Happy reading<3
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The warm light from the computer illuminated Kabir's face. The room was silent except for the constant clicks of keyboard keys. For once, he was quiet and focused on editing the pictures instead of cracking jokes and chaos.
He zoomed in the picture he took this morning-students playing in the ground while a few other students stood on the side, gossiping. After, editing the mood,the color he moved to the other photo.
Ishika's photo came into view, smiling while looking directly at the camera. Her hazel eyes shined as the sunlight made it look ethereal.
Kabir paused, his finger hovering over the mouse. Something stopped him , was it the photo or the person. He let out a breath, shaking his head.
"Focus! Kabir!" He mumbled it to himself, zooming in her eyes.
He adjusted the brightness, contrast and shadows in the photo. A frown appeared between his eyebrows. He adjusted the settings again, shaking his head, he threw his head back in exhaustion.
Kabir spent 20 minutes editing just her eyes. Truth be told, it didn't need editing compared to the amount of time he was spending.
He compared the edited version to the original one-not much changes, the original photo looked better.
Maybe something feels good without editing.
"20 minutes and 35 seconds! I spent 20 minutes and 35 seconds editing nothing?" Kabir complained, sighing he exported the photo to his phone.
He took out the piece of paper she gave him with her number. Typing the number in his phone , he stared at the chat for the next 5 minutes.
Kabir: Photo
Kabir: Telepathy sent 📤
He typed , then put his phone down on the table. His leg bounced while he waited for his phone to buzz with the message.
Ping
Ping
He picked it up hastily, bumping his hand on the edge. "Ouch!" he winced.
Ishika: Telepathy received 🗃️
Ishika: I look so good 💅🏻
Kabir: Huh? Maine photo li hai isliye acchi lag rhi ho!🤏🏻
[I took the photo that's why you're looking good!]
Ishika: Shakal bhi acchi honi chaiye tab hi photo acchi aati hai 😚
[You need to be good looking for a photo to come perfect]
Kabir chuckled lightly, as he typed his next message.
Kabir: Ab photo lene vala itna handsome hai toh 😮💨
[The photographer is so handsome then...]
Ishika: Muh miya mithu!
Kabir: Tum karo toh thik? Me karu toh narcissist?🤨
[If you do it then it's fine? I'm doing it so now I'm a narcissist?]
Ishika: Bilkul! Be grateful i didn't tell the teachers about your camera!😀🫴🏻
Kabir: Ouch! Apne dost ke sath aisa karogi ab?
[Ouch! You would do this to your friend?]
Ishika: Ek rule hai par!
[I have a rule but!]
Kabir: Kaisa rule?
[What rule?]
Ishika: Me jab bolungi tab meri photo click krni hogi 😋
[You have to click a photo whenever I say]
Kabir: 🙂
Ishika: 🥰
Kabir: Paise lagenge!😮💨
[It will cost money!]
Ishika: 1 paisa nhi dungi. Dost se paise loge?
[I won't give any money. You will take money from your friend?]
Kabir chuckled, seeing she has used his own trick on him. He glanced at the photo of her on the computer, imagining how she might be smiling right now.
Kabir: But mera kya fayda ishme?🧐
[What is my gain?]
Ishika: ...
Ishika: Free tuition from me!💅🏻
Kabir: Me toh kabse hu ready tyaar 😏
Ishika: Palat gye!
Kabir🤪 Reacted 😂 to your message
Ishika giggled keeping her phone on the side table , she got up and made her way to the dining room.
Muskan, her mother, was arranging the plates while her father, Vijay, was tailing her behind with sad puppy eyes.
"Muskannn..." He held her elbow , lightly. She turned around glaring at him making him gulp as he removed his hand.
Ishika giggled, bringing the food from the kitchen she sat down watching her father follow her mother again, now holding her duppata.
"Ab kya kiya aapne?" Ishika asked him, as they both sat down.
[What have you done now?]
"Kya kiya?" Muskan exclaimed in frustration. "Maine pucha kya sabji banau , bolte joh mann voh bnalo! Fir ab lauki bnayi hai toh nakhre kar rhe hai!" She glared at him.
[What has he done?
I asked what I should make and he said whatever i feel like! Now i have made bottle gourd, so he is showing tantrums!]
"Lauki ki sabji?!" Ishika cried , looking at her father who shrugged.
"Dono baap beti ek jaise hai! Nahi khani jao sojao!" Muskan huffed , taking their plates from their side.
[Both father-daughter are the same! You don't want to eat then go and sleep!]
"Are mummy...mujhe lauki Boht pasand hai!" Ishika exclaimed, putting a spoonful of it on her plate.
[I like it very much!]
Muskan turned her head towards Vijay, who also put two spoonfuls of it on his plate, smiling sheepishly. She stiffled her laugh seeing both of them eat the food.
Vijay glanced at her , "Dekha Vijay ne vijay karli, Muskan ke chehre pe muskan le hi aaya!" He smiled , wiggling his eyebrows at her.
Ishika burst out in a fit of laughter listening to his bad joke , she almost choked on her food. Muskan too started laughing, her eyes crinkling.
The dinner continued with jokes and Vijay stealing food from Ishika's plate. After cleaning up the table, the three of them sat on the couch, resting.
"So Ishi, how's your new school? Blending in with new people?" Vijay asked , passing her the chocolate from the fridge.
"It's good! They're nice, and the teachers are also friendly and interactive." Ishika replied, breaking the chocolate in three pieces.
"No friends yet?" Muskan questioned , drinking her Chamomile tea.
Ishika paused, the piece of chocolate inches away from her mouth. The same question-and the same answer.
"Kabir. Kabir Malhotra." She said, her voice was like a whisper.
Vijay and Muskan shared a glance , lightly smiling at their daughter. "Hmm? So how did he become your friend?"
Ishika looked at her parents, "It's not what you're thinking!" She whined , narrowing her eyes at her father who was smiling widely.
"Maine toh kuch bola nahi!" He shrugged in innocence.
[I didn't say anything!]
Ishika sighed, "On the first day of school, he introduced and helped me to join other students."
"Oh! So those thank you brownies were for him?" Muskan chimed , raising her eyebrows at him.
Ishika let out an audible,breathless gasp. "How do you know that?"
Muskan picked up the newspaper kept on the table , folded it and hit it lightly on her head. "Learn to clean the counters after your baking."
"Ow! Mumma... okay." Ishika grumbled, leaning against the couch. She looked at the chocolate piece kept on the plate in front of her mother.
She yawned getting up , "I'm going to sleep," She excused. Her parents nodded, she took a few steps forward and then quickly grabbed the chocolate and ran with it to her room upstairs.
"Ishikaaa... that was mine!" Muskan shouted after her while Vijay laughed full heartedly.
"Now , it's mine. Good nighttttttt!!" Ishika's voice from above the stairs.
Ipshita and Meenakshi were leaning against the pillar, while all the students rushed to the canteen to get their lunch.
Pop
The gum Ipshita was chewing popped, few boys passed by stealing glances of her. She rolled her eyes, not giving them the slightest attention.
"You know, a girl from 10-A is dating a 12th grade student." Meenakshi muttered, checking her nails.
"How did you find out?" Ipshita questioned, glancing at her.
"Saw them at the backside of school." Meenakshi answered.
"Oh-"
A basketball stopped right in front of Ipshita's face. Meenakshi let out a gasp, scared while Ipshita narrowed her eyes at the person holding the ball.
"Saved you!" A confident, cocky voice came from behind the ball. He removed the ball from his face, his hand moving through his hair.
Advik Arora
The popular, basketball student, loved by the teachers and students. Only science student who didn't look depressed studying. But alas, Ipshita despised him not because of his popularity rather his personality.
"Let's go." Ipshita said to Meenakshi , moving away from him.
Advik took a few steps , blocking her way. He threw the ball up in the air , catching it again-looking annoyingly attractive for some reason. A few girls gasped, whispering in themselves.
"Move." Ipshita warned , folding her arms across her chest.
Advik leaned in, his face inches away from her. "Don't deny you didn't miss me?" he whispered, smirking.
"Only a fool will miss you." She commented , scoffing at his confidence.
"Aww, don't call yourself a fool!" Advik chuckled lightly.
Ipshita pushed him back with her finger. "Don't test me, Advik Arora!" She warned him, her voice laced with anger and irritation.
Students around them stopped , watching the scene happening. Ipshita and Meenakshi walked away from him and his friend group.
Advik chuckled lightly, spinning the ball on his finger. "Won't you congratulate me, Ms.Chaudhary? We won the basketball tournament!" He shouted after her, receiving a middle finger in return from her.
"Ipshita Chaudhary, my sweet nemesis!" He muttered under his breath, winking at the girls who stood behind the pillar who were secretly watching.
The cafeteria was filled with chitter chatter of students eating and gossiping together. The clinking of spoons and forks were heard all over in the cafeteria.
Ishika and Kabir were sitting together eating their lunch, when a lunch was placed in anger beside her. Ishika looked at the person, startled.
"Woah-Woah! Don't break the table!" Kabir commented, his mouth stuffed with food.
"Shut up!" Ipshita spated , irritated. Meenakshi sat beside Ipshita , carefully.
"What happened?" Ishika asked, keeping her spoon back.
"That stupid jerk!" Ipshita muttered, rolling her eyes hard.
"Who-" Ishika was cut off,suddenly
"That jerk by the way is me!" Advik plopped himself beside Kabir, greeting him with a finger sign.
Ishika tilted her head looking at the boy, confused. Kabir chewed quickly, leaning towards her from his side . "He is-"
"Greeting lady! I'm Advik Arora from 11-A, Captain of Basketball team." Advik introduced himself, forwarding his hand to her.
"Oh...," She took his hand , smiling. "Hi, I'm Ishika Sharma from class 11-B."
"Never saw you here, you're new?" He questioned, interested.
"Yes"
"Hmm, you're beautiful but not more than my nemesis." Advik remarked jokingly, looking at the girl who was throwing glares since he sat down.
"Don't joke!" Kabir commented in between. Everyone turned around to look at him, confused.
"What?"
"Nothing, you continue." He said , going back to steal food from Ishika's lunch.
"Yes, so my nemesis. Miss Ipshita Chaudhary." Advik shifted his attention to Ipshita.
"Say a word again and I'm gonna stuff this whole lunch in your mouth." She pointed her finger at him.
"Ah! I love this feisty side of yours." He chuckled, pushing his hair back.
"You've been trying to persuade her from grade 8th! Why are you not giving up now?" Meenakshi questioned, frowning.
"Giving up isn't my nature." Advik answered, still concentrated on Ipshita.
"8th grade? That's a lot?" Ishika commented, trying to take her food back from Kabir. "Give it back, Kabir! It's my favourite!" She warned.
"Now, it's mine!" Kabir mocked , laughing and taking a huge bite.
Meenakshi sighed, "I wonder how their friendship will continue."
Advik opened his lunch and passed his half sandwich to Ipshita, who quickly put it back in his lunch. He placed it again , she placed it back again.
Again
And
Again
Everyone at the table watched them, their faces a mix of amusement and confusion. Kabir done by the ongoing exchange, grabbed the sandwich mix air from Advik's hand and took a bite of it.
Meenakshi and Ishika gasped, their hands flew to cover their mouth. Kabir looked unbothered by the eyes on him, he kept on eating the sandwich with no care.
"What?" Kabir asked, finishing off the sandwich.
"You...why?" Advik frowned, eyes narrowing to the crumble of bread stuck near his lips.
"Ever heard of Cat and the two monkeys story? You two were the monkey and I was the cat." He answered, patting his shoulder.
Ishika burst out laughing at the whole incident, followed by Meenakshi and Ipshita. Kabir shrugged casually, while Advik glared at him.
"I will take revenge for it, wait for it." Advik remarked, showing a first to him.
"Put green chutney a little more next time. It will taste good." Kabir winked, getting up from the table.
"Seriously?" Advik massaged his head , irritated.
"You can't win from him. Maybe next time bring an extra sandwich!" Meenakshi commented, chuckling.
"I have some food left, you can have mine." Ishika quipped in between, pushing her lunch towards him.
Advik smiled at her generosity, "It's fine, I will buy something." He said, eating the other half of the sandwich.
"Let's go, ladies!" Meenakshi said, getting up from the table.
"Where?" Ishika asked.
"Our school organises an act every year on different topics. The best act will be performing in front of everyone basically in the annual function." Meenakshi explained, her hands moving in excitement.
"We have to audition for it. Let's go." Ipshita moved , after glaring at Advik who smiled in return.
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