Page 82 of Born in Sin

“Celi, where are you going?” Virat called out.

She didn’t bother answering him. He knew exactly where she was going. She was going to set a bomb under their fucking leverage.

Crestwood

Virat ran the whole way to the cafeteria when the lunch bell sounded. He burst into the large hall slowly filling with students and staff, looking around the space for her but she wasn’t visible. Someone shoved his shoulder from behind and he moved out of the way, allowing more people to enter the room.

Amay and Ishaan came in minutes later, walking over to where he stood.

“Want to grab something before time runs out again?” Amay murmured, tilting his head towards the food.

“Celi isn’t here yet.” Virat was scanning the room, his restless gaze not stopping for even a second.

“She’ll get here,” Ishaan said. “She knows it’s the only place she can see you for the next week.”

But minutes ticked by and Celina didn’t appear. Majid wandered in, alone, without the rest of his brat pack. Heglowered at Virat as he walked past them and headed for the food.

“I’m going to go look for her.” Virat was done waiting around.

“Don’t be an idiot.” Amay grabbed his shoulder, halting him. “You’re already suspended. Don’t shoot to get expelled also.”

“But-“

“I’ll go.” Ishaan sighed. “I’ll figure out where she is.”

“Tell her-“

“Behind the Chem Lab. 9 PM. I know.”

Virat stared at him.

“Dude.” Ishaan laughed. “Everybody knows.”

“Everybody?” That didn’t help with the rising panic in Virat’s body.

“He means those who know you,” Amay interjected, shooting Ishaan a warning glance. “Which basically is the two of us.”

Varun and Dhrithi entered the cafeteria at that moment, and Amay’s calm fractured like glass under a hammer.

“I’ll go looking for Celina,” he muttered, roughly. “You guys eat.”

He was gone before either Virat or Ishaan could react. Restless but unable to do anything with the uneasy energy coursing through him, Virat followed Ishaan to the food counter.

He dumped some white rice and dal onto his plate and went ahead of Ishaan to claim a table. He pulled a chair back andwas about to sit down when Varun took the seat across from him at the same table.

Dark satisfaction filled him at the other boy’s bruised and battered face. Virat was well aware that his face didn’t look any better. But still, there was something to be said for bloodying Varun fucking Gokhale’s face.

“Girlfriend not here?” Varun smirked, as Dhrithi took the seat beside him. She didn’t look up from her plate. Someone would think Virat was a stranger she didn’t care to meet rather than a friend she’d known for years. But then, she had walked away from the boy who loved her so desperately, so what were his expectations here exactly?

“I saw the bruises on her face,” Varun said now, picking up his apple and biting into it. “When I asked if she liked it rough, it wasn’t a suggestion, Jha.”

Dhrithi made a pained sound. “Stop it Varun,” she said quietly. “It’s not funny.”

Varun was watching him, a gleeful smile on his face, waiting for Virat to storm off. Instead, Virat pulled a chair back and sat down. The smirk on Varun’s face slid off. Bullies never did well with their bluff being called.

Virat dug into his meal, swallowing without chewing, making sure he maintained eye contact with Varun. He knew the moment Amay returned because Dhrithi stiffened, drawing Varun’s gaze from Virat.

“Get me some water,” he snapped at her.

---