The College Stalker

‘…In his arms she fell
As her hair came down,
As we lie in fields of gold…’

I had my own stalker. I didn’t know whether to be pleased with the information or be angry or just go complain to the authorities. For the present, I chose to ignore it.
For the next few days, I turned my back on the poor guy. (Am I feeling sorry for him now?) I wouldn’t look up from my notes when Roshni nudged me, I wouldn’t answer to Preeti’s whispers of ‘stalker, stalker’. Nothing, I had vowed, nothing would make me look at the stalker again. He was a senior anyway. I wouldn’t be seeing him again, anyway, forever.
Did my chest just heave with emotion at the thought? Would I miss being stalked?
I was obviously too lost in my own sweet thoughts to notice where my friends were leading me – to the ledge. My stalker hung out there usually as well.
Preeti, Roshni and Sheila perched themselves on the ledge, leaving me standing in front of them still deep in thought. I kept my college bag by them. But that action was more out of habit.
“What are you so busy thinking, Aria?” asked Sheila “Something wrong?”
“The semester’s about to end,” I murmured more to myself.
“Ah, someone will miss her stalker.” Trust Preeti to cut into my ream of day dreams.
“I was thinking about befriending my stalker.” I told them, quite seriously.
The three of them stared at me as though I had lost my head. Maybe I had but suddenly being friends with my stalker seemed like the only sensible thing to do.
“Are you okay?” asked Preeti, pretending to feel my temperature.
“What?” I gasped.
“No, don’t you dare try to befriend him, Aria,” scolded Roshni “Your stalker isn’t one bit good looking.”
“What?” this time I practically yelped.
What did looks have anything to do with being friends? Was Roshni mad?
Sheila had been quiet so far. She cocked her head on one side to weigh the consequences. When she finally reached her conclusion, she nodded at me.
“Okay, Aria.” Sheila smiled. “I’m with you.”
“Thank you. At least one of you agree!” I exclaimed.
“I will break up that friendship if I ever see you two guys together,” threatened Roshni. “You dare become friends with him.”
I looked at her, my eyes glinting.
“I shall befriend him all the more just to annoy you, Roshni.”
“You are mad, right?” Preeti asked me. She didn’t approve of this either I guess. However, I was in earnest. I don’t know what had possessed me to take the decision of talking to my stalker. But when I was adamant, I would go to any lengths to get what I want.
“Listen, I know he is weird,” I told them “And he dresses funny but he has to be a nice person deep down inside, I am sure. We should give everyone a chance, right?”
I backed a little bit away, trying to use my persuasive smile on them.
“There’s no harm in being just friends.” I emphasized my point.
“Alright” Roshni said, half-heartedly, “But will you be able to speak to him?”
“Of course, yes!” I said in a voice filled with anger “I could talk to him right now if you want. I am not scared. I will show you Roshni Nag…”
WHAM!
Good grief. What was I doing in the arms of my stalker? And why were those three idiots laughing at me from the ledge.
“Are you alright?” my stalker asked me.
I leapt out of his strong arms at once. Shit! Shit! SHIT!
I had banged into him during my speech to the girls. I would have surely fallen down if his reflexes hadn’t been so good as to catch me from falling down! Wow. My stalker was a strong man then.
“I am fine.” I mumbled, a trifle embarrassed by the episode.
He grinned down at me, looking almost like a normal college student.
“Thank you for breaking my fall, er – er…” I stuttered.
I couldn’t very well call him ‘my stalker’ to his face. And as stupid as I was, I was yet to discover his name. Maybe right now would be a good time to know his name?
“Abhra.” He stated, briefly.
“Aria.” I nodded.
I could almost hear Roshni groaning from the ledge. The third years were casting us suspicious looks. But they went about their own business a second later when I turned my back on my stalker to join my friends.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him shrugging his shoulders in my direction. Then he put his hands into his pocket, and went off whistling a merry tune.
“I thought he would mind.” I said, staring after him in disbelief.
“Earth to Aria: HELLO? He was your stalker?” Roshni reminded me.
I sighed.
All good things always come to end. *sigh*
For the problem I had with my boyfriend still loomed. *double sigh*