Love Arranged

Chapter 7

I woke up in the morning and dint finds Sam beside me. I remember falling asleep together. So, the first thing I was looking for when I woke up was Sam. I wanted to talk to him about my yesterday’s exam. But it’s okay... he has got college to attend. When I turned towards my nightstand beside my bed for my phone, I saw a paper under my phone. Woah… looks like I have a note from someone. When I pulled the paper out, I was surprised to see what was written on it… and oh it was Sam who got all creative and wrote a note for me instead of dropping a message on the phone.

 “Good morning Sunshine, I will be at college by the time you wake up so don’t search for me. I know you would want to talk about your exam with me and we will do that once I am back from college. And I want to tell you this again, I will be there for all your exams and don’t ever ask me that question again. So, get up your sleepy pants and start studying for your next exam. I will see you in the evening. Love you. Sam”

I was smiling after I finished reading the note and texted him “thanks Sammy, it was soo creative and sweet of you to leave a note for me and yes we shall talk in the evening.”

I got off the bed and got ready for the day. By the time I woke up, it's only was already noon so instead of having breakfast I was having brunch. So, I quickly finished eating so I could get on with my revision for my next exam.

I got on with my revision for the next exam for the rest of the day. I was so engrossed in studying that I dint even realize when the day was done and Sam was home. I didn't even realize him entering my room and sitting behind me on the bed silently. It was maybe after 1 hour that I realized that someone else was in my room. When I turned back... dam he was sitting there staring at me and I got scared all of a sudden. “Woah… Dude you really got to stop doing that Sam. Stop sneaking up on me that way”

“I dint sneak up on you. I have been sitting here for the past 1 hour. You were so engrossed in your studying that you dint even notice me sitting here. Not my mistake” he shrugged his shoulders.

“Mmmm….so how was college?”

“It was good. But I have been waiting to hear all about your exam. How was it?”

“So yeah…the exam was amazing. Can you believe I actually wrote everything? Everything I studied was there on the question paper. I think I am going to get full marks.” While I was going on and on about my experience. He just kept looking at me. After I was done telling him everything, he just looked at me and smiled.

“What? Why are you smiling? Say something”

“I am happy hearing that you are having a great time writing your exams and you are doing well actually”

“Okay… is there something else that you want to say?” I had my doubts that Sam was hiding something and maybe he wanted to speak or say something to me. We have always been open book to each other and for this one time I was not opening up as I was scared of their reactions.

“Not really… actually It kind of hit me now that we both are on different platforms. I mean there was a time when we used to do everything together, right from going to school to writing exams and studying for exams. Now our schedules are so different because I am in college and you are still in school. I was just wondering what will happen once you are in college our schedules will be all the more different and difficult right.” I didn't expect him to say it all at once. Just what I was worried about. He has already started to freak out. He is already freaking out with me joining college locally. I don’t know how he is going to react when he gets to know that I am planning to go abroad. Argh…. Why do things have to be so difficult?

“Sameer, we will deal with it when we get there okay? Right now, you are here and that’s more than enough for me. I have not been expecting anything from you. And with you being 2 years older than me this was ought to happen right. So, let just leave things the way they are okay for now.” I said this so that we could move on for now and then again come back to it when it's time to come back to it.

After chit-chatting for some more time. We both went and have our dinner and went to bed in our own rooms.

The next day again everyone came with me for the exam and waited for me to finish the exam and then we all came back home and had lunch together.

The next few days went by the same way. I would prepare for my exams on holiday and everyone would take me to my exam and bring me back home. I was going to write my last exam in another two days when there was a discussion at the dinner table.

“Pihu, do you have any plans after your last exam?” Akshay pa asked me

“Nothing as of now…. We haven’t spoken yet so I don’t think we have any plans this time” my and friends normally got out after our last exam. We go out have lunch and chill for the whole day and then go home a bit late in the evening. It’s been a tradition actually for us. So, during this time Sam also would join us. Since the exams have begun, we haven’t really spoken to each other yet so I don’t know what is the plan yet.

“Seriously, you guys’ dint plan anything yet? I can see the group has gone into sleep mode since your exams started anyways” Sam spoke by looking at me in surprise.

I just shrugged my shoulders and dint say anything to what he said.

While I was busy studying for my exam. I didn't realize that it was already the last day of the exam and then we will be done with the senior year. Wow…. I mean like wow. It’s done so soon. It feels like just yesterday that we are started our senior year and now we are done with it. It's so many memories. How am I going to break the news to them? I just don’t know-how.

One step at a time Pihu…. Breathe just one step at a time.

“Sunshine? Are you ready? We are kind of getting late.” Sam shouted from out of my room

“Yea…. Yea I am ready. Hold on I am coming”

“You know… just because it's your last exam. It doesn’t mean you can be late for your last exam Sunshine.” I bet he must be smirking for sure

“Oh!!! here I am. Stop whining and let’s go now. We are getting late you see” I said by sticking my tongue out to him. To which he just rolled his eyes.

We all headed to the exam center and then I went in to give my last and final exam for the senior year completion. By the time my exam was done and I came out of the classroom I see Scarlet and Ajay waiting for me with wide grins on their faces.

“Hey, Guyssss…...” I shouted at them in the corridor of the classrooms.

“Hey Pihu” they both shouted together in union

“So, fellas, how were the exams? How did you guys write the exams?” I asked them with all happy smiles.

“Oh, you won’t believe me but I guess I might get very good marks this time,” Ajay said it smirking at me.

“Wow looks like someone really did study this time” I and scarlet started to laugh at him

“Okay, guys so what’s the plan for now? Are we keeping the tradition alive?” Scarlet and Ajay looked at each other and had wild smiles on their faces. I didn't understand what was going on so I just raised my eyebrows asking as to what were they thinking about.

“Pihu, we have a lot planned… we just wanted to keep it as a surprise. So come let’s go” they both tugged my hands into their arms on both sides. I didn't know what they had planned but we were keeping the tradition alive and that’s what mattered the most to me for now.

When they pulled me out of the main gates, I was shocked to see the car waiting but I was even more shocked to see Sam standing leaning his back to the car and watching us three coming out of the school. I mean when did they plan all this? Why was I not aware of this? Why am I being given a surprise?

“Sammy…. What a pleasant surprise? What’s going on?”

“Sunshine, how did you write your exam? Guys, how did you both write your exams?” Sam asked but dint answer my question

“I wrote well”

“We did well as well… by the way did you get what we asked you to?” Ajay and scarlet answered and asked as well. I was looking at all of them a bit awkwardly as I wasn’t aware of what was going on.

“Here you go Madam, are these what you asked for?” Sam gave scarlet a few bags and she immediately looked into the bag to confirm if he got what he asked her to.

“Perfecto…. Now we are ready to go. Come darling let’s go” Scarlet jumped with excitement

“Woah… now I am scared. Are you guys k********g me?” I winked and asked

“We wish we could kidnap you but you are a kind of victim who will come with us willingly so there is no fun in that honey” Ajay looked at me said it out loud. My jaw dropped at his statement and then we all started laughing.

We all sat in the car and Sam started to drive. After a while, I was able to recognize the vicinity and I asked immediately “are we going to the farmhouse?”

“Smartypants sunshine, yes we are going to my farmhouse the one with the pool which you like so much”

“Awesome…. I didn't know we were going to the farmhouse.”

“Of course what else can we do? We can’t go clubbing as you are not 18 yet and we can’t drink in the club as none of us are 21 yet” scarlet said this and shrugged.

Scarlet and Ajay turned 18 in Jan and Feb respectively. My birthday falls on 29th December so I have to wait a little longer to turn 18. Sam is 20 so he still has got 1 more year before he is the legal age to drink you see. But when we are in the farmhouse all alone, we do drink and have lots of fun. Because I am not 18 yet I get chaperoned everywhere. I don’t mind it, but sometimes it's annoying.

After driving for an hour and a half we finally reached the farmhouse. It’s a big independent bungalow with two floors and a total of 10 rooms. It has wall-length glasses which change color as per the outer environment. A huge lawn with so many beautiful flowers and a water fountain. It has a big swimming pool and a sports room as well. Apart from 10 bedrooms, it has a home theatre room also. This place is huge it can host up to 50 to 100 people at once.

Once he parked the car we got off and went into our own rooms. Oh yes, we have our own designated rooms in this farmhouse. I and Sam had our own respective rooms in this farmhouse since we were kids. Scarlet and Ajay joined the group when they became mine and Sam’s best friends. My room had a swimming pool view which I loved a lot as I could see the beautiful sunrise reflection and the reflection of the sunset in the pool and the night would be very peaceful to look at.

Once we all went into our own rooms, we all changed and came out in 30 mins to head to the kitchen to eat some food as we were starving like crazy. We were staying here for 2 nights so they had a lot of things planned just to chill. Luckily, our last exam was on a Friday and we had until Sunday to chill and relax because post that we had to get back to our entrance exams preparations. And I had to prepare for the most dreadful news.

After we finished our lunch, we played some games in the sports room and then we all came back to relax on the sofas in the hall. I don’t know when I dozed off on the sofa. By the time I woke up, I woke up in my bed in my room. This time I knew who it was. Sam always does this, it’s been his habit since we were kids.  He just needs to see me sleeping in bed and nowhere else. I woke up and went down to the hall. What I saw next was so shocking. It seemed as if they have turned the hall into a disco with a dancefloor, the lights have been dimmed to build the ambiance. There was boose lots of it and lots of food. And the playlist was already playing.

“Girl, you are finally up. I was just wondering to how long would you sleep” Scarlet screamed in my ears. I had to close my ears and ask her to tone It down a bit

“Babe you are screaming in my ears so please “

“Hehehe… sorry I am just excited”

“what’s all this?”

“Because you can’t go clubbing so we thought why not bring the club to you. So, presenting to you our very own club.”

“Wow…... you guys are amazing”

“We are going to introduce some alcohol to you this time. But not much, okay?” Sam said it to me with a little concerned voice.  

I just nodded to what he said. We all sat down and then Ajay and Sam got a tray of 8 shots. 2 shots each of us would have. It’s supposed to be vodka, which I have never tasted. I have never had alcohol before and this was going to be my first time and Sam was very careful, to not overdo it.

“Once we say 3..2..1.. it has to be bottoms up okay?”

I just nodded as I just had to follow their lead in this. I know one thing for sure, that these guys had experience in drinking way before me, so I had to trust them and follow their lead.

Ajay did the count down 3….2….1…. and we all finished our first shot at once. It burned my throat but then immediately I had a bit of salt and lemon and it tasted good then. Then we all moved to the second shot and repeated the same. And then that’s it I was allowed to drink for the night and after the shots, we started dancing to loud music. As there was no other house of habitat around the farmhouse, we could play the music very loudly. We dint have to worry about the safety as well as the farmhouse was well guarded. The only thing which we did the whole night was dance and dance till we were exhausted.

I didn't even realize when the 2 days were done and I was back home again. We had soo much fun. The time when Ajay slipped and fell into the pool and then one by one everyone jumped into the pool and splashed water on each other and played all morning.

Now that we were back home, I was just trying to relive the memory again and again. Sam had gone back home as my exams were done. Now I had to prepare for my entrance exams and SATs. This one night I will sleep peacefully because I will need to break the news this week to my family, friends, and Sam.

While I was thinking about all this. I didn't know when sleep took over and I was in my dreamland.