simply didn't know what happened to me whenever we came in touch with each other after that night. My guilt-ridden conscience seemed to have stunted me, rebuking myself for not following her right there as she drove away in that state.
But couldn't she have better confronted me for my behaviour?
Couldn't she have slapped me across my face after jerking away from me?
Couldn't she have just kicked and punched me as she had always been so eager to do whenever we locked horns?
Why did she have to go and break down like that after equally responding to my advances?
Why did she have to run away like that, leaving me in a whirlpool of doubts and regrets?
Deep down, I knew she must've been going through the exact same phase as I've been right then.
Honestly, I would have felt better had she just thrashed me around a few times for my abominable act.
As I was contemplating my choice of actions in the parking lot, my eyes caught a shiny object beneath the car we were standing against.
I ducked down and grabbed the object which turned out to be a simple leather covered diary with the name Sanvi Dixit engraved in silver.
Oh boy.
No, I wasn't as shameless as to just go through the content right then and there. I sighed and tucked the little object into my pocket.
I climbed on my motorbike, resolving to return it to her with an apology the next day. I would, however, give into the excruciating curiosity of knowing more about her that very night.
Shameless,—I became just that a few hours later after reading that diary.
I was so screwed.
**********
Sleep alluded me that night and I kept cursing out randomly at the ceiling as a ghostly Sanvi's vulnerable face continuously flashed in my mind whenever I closed my eyes.
I was restless and worried and I knew I wouldn't get some peaceful sleep until and unless I did something about the dispute in my mind.
When I sat up on the bed and gazed upon the clock on my bedside table, my eyes involuntarily caught the open diary on the edge of the table.
I grabbed the book and flipped through the pages for the umpteenth time.
My frustration was at the peak as the words practically screamed at me for being such a douchebag to her.
I closed the diary with a thud but the appeal of the name engraved on the cover compelled me to rub my thumb over it in an apologetic stance.
The act was rather insignificant to me but it seemed to fill me with a sudden surge of motivation to finally do something about the storm in my head.
Picking up my phone from the side table, I searched for Dhruv in the contacts and a working idea hit my mind. I heard a sleepy greeting from Dhruv when my call finally connected.
"Dhruv... Buddy." I voiced out.
"Um Rishabh? It's midnight dude.. Is everything alright?"
My best buddy had the audacity to care for my well-being in his half-sleepy demeanor when he had deliberately ditched me for a partnership that very evening.
"Yeah, I am alright. Thanks for asking me to be your partner by the way.." I rolled my eyes.
"Wha...You're calling at this ungodly hour to rebuke me for not partnering with you, Rishabh? Really? You do very well know why I didn't choose you as a partner, you obnoxious competitive ass!"
"Yeah I know, I know. I am not calling for that."
"....Cause you know you become such a hugeeee pain in the ass when it comes to competition and I cannot bear being partner with the one-directional bull that you become then...dude I already told you that I want to enjoy the last school activity without worrying so much about the competition.. Besides, we didn't even get time to decide! It all happened so fast..."
"Dhurv, listen to me first, you idiot!"
"...We've had countless arguments about the same thing...and you know we've agreed how we're totally not on the same page about the Championship. Your selfish ass wants to bring home the trophy alone while I do not give a shit about trophy..."
"...Had Father not included me in this group endeavor and my own father hadn't compel me to participate, I would've happily cheered for you sitting in the stands...while munching on popcorn...with some hot babes of the other schools on either of my arms...probably laughing our assess off as you face plant yourself in the mud while running the Cyclothon...hahaha."
I had to give it to him for entirely swivelling the direction of the one-sided blabbering into his usual fooling-around mood.
Dhruv had a wild imagination and I've had to put up with many of those awful days when he tried turn them into reality. I was glad he didn't ask me to be his partner partially for this reason.
"You done?" I deadpanned when I heard him wheeze at his own joke on the other side.
"No, I'll be done when I actually see you face plant on the arena."
"Shut up. I need a favour."
"What favour do you need in the middle of the night, your Majesty?" Dhruv yawned.
"Do you...do you happen to know Dixit's main home address?"
I partially expected a huge exclamatory expression from the other side when I led those words out but Dhruv seemed rather composed in his answer.
"Ahh.. Sanvi Dixit?"
~Dhruv sat up on his bed hearing his best friend ask for the address of his so called enemy at midnight.~
~Well, he actually wasn't that surprised.~
He had been noticing their unusual banters and the abrupt changes in Rishabh's demeanor for the past month. He was rather surprised to see the changes in Sanvi Dixit as well.~
~The way Sanvi indirectly defended Rishabh against Aakash in the Cafeteria marked a huge clarification to his suspicion. Where there's smoke, there's fire.~
"Umm yes. You told me once that you live near her house. The clumsy girl collided with me on the staircase and her book was exchanged with mine in the commotion. I kinda need my book urgently." I lied through my teeth and gazed upon my reflection in the mirror.
"Ah yes, the ever so studious Rishabh Rathore needs his lost book back at midnight. Not at all shocking."
"Not now idiot! I'll bring it back tomorrow. Just couldn't sleep so thought to call you..." I sighed deeply and lay on my back on the bed.
"You'll visit your sworn enemy's house to exchange books in the summer vacation? I don't know what's sadder. You still having kindergarten enemies or you studying throughout the vacation."
"Stop being a jackass if you do not wish me to come down there and kick your ass." I heard him chuckle from the other side at my threat.
"Why, I do have her address. However, I don't know how I feel about disclosing the poor girl's address to her nemesis. Who knows what you might be upto now.." His sarcastic tone made me roll my eyes.
"I am sorry, what kinda high are you on? Aren't you supposed to be one my side? We've seen each other in diapers, for god's sake!" I led out an exasperated sigh.
"Again stop with the emotional manipulation. I might just give you her address but you need to tell me the real reason for this sudden interest in Sanvi..." Dhruv's tone shifted to a more active one, making me cringe.
I already kind of had an idea about his suspicion back in the Cafeteria.
I groaned internally.
"What are you talking about? There's nothing 'sudden' in my beef with Dixit. You know we love to torment each other.."
"No..you love to torment her. She just bites back whenever you poke her."
"No, seriously, do you want me to come down there and beat you up? Act like my best friend! Jeez."
I couldn't help but feel a little hurt at how my best friend blamed all of the Sanvi business on me.
It always takes two to tango.
Did I hate her? Of course I did.
Did she hate me? Well after my blunder that night, she surely would have increased the intensity.
Did I hate her enough to constantly torment her? ...um yes.
Was it hate that instigated me to make out with her in the parking lot that evening? ...perhaps no.
Then why was I losing my sleep over this? Because within the past few hours while lying on my bed, reading the diary, I had realised what a blithering jerk I had been to Dixit.
Perhaps Dhruv was indeed right.
"No, no. First the parking lot fight and then..." He paused for a few seconds, making me squirm in my seat.
"You might not know this but after you stormed out of the Cafeteria seething after Aakash's insult, Sanvi Dixit shocked us all by openly defending you against Aakash." Dhruv spoke in a cool tone, making my breath hitch in my throat.
"She was all about how you deserved the position more than anyone in that room and broke away from her partnership with Aakash the insult he began insulting you some more. So pardon me my friend if I am even a least bit interested in how bizzare you supposed enemies have been acting since past few days.."
My jaw might have been hanging down the whole time because my mouth began to ache by the time Dhruv completed his prolonged speech.
I was dumbfounded.
It took me some seconds to recover from the shock.
Who defended whom in what?
*************
To Be Continued.