The Excuse
HIS POV
Third time late to PT. Three. Even I knew the math.
Sir was already waiting at the gate of the ground, arms crossed, in the mood of a man who had been looking forward to this. “Aarav. Again?”
“Sir, I can explain...”
“Detention. Tomorrow. And I’m calling your parents.”
I was already planning my funeral when someone came running across the ground, completely out of breath.
The topper. Riya. The girl who had never once looked in my direction in twelve years.
“Sir, I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, hand on her chest. “It was my fault. I needed to change my clothes, and he helped me out. That’s why we both got late.”
Sir blinked. Then he understood, and a very awkward color spread across his face.
“Oh. Oh. Okay. Both of you, go. And Riya, you can sit out PT this week.”
I stood there with my mouth open. My friends were already making kissing sounds behind me.
HER POV
Oh my god. I slept in class. I. The topper. How?
By the time I woke up, PT period was already ten minutes gone. I ran all the way to the ground and saw Aarav getting scolded by Sir, which, honestly, was the usual scene.
Then an idea struck me.
I walked in, delivered my excuse with perfect acting, and watched Sir turn into a statue. The man who could scold anyone in the school was suddenly speechless.
Not only did I save both of us from detention, I also got a free week off PT.
So what does a normal girl do when she’s suddenly free?
She goes for a walk.
HIS POV
I can’t believe I got saved by that girl. Such a cool, ridiculous excuse, and she said it with a straight face.
My friend nudged me. “Bro, you two have something going on.”
“Shut up.”
“She saved you.”
“I said shut up.”
Then I remembered: I never said thank you.
I turned around to find her, and caught her sneaking out of the gate with a very satisfied look on her face.
Well. Interesting.
I followed.
