9 chapter 9

August 2006:

Semester Results day...

"Sir, you have got an A" John, his body-guard handed him a piece of paper which showed a scribbled hand-writing of all his subject marks.

"That's as expected, anything new?" Arnav shrugged sipping his coke from the tin, leaning onto his sea green TVR Tuscan, a mere head-turner in the campus as his aviators reflected the sun above the roof of the cafeteria adjacent to his car. He exchanged occasional nods to the passing by students who threw random pleasantries at him and ignored the constant glances from the group of girls seated opposite.

"Sir, there is a fresher's event coming up. There is notice put up for the interested students who would like to perform seeking their nominations--"

"Seriously Naman?" he snarled at the second body-guard who gave this piece information. "Is that all you can get from that big freaking notice board? A stupid party of maroons?" he asked sounding incredulous and thus earning an annoying look from the passing by student.

"I'm sorry sir"

"Anything else, important that I should be aware of?"

"I guess nothing sir"

"Guessing doesn't work with me Naman! You get that straight in your head. I only want sure shot answers, you understand??" he yelled again.

"Yes"sorry sir" with that he turned around.

"And where do you think you are going?" Arnav stopped him.

"I'll just go recheck everything and come sir---"

"Did I ask you to?"

Naman just looked down rooted to his place. Arnav then glanced at the other man speculating it all and flipped his head; taking the command John quickly made his way towards the notice board again.

"And you!" Arnav pointed his finger. "Get me a sandwich now, here" he added thrusting a 500 rupee note in his hand.

*

"Oh my god! Guys you can't be serious!!" exclaimed Khushi who had been silently witnessing it all seated with a group of students right behind Arnav's car at a decent distance. Her eyes went wide having seen the whole Arnav Singh Raizada's, I'm-the-boss- drama and her jaw dropped almost digging itself into the ground below.

"He is a man-eater! A perfect definition of an ass-hole! He"he is a living"dinosaur! And you are planning to send me as his prey??"

"Shhh--" a guy from the group silenced her and dragged her away into the cafeteria.

"Look, that's the bet, either do it, or forget your chance to perform in the freshers!" another girl voiced and the group grinned at her.

"This is not fair!!" she exclaimed eating her nails nervously.

"All is fair in Love and war baby" the guy wrapped his hand around her and she shrugged it off immediately. "Listen you---"

"Khushi kumara gupta" she offered.

"Yeah whatever--"

"It's not whatever, it's my name!" she argued with the weird guy, who looked like he had a hundred of piercings at his ear-lobe and the guy just stood there suddenly dumb struck being smitten by her chirpiness.

"Argh! listen you feisty girl, Freshers DO.NOT.PERFORM for the fresher's party, but since you asked and you are not bad yourself, we are giving you this chance, either take it or forget it" the girl standing with the guy offered.

"Or are you scared of bets?"

"I thought you promised you would do anything?"

"So Ms.Khushi Guptha backs off from her promise?"

"Alright stop" She shoved her hand at the small group of her seniors. "Khushi kumari Guptha doesn't back off her promises" she said confidently lifting her chin in the air and girl in front of her lifted her eye-brow in a challenging way. "He does look like a monster but he isn't a monster, is he?" the confidence in her voice suddenly seemed low enough and she swallowed hard.

"Well, you would find that out, wont you?" with that the group started walking away.