Chapter 4

Later on, I was seated on a bench with Manu. I was going through a book while she was going through her phone. “Look at this, Rani,” she said showing me her phone. “This is the dress I will be buying for my birthday,” she said.

I collected her phone to properly check out the dress. It was a pink beaded white Anarkali with a stole. A mannequin was wearing it.

“This is beautiful, I like it,” I said.

“Should I order two? I want us to have the same dress,” Manu said.

“Are you kidding me? Should we be wearing the same dress on your birthday? Who is the celebrant? People will be confused,” I stated.

“Yeah, that’s right, but you can wear another dress on my birthday while you still have this one,” she suggested.

“Then order for two,” I affirmed. “I’m sorry, maybe your birthday date that I know is not correct. You were born in November, right?” I queried.

“Yes!”

“And we are in February.”

“Yes?”

I laughed. “You are preparing for nine months to come birthday?”

“But I like the dress.”

“You are funny. This dress must have been outdated before your birthday. Stop kidding me,” I said then chuckled.

“I agree with you. Anyways, I will still order the dress, but not for my birthday anymore though.”

“Better!”

“Um, Rani, what were those bad guys trying to do to you at the gym earlier?” Manu questioned.

“Don’t mind them. It’s Sidd. You know Sidd is not all right.”

“But I didn’t see Sidd there.”

“Will you see a killer in a murder crime scene? He initiated the stupidity then flee.”

“What is honestly going on between you and Sidd?” Manu asked.

“We are gradually spicing up our enemy record,” I replied.

“Enemies?” Manu chuckled. “Please be careful,” she cautioned and I smiled.

On Friday on campus, I was walking across the campus courtyard sipping on my coffee while listening to music on my phone. Sidd was coming along. Since we have even our retaliations, I didn’t know he was going to pull up something anymore. I tried walking past him, but he elbowed my coffee splashing it on me.

“Oops, my bad. Clumsy me!” He chuckled.

I looked at my dress. I was putting on white for pity’s sake. “Sidd!” I groaned at him trying to clean the mess. “What have you done? I’m wearing white, can’t you see?”

“Aw! I didn’t notice,” he said. “What are we going to do now? You might need a change of dress.”

“I have a lecture by 1 pm. You have ruined my dress. Am I supposed to sit in the lecture hall looking like this?” I started almost crying. It’s 12:35 pm already. I can’t go away from campus. Which student brings two wears to campus on a normal day?

“I didn’t think of it. Anyways, suit yourself, okay?” He mocked trying to walk away. I held his shirt and pulled him back.

“Where do you think you are going? Am I to be wearing this? You caused…” I paused. Sidd was putting on a jacket. I stared at him. He looked behind him, thinking why I stopped. “Come with me,” I pulled him along.

“Where are we going?” He questioned.

When we reached a corner, I stopped. “Pull off your jacket,” I ordered.

“You must be joking. You are not wearing my jacket, I forbid you,” he said.

What has me changing from my coffee white shirt to his jacket gotten to do with forbiddance? After all, he caused it. If I demand him to, he wouldn’t agree. He is crazy. I decided to act up.

“Sidd, please,” I said in my most honest and earnest voice. I held his hand. “They are going to laugh at me. I know you are not as bad as you normally act up. You are a gentle guy. And you wouldn’t watch a lady be laughed at. They are going to question my dignity, please,” I begged, breaking my voice along the way.

He looked silently at me. “Fine, have it, but make sure to return it after the lecture, okay?” He said pulling off the jacket.

I nodded. He handed the jacket to me and I wore it on my ruined T-shirt. I flipped my hair aside as I adjusted the jacket on my body.

“How do I look?” I asked.

“You look like what I have never seen,” he said.

“F*ck you!” I snarled then ran off.

After the lecture, I headed home, if Sidd needs his jacket, he will have to beg for it.

“Whose jacket is this?” Manu who was walking beside me asked.

“It’s Sidd’s,” I replied.

“Really?” Manu exclaimed smiling.

I knew she was thinking otherwise. “He ruined my white t-shirt with coffee, so I snatched his jacket.”

“Aren’t you supposed to return it?”

“He will have to beg for it,” I declared.

On Sunday, I went shopping in a grocery store. I wanted to prepare something special for my mom. It has been a long I cooked. As I was buying what I needed, Sidd came along. I tried to ignore him then he blocked my way.

“I got you! Where is my jacket?” He queried.

“What jacket?” I pretended.

“Do you have a short memory? You cunningly made me give you my jacket, you didn’t bother to return it before leaving. Where is it?” He said trying to lower his voice.

“I burnt it,” I said simply then began picking the foodstuffs.

“You what?” He asked following me.

“I said I burnt it. When I reached home, I realized the jacket belongs to the same person that ruin my shirt, I got angry and I got it burnt.”

“You must be joking. Rani, where is my jacket?”

“If you like to start yelling, people will start looking at you and thinking you are crazy, which is true though, and the store owner will ask you if they are selling jackets here.”

“I want my jacket back, do you understand?” He said and walked away.

I chuckled and then continued shopping.