Page 258 - The World's Best Boyfriend

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‘Can I have a word with you?’

‘Me?’ asked Aranya. Raghuvir nodded. Dhruv rolled his eyes while the third
student threw his hands in the air.
‘This interview was clearly fixed,’ whispered the third boy in Dhruv’s ear.
Aranya got up, smoothed her skirt nervously, and left with Raghuvir, fully

aware of Dhruv’s eyes following her every move.
‘What is it, Sir?’ asked Aranya.

‘Come with me,’ said Raghuvir, reaching for her. Raghuvir led Aranya by her
hand to the steps of the training and placement department. He sat exactly where
he had the night of the Freshers’ Party, the night they first met. Aranya kept
standing, unsure and a little angry at the preferential treatment.

‘Sit,’ he said.
Aranya complied, sitting away at a comfortable distance. ‘Sir, this is not

correct. The rest of the students will think you have a partial attitude towards me.
Is that why you never told me which company you had joined? Are you doing it
out of pity for me, Sir?’
‘How does that matter, Aranya?’ A bunch of students walked past them,

squinting, murmuring. Aranya looked away from them, pretending she was
invisible. She waited for them to turn around the corner.

‘It does. My win won’t be warranted if it’s not won with total honesty,’
argued Aranya.
‘And where has your honesty taken you, Aranya? This whole thing, this entire

interview is dishonest,’ confessed Raghuvir now catching her gaze.
‘Interviewing first-year students for a paid internship was my idea from the very
beginning. It’s no secret to the college authorities why I have come here. I have

come back for you. I’m turning over a new leaf.’
‘But . . .’
‘I kept thinking about you after you left that day. Frankly, at first, I wasn’t

confident about you or even me, that we can do this—you and me giving a shot
at being together. But then I thought why not? The belief only got stronger when
I told you I was trying to turn over a new leaf, and I was no longer looking for

replacements for Smriti, and you stopped texting me. Not one text!’