my dear playboy

Unexpected Encounter

What Sri told me was unbelievable. I immediately said, "Sri, I just can't believe it! How is that even possible? When a guy cheats on a girl, won’t everyone come to know about it? Then how? How are so many girls still falling for him?"

To that, she sighed and said, "Exactly! Even if everyone knows that he just uses girls and then dumps them, there are still plenty of girls waiting for him to notice them just once. Every girl he hangs out with knows very well that he’s only passing time with them, but still, they all like him. Why? Because he looks like a Hollywood hero! He sweet-talks girls like a banana peel slipping them off their feet, wears branded clothes, and always arrives at school in a fancy foreign car, stepping out in style. With all that, to those watching, he appears just like a movie hero! What can I say? The world has gone mad!"

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but wonder, Are girls really like this? Anyway, it wasn’t something I needed to bother thinking about. It didn’t concern me—I wasn’t going to stand in his way, nor was I going to run behind him. I decided to mind my own business and focus on my work.

As usual, the class went by smoothly, and soon, it was lunchtime. While everyone else went to the canteen for lunch, Sri and I usually ate in the classroom. The reason? If we went to the canteen, people would tease and mock us. But strangely, for the past few days, no one had been bothering us. So, we thought, Why not go to the canteen today?

It actually felt better than eating alone. That’s when Sri suddenly said, “Rose, I have something to tell you, but don’t freak out.”

Immediately, I asked, "Is it something big enough to scare me?"

She sighed and said, "Not really, but... I won’t be coming to school for two weeks."

The moment I heard that, it felt like a mini heart attack. "What?! What are you saying? I can’t survive school alone for two whole weeks!" I said, making a sad face.

She laughed and replied, "Come on! You already know this. My dad has been insisting that we visit our family deity’s temple for a long time. He believes I’m struggling with my studies because we haven’t gone there. Now that I’m in twelfth grade, he’s made it a big deal. So, we’re all going to our native village for the temple rituals. There’ll be a grand feast and many poojas. It’s going to take at least two weeks before we return."

Hearing that, it felt like I was about to collapse. "Oh no! What are you saying? Because of you, I’ve somehow been escaping trouble at school. If you’re not here, I swear, these people will roast me, salt me, and turn me into a pickle! Please, for my sake, find a way to cancel this trip!" I begged.

She gave me a sympathetic look and said, "I understand, but this trip is not my decision, it’s my family's. If I say I’m not going, forget getting roasted—I’ll be turned into pickle at home itself! There’s no way I can skip it. But there is one solution. If I have to go, and you have to be safe, then... you should take leave for two weeks, saying you have a fever!"

I rolled my eyes and said, "Oh, please! In my house? They wouldn’t let me take two weeks off even if I were on my deathbed! Even if I were half-dead, they’d still make me go to school and only allow me to collapse after coming back!"

Sri thought for a moment and then said, "Then there's no other way! You just have to survive on your own! Listen, Rose, how long are you going to live in fear, always running away? You need to stand up for yourself. No matter what anyone says, don’t back down. Speak your mind with confidence, okay? Don’t be afraid of anyone! Be bold and stand your ground, got it?"

Her words fired me up, and I nodded passionately.

"Very good! That’s how you should be! And did you notice? Ever since we entered twelfth grade, people haven’t been mocking you as much. Even if someone does, don’t be scared. Stay strong, alright?" she asked.

I firmly nodded like I was taking an oath. She smiled and said, "Alright, I’m done eating. Let’s go."

I replied, "Okay, I’m almost done too," and got up, leaving my plate half-finished. We picked up our plates and started walking out.

Just minutes after taking our ‘oath’ to be brave, something happened. As we stepped out of the canteen, we bumped into our school's so-called "Makeup Queen"—Shoba. Unfortunately, Sri’s water bottle slipped, and a little water spilled on Shoba’s shoes.

The moment that happened, I just knew—Oh no, today’s school day is about to get wrecked! Shoba never let go of even the smallest things. Now? I didn’t even need to guess!

As expected, she started yelling at the top of her lungs, gathering everyone’s attention. I instantly felt embarrassed, but Sri remained unbothered.

"How dare you spill water on my expensive shoes?! Do you have any idea how much they cost? My dad got them for me from abroad! Look at this! You ruined them!" she whined dramatically, as if a disaster had struck.

I stood there frozen, unsure of what to do, but Sri calmly replied, "Madam, it’s just plain water! It’s not acid! Just wipe it with a cloth, and it’ll be fine. Why are you making such a big scene?"

That was it. Shoba exploded.

"Oh, so now you think I’m overreacting? Not only did you ruin my shoes, but you dare to talk back to me?! I won’t let this go! Right now, both of you are coming with me to the Headmaster’s office! You’ll have to answer for this!" she shrieked.

Sri wasn’t one to back down. She argued back, and soon, it turned into a heated verbal battle. My anxiety skyrocketed. If this went on any longer, I was sure I’d faint from stress!

Just when things couldn’t get worse, Shoba’s group of friends arrived. The moment I saw them, I realized—this wasn’t just a small issue anymore. This was about to turn into a full-blown war!

The canteen was soon filled with shouting. Sri was alone against all of them. I was so overwhelmed that I felt like crying.

At a moment when no one expected it, someone suddenly grabbed my bowl of leftover noodles.

"Who the heck is taking my noodles?!" I thought, but before I could even look, the person who took it flipped the entire bowl over Shoba’s head! ⚡

Not just me—everyone around me stood frozen, eyes wide in pure shock. Even Shoba, who had been yelling and fighting just moments ago, stopped mid-sentence and stood there, completely stunned.

Noodles and sauce dripped down from her head, sliding down her face and onto her expensive clothes. For a few moments, I couldn’t even process what had just happened. And I wasn’t alone—everyone in the canteen stood in utter silence, too shocked to react. Even Sri, who never backed down from a fight, was standing still like a statue.

The canteen, which had been filled with shouting just seconds ago, suddenly turned dead silent.

I turned to see who had done this. And there he was—"Snow White"... Oops, sorry! I mean Jackson!

He stood there, holding the empty noodle bowl 🥣 like a trophy. A sly grin spread across his face as he looked at Shoba, clearly enjoying the chaos he had just created.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he casually walked over to me, placed the empty bowl back onto my plate, and said, "All this drama… over this?" 🤗

Before I could even respond, he looked me straight in the eyes, smirked, and said, "The problem is over." 😜 Then, with his index finger, he lightly pushed up my glasses, gave me a playful wink, and flashed a mischievous smile.

Turning to the crowd, he raised his voice, "Show’s over, people! Go home!" and with that, he strolled out of the canteen, casually singing a tune as if he hadn't just started World War III in the middle of lunch.

Meanwhile, I stood there, still trying to process what had just happened. What the hell did he just do?!

As I remained frozen in shock, Shoba, now looking like a dripping noodle monster, let out a horrified scream. Tears streamed down her face as she turned and ran straight towards the headmaster’s office.

Sri and I watched her go, our stomachs twisting in fear.

Oh no… what new trouble is waiting for us now?!.....