Chapter 4: Vada Pav and Vapes

I started deliberately avoiding Rohan. If he looked my way, I’d stare out the window. If he tried to talk, I pretended not to hear. Even at the water cooler, I waited until he left.

No more responding, no more creating chance encounters, no more trailing after him. My heart had learned—no more movie scenes in my head. Just me and my books.

Rohan noticed. He looked confused at first, then annoyed. Sometimes, he’d linger near my bench, but I never gave him a glance.

One evening, on my way home, he waited for me outside the local grocery. The street buzzed—vendors calling, bikes honking, the smell of fried mirchi in the air. I stopped at the corner stall, buying a vada pav with extra chutney.

The oil sizzled, aunties gossiped nearby, and the sticky heat clung to my back. As I waited, Rohan helped open the packaging, folded it neatly, and handed it to me—like it was the most normal thing. The shop uncle raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Sneha, let's talk. I think you're mad at me—why?" His voice was almost pleading, but I kept my face blank.

"Only one vada pav today? Is it for me again? Aren't you eating?"

I rolled my eyes. The old me would have blushed; the new me just shrugged. I stayed silent, then tossed the vada pav into a stray dog's bowl. The dog wagged its tail, gobbling the snack. For once, I felt powerful.

"Sorry, it's for the dog. If you want it, you'll have to negotiate with him."

A couple of aunties snorted with laughter. Rohan stared, stunned, as if nobody had ever denied him.

His mouth opened and closed, searching for a comeback. None came. I brushed past his shoulder and left without looking back. My footsteps felt lighter.

To avoid Rohan, I took a secluded route home—ducking into a narrow gali past the chai walla and paan shop, my bag bumping against my hip.

Turning into a lane, a familiar milky scent drifted through the air. For a moment, I paused—recognizing the smell that haunted the classroom.

I ran into Ananya and a few notorious girls vaping together. They stood in a loose circle, blowing clouds of white smoke, their laughter echoing off closed shutters.

So that milky scent on Ananya was just her vape flavour. All that time, I thought it was fancy body lotion. Reality is always messier, na?

In the pale blue smoke, Ananya smiled and waved at me, her eyes full of mockery: "Sneha, going home? Come say hi to your didis!"

Her voice dripped sarcasm. The others giggled, arms folded. "This is the one at the bottom of our class—she's had a crush on my benchmate forever. Little shameless girl doesn't even know to be embarrassed."

I felt heat rise to my face. Their words were like slaps, but I stood my ground, refusing to give them the satisfaction.

I frowned, wanting to stay far, but the girls chased after me, scratching my face with their sharp nails. They rushed at me, rings glinting. One scratched my cheek, another tugged my braid. “Stay away from my jiju!” Ananya shouted, and the others laughed, as if it was all a big joke.

"You keep clinging to my jiju, huh?"

The word ‘jiju’ made my skin crawl. As if Rohan belonged to her already.

Before she could finish, the discipline teacher’s voice rang out: “Yeh kya ho raha hai yahan?” Ma’am’s shout scattered the girls like pigeons.

Everyone scrambled. Ananya, seeing no escape, hurriedly stuffed the vape into my backpack. She slipped it in so fast, I barely registered it. The plastic felt heavy in my bag.

I didn't have time to throw it away and was ordered to stand still. Ma’am’s glare could melt steel. “Empty your bags, all of you!” My stomach twisted in dread.

"Hello, ma'am!" Ananya greeted calmly, face full of indifference. She even smiled, like nothing happened. I stared in disbelief.

We weren't allowed to speak. We had to obediently empty our pockets and bags. Of course, the contraband was found. My fingers shook as I turned my bag upside down. The vape clattered out, the smell unmistakable.

I tried to explain, "Ma'am, the vape has a smell—you can tell, right?" I pointed to the milky scent, pleading with my eyes. But Ma’am’s face was hard, unmoved.

That milky vape scent—anyone could tell who it came from! But rules were rules.

The next second, Rohan's voice came from behind. He pushed through the crowd, hair tousled, eyes flashing. "Ma'am, I'm Ananya's benchmate. That scent is her perfume, not from smoking. Besides, we're all in the top science section. Ananya ranked seventh this time—would she do something like that?"

It was the perfect alibi. I watched Ma’am hesitate, weighing his words against the evidence.