Stop looking at me!
But all the while, I kept wondering what his reason could be to pot. I mean it just wouldn't leave my head. Arnav is a big guy, has bags and bags of money, yet he chooses to go on a dark path, basically killing himself.
Why?
"Alright class, that's it for today," the professor said.
Everyone got up to leave and as I left, I looked at Arnav. He was talking to the professor about something, when he looked up at me. I felt myself going crimson, and looked away and for some reason, felt guilty.
While getting out of the room, I was playing around with my ID, when some idiot bumped into me. Stupid people, watch where you're going! My ID fell and I really don't feel like bending down. I don't have to stretch until track, so really, right now, I don't feel like it.
Someone bent down in front of me and looked up at me. It was pothead. He stood up and held out my ID.
"I believe this is your's," he simply said.
I managed to nod, which I find weird, and reached out to take it. My hand moved slowly for some reason and my eyes remained on his. When my flesh touched his, I practically flinched. I looked at the card and his hand, and then back at his eyes. Pothead was already looking at me, and it made me gulp.
I quickly pulled my hand. "Th-tha-thanks pothead."
He lifted an eyebrow.
"I-I-I-I-I m-muh-muh-mean A-Arnav."
Shit! Did I just say that to his face?! Crap!
Not wasting another second, I ran down the hallway and escaped, and I cudda sworn that I heard him say "what the" and chuckle.
Myeh!
*~*
Weird. But I don't wanna think about it.
More groups presented and it was kinda cool by what they were doing. Some groups wanted to open a hair salon, while others wanted to open a Eco friendly frozen yogurt shop.
Now and then I would hear Arnav and the professor whispering stuff to each other. Sometimes it was something good and sometimes it was something bad. Hearing the stuff Arnav had to say made me feel nervous.
What if he says stuff about our presentation?
"Well that was the last presentation today," the professor said. He leaned closer to the table. "Ms. Gupta, it's strange you haven't gone yet."
I guess?
"Well, for sure we know that you will indeed go tomorrow. Let's see if you go first."
"Yes sir."
He gave a humble smile and got up to go to his desk. Everyone else got up as well, preparing to leave. I bent down to pick up my bag and placed my iPad in. My hair got in the way, so I brushed it aside. There was a small clink and when I looked to the right, I saw Arnav's hand, holding my earring.
Are you serious? That the third time my earring has come off!
Arnav held it closer to me and I looked up at him. His eyes pierced into mine and I gazed. Slowly, I crept my hand forward and tried to pick up the earring. See, I didn't want to touch his flesh, cause last time it made me flinch, so yeah. But, I ended up touching his flesh anyways and flinched again, gasping.
The earring dropped on the table and we both reached out to get it. His hand touched mine and I looked up at him, eyes wide. Oh I don't know what this man is doing to me but it is really weird!
He moved his hand slowly away and I picked it up and put it on. I noticed from the corner of my eyes that he was watching me intently and I felt somewhat weird.
What is it with this guy?
Walking out, I felt his gaze on me. Okay seriously, it's been a few days and this is kinda getting weird. I mean who keeps looking at someone like this? It's completely weird!
But then again...
Lavanya and I made it out of the room, when Lavanya remembered that she had to ask the professor something. I don't know what, but I let her go. I waited outside for her, when all of a sudden there was shouting. Looking down the hall, I saw the pep rally coming this way.
Come on! Again? Really?! Too much pep in this school. Seriously.
They came charging this way, and that was not good. A stampede came rushing this way and I was frozen in my tracks. All of sudden someone pulled me out of the way and had me against the wall. I looked up and saw Arnav standing right in front of me. His body was right against mine as he covered and protected me from the mob. Everyone screamed and shouted, and Arnav and I just looked at each other. We gazed into each others eyes, our eyes interlocked.
Soon the crowd left and Arnav was still against me. He looked straight into my eyes and I felt like I was naked. His eyes were piercing through my soul, like he might find out every fact about me.
But that's not so much of a good idea.
"Khushi," Lavanya hollered.
My eyes widened and I pushed Arnav away. He moved back one or two steps, but his gaze remained on me, not breaking for a moment. Gulping down my confidence, I clumsily ran towards Lavanya.
Whoa boy! Maybe I'm still intimidated by him after all.
*~*
"And the final group of the day-slash-days: Khushi's group," the professor said.
Sigh... here goes nothing.
Making our way there, Lavanya and I slowly walked to the front of the room along with three other members. From the group, there would be one person to speak, and that would be me. Usually I would've been okay with it, but with Mr. I'm-dressed-in-a-light-blue-button-down-with-light-blue-jeans-with-a-gray-Louis-belt, er... not so confident anymore.
Dude, why does this guy dress so fancy?
oh you fancy huh-
oops, sorry. Got carried away with Drake O=)
Placing my iPad on the podium, I cleared my throat, drank some water, and placed my bottle aside. Lavanya set up the presentation and it came up on the wall.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentleman. So today, my group and I have brought you our company "Party On My Mind"."
Lavanya clicked and the name of our fake corporation came up, playing "Party On My Mind" from Race 2.
"Now, what is "Party On My Mind"?"
Lavanya clicked onto the next slide.
"POMM, short in acronym terms, is an event planning company. We specialize in all types of events from baby showers, to memorable first birthdays, to sweet sixteens, to weddings, and so on and so forth. One thing we specialize is that we will have our own dancing company, which will be led by none other me," I smiled, and some people chuckled.
The presentation went on and I kept my cool, never meeting my eyes on Arnav. See, I can be intimidating too! Ha!
"So our exit strategy would be that we hope that we won't have to sell the corporation. If necessary, then we would keep hold of profits, having someone else buy the company to keep it going. Other than that, our plan is for our corporation to go on, and when we reach the age of retirement, out children will take care of it."
So far, we were the only group to say that. Others just said of selling it, so when I said that, there were some buzzes.
""The idea of having our children running it was actually the first thing we thought of. Since all five of us are close friends, we thought, 'hey! Why not let our kids continue it?' This way the legacy of what we started would continue with our children. Plus if something were to go wrong with the child's future, God forbid, then they have something to back them up and keep them going. Other than that, we hope to keep the company going a VERY long time. Thank you."
People clapped and the five of us curtsied.
The professor clapped. "Well, I have no questions. Does anyone," he looked around.
Arnav raised a finger and I felt my heart thud.
"Y-yes," I managed to say.
"So, you guys say that you specialize in your own dance group," he said. "Why should your dance group be hired."
"Well, first of all, it's a dance company," I began, and really, that's what we like to be called. "Second, trying to hire dance companies can be very expensive. Plus, they can be very demanding at times. Having our own makes it easy, and plus, we know the people so it's easy to communicate with them. Being a member of it myself makes it easier."
"And what exactly do you specialize in?"
"Lav, put the advertisement on."
Along with the presentation we had to make an ad. Thanks to Lavanya's brother, he helped us to make a professional ad.
The ad played and everyone got glued in. It wasn't like the others, where people scripted and attempted but ours had editing. Images flashed of different venues and parties,the DJ and music playing. And then my favorite part came, the end.
"And then there's us," I said in the ad. "The dance crew."
It played different cuts of the group dancing.
"So from the western hemisphere," and it flashed us dancing to some salsa, meringue, and bachata, "to the eastern hemisphere," and we danced to Mashallah from Ek Tha Tiger, and then it went to me (and boy do I look cute in my hat and white t-shirt {like this}), "we got you covered."
The ad ended with me and Lavanya doing a bit with the crew, as well as our other three members, yelling out "Party On My Mind."
Everyone clapped and we curtsied once more.
Arnav clapped as well. "Very well done."
"Thank you," I said proudly.
"But tell me, are you guys up for any event?"
"Any event."
"So if I were to throw an event for my company, and I hired you guys, you would be able to do it well?"
"No."
He raised an eyebrow.
"We'd do exceptionally amazing," I said with full confidence.
"Hmm," he said impressed. "And what about other event planners. There are many in New York City. I'm sure I could just go to one of them as well."
"If you know what you're going to miss, then yes."
"Is that so? And if another event planning company were to compete with your company to do my event?"
"Then we fight."
"And if they're good?"
"We don't back down."
"And if they're competitive?"
"Then we crush them."
His eyes stuck onto mine, both of us holding an intense gaze. The class just looked side to side from this heated conversation.
"And if they're the best," he finally said.
I smirked. "If there's anyone whose the best, then its us."
"So much confidence?"
"Enough to make our company go all the way to the top. After all, too much confidence is too much bad confidence."
Arnav leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin with his index finger. "Thank you."
I smiled sweetly. "You're most welcome."
The professor said something about the presentations and how he was going to grade us and how much of it counted towards our final grade, but I paid no attention. My gaze was held onto Arnav's. He was tapping then rubbing his lower lip. First two taps, then rub back and forth. Two taps, back and forth. Two taps, back and forth, again and again... and again.
Oh this man is too intimidating!
Soon class was over, and I prepared to leave.
What did I know that the minute i stepped out of the room would be where the bigger change in my life would start to occur?
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