Chapter Five

Sarita gasped. "That is very very bad." She reprimanded him.

"I was looking for her password." He said. "It's nice to finally meet you, Anushka." He held out his hand to her.

Sarita stared at his hand in awe then she looked at his face before she shook his hand shyly. She gasped when she felt a tingling sensation run up her arm and she quickly withdrew her hand from his.

"Um... It's nice finally meeting you too, Vikrant Suryavanshi." She smiled.

"I'll call you Anu from now on, okay? It's Anu for me and only me." He informed her.

"Um... Okay." Sarita blushed harder, if it were possible. 

"You can call me Mayank. Only my dad calls me Mayank, seeing as he's also Vikrant. I don't want you to call me what others call me." He told her. "If you call me Vikrant, I won't answer you."

"Why not? It's your name, is it not?" She angled her head to study his face.

"Yes, but I don't want you to call me Vikrant." He reiterated.

"Like we're friends?" She wondered.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Okay." She nodded. 

She wanted to slap herself to see if she was probably dreaming but she refrained from doing so. She couldn't believe she was talking to Vikrant Suryavanshi! The object of every girl's desire. Minus her of course. He was so nice too.

"I'm anything but nice, Anu." He told her as if reading her mind. "I am very mean." He eyed her over. "You're just... Special."

Sarita felt as if she'd faint when she heard that. No boy had ever called her special even though he was just meeting her. And here she was, speaking negatively about herself this morning.

"You're drooling." Vikrant's amused voice brought her out of her reverie.

Sarita gasped and quickly checked her mouth then she narrowed her eyes at him which made him chuckle. "I don't drool." She muttered.

"Let's get started." He smirked at her.

"Um... You know I can't learn it in one day right?" Sarita inquired.

"I'm sure I'll have something you can help me with later. Sit." He ordered.

"So bossy." She pouted but did as he said.

"You've not seen anything yet." He said.

After the violin lesson, the bell rang for the end of lunch which made her sad because she'd been enjoying the lesson. He'd been very patient with her even when she'd almost poked his eye out with the bow.

She had history class but he wasn't letting her leave and she didn't want to hurt his feelings by rushing off.

"So... Can I have your phone number?" He asked.

"Sure." She was surprised but elated that he wanted her number. Even if he wasn't going to call her after school hours or anything like that.

Vikrant brought out his phone and handed it to her after he unlocked it so she could type her number in and saved it when she returned the phone to him.

"What are you having now?" He asked.

"History."

"Ah, Mr Bradley." He nodded. "Pop quiz? It's Wednesday."

"Yes. How do you know?"

"Everyone knows Mr Bradley and his Wednesday pop quizzes." He said. "Guess I'll see you around."

"See you." Sarita waved and quickly left.

She got to her history class and was happy that Bradley was not yet in but immediately she took her seat, he walked in and ordered everyone to put their phones on silent and into the basket on his table which made them groan but they did as he said.

After school, Sarita waited for Kaly by their lockers and she showed up. She was holding a red lollipop which she stuck into her mouth immediately she got the wrapper off.

"Babe, is it true you talked to Vikrant today?" Kaly asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Was he mean to you?" Kaly demanded. "If he was, tell me so I can go beat his stupid ass."

Sarita chuckled. "No, he was actually very nice to me. He taught me how to play the violin, called me his friend and said he'd be the only one to call me Anushka."

Kaly's eyes widened. "What? How did he know your middle name?" Kaly questioned. "No one else apart from me and your family knows it."

"He might have... read your diary?" Sarita replied in a small voice.

"What?!" She exclaimed. "Oh, that boy is so dead!"

"Please don't tell him I told you. I don't want him to get mad at me." Sarita pleaded.

Kaly sighed. "Okay." She nodded. "So, do you like him?" She winked at Sarita.

"Like him? But I just met him." Sarita frowned. Surely, there was a time limit for realizing that you liked someone whom you met not quite long. Maybe a month or two? Certainly not after meeting the person for a few minutes. 

Kalyani rolled her eyes. "BS! So? You've never actually talked to Raj except that one time and you fell for him." She said,

Sarita sighed. Kalyani Singh could try the patience of a saint. "I didn't fall for Raj, Kaly. Having a crush is different from falling for someone." 

"Can you honestly tell me, that after three years of pining for Raj that you do not love him?" Kaly whispered.

"Love?" Her brows furrowed. "I don't think I love Raj. I only have a crush on him."

"You, my dear friend, are the queen of denial." Kaly patted her shoulder. "When you have a crush on someone, it means that you like the person. Same thing." She flicked her hair behind her. "But you can like him right? Vikrant?"

"Why are we discussing my feelings for your cousin like it's the weather?" She arched her brow. 

Kalyani let out a sigh. "He doesn't show it but I know Vikrant is very lonely despite having a million friends, so I was thinking that... maybe if he had a girlfriend, he wouldn't be so lonely." Kaly told her.

"You're a very weird one, Kalyani Singh." Sarita tutted. "In his face, you insult him but here you are trying to work your matchmaking skills on me for him. Make up your mind sweetheart."

"About what?" Kaly feigned ignorance.

"Whether you love him or hate him".

"Nice try honey." Kaly slipped her arm around Sarita's neck as they made their way to the entrance. "What a nice way to change the subject."

"Well, he doesn't like me in that way and I'm one trillion percent sure he will never do so." She said, "Besides, there are prettier girls in school for him to choose from."

"You need to get over this 'I'm not beautiful but pretty phase of yours, Rita. I'll tell you again, that you're the most beautiful girl in this school. Dare I say, the whole of Cardenia."

Sarita rolled her eyes. "I like how you flatter me, Kaly, but no thanks." She smiled. "What about you and Divya then? Remember that you won the beauty pageant for Most beautiful girl in Castleton Cross three times."

"I could ask Vikrant." Kaly shot her a mischievous grin. "He never lies."