Page 72 of Storm
He looks more than edible. Delicious is the word.
Realizing I was thinking about Aariz, just as Rose and almost all the girls in my class did and thus stooping myself to the level of schoolgirl crushing, I turned back to her rolling my eyes,
“Please! ‘Edible?!’ You are talking as if he is a food product.” I made a face, to show her and myself that he does not affect me.
“You do not understand anything Sani. Just look at him! He is all wet and...”
Before she could complete, I stopped her, “Rose, I’m also drenched. We have all been in water. Even my clothes are sticking to my body, because I do not have anything to change into, and hence, had gone into water wearing these. So do I also look edible to you?” I gave her a look, “He is not some celebrity for God sakes! Just stop talking rubbish about him, please.”
She made a face.
I knew my anger was uncalled for, but I couldn’t help it.
Hearing Rose’s comments about Aariz, made a certain green-eyed monster named jealousy roar in my head.
I stormed-off wanting to get away from her. She had come around on her own after Elli's incident, assuring me that it does not matter to her. And she would like to keep our friendship away from that of mine with Tina. Fair enough! Though come to think out it now, I guess she just wanted my company in this trip.
Annoyed and pissed, I sat down on the sand, at the edge of the shore and sprinkled a lot of seawater on my face to cool down my temper. As I stood up, I realized I had nothing to wipe my face with, and that was how Aariz saw me. The loose black top I had worn over my jeans clung to my body as if; scared I will get rid of it. The top, whose shoulder for some reason chose that very moment to slide off slightly.
Aariz stood at just a little distance and the fact that he was not even blinking, had me all sorts of heated, though I was wet to the skin, and had immediately pressed my sleeve hard on my shoulder.
“Here, pin-it.”
“Huh?” I glanced away from him, to see Aya standing beside me holding a big safety pin.
She rolled her eyes, “How long do you plan to keep pressing your palm on the sleeve like that? It’s bound to slide because you are drenched.”
As if, I did not know that.
She smirked, “And something tells me, lover-boy would mind if other boys got to see you this way.”
My jaw dropped! She couldn’t seriously be calling Aariz my lover-boy! Then, whom was she talking about?!
Before I could ask, she leaned into my ear and scoffed, “Just a guess, since he quickly looked around to check if anyone else saw your bare shoulder a moment ago.”
“You...you are wrong. There is nothing like that. He is our Pro...”
“I never took his name.” Amused and smirking even more so, she handed me the pin whispering, “Also...he is still staring. So yeah, pin it up.”
Aya left and I glanced to find, he really was...staring.
God I need distance from this guy.
I quickly pinned up the sleeve and ran towards Mirelle...far from Aariz.
Just then, a few of my classmates passed us. They were going for a swim again I guess, while the tides remained well, high!
“Back it up guys. Tides are high. It’s dangerous.” yelled Aariz, walking towards us.
Sahil, who led the group, did not pay much heed to Aariz's shout and instead urged his friends to be quick and come in the water.
“C'm
on guys! Hurry up. Don't worry about Prof Deewan. Anyway, half of our batch mates are around our bags, lying on the sand. He will get busy with them and forget about us. Chill! He is just shouting for no reason. Let’s go.”
Sahil then turning towards me, went on, “Sani, Mirelle why are you both just roaming around? Join us in water. It will be fun.”
Yeah, right! Fun in high tide...Go and kill yourself dear boy. I want to live!
