Chapter 12: Just Friends

 

"Where did Lavanya go?" Khushi asked looking around trying to find her, she was going to walk with her to the locker room, but she was nowhere to be found.

"NK and already left and said they would meet us at the front of the school," Payal said.

                        

"You all go to the front and call the driver, we'll meet you there after going to the locker room," Arnav said and they all left.

They both walked out of the field The sun had set long back and the moon shined a bit in the sky. The lights in the stadium made it visible to see, there weren't many people left in the stadium beside them, They stepped into the gym through the doors, Arnav left for the boys locker room and told Khushi to meet him outside there after she had gotten her stuff.

Khushi went to the locker room and removed her bag from the locker. A few girls were left in their changing put seemed like Lavanya had already left. Khushi took out her change of clothes for the party and changed into them, she took off a lot of her makeup because it felt too much. Only eyeliner and a little bit of lip gloss remained, the rest of it had been wiped off. She gathered up her things and left to go wait for Arnav. She stood outside the door of the boys locker room against the wall, waiting for him to come out. A few guys would come out at a time to leave, but Arnav still wasn't coming out yet. After awhile she asked one of the guys if Arnav was still in there and if he could tell him that she was waiting.

Arnav had gotten into the locker room and it smelt terrible due to all the sweat. He decided to take a very quick shower before they left for the house. After taking a shower, he walked back to the benches and removed his clothing from the locker. A lot of the boys were still also in their, taking showers, chatting and getting ready to leave.

"Hey Arnav," Yash said coming from outside. Arnav and Yash had become good friends with each other and Yash would hang out with NK and him at times also.

"Yeah?" Arnav replied putting on his shorts.

"There's a girl waiting outside for you," Yash said. And right then the entire boys room went into hollers of "ooos!!"

"Shut up guys! It's nothing like you think it is," Arnav replied back and put on his shirt.

"We didn't even ask anything about her and you're already clarifying," Yash replied back in a teasing voice, "Kuch toh baat hai (Something is up)!"

"We're just good friends," Arnav said picking up his bag to leave.

"Sure sure, that's what they all say," Yash replied back only to get Arnav running after him around the locker room. He had no other escape so he ran out of the door. And Arnav quickly followed trying to catch him.

Khushi had heard some loud noises inside the locker room, but let it go because boys were always very loud. She saw the door opening and the guy who she had asked to go ask Arnav came out running. Behind him came Arnav who seemed like he was trying to catch him. Arnav saw Khushi from the side of his eye and turned around to look at her. Yash also stopped running and came to stand by him.

"Nice choice," he whispered into Arnav's ear.

"Shut up!" Arnav growled back so only Yash could hear.

"Did you say something?" Khushi asked looking between both guys.

"Oh, I was just saying that my friend Arnav over here," Yash began then put a hand on Arnav's shoulder. But before he could continue, Arnav interrupted, "He was saying how you were waiting for me!" Arnav quickly made a save.

Arnav looked back at Yash with gritted teeth and he knew not to speak anymore.

"Khushi this is Yash, and Yash this is Khushi," Arnav said introducing them.

"Nice to meet you!" Yash said smiling. They chatted for a few minutes and then Arnav decided that they should probably leave.

"See you later," Arnav said to Yash.

"Yea, see you later," Yash replied back. He went back into the locker room to retrieve his things.

Arnav and Khushi walked through the school halls to go outside. They both walked in silence as they stepped outside. Arnav held the door open for Khushi, she stepped out and Arnav followed. They didn't see anyone from their gang there but saw the driver. They went to him and he informed Arnav that everyone else had left in the other car because Payal needed to stop at her house to pick up her clothes. They all had decided to leave together and told the driver to bring Arnav and Khushi straight to the Raizada Mansion. Both of them got in the back seats of the car and the driver started driving to the mansion. They were chatting about things when Khushi's phone rang.

"Hello," she asked picking it up.

"Khushi, it's Payal," Payal said from the other side.

"Yeah what happened?" Khushi said. Payal te her how their parents had allowed them to sleep over since it was Anjali's birthday. Payal had received the call when they were waiting for Arnav and Khushi to return from her mom, they had then decided to leave. Payal asked Khushi about what pair of clothes to brings and other stuff, which Khushi told her. She hung up the phone and looked up at Arnav who was staring at her.

"It was Payal," she said.

"Yea, I could hear," he replied back.

The driver pulled up into the driveway of the Raizada Mansion a few minutes later and they both stepped out. Arnav rang the doorbell and Hari Prakash opened the door. Hari Prakash told them how all the others had retired to sleep and that they had told them to order the pizza when they wanted to. The rest of the gang arrived about 15 minutes later and it was decided by Anjali that they would first watch a movie.

All of them made their way down the stairs into the basement. The lights were out so it was hard to see everything.

"Where's the light switch?" Anjali called out.

"Di it's suppose to be right next to the door," Akash said.

"OUCH! NK watch where you're going! You're stepping on my foot!" Khushi exclaimed.

"You're foot?! But I'm all the way over on the other side!" NK yelled back.

"Then who is this duffer?!" Khushi asked.

"Duffer?! WHAT THE?!" Arnav exclaimed.

The lights were then turned on by Anjali. And Khushi turned around to Arnav who was looking at her only.

"Did you just call me a duffer?!" He asked.

"Yea duffer! Can't you see where you're walking?" Khushi replied back.

"Excuse me! I couldn't see where I was walking," he replied back.

"Excuse me also! I couldn't see who I was talking to!" Khushi replied back in the same tone.

Arnav was going to argue further but Anjali interrupted their dispute, "Just leave it both of you, everyone is already sitting down so you both join us also if you want to watch the movie."

That is when they both noticed that everyone else indeed was already sitting down. The movie theatre wasn't that big, and was made for more of a family place rather than the professional kinds. There were only sofa seats in the entire theatre.The front row was already occupied by Shaleen, Anjali, Payal and Akash. In the second row, NK and Lavanya were sitting next to each other, leaving the back two rows empty. Khushi decided to take the seat next to Lavanya, leaving Arnav standing where he was. He also followed her and sat down next to her, not wanting to alone by himself in the last rows.

"So what movie to do you guys want to watch?" Anjali asked opening up the family netflix account.

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