Tangled in the web of love by hima (essential reading .txt) 📕

the air, resulting in some of the boys to turn their head.

She froze at her very own sounds of laughter and she switched back into that calm, gloomy Dia. Neha pitied her; she knew that Dia was afraid to laugh wholeheartedly and there was something stopping her whenever she broke the walls that she carefully built around her.

“I mean this college is so boring… they won’t even rag us not even outside the campus.” Neha sulked.

“May be they are too chivalrous to tease girls…”

“That’s not it Teddy bear…”Neha shook her head.

“Hey, have you heard of anyone being ragged in the campus or outside?” Neha shouted, eying the boys who were busy doing something in the corners on their side of the classroom.

“Nope…”They chorused.

“See… our seniors are practically useless…” She said flailing her hands in a dramatic effect.

Dia’s head snapped towards the rear end of the class when someone cleared their throat, she recognized the boy from her first day of her college. He was glaring at Neha.

“You are so dead, girl…” Asha whispered.

<TRYING TO BE NORMAL>
Dia and Asha couldn’t help but laugh at Neha, she was practically calling for it. Neha wrung her knuckles as she wrote the line “I’ll never disrespect seniors” for what seemed to be like 90 times.

“You should stop writing and concentrate on the class…”Dia mumbled.

Professor Mitra caught Neha once or twice as she scribbled on the paper, she changed her tactics this time, her eyes never left the board and her hands never left the paper and if the professor eyed she would pretend that she is jotting down the running notes.

Neha stretched lazily and threw the paper at Dia. "You finished?" Dia asked.

Later that day when they headed towards the bus the Senior walked in with a questioning look.

"Here take it..." Neha shoved the paper into his hands and ran into the bus before he could say something.

"He is so going to get for this..." Neha scowled.

The girls occupied the front seat and the cool wind helped to chill Neha’s raging fury... She was back to her usual cheery type as Asha joined in the chatter.

A bike dashed through the roads, raising a load of dust behind its back. Everyone craned their neck to ogle at the bike and biker; the bike looked like a massive hunk and the biker looked like an eye candy with his flexing muscles behind that black jacket. Dia gasped as she realized that he was the senior, Aman, the one she bumped into the very first day, the one who told Neha to write that Cheesy line 100 times.
As Dia watched Aman walk towards the bus, her vision clouded.
A wavy haired boy in his place, thin, piercing blue eyes, Roman nose, sensual lips…

“Shaan…” Dia gasped.

“I’m sorry; I really didn’t mean to hurt you. Please…” Ishaan begged oblivious to the stares of the passengers that alighted from the bus.

Dia snapped her head away from him.

“I’m not leaving this place until you come, you know me…” She could see the seriousness in his eyes; Ishaan was never the one to back up on his words, he was a pampered and a rich spoiled brat and Dia knew exactly what he was.

She sighed and alighted from her friend’s moped, throwing a quick apology to her.

“Thanks…”He hugged her and she wiggled away from him.

“It doesn’t mean I forgive you for what you said…” Dia pointed.

Her flash back ended as she heard the faint voices of her friend and she blinked back the tears before anyone could see them.

Aman tapped at the door and windows crying out loud for none other than Neha... Dia had a bad feeling about all this and gripped Neha tightly; she didn't want her to get hurt like she did... She squeezed her eyes closely shut and praying that she never wanted to remember him again.

"What...?"Neha bent over the window and called after him.

"You are not supposed to be riding the bus to home..."He said and titled his head in the direction of his bike.

"No... I'm not coming anywhere near you or talking to you until I get this settled in front of dad..."She said and slumped onto the seat, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

"Sissy...You know we can deal this later." He suggested with a wink.

"There is nothing you can offer to keep my mouth shut..." she said and snapped her head away from him.

"You're Dia, right?" Dia felt nauseated, she was a bundle of nerves as she was being directly spoken to.

"Tell her to come down or you'll have to face the wrath of your seniors..." He said and jumped out of the bus.

She stood motionless; the strong sense of dejavu hit her, tears trickled down her eyes. She blinked back them, a lump formed in her throat. She listlessly watched at him and Neha.

"What if I allow you to ride the bike?" Aman asked popping his head suddenly at her window.

Neha jumped at the idea and got down without much explanation to any of them.

"What is happening? Why is she going with him?" Someone from the class took the words right out of her mouth.

"You don't know! Aman is Neha's brother... "Asha said with a proud smile for giving them that piece of information.

Dia relaxed a wee bit knowing that he was probably not going to hurt her and scolded her mind for always having negative thoughts... The bus sped off through the winding streets and finally halting at her stop. The bus ride helped to collect her.

She startled as someone honked right next to her and cowered in fear. Aman glared at her sister for freaking out that poor girl.

"It's only me..." Dia peeked at the person who spoke in a familiar tone.

"It's you..." she said breathing sharply. I should stop dwelling in the past, she chided herself.

"It's me..."she winked.

"Hop on..." she said tilting her head towards the back seat which is occupied by her grinning brother.

"No. It's fine... I'm just 10 paces away from home..." She said and she wanted so badly to be inside the confines of her house.

"Who said anything about taking you home?" She asked.

"We are going to coffee day and you’re going to come with us..." she added quickly.

"No...It's fine. I'll just walk home." Dia said turning quickly away from her.

By the time she got home, Neha was leaning on to the gate of her house. She frowned at her. She is not seriously making me go with her; I can't go...Dia thought shaking her head.

"Since you so adamantly declined to come with us..." she said pushing open the metal gate and walking in like it is her house.

She tapped her feet waiting impatiently as the bell buzzed.

"You don't have an extra key on you, do you?" she inquired.

Dia nodded 'no'. Granny opened the door smiling when she saw Neha walking in and Dia tagging along with her. It's just her second time that she visited this place but she seemed a part of this place like she was always here, she slumped on to the couch and skipped through the channels.

"Hello, granny..."She greeted her.

Granny brought us two glasses of freshly made juice.

"You're really an expert cook, Granny, most of the curry you ladel in her box goes into my stomach. Your hands do magic with potato fry... You should definitely show our cook how to make delicious meal... I always wanted to meet you from the day I tasted your food and here I'm looking at the world's best cook. "Neha showered praises on granny to which she blushed deeply.

"There he goes...Aman is back with pizza boxes. I guess."She said and getting up from the couch.

"Why didn't you tell me that Aman is your brother?" Dia asked.

"I thought you already knew..."she said sipping her orange juice.

"If he is your brother then why did he...?” She cut her off with her laugh.

"At college, I'm your senior and I'll act like one..." she quoted his lines.

Aman was actually a nice guy but Dia couldn't warm up to him since she still had trouble with guys around her. They left after what seemed to be an hour, the house felt so empty suddenly and Dia missed the ringing sounds of their laughter.

Dia picked up the glasses and the left over plates. She threw pizza box into the dust bin and went into the kitchen where granny is busy chopping the vegetables. Granny smiled as she dropped the plates into the sink and rinsed the glasses and stacked them in the shelf.

"She is a nice girl..." Granny said and she nodded knowing that Neha made quite an impression on her.
**************
The days passed quicker than expected and Dia began to ease up and occasional share a comment or remark with the boys in her class and with Aman she felt really comfortable around him. He was not anything like the guys she met in her past, he was caring and gentle.

"What is it?" Dia asked as Neha plopped on her chair with a Cheshire cat grin.

"Guess what, the fresher's party is planned next week..." she said her lips set in a wide smile.

"Wow!!! I can’t wait for it..." Asha said clapping her hands.

"Why are you so excited all of a sudden, huh? Let me guess, the little Miss. Devil likes being ragged by her seniors..." Rihan said with a crooked smile flailing his hands towards Neha. She glared at him.

"Did I miss something?" Riya butted in.

"Don't you dare...?" Neha snarled.

"He called her Miss. Devil so you know..." Asha broke into a fit of giggles.

"Oh! Honey, did he call you that, actually?" Riya said biting back the smile.

"Thanks to you... now people know my freaky name Neha Devi..." She said spatting at the last part where she said Devi.

"Who said anything about your name?" Rihan barely missed her slap.

"You deserve that name Devil..."He said rubbing his arm where her fingers made an impression.

“Neha Devi...That really sounds odd for a ultra modern girl now that I notice.” Dia thought out loud.

"Why can't, Granma choose something really cool..."She huffed.

"It's not really your grandmother's choice, It's your family lineage to tag that name to every girl born in the family..." Asha pointed.

"Sometimes I wish that you're not a family friend..." Neha glowered.

Dia knew exactly what she meant; she for one didn't want her friends to know about her past or about the things that she wanted to stay secret.

"When is this day?" Dia asked changing the conversation.

It's really interesting to see how Neha could skip so fast from foul mood to excited child.

The much awaited day has finally arrived, Most of the people were nervous to see what seniors are going to pull off this time.

"What is this I hear?" Neha said poking Dia with her finger accusingly.

Dia frowned at her, now what did she hear now?

"You better have a good reason to say that you aren't coming to the