The Strings Of Heart

8

Sitara POV

"I can't believe she gave us this punishment!" Becca said as her cheeks turned red.

"Isn't it fun? We were punished like this in our sixth standard," Aryan said. I smiled watching the juniors pass by. They were ogling at Abhinav and boys.

"Can anyone push my glasses up?" Joel asked. Sung pushed his glasses up hitting his nose on purpose.

"Sung!" Joel snapped at her. We all were standing outside the classroom holding our bags above our heads.

"My arms hurt," Krishika said with a painful look.

"Lean your body against the wall, I will signal you if the teacher steps out," Gaurav said.

"It's all your mistake. Why did you guys peak when you guys know the teacher was watching you." Krishika scolded the boys.

"Krishika chill out, we didn't do that knowingly." The boys caught peaking in our answer sheets which made Yutika ma'am punish us all for showing and for cheating.

I exhaled through my mouth as the pain started. I can't hold the bag up in the air for another ten minutes as my bag is heavy.

"Let's exchange our bags," Abhinav said but I shook my head no.

"If we caught exchanging our bags, we are done," I say. They all straighten up as Yutika ma'am walked out. She gave us a pointed look.

"Go to the principles office now." She kind of snarled which made me roll my eyes. 

"Man, this is the fifth time. I'm bored of listening to Fr Francis lectures." Aryan groaned as I chew on my lower lip.

"Dude, we are going to be in huge trouble now. They will surely call our parents this time because we got caught in our Pre-finals!" Sung exclaimed. Which is true. I don't even know how the months passed and we are so near to graduation now.

The annual day is this week, next week our finals start, farewell then graduation. I can't digest the fact that I will be leaving my only place where I don't feel alone.

I exhale keeping my bag down, the others do the same. We look at each other before smiling. "Gonna miss his lectures though," I say.

"True."

"To our last lecture maybe," Abhinav said and I smiled shaking my head.

"To our last." We all start walking towards the Fr. Francis office room. I can't help but get lost in the thoughts as we take slow steps watching the classrooms, hallways and pillars.

"Why do I feel sad?" Krishika spoke.

"Don't be babe, I'm here," Gaurav said.

"Shut up."

•

"Sitara... Backstage now!" Abhinav yelled from the other side of the hall. I nodded my head before going backstage.

"Up next is Sitara and her group. I hope everyone from your group is here?" Payal asked.

"Yes, everyone is here," I say looking at everyone. My eyes shifted to Aryan and his girlfriend.

I didn't like the fact that she wanted to dance with Aryan which made Joel Becca's partner. I know Becca wanted to have her last annual dance with Aryan.

Aman is Sung's partner to our surprise when he walked to us saying he wanna join our group. We are dancing to a mixtape of our favourite songs.

I didn't include Aryan's girlfriend's song even though he asked me to. Call me rude but I don't care.

"Aryan, don't be too touchy. Faculty and parents are going to watch. Keep that in mind." Abhinav warned Aryan.

My eyes wandered around as I saw parents who actually attended the annual year party to cheer for their kid's performance.

Gaurav's, and Krishika's parents are here. Abhinav's mum and sister are also here. I greeted them before going off somewhere as I don't like to talk much with adults or anyone.

"Sure," Aryan replied holding his girl. He kissed her cheek, Becca looked away exhaling. We all waited for our turn, it is chaos here as everyone rushed here and there.

The makeup crew is doing their work, teachers are making sure the students are sitting in their seats. Nothing less they are still wandering around without any care.

"Hurry up," Payal said walking back to where we stood. I shared a look with my group before walking on stage and taking our positions.

•

"I recorded everything! You all danced very well!" Gaurav's mom gushed about our performance holding Gaurav's cheek.

"Okay... Okay, ma... Now don't pull my cheeks in front of my friends." Gaurav looked shy as his mother didn't stop pinching his cheeks. Krishika chuckled and he blushed seeing Krishika's laughing face.

"Sitara." I turned my head to see Abhinav's mom calling me.

"Yes, aunty?"

"Can I speak to you for a minute in private?" I looked at everyone who is busy checking the videos and photos. I nodded my head walking away towards a silent corner.

"Thank you... Thank you for talking with Abhinav. He spoke to me, uncle and I are getting divorced." nice...

I just stayed silent, awkward silence surrounded us. "Congratulations on your freedom aunty." She looked shocked before laughing.

"I'll be going back," I say, I didn't walk back to the hall but went to the wall where the gang and I spent our evenings sitting on it and gossiping without any care in the world.

I didn't care if I spoiled my dress as I got on the dirty wall. Exhaling heavily, swinging my legs as I watched the school's view from here.

"Didn't expect that I will be finding you here," Kabir says. He got up, sitting beside me.

"I used to sit here every night after the cricket practice. This is my favourite place on the whole campus." He said as we watched the parents talking with their kids.

"Weren't you supposed to be with your team in Mumbai?" I asked.

"Yeah, but missed this place and can't leave a chance of visiting it." I chuckled softly, I'm not sure if I'm going to come back here like Kabir does.

"You are a lucky idiot."

"How so?"

"You are here whenever you want to visit it."

"It's not a big deal, buy a ticket, travel and here you are." He said, I turned to him. I smiled shaking my head. He smiled shrugging his shoulders.

"Did you sneak out to come here?" I asked him.

"I may or may not lied saying I'm sick."

"You are from Hyderabad right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"What about your college?" He asked. I looked at Gaurav and Krishika who are shyly stood side-by-side posing for the picture. 

"Don't know." We both stayed silent after that. 

"Your parents aren't here?"

"Nah, that's the reason I'm here."

"Then I'm here for you, watched your dance, clicked a picture of you and here sitting with you under the stars..." Kabir said patting my hand which is beside him. 

I didn't say anything, his words in some way warmed my heart. Maybe I wanted someone to be there for me. And unexpectedly it turned out to be Kabir.

"Hope to see you soon Sitara, next time we meet I want to be your friend." He says getting off the wall.

"It's time for me to leave, bye!" He pulled his hood on.

"Don't want to cornered by everyone." He added cheekily.

"I don't do friendships with windy people. Bye!" He chuckled before waving his hand and running towards the gate like a sprinter.

I smiled looking at his figure run towards the gate which is almost a kilometre away. 

"Sitara... What are you doing here alone?" Abhinav asked jogging towards me.

"I wasn't alone."

"Then with whom you were talking?" he asked turning his head in the direction where Kabir ran. 

"Who is that?"

"A friend..."

"Come on, DJ night is going to start in a few minutes." I jumped down the wall, dusted off the dust off my dress before walking back to the hall.