Are you surprised I updated again? So am I lol. I wanted this chapter to be separate from the next. Cant say why because spoilers


They didn't eat in the cafeteria that day.

The smaller gym was typically in use for PE classes. But today's weather was better than it had been recently, the temperature having evened out and blistering wind died down, that the girl's teacher took the upperclassmen students out to walk the track for the day. Shelby thought it would be a good idea to sit there, no sooner had she dragged him by the arm-while balancing her lunchbox and a thick textbook in the other-the second he'd arrived to their usual spot. Ravi didn't fight her for once. The lunch room was far too crowded and he always felt a faint creeping suspicion that several eyes were on him while he was there.

You're just being paranoid

Who'd wanna look at you?

They weren't technically supposed to leave until the five minute bell rang, to allow a transition period for the lunch students to do what was necessary before the next hour began. But, Shelby was aware of this. She'd quietly giggled, nudging him and inclining her head in the lunch monitor's direction. She was not focused on them; a couple had gotten a bit too comfortable with each other and were now having to suffer listening to the lunch monitor lecture them on what was and what was not appropriate for a school setting. The distraction was in their favor, they sneaked out easily and with no one in the hallway, they made their way to the gym where they found a spot in the corner.

"You look sore," Shelby remarked, sucking nosily on a juice pouch.

What ever gave you that impression?

"A bit," Ravi only moved his right arm minutely, but that was enough to make the bone crack rather painfully. He winced.

"Why?"

"You gonna apologize?"

"Say you're sorry little Robby."

"Are you gonna cry? Is little Robby a sissy?"

"Growing pains," he said, curtly.

"No, it isn't," Shelby shook her head. "You're lying, but that's okay. You don't have to tell me."

Ravi stared at her, baffled. "How would you know that I'm lying?"

He had to wait until she sucked every last droplet of fruit punch from that blasted pouch, grimacing at the noise that resulted. "You always look over to the side when you do," she eventually told him, matter-of-factly. "Whenever you're lying or not telling the entire truth."

"No, I don't," he immediately defended himself.

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't," he was adamant.

But so was she. "Maybe no one's noticed before. But you totally do."

I...do?

How come no one has noticed that?

But she has?

You seem stumped

I am

Why? So she's an observer

It's strange

Why?

She notices things that others don't

Ravi stole a glance at her.

My own family hasn't noticed that I do that

Yet she does

"There's a party this weekend," Shelby mentioned as she unwrapped her brownie from the plastic wrap it was in. That wasn't news to Ravi. There was always a party being thrown by someone, especially when it came to the juniors and seniors.

"Yes, and?"

"Aren't you going?" Shelby was interested in knowing. "I might, I dunno. Oooh! We should go together. Wouldn't that be fun? I'd love to go if you were going. I could go by myself, but where's the fun in that? 'Sides, you know more people than I do. So, you wanna go? I'll ask my mom and dad if I can go if you ask Jessie. Won't this be fun?"

"I'm...I'm not...I don't like parties," Ravi was never on the guest list for one. No one bothered to invite him willingly and he'd never gone. Although, there had been one time in middle school where a girl came to the penthouse with her mother to drop off an invitation for Luke. The girl's mother hadn't realized Ravi went to the same school and subsequently pressured her daughter into allowing Ravi to come as well, having felt bad for him. He went, but had a miserable time. No one had wanted him there, much less the girl who was throwing it. He spent majority of the night by the snacks, nursing along a cup of punch.

Shelby gasped, dropping her food. "How could you not like parties? Have you ever been to one? It's okay if you haven't. You probably just need to be at the right one. I've been to one before, before we moved. That was fun! Caleb threw it. He has a pool so we swam a lot. Have you ever been to a pool party? Can you swim? I can a little, but, like, not really. I flop my arms a lot and kick, but can't actually swim."

She pondered something, then continuing just as enthusiastically. "What if I throw a party? Wouldn't that be fun? I'd have to ask mom and dad, but they might let me. I could have them take Elliot out and we could loads of fun! Ooh, I could video chat my friends from back home. They're still keen on meeting you, you know."

"O...oh."

Shelby fetched the invite she'd received from a pocket in her backpack, brandishing it and showing it to him. It was a finished product from one of those party-places that probably sold for a ridiculous amount of money. Whoever did it had customized it rather gaudily in Ravi's opinion. Emma could've done that, er, ordered someone to do the work.

"It's not too far from my house," Shelby said, clicking her tongue. "What about yours?"

The location of the upcoming party was to beheld in Manhattan, relatively close to the penthouse. "No," he breathed out a sigh, already knowing where his fate resigned, "not that far from mine, either."

She beamed.

"Wanna go?"

No

Not at all

Not in a million years

But do I have a choice?

"I shouldn't," he said. "It's...it's a school night."

"It's Friday," Shelby countered. "Are you still grounded, is that why? I thought you weren't anymore."

"I'm not. But that doesn't mean I wish to spend my Friday evening...there."

"Raviiii," She said in a sing-song voice.

"No."

"Oh, please! It'll be fun."

"No."

"I know you want to come."

"I really don't."

She grinned, like he'd just told neat little joke. "Yes, you do. Come on, we'll get food and go to the party and it'll be fun!"

"I'd rather not."

"What else could you have to do?"

"Lots of things," Ravi said with little confidence. She picked up on that, too.

"Ravi!"

"If you want to go, then go," he said.

"I'm not going with you."

"Well, I've already given you my answer."

"Give me one good reason why?" She challenged him.

"I already did. I don't want to go."

"I don't think you're telling me everything," She decided. She scooted closer. "What's the real reason you don't wanna go?"

He moved away from her. "I don't have to tell you anything!"

She smiled serenely. "Of course not."

He narrowed his eyes. "I know what you're doing," he said, accusingly.

A faint glint of amusement crossed her face. She giggled again. "What am I doing?"

"Don't play dumb with me!"

Who says she's playing?

In that case, she's always playing dumb

"I would never," she said, but ravi saw her mouth twitched, as if she was suppressing laughter.

"You're laughing," he sulked.

"I'm sorry," she patted him on the knee and her jerked. "You're just silly sometimes."

Ravi felt slightly insulted.

"Right," he muttered, dryly.

"I meant it in a good way," she said, reassuringly. Which did nothing to reassure him.

"Right."

"You should go," she brought it up again, insistently.

He sighed heavily.

"It'd-"

He shushed her harshly. "No. Do not say it will be fun. I assure you that it won't be."

"You don't know that."

"I do," he said. "And I refuse to subject myself to the inevitable humiliation because you want to go."

She gripped his arm, but it wasn't enough to hurt, giving him those puppy dog eyes. "Please?" she said, fluttering her eyes. "For me?"

"No. This is-"

"I'll make it up to you," she promised. "Please?"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "How?"

She shrugged. "I dunno yet." Then she perked back up. "But I will somehow, please?"

He sighed, muttering, "I swear I'm going to regret it."

"No, you won't!" She beamed.

You have no idea what you just yourself into

"Who is throwing this party?" He had to know.

She looked at the invite again. "Marcy Rogers. She's in my chem class."

"And is she aware you're coming."

"Silly," Shelby nudged him, fondly. "Course she does. She gave me the invitation."

"Just checking," Ravi murmured. He would not be surprised at all to find out that she just decided to crash because it would be so fun.

"I'm gonna text dad right now," Shelby said, excitedly. She gave a squeal of delight. "This is gonna be great!"

Right

Great


Ravi didn't let it slip to anyone that he was going to a party that Friday evening. For one, it was none of anyone's business and two, he didn't want to sit through his siblings mocking him and asking absurd questions. Like if he was meant to be going and it wasn't just a mistake. No, there hadn't been an invitation specifically for him, but Shelby was allowed to bring someone-a plus one, if you will-so there was nothing technically wrong with him being there. He wasn't crashing, he was accompanying.

Unlike seemingly every other day in which he was somewhere else besides the penthouse, Luke had no plans that day. There were no girls clinging by his side or Mitch around, eager to terrorize Ravi. When he came downstairs, he found his brother lounging on the couch, upside, typing away on his phone.

Ever since Luke had so passionately called Ravi a freak, neither of them were freely speaking to each other. It might have appeared to be an impossible thing to do, being that they lived with each other, but it was virtually easy to do. Luke stayed out of his way and Ravi stayed out of his. They, in essence, pretended that the other didn't exist, which suited both of them just fine. It frazzled Jessie, though. It didn't sit well with her that they weren't acting like siblings should, according to her. Not that she would know how siblings should act with each other, she was an only child.

Ravi didn't want Shelby coming inside the penthouse. He texted her to wait down in the lobby. She'd chirped back a long paragraph when a mere okay would have sufficed. When he got off the elevator, she was leaning over the front counter, chin in her hands as she listened to Tony prattle off about New York style pizza and how she had to try it. Shelby vowed that she would, turning around when she heard the soft ding of the elevator. Her face lit up.

"Ravi!"

"Hello," Ravi mumbled, shrinking under Tony's grin.

"You ready?" Shelby hadn't changed out of her school clothes-a red flannel over a white t-shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans-, her hair was still tightly braided into two.

No

"Sure," Ravi forced a smile.

Shelby stepped out, staring up at the star studded sky in wonder. Ravi was going to, as well, but his arm was caught by Tony and he mentally prepared himself for the questions he must have.

"So," Tony said, still grinning.

"What?" Ravi felt uncomfortable.

"She's pretty."

"I suppose."

"Ravi, Ravi," Tony exclaimed, "You don't have to pretend with me. It's okay to have a girlfriend. Can't believe you waited this long. I sure didn't." He snorted.

Why do people keep thinking that? Ravi felt fed up. This was the third-fourth?-time that happened. "We're not dating," he put a stop to it there. "I assure you. We're just friends."

"Just friends. Sure," Tony winked at him with exaggerated movements. "Whatever you say, Ravi."

He rolled his eyes. "I would also appreciate it if you didn't mention this to Jessie."

He wasn't sure if he could get Tony to agree. He was always trying to be in his nanny's good gracious. Miraculously, Tony agreed, nodding conspiratorially. "You got it, buddy. If she asks, I haven't seen anything. None. Zilch. Zero-"

"Thank you," Ravi said, pointedly.

Tony smiled sheepishly.

Ravi joined Shelby outside. She was still looking up at the sky. The stars weren't as visible tonight, no doubt from all the lights that were lighting up the city. Still, she didn't seem to mind. "Isn't it pretty?" she said. "Back home, my friends and I used to lay outside on the grass and watch the stars. I've seen a shooting star, before." They started to walk down the sidewalk. "The sky was so pretty. Course, it's pretty here, too." She glanced up. "You just can't see everything as well, you know?"

"Tell me more about-where was it? Idaho?" It was going to take a bit to get to Manhattan, might as well pass the time somehow.

"Iowa," she gently corrected. She swung her arms back and forth. "Whatcha wanna know?"

"Anything," he shrugged. "What's something you remember?"

"Square dancing," she came up with a moment later.

He eyed her, curiously. "You're joking."

"No," she giggled.

"That sounds...horribly stereotypical."

"It's what the community center does every week. We have our square dancing and eat pies and it all goes on till almost midnight."

"Just square dancing?" Ravi said.

"Not just. We got others, too."

"I see," Ravi said. "They really do it every week?"

"Oh, yeah," Shelby's head bobbed up and down. "It's practically tradition."

"You just don't seem like you've done it," Ravi said and a second later, realized how odd that must have sounded.

"Why?" Shelby said, mildly.

"You just...you fit in so well here. I cannot picture you or your family as country people."

"Wouldn't that mean we were being stereotypical?"

Ravi couldn't help it, he snorted. She laughed as he said, "I suppose you are right."

"Aren't I always?" Shelby flicked one of her braids off her shoulders.

He rolled his eyes, good-naturedly. Then, he asked, "Do you miss it?"

She caught what he was referring to. "I do," she agreed. "A lot. It's nice being here. And I'm glad I met you, course. But-" She shrugged kind of. "I dunno. I miss the way things were. I didn't know how to feel when mom and dad said we were moving. It hurt, you know? Being away from everyone. I talk to them everyday. We haven't stopped chatting, but it's not the same. Things aren't the same anymore and it's kinda hard."

It was a rare instance of Shelby showing vulnerability. Her mouth wasn't curved into a frown, but it wasn't a smile either. She was speaking wistfully. They crossed the street after glancing twice in both directions. When they got to the other side of the road, safely on the sidewalk again, was when Ravi responded. "I...I understand. Sort of. Things were different for me as well when I came to America."

"When was that?"

"I was ten," Ravi recounted.

"Do you miss India?" Shelby asked him.

"Get out of my sight, runt!"

"You're lucky I even bother to keep you around."

"Go on, then! Leave!"

"Not particularly," Ravi said, speeding up his pace.

"Really?" She was doubtful. "You must miss something."

I don't

I could never

I'd miss the orphanage before I'd ever miss that place

"No," he said, voice growing tight. "Nothing."

"Why?"

He wasn't going to admit the truth. Not to her of all people. He hadn't brought it up with anyone and he wasn't going to start with Shelby. "There was nothing memorable there."

Did he just look to the side again? Did she notice? Curses. Now he was going to be paranoid.

Aren't you already paranoid?

What's gonna change?

Flick

Ravi wore an incredulous expression. "Did you just flick me?"

"Yes," Shelby said, cheerfully.

"...Why?"

"I felt like it," she said with a hint of a mischievous smile on her. "You looked like you needed a distraction."

"Well, I didn't."

"Sure you did," she persisted. "You looked sad. And now you're not. You're welcome!"

"I'm not thanking you."

"That's okay," she smiled anyway. "I don't mind."

Of course you don't

Rain began to trickle from the sky. Ravi had forgotten to bring his hoodie with him so now he was defenseless against the rain that began to wet his hair. She was wearing one, but it was tied around her waist and she made no motion of untying it to put it on.

"You aren't going to put it on?" Ravi voiced his thought. "Aren't you cold?"

"No," she shook her head. "I like the rain. It's nice. Back home, me and my friends would play out in the rain all the time. Don't you do that? We used to run in the field, too. It's weird being here without all the fields. Does India have a lot of fields?"

Ravi shivered. "Depends on where you go."

"That's neat," she looked down at her jacket and paused, "do you wanna wear it? You look cold?"

He was cold, but he wasn't about to accept. First of all, that was a girls jacket, even if it was pure black, and he refused to cross the imaginary boundary line of sharing clothes. They weren't best friends, nor were they boyfriend and girlfriend. "No thank you."

"If you're sure," she didn't press further.

"I am."

"Okay!"

"How much longer until we are there?" Ravi didn't know the way. Shelby was the one that said she would memorize the directions ahead of time and told him not to worry about it.

"Not too much more," Shelby said as they went around the corner.

"I am surprised your parents allowed you to come," Ravi commented. Then again, they'd been alright with Ravi-a boy-going up to their daughter's bedroom without any kind of warning, so perhaps a party in a new place wasn't too off for them.

Shelby found that funny. "Oh, they don't mind," she said, brightly. "Dad it was good for me to get out. Mom's happy I'm going with you. She likes you, you know. They both do. They think you're so nice."

"They do?" Ravi still found it difficult to believe that the England's genuinely liked him.

"Of course they do, silly," Shelby smiled at him. "Why wouldn't they?"

Because you good enough to be liked

Because you aren't interesting

Or worthy of being liked by anyone

What if she's just lying to you?

What if they really hate you and it's all a façade?

Haven't you thought about that?

I suppose not

"Here we are!" Shelby said with a wave of her arms toward the building. It was an apartment complex, but it was sort of like the penthouse in that regard. The girl, Marcy, was certainly wealthy. He could see the top of the rooftop, there were shadows from the lights that were hung up and a faint trail of music floated all the way down to where they were standing. His stomach clenched. Somehow, he hadn't anticipated on that many showing.

You're an idiot

"Ready?" Shelby grinned.

No!

Ravi felt like he was going to puke.