Chapter 1 - prey or predator

I was sitting on the ground. My both palms were lying on the ground and my head was bowed so none of them could see my crying face. To be honest, I was rather thrown back to the ground while trying to get up from the lying position. Yeah.. I was lying on the ground just a couple of seconds ago.

It was the backyard of Mongkut University, Thailand, and wtf I was doing there, well I'll tell you later. My afro-like curly hair was Soaked and melting down with many egg whites as well as egg yolks. Yeah, the whole eggs. What were you thinking little sh*thead?? No one will throw you separated whites and yolks. Just the whole egg.

"Hey… this is from me for your great kindness." A bird-like little female voice was ringing inside my ears while I was having a great bath with flour. I'm very much sure that it was all-purpose flour. Sak.. my mom would bake me if she had seen me like that.

"Will someone please splash me with some sugar too? It will be a great help for ma mom." I kept my voice within ma throat to ensure that no one would hear me.

Yeah, I was really enjoying the moment. Aaah no no… not the sarcasm. I was doing great there. They did the main part and all I had to do was shedding a little bit of tears with heavy sobbing. Well.. I never understood that I was a great actress till that stunning script was created in ma mind.

Actually, I was informed that I would have to do such things, before attending this wholesome university. But I didn't get it too seriously until I was in the middle of this f*cking scenario.

Yeah, I did mention this as a wholesome university.. cuz a few crackheads should never put the reputation of this highly demanded university down and what's more, I loved that place.

"What's going on here.." another little bird screamed. Wow I couldn't adapt to this ethnical difference from my country to this one so soon.

In my motherland, many people had deep voices and their accents made it deeper. Even the females had some deepness in their voices.

However in my new destination, Thailand, these people have high-pitched voices with an accent of their own which is harmonized well with their voices. I still couldn't identify them with their voices although it had been weeks.

I rose my head and tilted a bit to see the face of that bird. Well… if you wanted me to confess.. yeah she was my godmother for that moment. Otherwise my inner demon would be woken up if that 'baking class' was continued.

Of course yes baby.. I'm not that much compatible with the addressing of LOSER. Nah girlies I'm not a loser. I was just enjoying the moment. So silly all of you. Nah.

I just tried to extract one more tear from my eye to accomplish the last scene of my stage drama. I needn't shed many more tears cuz my face was already covered and splattered with half-mixed egg whites and yolks which were streaming down from my hair.

Making the scene more realistic, flour dust made my eyes wet and red. Yeah.. I know I must thank that girl who threw my face a fistful of flour just after me having that wonderful showering of flour .

"Genny .. It was today morning when I advised you not to make trouble for newcomers. How did you become such a bully" That middle-aged woman tried to make me stand up and started to wipe off extra flour from my baking class.

Her appearance was just like a teacher or maybe a faculty head. Nice, neat, and well-decent dress code she had. But how she was so familiar to me? My mind repeatedly told me that I'd seen her before.

Oh yeassssss. A sudden flash of memory crossed my mind. She was the one I met when I was leaving the university last day just after the baking class. That's why those little b*tches thanked me for accusing them about those little sh*tty scenarios.

Damn, I didn't understand the assignment. It is overacting silly me who ran away from her crying and made the path for today's eggs and flour bathing.

She muttered and muttered while trying to wipe the extra flour off my uniform. Hell nah. She hardly wiped the flour that were combined with eggs. Poor lady.. Who wants to keep hands on a disgusting cake batter like me. I must appreciate her action though it was too pretending.

"We must help her. You all know that she is a foreigner and she has no one here." Said the little lady with an emphatic voice and a pointed finger towards the girl named Genny.

"This is a very bad reputation to our university and our country as well. We are a very welcoming nation. That's how the world describes us. All of you give our country a black mark. Very disrespectful."

Oh god she must be from the social science faculty. I'm sick of those boring lectures.

I looked at those six girls, who were literally trying to BULLY me, with the corner of ma eye while keeping ma head bowed to the ground. They all were shocked due to the invasion of this lady as it is prohibited to bully the students and the by-laws clearly explain that it may have a class suspension if someone is accused to be a bully.

I was glad to see their crying-to-be faces so badly. I was crying outside while my inner demon was performing a wild dance watching this precious moment.

All the laughs that were grunted and echoed had gone to zero. Even their breathings were so quiet that I could hear the wind blowing across the stadium ground.

"You know that she is all alone here. No parent, no siblings, even no friends. None of you wants to help her. Any of you, huh any of you.. I'm asking u, students.. have you ever tried to be a friend of her."

Was she know me this well or.. was she pretending again. Anyhow she reminded me of ma mom. She always protects ma dad's newbie subordinates from his senior subordinates. In another word, from his well-experienced henchmen.

"I'm there for her." For the first time in my one and half weeks of university life, I heard a voice of a foreign student, a deep male voice with a perfect British accent. I raised my head to see the face of this Mr. Angelic and turned my head to see ma beloved bully-girlies.

All of them were frozen from the shock of the appearance of this prince charming to save the day of this ugly-fugly. Of course, they were already shocked as they were caught in action a few minutes ago, however, they weren't this panicked to be suspended.

"Why are you caring for her? You hardly care for any of us" It seemed that little birds had forgotten where were we and who we were with. "Yeah, I care for the people who deserve it. Especially someone from my own motherland." Oh f*ck. Is this sh*thead a Sri Lankan too.

Will he be able to recognize me? Well, not in this condition, but later. Because I was in all the main newspapers and gossip sites in Sri Lanka a few months ago. I don't wanna ruin my misery to an angelic sh*thead this soon.

"That's racism.." another girl cried out and he grinned at her and replied in a bossy manner. "What you were doing is the real racism". I glanced at him while this fairytale-like scenario was stealing all the attention of the audience.

He was a tall, well-built brown guy with a handsome face and sharp jaws. His smile was so charming and also mysterious at the same time. It's like he also had a hard-to-swallow secret in his mind. Like me of course. His black brown eyes were too deep to read even for an expert like me.

Yeah, I was so expertized in that subject as I had to read people around me to recognize enemies before they'd reach my dad. It was a duty of mine that ordered me by myself for the well-being of my dad. I did the job well for years and once I failed and boom!! Everything went wrong, I lost my world. Yeah he meant a world to me.

"Hey will you all please stop this.. or should I send all of you to the discipline office" All the mutters were gone to zero again with the high-pitched screaming of the little Lady which brought me back to consciousness.

I bowed my head back before anyone notices me raising my head. "Hey, you.. Help her with this and all others go back to the classes.. right now.. hurry up.." mutterings and whisperings gradually got quiet after they honored the lady with folded hands.

The girl named Genny stared at me for a couple of seconds and turned away hinting to me that she'd not gonna put that to an end soon.

"Let's go" He kept his hand on ma shoulder while speaking to me on our first language, Sinhala. I stared at him and our eyes met each other for the first time.

He grinned and started to wipe off my uniform with his handkerchief. "Are you a Sinhalese or a Tamil? I only heard your first name so I couldn't guess it." He asked me in English again while being busy wiping out that flour and eggs from my face.

I turned my face away as it felt so uncomfortable for me. Nah .. being with boys was not uncomfortable for me at all as I was grown with hundreds of men around me. But if someone shows sympathy towards me, that's the thing I hate most.

"I'm a sinhalese. Sanjana " I answered in Sinhala. "Oh.. hi Sanjana. I'm Roshen… Roshen Karurathilake." I got that he was expecting to know my last name too. "Sanjana Mahamudali"

ahhh why did I do that.. Why did I expose my last name so quickly? Well.. sh*t happens nah.. Now please be careful to avoid him hereafter you dumbhead.

My mind was in a hurricane of thoughts. I did great till I met this Mr. Angelic and I don't want more mistakes because of him. "This way to the girls' restroom. Sanjana" He guided me and I started to follow him playing the same innocent victim.

"Are you a fully Sri Lankan.? I'm asking because I'm half. My mom is an Indian Tamil." He tried to make a conversation with me.

Ahh let me be.. you Idiot. Leave me alone before my disturbed mind loses its control. "Yeah. I'm fully Sri Lankan" I replied shortly.

"Its nice to see another one from my motherland. Feels like I've met an old companion. You know what.. It is not as same as making new friends when you are abroad."

The chatterbox was speaking to himself without looking at me at all. His eyes were lost somewhere in this universe with unpredictable boundaries.

"Even when I was in England, I had fewer British friends. I always had contacts with ma Sri Lankan friends to keep company." Ohhhh boasting nahh.. I'm sick of those immodest people.

"Do you have any nicknames ?? I was called Rosh when I was in England."

"By girls?" Sak.. my f*cking tongue will never learn what to say or what not to say.

"Hey.. little Sanju is back to life. Nah. You were a walking zombie before. Just relax and breaaaaaath.. huh. This way is better. It's like you are happy now. I can see it through your eyes." Although he hold his bursting laugh and just grinned, I could see his shaking shoulders.

"Ok ok .. I have got terrible memories when it comes to girls. I was so nerdy there and you know what… I had to skip my prom as none of the girls in my school agreed to go with me.. actually I didn't asked anyone.. hahaa terrible.. nah" I was faking my laugh at a dumb joke made by a bigger dumbhead.

"And this is the restroom Sanju.. may I call you Sanju .. Is it ok?? Huh" we were at the door of the girl's restroom and my side visions were recognizing so many hatred glances towards us. Ohhh Mr. Angelic should be a star huh.. I think I've doubled my enemies.

"It's Ok .." I simply smiled at him. "Ok then clean yourself first. I'll be waiting here."

What.. WTF .. Aahh now I just wanna grab his curly hair and smack his head against the wall. Leave me alone you bastard.

I breathed out and smiled at him again. "No thanks Rosh.. you don't have to do this.. You have done so much.. Thank you for everything" I tried to keep ma voice calm. "

"but if they were in the restroom and what if they were trying to hurt you again ??" Then I will smack them too.. huh. What do you think you dumbhead? Do I look like a loser? Or what do you want from me?? Stalking me like this?. I felt like something wasn't right. Who is he?? My mind alarmed me a red notice about him. "Ok then… I'll be back soon.. Rosh"

I grinned and passed through the door of the restroom. I walked through the restroom corridor and realized that the whole restroom was empty as all the cubicles were opened.

I kept my both hands on a wash basin and looked at myself through the mirror and started to breathe in and out so heavily to calm myself. A smirk appeared on my face when I was staring at myself which was covered with flour and eggs.

It was good for me that they hadn't used rotten eggs. I wiped off some of the flour and eggs mixture that was running down my cheeks with a finger, laughed, and licked it once. Tasted better.

What?? That's not disgusting man.. cuz raw eggs played a main role in my dietary plans. Well.. in some plans.. I had a few.. Hahaa .. It was little salty due to ma own sweats.

I walked through the restroom here and there and did some stretchings to freshen up myself and as I couldn't scream to clear up my mind, just muted screams were passed through my lips while my fists are clenched.

Then I put my bag on the side of the wash basin and pulled out a towel and an extra uniform from it. Yeah baby.. I was ready for that cuz it was my fourth day of making cake batters.

I just remembered something and took my phone to pose for a selfie for my collection. #cakebatterday4. A well-spent day. Then I started to clean my self.

First I loosed my hair and started to wash it thoroughly. Of course. it was time-consuming as I had thick curly hair.

While I was washing my hair, two girls came and none of them asked me if I needed some help. But I saw that they were watching me with sympathy. I hadn't seen them before in my faculty but I seemed to be very popular as a walking cake batter.

After few minutes they walked away and I continued my work. I sighed thinking that it was my lucky day as they didn't arrive a few minutes ago to see my crazy muted screams.

It took nearly twenty minutes for me to have a shower, change ma uniforms, and dry out my hair and I was purposely late thinking that sh*thead Roshen would fed up and leave. Making me wrong, he was there for me with a great smile on his face.

"Well, you look clean now" he chuckled again. "Come, let's go the next lecture " he took my bag from my hand. "No thanks, Rosh.. I can go by myself. Thank you for everything. I made you wait so long.. it is too late already" I just wanted to leave this person before I got a headache.

"What if both of us have the same route?" I gave him a questioned face when he was smirking at me.

"Hey, Sanju I was in your faculty too. Well.. actually in the same class, just behind your desk." Well.. now it is something to think as I have to be more careful. And no worries about exposing my last name to him because even if I didn't, he would find out it too easily.

Ahhh why didn't I change my last name before entering this misery. I loved my dad so much that I didn't want to changed my last name or in other words, my favorite heirloom.

I loved to be called as a daughter of Mr. Mahamudali so I decided to enter the misery with my true identity and I was kinda regretting it. Again.. Sh*t happens..

who knows that may be this sh*thead would help me to get into ma target even though he was an unpredictable weirdo. All is well sanjay.. But beware of him. My mind didn't stop sending red flags about him

I gave him a surprised look. "Oh god. I think I have bowed my head too much"

"of course you are" he chuckled. "Let's go then"

"yeah. Let's go"

"BTW why did they start to bully you" he asked me looking at my eyes straightly. "Well.. it was my hair I think. Then they continued when I didn't deny it." I started to talk with him with a smile on my face as I knew that so many eyes were glancing me at that point.

Of course, I enjoyed the bullying scenarios, well, in my words, cake batter sessions. However, if I lose my control one day, it might cause severe trouble for everyone, including me. I was very sure that one or more people would be sent to the ICU straightaway. That's why I just wanted to end those cake batter days so soon.

But if I took the first action, all the days I spent playing victim would be useless. I wanted to play the role of an innocent girl further. Well.. at least till I start the mission.But before that, there were numerous things to find out and clear up.

So I decided to use Mr. Angelic as my contracted godfather. Thus everyone would think that he was the inspiration for me to raise my head and walk along freely in this university and hence, my true personality will be hidden till I'm ready to be exposed, or maybe forever.

"Why ?? There's nothing wrong with your hair nah.. mm to be real.. it's too curly for a Sri Lankan. Like an afro Nahh.. " he tried so hard not to laugh.

"Also very uncommon for a Southeast Asian" I added.

"Like Thailand?" He burst out of laugh. "I like curly hair. My mom has nice curls. So am I. I did straighten it twice and started to be a curly so recent."

I just smiled as I had no idea how to respond to it.

"How did you get your curls."

Why do you ask?? From genetics you idiot. Hell yeah.. I should be more patient in order to deal with this helpful dumbhead.

"from my dad" I answered shortly. He had a thick afro hair. I missed him.

"Why do those people stare at us" I just wanted to change the topic.

"Ohhh that's because it is my first time talking to a girl and… also it's my first time smiling this much in this university" I gazed at him more surprisingly.

"yeah I'm the Mr. Silent of the faculty. Nah.. you have much more things to learn about me."

Learn about you??? You learn about me ba*tard.. Will you be so interested in me if you get to know me?? if my true identity was revealed ?? Nah, man..

Who am I ?? Sanjana Mahamudali, Sanju or Sanjay?? And wtf was I doing there??? Far away from my motherland, from my family and from everything I love. What was my misery? Why did I wanted to hide my true personality?? And a lot more. To answer all of these, Let's just rewind my story for a few months back.