17- The tweeters

                                        

                                              
What. Just. Happened?
Goodnight, Natasha. Love you. 
I turned around, my heart racing a mile. For the first few seconds, I couldn't do anything except open and close my mouth like a fish. 
“Di- di- did you...?” 
I didn't even finish my damn sentence when I heard him utter a sound that seemed like a titter. 
He was laughing. 
“You thought I was serious. God, look at your face,” he pointed out with another laugh. “Priceless.” 
I felt like someone who was splashed cold water. So he was kidding. He was actually kidding. Thank fucking heavens! Relief washed over me. I slapped his arm, “Stupid ass. Don't play bad jokes like that.” 
“I could say the same to you.” 
“Huh?” 
“What I mean is, I love you.” 
“Huh?!” 
Rithik placed his arm to the adjacent wall, laughing at my abashed face. He repeatedly slapped his arm against his lap, mumbling ‘this is good, so good’ to no one in particular. With one last peck on my lips and a sick smile on his face, he bid goodbye and vanished out of my sight. 
It was quite an anticlimactic end to my otherwise romantic night. 
* * * 
To be honest, I didn't waste a shit of my lifespan to think about what would happen in college on Monday. I mean, what could happen, really? People would gossip, backbitch, and gossip about the events again. 
Looks like, I should given a shit about it. 
Khushboo, Ayesha and I entered the college together today. While I had my farewell on Friday, the remaining two had theirs on Saturday. Which is why it was no wonder that students were still living in their farewell euphoria. It was all they were talking about. 
It didn't seem weird as we made our way towards the college building at first. Not when we entered the first floor reserved for first and second years. When we entered the second floor, there were few glances. However, nothing compared to the stares and whispers we received on the third floor, packed with third and fourth years. Some were even pointing fingers. The three of us exchanged a puzzled glance. 
“Were you cosplaying Bella Hadid?” 
“Nope.” 
“Were you?” Khushboo asked Ayesha to which she shook her head in a negative. “If none of us were then, why is everyone eye- fucking like we kissed one of the professors?” 
“Ew!”
It was when we walked a little ahead, we began to hear voices. 
“O, look, that's her.” 
“Who?” 
“Natasha Patil. She danced with Rithik this Friday. You know the hottie from that fashion show. They were together the entire time. Holding hands.” 
“Ah, what a bummer! I can't even bitch about her ugliness. She's pretty.”
“Her nose is too small though.”
Then another. “You mean to say that Arora is committed? Argh, my single heart can't take it anymore!” 
“No wonder he looked disinterested when I talked to him.” 
And another. “Ah, man! All the pretty girls around us keep getting hitched. Take this woman for example. We'll be forever single because of them.” 
“That's the fate of a mechanical engineering boy. Accept it.”