(Chapter - 9)

  [Distant and Hesitant]

  The next day at school, the colorful brothers come to their classroom way before any other students. Asroy puts the pink notebook back inside Mehaki's desk as promised. Tori, Karu and Tushar glance over each other. They all take their seats. Tushar stretches his arms behind his head, leaning back.

  Tushar : Whew! The empty classroom in the morning sure looks kinda dramatic.

  Tori : It looks peaceful actually.

  Tushar : Well, boring people like you wouldn't get the feeling hahah!

  Tori : And dramatic people like you think everything is dramatic.

  Tushar : What did you say!?

  Tori : Exactly what you heard. Now cut it out.

  Tushar : You-!

  Tori, nonchalant, says the words without even glancing at him. Tushar’s annoyed smile sharpens as his fists clench. Karu, hopelessly rubbing his forehead, speaks.

  Karu : Well, be quiet for a moment? Always ready to ruin any mood! Agh.

  Tushar : You hear that, Tori?

  Tori : I wasn’t the one to pull your leg first.

  Tushar : Whatever!

  Within this bickering of Tori and Tushar, Karu glances at Asroy, who is quietly just staring at his own desk. Unusually quiet– stiff and almost detached. Karu narrows his eyes, suspecting an off vibe. Not long after that, “Nah, it's probably nothing” he shakes off his thoughts. Maybe he's just thinking too much. A while later, students start to come, two, three, five and more. Chatter and murmur fills the classroom.

  Tushar : Yay, not so “Tori's peaceful” anymore!

  Tori just looks disappointed, bored and tired of Tushar's lame joke. Right then, Mehaki enters the classroom as well. Tori looks at her, trying not to look so excited but his sparkling blue eyes deny him. Karu warns the 3 brothers.

  Karu : Guys, remember to act normal. Ok?

  Tushar : Got it, just watch me.

  Mehaki comes to her desk hurriedly, with a tensed up and nervous face. Her anxious heart finally eases after she finds the notebook under her desk, just as she left it behind yesterday. She clutches it to her chest and sighs of relief, “Thankfully! It's here.” with a stable assurance, her mind stops creating all the chaotic thoughts. She quickly puts the notebook in her bag.

  Karu : Mehaki, what's up?

  Tushar : Hey hey, Inufa!

  Asroy clenches his hands hearing the name “Inufa”, his heart throbbed with a feeling of betrayal that he got from reading the notebook. Mehaki glances over Tori, Karu and Tushar, instantly growing a bright smile and subtly waving at them.

  Mehaki : Hey guys.

  Tori : Hi Mehaki. Is everything good?

  Mehaki : Yup! All good.

  She ignores Asroy just as Asroy ignores her. None of them greet or even look at each other. Himika approaches Mehaki.

  Himika : Mehaki! Do you have any plans tomorrow?

  Mehaki : Hmm, I don’t think so. Why?

  Himika : Great! Then-...

  As they chat, standing away from Asroy's desk, only then Asroy takes a peek, briefly and then looks away slightly frowning. And this scene does not slip away from the eyes of the colorful 3.

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  Tushar : Huh? Hey Asroy. What's wrong with you? You didn’t act like this with Inufa before.

  Asroy : … It's nothing, just processing everything.

  Tushar : Wow, what are you? An outdated robot? Taking so long to process whatever it is. Meh.

  Asroy : Maybe I am?

  Asroy's voice still carries the stiffness.

  Karu : What did I just say about acting normal?

  Asroy : *Sigh* Forget it. Not in a mood for acting. Besides, why didn’t she talk to me while she did to all of you?

  Karu : Huh?

  Tori : !

  A realization hits Tori, his eyes tense up, set on his desk, lost in thoughts.

  Karu : Why does it matter? And it's not like she specifically said ‘Hey’ to just us 3.

  Asroy : I don’t know.

  Tushar : C'mon! You know Inufa isn’t rude like that. It’s just in your mind.

  Tori : *Come to think of it… Mehaki really did ignore Asroy just the way he did. But… Asroy did that cuz he's still annoyed. Then, what happened to Mehaki? Could it be… She's mad at him too?*

  Tori's eyes look up to the 3 boys chattering. Mehaki gets back to her seat, and Tori gives her a worried look, though not making it too obvious. Not so long after every student comes in, the teacher enters and proceeds the class. Tori's mind sticks to the thought “Should I ask her if she's upset…?”. Seeing him slightly facing Mehaki, she gives a gentle smile. Tori's breath catches. That smile, so lovely it makes his heart stumble, racing before he can stop it. Mehaki turns back to her lessons, while Tori's face faintly flushes red with a suddenly racing heart. During lunch break, the hallways are buzzing with footsteps and chatter of the students. Mehaki is one of them, talking with a friend while they walk. Tori sees her coming from the opposite direction and approaches. Mehaki’s friend walks on without her.

  Tori : Mehaki.

  Mehaki : Oh, hey Tori! Did you have lunch?

  Tori : I did just now.

  Mehaki : I see.

  Tori : Well… Um… Are you by any chance, upset?

  Mehaki : Hm? Why do you think so?

  Tori : It’s just… It seemed like you kinda ignored Asroy. I could be wrong but-...

  Mehaki : Oh that's… *Because his bloodline has turned out to be one of our enemy families. So I want to silently distance myself from him.*

  Mehaki seems nervous and hesitant. “But it's not like I can tell him that so simply!” thoughts flood over her mind as she fiddles her fingers. Tori can sense the uneasiness of Mehaki trying to answer.

  Tori : It’s okay, you don’t have to explain if you’re not ready.

  Mehaki : No, it's not like that… Actually… It's something deeply related to my family. I should keep my distance from him…

  Tori : Huh?

  Mehaki : I'd like to say more but… Can you give me some time? There's… Actually a lot to tell you all.

  Tori : Of course! No problem. I'd like to open up more about ourselves too… We've also got so much to share. Let's wait… Till we're ready.

  Upon hearing Tori's thoughtful and reliable words, Mehaki's lips curl up into a soft smile of relief. Her expression relays her trust from within.

  Mehaki : Thanks, Tori…

  Tori : No, it’s me who is thankful for your trust. I'm really glad.

  Tori's cheerful and bright smile makes Mehaki giggle. The bell for the lunch break echoes through the crowded hallway, meaning that the break is over. Hours later, as the final bell rings, all the students get busy taking their bag and leaving the classroom. Mehaki, before going out waves at Tori, Karu and Tushar but not even sparing a glance at Asroy. This does not go unnoticed.

  Mehaki : See you later!

  Karu : See you, Mehaki.

  Tushar : Ok!

  Tori : …

  Tori waves silently, knowing that he has to wait for everything to come clear, when they all are ready. Tushar and Karu glance over each other nervously, then look at Asroy, who is disappointedly and doubtfully staring at Mehaki leaving, who didn’t even look at him.

  Asroy : What's this? She's at fault and she is avoiding me now…?

  He stands up from his seat, with a frowning face.

  Asroy : Are you serious?? She’s the one hiding things, and now she’s ignoring me too!?

  Karu : Asroy, enough. Let's just go home.

  Asroy : What's wrong with her!!?

  Tushar : Bro, calm down.

  Tori : Just give her some time, will you?

  Asroy : Why? What has happened? Does she really have to act like that?

  Tori : … *I don’t think there will be any use of telling him anything.*

  Tori's tense but calm gaze looks away. Asroy's grit eases, he clicks tongue and walks on. Karu sighs.

  Karu : Let's go.

  Tori nods to his words. The 3 comes out after Asroy. On the other side of the hallway, a girl stops Mehaki for something.

  Girl : Hey, can you come here for a second.

  Mehaki : Yes?

  The girl hands over 3 membership cards of a club.

  One Mehaki's, one Tori's and one Tushar's.

  Girl : These cards are for membership renewal of the language club. It seems like you and these two boys didn’t fill it up. The submission deadline is tomorrow. Can you give it to them?

  Mehaki : Oh my! I had no idea… Ok, I'll make sure to hand these over in time.

  Girl : Great! Thanks for your help.

  Mehaki : No worries!

  She walks out of the school with Himika, looking at the 3 cards in her hand.

  Mehaki : *The other 2 cards are for Tori and Tushar? They're late just like me.*

  Himika : Mehaki, you better submit this on time if you don’t want your membership to be cancelled.

  Mehaki : Yeah, I got it… I have to hand over the other 2 cards too.

  As the wind fluttered her brown hair softly, she kept looking intensely at the cards thinking in her own mind.

  “I have to go to… Miraz Monjil. Even if that's the last thing I wanted to do, to avoid meeting Asroy…”

  Her grip tightens around the cards, heart racing at the thought of stepping into their place again. Even so, she looks up with confidence, her brown eyes shining bright…

  “Let's not be afraid! I'll just go, hand the cards to Tori or Tushar and leave. Yeah, simple as that! Let's do this.”

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