Page 35 - The World's Best Boyfriend

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Dhruv felt a little dizzy at first and then felt the rage rise inside him. He wanted

to say that she was lying but words escaped him. And before he could open his
mouth, Aranya’s father charged at him and boxed his face and he saw the floor
rush towards him. He blacked out for a few seconds, his hand unclenched and
the paperweight rolled out of his hands. He woke up to see the peon pulling

Aranya’s father away from him.
‘Bhenchod! Bhenchod!’ shouted Aranya’s father. ‘What did you expect out of

a boy whose mother sleeps around? Your school is vile! The teachers, the
principal, everyone! I will sue the entire school!’
Dhruv’s mother’s ears burned. Her face looked like she had been slapped.
‘There’s no need to talk like that. We are trying to handle it here,’ the head

remarked.
Dhruv was made to sit on a chair as the committee members tried to restrain

Aranya’s father. Dhruv’s father sat slumped in his chair, ashamed.
‘Is that the truth?’ the head asked Aranya.
Aranya nodded.
‘Do you have something to say, Dhruv?’ asked the head. Dhruv looked at

Aranya but Aranya was staring at the wall ahead of her. He repeated. ‘Do you
have anything to say, Dhruv?’

Dhruv’s father held his hand and asked if he had anything to say. His mother
tried holding the other but he broke free. His mother asked, ‘Did you really say
that, Dhruv?

Outside, more students had gathered having listened to the commotion inside.
Dhruv got up from his seat and walked towards the door. He started to count
until ten in his head. If she looked at him, he would forgive her, or otherwise he

would take her down with him . . . one . . . two . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . .
nine . . . nine and a half . . . nine three by fourth . . . ten.
‘Is that the entire story?’ asked Dhruv looking towards Aranya.

Aranya didn’t answer.
‘Whatever she said is true.’ He opened the door and found fifty students
staring back at him. ‘I took her to the room. Not because I wanted to kiss her but

because I had a bet with all these students standing here. They said Aranya’s