I think I should follow the advice I give to my fellow human beings. I tell them to never give up, but I myself run away when things get out of my comfort zone.
I adviced Karthik to keep trying and believe in himself, but I wasn't doing the same. If I wouldn't work hard to get in the volleyball team, then surely I would lag behind.
Thus, I decided to participate in the second round of selection because I was sure I didn't make it in the first round thanks to my pathetic performance. If Dad had seen me, he would have been so disappointed.
Brrrinnngg!
As the first bell rang, I picked up my pace and headed towards my Chemistry class. While I was busy in my own world, I noticed a huge crowd gathered near the notice board in the main hallway. A lot of students were grunting and shaking their heads to themselves.
What was the hot topic?
I tried to peek above them to get a look, but I couldn't see anything. I heard my batchmates exclaim that they got really good or low marks and would go to a party later. It took me a few seconds to realise what they were talking about.
First semester's results!
I retreated my steps as I already knew that I must have flunked. I began to dash out of there, but my best friend caught me in time and dragged me through the crowd. After making a path like a bulldozer, Surbhi placed me in front of the glass covered notice board and motioned for me to check my results.
"Let me also see how much marks you got," she taunted.
I pursed my lips and shook my head vigorously. She gave me a murderous glare, and I started searching for my name from the last. I went through two lists and didn't find my name; I doubted whether my score was so low that authorities thought it better to save some space by cutting off my name altogether.
Got it!
"Damn, 46th rank," I grumbled.
"Why don't you go and boast about it to Priyaank?" Surbhi suggested.
"Priyaank who?"
She gave me a flat look. "Did you finally lose your non-existent brain?"
"Why would I tell him? He is my crush, not my guardian," I retorted.
"Whatever. By the way, do you know who came first?" She wiggled her eyebrows.
I didn't need to check to know who it was. Still I did and bingo! Ved Rajput was written proudly in front of number one followed by none other than Parth on second position and Ayush on the third.
How do these guys study when they are busy playing all day?
"Oh my god!" Parth exclaimed as he came beside me. "I can't believe it. Second rank! I am so proud of myself!"
"Traitor," I mumbled.
"Don't be sad, dude. I am sure you must be in the toppers' list," he assured, and I pouted.
"Your great friend is here," Surbhi pointed on the list, "at forty six."
Parth blinked rapidly and gave me a side hug. "You can always try next time; after all, these are just marks."
"Hm..." I nodded lightly.
"Surbhi!" Tanya called and waved her hand at her.
"Okay guys, I should get going. Sandhya, don't dampen your mood; I only scolded you because of the reason you know very well," Surbhi said and left for her lecture after squeezing the hell out of me.
Parth followed suit and went to the soccer ground. I glanced once more at the score sheets and checked them randomly. My eyes caught the reflection of Shree's girlfriend who leaned on the glass cover and popped her chewing gum bubble near my face.
"Aww. Ms Perfect didn't even get in the top twenty," she mocked.
"I don't have time for you," I snapped.
"Of course you don't. I know what you will do after this; you will go around making friends and then mess up their lives. Isn't that what you are good at?"
I rolled my eyes. "Are you trying to pick up a fight?"
"What if I am? It isn't like you can do anything. I just wanted to tell you something confidential."
What does she have up her sleeves now?
She came closer to my ear and whispered, "Your guess about the person who leaked Rashi's secret was spot on."
"What?!" I hissed and curled my hands into fists.
"I had already warned you, but you didn't listen. Though I thought that you would investigate, and I would enjoy watching the fun; I am missing the entertainment you bring." She winked.
I really wanted to punch her, but I didn't. I had realised that doing that wouldn't be of any use; Shree would murder me without knowing the whole story.
I gave her the best of my death glares and glanced around. I searched for my prey as Mahek kept provoking me. Few minutes later, I spotted the head of her boyfriend, who as expected, was goofing with our classmates.
I stomped towards him, and just when he turned around, I took out my right shoe and threw it in his direction. It hit him on the back of his head and dropped down.
"What the hell?" he yelled and looked around him.
I picked up my shoe and started hitting him. "It is all because of you, Jerk. Only if I hadn't befriended you, I wouldn't have suffered this much, you asshole!"
"What is wrong with you?" Shree shouted and tried to stop me.
"I have had it with you. I can't believe I ruined my first semester because of you and that idiot Nikhil who is taking free rides from me!" I roared and jumped on him.
Shree put his hands up in surrender and I was about to land on him but got pulled back by Natural Heater. Ved caged me in his arms and moved me a little away from Shree, who was staring at me in shock.
"What got into you, Wildebeest?" Ved questioned.
"Leave me, Ved! Today, I will chop off his head or bury him alive. Leave me!" I flailed my arms to grab Shree.
"Bro, she isn't coming under control. You better leave before she digs your grave right here," Ved warned him.
"This baldy isn't going anywhere. I won't let him before I beat him to pulp," I grunted.
Shree widened his eyes and pointed his finger at his head. "From which angle do I look bald? Can't you see my beautiful hair?!"
"It is better to shave it clean than having that brown grass!"
Shree opened his mouth to comment back but closed it when he couldn't think of anything. When he was mourning over his previous hairstyle, I kicked him in the shin. Ved moved me behind him as Shree shot me a scowl and started mumbling curses under his breath.
Ved grabbed my wrist and dragged me far away. He stopped near the Arts department and sat down on the corridor wall. I tried to free myself but he wrapped his legs around my waist and pulled me closer in a snap. My face crashed with his chest, and he punched me on the back.
"Why can't you stop fooling around?" he complained and shook me vigorously.
"Mahek provoked me," I defended.
Ved rolled his eyes and told me to control my temper in such situations. He kept reminding me that even though I could take on Shree, I hadn't perfected my fighting skills; I still had a lot to learn.
"Looks like you haven't calmed down yet." He grabbed my head. "You need a head massage before your brain explodes."
Ved put his thumbs on my forehead and began rubbing it, and then he moved to my temples. I didn't disturb him as I was getting a free massage, and I could observe him closely too. He was so busy in his work that he didn't notice my curious stare which was burning in his face. I closed my eyes and enjoyed his service before I shot the question at him.
"Don't you hate me anymore, Ved?"
He froze, and I opened my right eye to look at him. He blinked rapidly, and his cheeks started turning pink.
"I never said I hate you," he replied.
What?
Slowly, Ved moved his hands down from my head and cupped my cheeks. I widened my eyes when he increased his hold around my waist; I felt my own skin turning into a volcano as he leaned his head down after turning his dark brown orbs into complete black like a mutant.
Why am I not moving? And why is my inner voice throwing confetti while ballet dancing?
I gulped nervously when Ved dipped his head low, our foreheads almost touching. He glanced at my lips and tilted his head.
Was he really going to do it?!
Why do you sound so excited, Sandhya?
Ved looked at me as his lips curled up into a smile, and just when I thought that he was going to do what I never even dreamed of, he moved his head back and banged it on my forehead.
"Ow! Ved!"
"Stop asking stupid questions," he scolded. "And come here, we need to bang once more or else you will grow horns and become a cow."
"What the fucking hell? Do you really believe that, idiot?!" I yelled.
"Aren't you the one who told me that?" he deadpanned.
Why did I tell him that when we were kids? But most importantly, why would he believe that stupid myth?
"Oops, I hit too hard I guess." Ved checked my forehead and rubbed the small bump with his fingers.
"Why do you first hurt me and then show your concern?" I complained.
I moved away from him when I realised that he was warming up too much; my thoughts were getting jumbled up too. But before I could escape, Ved grabbed my nape and planted a kiss on the spot where he had hit me earlier.
"There. Now you don't have to worry about becoming a four-legged animal." He grinned.
"Why aren't you moving at all, Sandy Pandy?" He poked me. "And why are you turning red?"
As if you don't know!
Ved smirked when he saw me transform into a tomato and continued giving me a free head massage as if nothing happened. As for me, I couldn't move at all - I didn't want to. I glimpsed at Ved, and he raised his eyebrows in question.
Brrrinnngg!
"Come on, let's go." He grabbed my hand, but I told him I didn't want to attend the lecture.
"I won't be able to concentrate... I am feeling drowsy," I lied.
"That's okay. You can sleep beside me in the last row. Teachers never bother with the backbenchers, you know," he suggested.
I was about to shake my head, but Ved pulled me along with him inside the classroom. He took me to the end and made me sit down on his right. He plopped down beside me and told Nikhil to cover for me.
His best friend agreed and shot me a smirk. "Welcome to our humble abode, Your Highness," he greeted.
I pursed my lips and put my head down on the table. Ved patted my back and told me to sleep. I noticed that Ayush wasn't present in the class; he wouldn't have liked me sitting beside Ved.
But my ex-best friend wasn't there, so I relaxed and decided to take a nap for real. I half-closed my eyes and observed Princess without his knowledge. I shifted closer to him and fell asleep within seconds even though I lied about feeling drowsy.
I knew I was confused about Ved's behaviour, but I couldn't deny what my guts were telling me.
Did Ved really like me?