SIX

Next day when I went to school, I noticed that Mike was absent. I asked Tina about his whereabouts and she said that Mike had fever.

'How was your day yesterday?' Sam asked me.

I didn't understand and gave him a puzzled look.

'I mean your group study.' he said.

'Ahh.... It was wonderful.' I said, thinking about the last day.

'Well then you should thank Tina for it. She was the one who gave Adah this idea of group study.' he said.

'What?' I asked.

'Yeah.' he said.

I went to Tina and thanked her for this. Even though Adah had become her best friend, she hadn't disclosed my feelings for Adah to her.

'I did what a friend would do. Nothing much.' she said, smiling.

I smiled.

I could see it in her eyes that she wasn't happy since Mike was absent.

'Sad b'coz Mike is not there?' I asked.

I saw that tears had welled up in her eyes.

'You guys love each other so much that you can't stay away from each other for even one day, right?' I said and she gave me a light hug.

'Don't worry, we are there with you.' I said and she nodded her head.

I smiled.

'Now please smile. You don't look good when you cry. Even Mike wouldn't have wanted you to cry.' I said and she smiled.

'That's what I wanted.' I said, smiling.

On that day, even I was missing Mike. His bubbly character kept me going on but since Adah was there, I could pass my time just by looking at her.

During the short interval after the first three periods, I, Adah, Tina and Sam were just sitting on the bench facing each others and were chatting.

'Someone seems really sad today.' Adah said, looking at me referring to Tina.

Tina gave her a deadly glare.

'Don't look at me like that. I'm feeling scared.' Adah said and we all except Tina laughed.

'Very funny.' Tina said, rolling her eyes.

'Since when have you guys been together?' Adah asked Tina.

'He proposed me last year.' she replied.

'It's been not even two years and so much love?' Adah asked with a wink.

I love her wink. Her long eyelashes and light brown eyes make it look more stunning.

Tina blushed.

'Someone's turning pink here.' I said and Tina hit my arm playfully still blushing.

'What about you Adah? Ever had crush on anyone?' Sam asked, taking part in the conversation for the first time.

Really Sam? Is that you who asked that? I can't believe it. Really... You?.. You nerd?

Adah smiled.

Please let the answer be No. I want me to be the first person to enter her life.

'Yes.' she said.

My prayers came out to be futile.

'I had a huge crush on one of my classmates back in my previous school and to my surprise he proposed me when I was in 9th grade. We were together for hardly six months when he lost interest in me. I don't know why.' she said.

How can someone lose interest in something so interesting? He must be crazy. His bad! I'm happy since she is no longer committed to him.

'What about you, Sam?' Adah asked.

I suppressed my laughed which was going to burst out anytime.

Sam??? Do you really think he would have a girlfriend? He is a total jerk.

Sometimes listening to your inner voice is fun. It keeps us get going.

'No.' Sam said and laughed.

'And you, Aman?' Adah asked.

'Wh... What n.. no..' I said nervously.

'What?' she asked.

'I h.. haven't been in a r.. relationship ever.' I said

'That's weird.' she said.

'Why is that weird?' I asked.

'Oh! Come on. You are too good looking. Back in my previous school if someone had even ten percent of your looks, I'm sure that boy would have a long line of girls behind him.' she complemented me.

I smiled or I could say, I blushed.

You are too good looking. Those words of hers kept ringing in my mind.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

After the school hours, I and Adah walk to the ground, only to find that her car hasn't arrived yet. For the past one month, I had been going to school and coming back to home in her car after her constant request. I had denied her request but then she gave had given me a deadly glare and stomping her feet before turning her head away. She had looked so cute that I was forced to accept. I was happy since it meant spending more time with her even though our houses were not too far away from the school and her Range Rover was the first luxury car I had ever sat on.

'Your car hasn't arrived yet?' I asked Adah.

'It won't.' she replied.

'What?' I asked, confused.

'I told our driver sahab to take a leave since it was his daughter's birthday even though he was willing to drop us. I told him we will manage.' she said with a smile.

'That was a nice thing you did. These small happiness is what makes their day and their whole life.' I said.

'Yeah. Plus, our house is not too far and we can walk too. Let's walk.' she said.

Yes! Walking with her means more time with her. Why would I want to waste such an opportunity?

As we were walking, it started to rain out of nowhere. The climate had been sunny all this while but it suddenly started to rain.

We ran to a nearby closed shop for shelter. There were some boys, probably from some nearby college, standing there holding cigarettes in their mouth and puffing up the smoke.

'From where did this rain come from?' Adah asked.

'That's what I am thinking.' I said.

'It had to rain today itself, when we planned to walk back home?' Adah said, showing fake frustration.

I smiled.

After a while, I saw the boys staring at Adah. She noticed it but she didn't even flinch. She just kept talking about random stuffs without paying heed to the comments those guys were passing. Her voice seemed to be at the background due to my boiling anger.

'Hey chick, wanna spend some quality time with me?' one of the boys asked and the other boys laughed.

My anger augmented. I clenched my fist.

Adah didn't even look back at them nor did she notice my anger. She just kept talking.

'You will love being with me. We can go to romantic spots.... ' the boy said.

'And you will love when you face me.' I said, almost shouted at that boy.

Adah looked at me, shocked. All the boys turned their head at me.

'What did you say?' the boy asked.

'Now, are you deaf?' I asked, almost spitting out in anger.

Adah squeezed my hand, signalling me to stop.

That boy came and stood in front of me. He was taller than my six-feet frame.

'What do you want?' he asked.

'I want you to stop talking about her and just get lost.' I said.

'Well, what if I won't?' he asked.

'Then you'll regret later.' I said.

'I don't think so.' he said and punched hard on my face. I lost my balance and fell down.

'Aman!! ' Adah shouted as she bent down on her knees. 'Oh my god! You are bleeding.'

She kept her hand on my forehead.

'I am okay, Adah.' I said, smiling and getting up.

The boy was looking at me with rage.

I clenched my fist. Now it was my turn. I punched him hard with full momentum and he fell down with a thud. His nose and lips started bleeding. The other boys took hold of him to prevent any further fight.

Adah held my hand and barged away from the place. It had stopped raining. The smell of the soil and the feeling of her hand in mine calmed me down.

'What the hell do you think you were doing!?' Adah yelled at me, stopping after walking a few distance.

I hung my head low. From the corner of my eyes I saw that she was angry. Her nose was flared and she turned to pink. She looked cute.

'Why did you had to challenge him?' she asked.

'Did you hear what he was saying?' I asked.

'I did. But I just kept quiet.' she replied.

'Well, I couldn't.' I said.

'I hear these types of comments frequently but I just don't pay heed to it.' she said.

'I couldn't take it. He was crossing the limits.' I said.

She kept her one hand in my shoulder.

'It's okay, Aman. Leave it.' she said.

I nodded

'Thanks.. by the way.' she said.

'For what?' I asked.

'For showing your concern towards me.' she said.

'I did what a best friend would do.' I said.

'You are hurt.' she said.

'Its nothing.' I said.

'This. Is. Nothing?' she asked pointing to my bruised arm.

'Yeah.' I said.

'I will slap you if you say that again.' she said.

'Okay madam, as you say.' I said, smiling.

We reached our place. I went to my home and strangely she followed me.

'Ya Allah, what is this?' my mother asked as she saw me.

'Your son was trying to be a hero.' Adah said, rolling her eyes.

Mom looked at me confused. Adah explained everything to her. Mom laughed after hearing all these.

'Your son is hurt so badly that I get nauseous looking at his bruises and you are laughing?' Adah asked out of irritation.

'Well, my son did the right thing.' she said.

I stuck my tongue out at her. She huffed.

'You are now taking his side now.' Adah grumbled.

'My son stood for what is right. Those boys should be taught a lesson.What if they would have done something to you?' mom said.

'But, what about the bruises?'Adah said, hopefully.

'For that, I'll take your side.' mom said.

'Mom!' I said, pouting.

Adah laughed.

'It looks funny when you pout.' Adah said still laughing.

'Mom, did you forget that I am your son?' I asked.

'No. But I consider Adah as my daughter too.' Mom replied.

Well, mom....I will make her your daughter by marrying her one day.

Adah stuck out her tongue at me.

'Its a shame that you being so tall, still you couldn't fight them.' Mom said and Adah giggled.

'For your kind information, the boy I punched have got more serious injuries than me. His nose is blowed up and I am sure he must have a broken teeth.' I said.

'Ya Allah! He and his fights!' Mom sighed.

Adah looked confused.

'This is not the first time he has been in a fight. He has it frequently. These bruises are common. Whenever anyone tells anything bad about his friends or insults them, he doesn't take it. He just give it out in forms of punches and kicks. He doesn't care if someone says anything bad about himself.' Mom said.

Adah smiled.

'Last year, he had beaten up a guy of his class because he had insulted Sam. Sam had cried and Aman just beat him up and that guy had to be taken to the hospital and was in a serious stage. He have not returned to school yet.' Mom said.

Adah's mouth fell open. She was literally shocked.

'Mom, did you have say to say that? Leave it.' I said

'Anyways, I am going to make lunch for you and Adah, you will also have to eat here.' Mom said.

'OK Aunty.' Adah said and smiled.

'But before that I will have to clean up his wounds and cover it.

'I will do that Aunty. You can prepare the lunch.' Adah said.

Well, I liked the sound of that.

'Thank you beta.' Mom said.

'Its okay Aunty.' Adah said.

Adah and I went to my room after taking the first aid box.

'Well, thank you for what you did today.' Adah said.

'You say thank you again and I am going to beat you up.' I said showing fake anger.

Adah giggled.

'Is it paining?' she asked.

'Not much.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yup.'

She took out cotton and started cleaning my wounds. I winced.

'Look here.' she said.

I looked at her, deep into her eyes. Her piercing gaze on my eyes made me freeze. Our gaze in each other was so strong that I couldn't feel the intruciating pain.

'Hey mister.' she said snapping her fingers in front of my eyes.

I came out of my dreamland.

I saw that band aids was placed in place of the wounds.

'Thank you.' I said.

'You said you will beat me if I said that and now you are saying it.' Adah said.

'Sorry.' I said, holding my ears and pouting.

She laughed.

'I think you are a sadist. Beating up everyone.' Adah said.

I laughed.

'No its nothing like that. I am just protective about my closer ones. I have lost my closer ones in my life, especially my father, whom I haven't seen yet and my sister. I have very few people in my life and I want to see them happy. This is why I do it.' I said.

Adah squeezed my hand. I smiled.

'We all are there for you. You are not alone.' Adah said with a pleasant smile.

Just then my mother called us for lunch.

My mother really had a bad timing.