CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30: OLD CLASS BEAUTY- PRIYA

Room 888, Emerald Villa, Mumbai

Within the air-conditioned private room, more and more classmates begin to enter.

They stood in small groups of three or five, chuckling softly, sharing old memories of college days.

However, under the smiles slowly anxieties emerged.

Some simply could not help complaining about the unpleasant realities of post-graduation life.

"Oh my god, the pay is so low now. How is anyone supposed to survive?" one sighed.

"You know right, huh? I’ve just looked through the prices on the menu here... it’s like $150 for the cheapest dish here!" another hissed in shock.

"That’s crazy! Who pays that much for a single meal?"

"Didn’t you hear what Raju just said? The chef at this place is Michelin three-star. It’s going to cost much more than this."

Groans and sighs ripple like waves through the crowd.

"It’s too costly... I haven’t even seen my this months paycheck yet."

"Same here. Does anybody have some money they can lend me? I’ll pay them back later."

A few discreetly pulled out their phones and were already texting friends and families for loans.

The mood grew somber. Everybody was concerned about the Bill, even before the food came.

Just then, the door to the private room creaked open.

The conversation stopped. Heads turned instinctively.

And then Priya stepped inside.

The class beauty.

Her presence suddenly lightened the room. Even the chandeliers glowed a little brighter.

Earlier, Raju had made an extra effort to ask her out.

He showed off his brand-new Porsche, boasting it at least three times expecting to flatter her to go on a date.

But Priya had politely turned him down every time.

It was not that she did not care for luxury. In fact, the idea of having a ride in a Porsche excited her.

But Priya was a smart one. She know the rules about the game, she know when to play Hard-to-get.

If a man wanted her, he had to earn it.

The more effort he will put in, the more he will cherish her later.

Anything obtained too easily would be worthless after few days of tossing.

That was Priya’s belief.

So here she came,graceful and unhurried, building anticipation to excite the crowd.

And sure enough, the moment Raju laid eyes on her, he started to become restless, wanting to show himself off to his old class beauty.

The atmosphere shifted as the other classmates noticed her too.

"Wow... isn’t that Priya? The class beauty from back then!" someone whispered.

"She looks even more gorgeous now than she did in college."

"Unbelievable... she’s practically glowing from head to toe."

Their voices carried admiration, some tinged with envy.

Raju wasted no time. He quickly smiled, patting the seat beside him.

"Priya, there’s a spot here. Come sit next to me."

Priya shook her head slowly, feigning refusal. Her face wore a fake polite, elegant look.

But Raju persisted, his voice half-pleading, half-pleasing.

After several tries from Raju, Priya eventually sat down beside him.

She appeared calm, nearly unconcerned but in fact, she was very much in control of the situation.

She had been the fantasy of numerous boys in college. The class beauty. The untouchable goddess of their night dreams.

But after graduating when she entered the real world outside, she was given a rude awakening from her fantasy.

There was no such thing as a class beauty title outside of university campuses.

There were only two types of people outside; useful and not useful.

There were so many women with more glamorous style, better contacts, and much more wealth than her.

Priya, the darling of everybody eyes in College, was now just another face in the crowd which people call society.

She learned to be practical. She slowly began to change herself.

The girl who used to carry a old canvas shoulder bag was no more.

Now she carry a designer luxury handbag, every aspect she selected tells of her status as a high class person.

And her choice of men had also shifted drastically.

She needed someone rich. Someone who could open doors to riches.

Gone were the days for fake puppy-love.

That was the very reason why she put up with Raju’s pursuit. Not because of his face, but because of his Porsche which is over $120,000 in market price.

As Priya slowly took her seat, Raju stood up straight slowly basking in the light of admiration.

He could also sense the jealous stares of his classmates on him.

But isn’t this just what he desired from today’s party.

Then, in a voice that everyone could hear, Raju intentionally questioned,

"Why hasn’t the old school idol Alex turned up yet? Don’t tell me he is too busy for us?

His tone had a hidden bite.

Raju had not forgotten those days. In college days, Alex had dominated him in all aspects.

Looks, charm, popularity Alex had always stood a notch higher than him.

For this reunion, Raju had two goals in his mind. One, is to flaunt his success.

And two, to reveal Alex’s present condition that he was nothing but merely a lowly security guard.

The classmates murmured at the mention of Alex.

"Yeah, where’s Alex? He was so popular back then."

"He was the handsomest guy in our batch, wasn’t he?"

"Absolutely! He was the college crush of every single girl. But I wonder what he’s up to these days..."

Their eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Some of the girls blushed a little at the memories, their smiles becoming gentle.

They leaned in close, chattering among themselves for any gossip about Alex.

The other guys, however, sat grumbling, their glasses filled with wine.

They had been hoping this reunion would be their moment to shine, to perhaps win over some old crushes.

But to their horror, the girls weren’t even glancing at them.

All topics, all laughter, all discussions were revolving around one name.

Alex.

Why didn’t Raju just fucking kept his mouth shut.

Why he have to point it out.