The College Stalker

‘It’s funny when you find yourself,
Looking from the outside
I’m standing here but all I want is to be over there
Why did I make myself believe miracles could happen?
Cause now I have to pretend, that I don’t really care…’

People began to talk about us soon for I began to spend hours with my stalker. We would meet up before college, and have nice chat sessions either in the ledge or the classroom or the stairs.
It was fun. Spending time with this crazy fellow made me forget my real pain far more easily than any amount of cuts and bruises could bring me.
Ouch. Even thinking about those cutting days hurt me.
But I couldn’t deal with people talking about us. I wasn’t strong enough to stand and face the shit thrown at me.
So, I avoided going to my stalker when loads of people were around. He understood my feelings, and respected them.
“People here will talk about anything!” I snarled in disgust, one morning.
I had to come to college an hour earlier in order to have a nice talk with my stalker – Abhra.
“Especially when they think people are going around.” He grinned at me.
I narrowed my eyes into slits. Did he really find this a laughing matter?
“Can’t a boy and girl just be friends?” I sighed.
“Of course they can.”
“Then why do people think otherwise?”
He practically laughed aloud hearing me whine. Me – the devilish Aria was complaining about what other people were saying…
“Are you out of that messy break up?” he tactfully changed the subject.
“Yeah,” I replied “I stopped attending his calls. And I don’t look at the messages flooding my inbox.”
“Good” he nodded his approval.
I smiled slightly. “Why don’t you have a girlfriend?”
“Never got my ideal soul mate.” He answered.
“All you get are sole mates” I muttered.
A couple of people went by, throwing funny looks in our direction. I fought down the impulse to tell them to go fuck themselves. The anger must have showed on my face, because almost immediately someone patted my head.
“Aw…don’t worry, Aria” Abhra smiled at me “Things will settle down soon.”
“Yeah, but how soon is soon?”
Once a pessimist, always a pessimist – the phrase echoed itself in my head.

‘I thought you were my fairytale
A dream when I’m not sleeping
A wish upon a star that’s coming true
But everybody else could tell
That I confused my feelings with the truth.’

To the world, we were the newly crowned love birds. Ewww. Who in their right minds would ever go out with the stalker? Not me.
Not even for a million dollars. I was cool with friendship but for anything more than that, it was completely out of the question.
“Are you going out with your stalker?” asked Roshni, when I entered class an hour later.
“Are you insane?” I shot back at her.
That set her doubts at rest. But Sheila was harder to quell.
“Sure, honey?”
“See guys, it’s not humanly possible for you to be there for me twenty four seven. What my ex-stalker does is wash away the eternal pangs of separation.”
I tried my best to explain to them. “Talking to him helps me stay focused. And, he’s not as psychotic as he looks, you know.”
“I’ll take your word for it” muttered Roshni.
“Trust me, we’re JUST friends.” I pleaded “Please don’t you guys start too.”
Preeti hugged me tight, “Oh, I believe you, dear. No harm done.”
“Thank you,” I gasped, holding onto her.
At least these three people believed me, if not the whole college. And to me, that was what really mattered.