Conundrum 》ICT AU

-22-

"Rits!" Rohit called out, making both the girls stop in their track and turn around.

"Go, Rits!" Gia smiled and moved aside, hoping that Rohit finally had some courage to ask the girl out.

"So I - uh." He smiled, holding her hand.

"Spit it out, Ro." She smiled, looking up at him. "I have to get to class."

"I really like you, Ritika." He looked at her. "It would be an honour for me if you could be my girlfriend?"

"Woo-hoo!" Virat called out from behind, Anushka slapping his hand to make him shut up.

"Ask me again." Ritika blushed. "On one knee."

Whistling started to surround the couple as Rohit took a step back and kneeled down on one knee, still holding her hands.

"Ritika, my love." He started. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes!" She beamed, the crowd beginning to clap and shout words of encouragement. "It would be my honour."

And as Gia went forward to hug Ritika and Rohit, her eyes slipped to Virat and Anushka holding each other tightly. She beckoned them to come closer and join in the hug, which they did.

Just for a moment, it felt like they were regular kids.

"I know." Anushka calmly said, looking at her.

"You know?" Simran said, puzzled. "Why did you allow me to sleep with him then?"

"Virat doesn't love you." She said, looking at her. "But he has something for Meera."

"Ouch." She said, rubbing her chest. "You hurt me." She laughed.

"Wow, I haven't felt this good in a long time." Simran said softly, leaning against the sink. "Remember the fun we used to have? We would literally trash my room."

"Promise me, whatever happens." Anushka came close to her, extending her pinky. "We won't let a boy come between us again."

"Pinky swear." She breathed out, crossing her little finger with hers. "But this isn't any ordinary boy we let come between us."

"Yes, I know. We both need to get over him." She breathed out. "It's toxic."

"You're right, for once."

—

"So, found anything?" Gia said, scaring her. Meera immediately shut her laptop, looking around.

"Wha- what makes you think I'm looking for something?" She stammered, looking at her.

"You're in the library, dude." She said, taking a seat in front of her. "We don't have any assignments, no projects. Clearly you're doing something and you didn't tell me!" She pouted. "I can help!"

"I don't think you can help in this." She cleared her throat. "It's personal."

"That's cool too." She hummed, looking at the table. "Anyways, I came to invite you."

"For what?" She leaned back, looking at her. "I can't go to another party, it's too much drinking for me."

"It's a black tie event." She said. "You've never been to one, have you? It's fun!"

"I can't see how going to an event where you're supposed to act prim and proper is supposed to be fun?" She said, putting the laptop back in her bag. "Besides, I can't afford a dress."

"Don't worry about the dress." She said. "It would be fun to dress up, come on, say yes! Even Hardik has agreed to come!"

"Okay, fine fine." She laughed, feeling the prickling of jealousy again. She spoke to Hardik and he even agreed to this fiasco before telling her? Wow, maybe he really liked Gia!

Meera hated that. Hardik was her friend, not Gia's.

This just fueled her obsession to find dirt on the princess. She couldn't let her get close to him.

"Great!" She stood up, straightening her skirt. "I'll send over a dress to your place, cool?"

"Cool."

—

"Gi, you've got to let me explain." Virat's voice pleaded on voicemail as Gia got ready for the event, curling her hair. "I know I've been wrong but I can't lose you. Not now, not ever." He breathed in. "I love you, mi amour. Please pick up."

She breathed in, looking at the mirror.

Was she really ready to listen to him, again? Did he really love her like he claimed to or was he fucking around with her like he did with Meera?

She wasn't stupid.

She knew everything about him. Yet she still loved him.

She stopped seeing him as a brother when she was 15. She remembered how his hair blew against the wind and how his arm loosely rested against Anushka's waist, looking at her with love in his eyes. She remembered stopping in her path, just looking at the two of them. She remembered feeling this pit in her stomach watching the two of them and that's when she really knew, it wasn't a brother sister thing she was feeling.

She was experiencing love. She hated it.

She couldn't listen to Virat anymore declare his love for her because she knew he didn't feel the same way about her. He never did.

So she was going to move back. She couldn't stay and go on like this forever. Not while he just started to like Meera.

She just couldn't hurt both of them.

—

Were you guys expecting this? I hope so🫠

I think I have enough clues, mayhaps🤪
Anyways, comment on how you liked this bomb🍄