Naman came out instantly, shaking his head.
`What is happening in there?' Ananya asked.
Naman shook his head again.
`I'm going in.'
`No! Don't. It's their personal matter. We shouldn't interfere,' Naman held her arm to stop her.
`I should've interfered a long time ago. At least, he wouldn't have been the last to know about all this then.'
Ananya, no...' Naman said but she didn't stop. She flipped the door open and looked around at what was going on. Yuvraj's eyes were blood red, and he had pinned Rana to the wall, and shouted abuses at him. Rana kept saying that they should talk about this. Natasha was standing at a corner of the room, crying silently, looking at the two boys fight.
`YUVRAJ' LEAVE HIM. Ananya shouted at him as she rushed to him and tried pulling him away from Rana.
`He is a fucking bastard! I've got to teach-' he shouted.
`No, Yuvraj. Stop-'
`Go away, Ananya! Let me deal with this,' he cut her off, still holding Rana by the collar as he fought to free himself.
`Listen to me-'
`No! I don't have time for this!'
`Yuvraj-'
He ignored her, punching Rana hard in the nose. A stream of blood started flowing out of it instantly and Rana groaned in pain. `You bloody-'
`STOP! Leave him.' Ananya shouted as hard as he could! She took Yuvraj by surprise and he let go of Rana.
`Come with me,' she said, softly this time, held him by his hand and left the room. Yuvraj looked at both of them, Natasha and Rana, and left the room. Ananya asked Naman to talk to Rishab and tell him to drop Natasha home. A little later they boarded the bus.
`That bastard...' Yuvraj muttered.
`What the hell were you doing, Yuvraj?'
'But...he...I can't even tell you what that bastard was doing...'
`What bastard? Could it not be that your girl is at fault?'
`I am sure he did something,' he said with conviction, `Natasha would never do such a thing!'
`Is it so? Then why the hell was she sitting there and just crying? Why on earth didn't she come with us?' Ananya asked.
He had nothing to say. He sat there at the edge of the seat, as a few tears trickled down his face. He brushed them away angrily and looked out of the window in silence.
Ananya asked Radhica and Naman to leave them alone for a while and they did. Sitting there, Ananya finally told him about what he had seen that day at Rishab's place. Yuvraj was even angrier at what he had just heard.
`Why didn't you tell me?' he asked.
`I wanted to. But then, you were so happy with her...And you just didn't seem to let her go...I thought, maybe it was a mistake.'
`So was she with Rana all this while?'
`I don't know. I will have to ask Rishab.'
`Fine,' Yuvraj said and looked away.
`Fine?'Ananya asked.
Ananya...Look, I really don't want to talk to anyone right now.'
`But-?'
`And especially you...Do you really think that Natasha is to blame?' Yuvraj asked.
`Yes, she lied to you,' she said.
'And you? I think it's you who's to blame.. .None of this would have happened had you been an honest friend and told me everything,' he said.
`I tried to...'
`The whole world knows about them! You, Naman, Radhica, Rishab, everyone! Just not me. I am the last person to know that my own girlfriend is now with some other guy.
'Abhi-'
`Shut up, Ananya! It is because of you that I looked like such a fool today, trying to protect my girlfriend from that guy, only to find out that she was his girlfriend now.
`I honestly wanted to tell you,' she whispered.
`But you didn't! And so, I ended up making a fool of myself. And I ended up seeing my girlfriend doing that with her new boyfriend...Do you have any idea how that felt?' he paused and released an angry breath. `So, please. Just leave me alone and don't even try to talk to me.
`Yuvraj, I'm-,
'Go!'
`Please-'
`Screw you.'
Ananya was taken aback by how rudely Yuvraj had talked to her. It was his girlfriend who had been cheating on him and still, he blamed her for everything? Not for a second did he think that it was Natasha who was at fault?
Yes, it was Ananya's fault too. But she'd only tried to help him. She'd tried to tell him everything but Natasha hadn't given her a chance. And as time passed and Yuvraj looked happy with Natasha, she honestly thought that letting the matter go would've been best for everyone.
How was she to know that Natasha was two-timing him with Rana?
She got up and went to sit on the last seat. She looked out of the window as tears filled her eyes. She knew it was pointless reasoning with Yuvraj at that minute.
He didn't want to talk to her. And she didn't want to talk to him either.
ust when things had begun to fall in place for Ananya, everything went back to square one. Life sucked once again.
They came back from the debate competition that day and things turned on their head. Someone had reported the fight in that classroom to The Bishop Boys' school authority. They had no idea who had done so, though Ananya suspected it was Rishab. And sure enough, it became clear that it was him, when after a few days, Rishab left the school and joined back at The Bishop Boys School.
Yuvraj was irreversibly screwed. Within minutes of the news reaching the principal of The Presidency Convent, Yuvraj was sacked as the Debating Club President and was barred from joining any other club. Ananya had tried talking to Yuvraj once or twice in those weeks, but things just went from bad to worse. Earlier, he blamed her just for the fight that happened in that closed classroom. But now, he blamed her for not being the President anymore. Because after all, it was Rishab - Ananya's friend who had spilled the beans about the fight.
Rishab, after that day, called Ananya time and again, but she didn't want to talk to him.
`Rishab, you call me one more time and I will tell my dad,' she said, `and he will report you to the police. One case against you and you will be out of The Bishop Boys forever. You want that?'
`I am sorry.'
`Oh, it wouldn't matter. I think you will play another cheap trick and get back there!'
`Ananya!' he said, `Please let me explain!'
`Explain what? You are the reason whyYuvraj got sacked! You are the reason why we are not friends. ..I don't want to listen to a single word from you! Please don't ever call me again...'
'Ananya! You don't get it,'
`What I don't get is how you could do this to me!'
`I didn't do anything to you,' he defended.
`But you know that Yuvraj and I were close friends.. .and after what you did...you have any idea what all Yuvraj has had to hear from the teachers?'
`But Ananya -?'
`What but? Thank you for everything, Rishab.'
Ananya, listen to me. Rana would have reported the incident anyway. We all are supposed to! Rana asked me to report it because he wanted me back in the school. Yuvraj would have been sacked anyway...'
`I don't know Rishab...All I can see is that you spoiled everything!' she said.
`I am sorry,' he said, `If anything, I even saved Yuvraj.'
'Saved?'
`You think a guy like Rana would take all that beating and do nothing about it? He wanted to get back...but I stopped him. All because he is your friend...'
`I am too screwed up to think anything right now,' she said and cut the phone.
Rishab bombarded her phone with messages and calls.
Ananya felt good, because, if what Rishab said was true, then she didn't have to be angry at him. And then she thought that Rishab had no reasons to lie.
`I don't know what to do, Radhica.'
`I think Rishab isn't wrong in what he did, Ananya. I mean, who wouldn't want to go back to that school!'
`But it's not that.'
`What? He said that the incide
nt would have been reported anyway! They have cameras inside their class Ananya. There was no way this could have been avoided.'
`Hmmm.'
`What happened yaar...why're you so sad?' Radhica asked.
`Yuvraj...'
`Things will be fine, Ananya. And it's not your fault,' she said.
Ananya was close to tears thinking about Yuvraj. In those days and in those moments where she locked herself up in the school washroom and cried, she realized how much Yuvraj meant to her.
The classes used to be torturous. Yuvraj and Naman used to sit together, even though Naman wanted to sit with Radhica. Ananya and Radhica used to sit together and talked to each other the entire day writing on each other's notebooks. The debating club was suspended for a month, till a new president was to be decided.
`Yuvraj?' Naman said, `You've got to get over it, man. You are totally screwing up your scores.'
`I don't want to talk about it,' he said and looked away.
`You got to! I don't want to go to IIT alone Yuvraj! Please, get over it!'
`It's not as easy as that, Naman,' he said.
`Why not! She is just a girl...'
`I loved her. And I caught her kissing someone else... it is a big deal! And it is not so easy to get over it.'
`Yuvraj! You loved her? She treated you like shit, man... and you know that. And she was kissing you and I don't know what else, and that's why you started liking her...' Naman said.
`It's not that.'
`Don't kid yourself, Yuvraj. You never really loved her! And you know that.'
`But we shared something. Something special...'
`Kissing someone is not sharing something special, man! You have bigger things to take care oP Like cracking JEE.'
`Hmm...'
`Why do you even care about that slut, Yuvraj?'
`Don't call her that!'
`Why not? Look at yourself? What is wrong with you? Forget her. Just let go of it...she didn't deserve you!'
`Deserve me? And she deserves a stud from The Bishops'?' he retorted.
`The guy is a fool. And don't make it about male ego. That guy is not better than you!'
`I am sure she would beg to differ from you.,
`Whatever. And if you want to get back at him, go and tell him that between the times that she kissed him, she was doing the same things and more with you too! But why play that cheap? Hell! Why even care about her? Naman said, with a whole deal of energy.
`Hmmm... I guess you kind of make sense,' Yuvraj relented grudgingly.
`I always make sense. And one more thing, why the cold shoulder to Ananya?'
`I have my reasons.'
`What reasons?'
`She knew all along that Natasha cheated on me.'
`Yes, she did! But she couldn't tell you that! You were like a puppy going after Natasha wherever she went!'
`Whatever, Naman.'
`I don't know, but you've got to forgive her dude. Look at her! You see the condition she is in? How can you do that to her?'
`Why are you so sympathetic about her?'
`I am not. But unless you sort out your thing with Ananya, Radhica won't sit with me,' Naman said.
`You selfish bastard.'
`What selfish bastard? I love her!'
`You what?'
`You know... whatever. Just sort out your thing with Ananya,' Naman said.
`One day you are the creep looking up girl's skirt and the very next, you're the relationship guru?' Yuvraj said.
`Times change!' Naman said.
Amongst all the relationships and friendships that were breaking all around, there was one which was getting stronger. Naman and Radhica. Stolen eye contacts. Long texts. BlackBerry chats. These were on the way up. They were falling for each other. And Naman was doing everything to get her.
`I don't agree with Radhica,' Ananya said. `You have lost a lot of weight! Anymore and you would be skinny...how much did you lose?'
`Seven kilograms.'
`Are you serious? That's why you look so different!' Ananya exclaimed.
They had gone out that day to watch a movie. Yuvraj hadn't come though.
`Okay, fine, you are lean enough!' Radhica said.
`Yes!' he said, `Better than that guy from The Bishop?'
`Will you get over it, already?' Radhica said.
`Over it?' he said. `You just liked a bunch of pictures in his FB profile!'
`You did?' Ananya asked.
Ananya, those pictures are from when he went to France. He wasn't even in the pictures! They were random pictures of the places!' she defended herself.
`Whatever. It was his album!' Naman said.
Whatever,' she replied.
`Stop it, you two,' Ananya said, `Naman, how is Yuvraj now?'
`He is better. He has not totally snapped out of it yet, and he is still pissed at you...'
`Why the hell don't you talk to him about it? It wasn't really her fault!' Radhica said.
`You think I haven't? I am trying!' Naman said.
`Fine,' Radhica said. `You make things right between the two of them...and I will date you!'
`Whatever Radhica! First you said lose weight, now you want this... Tomorrow you will say go climb Everest! I'm not doing anything!' he said, a little frustrated.
`I like you when you are angry,' Radhica said and smiled.
`Do it for me, Naman,' Ananya interjected.
`I am trying, but you know..I think he just has to blame someone for the whole incident. But I will talk to him.'
And the movie started. Ananya saw from the corner of the eye that mid-way through the first half of the movie, Naman and Radhica were holding hands. She missed Yuvraj. And she was sure.. .She had something for him. She liked him.
nanya and Natasha were waiting outside the Vice Principal's office that day. The fate of the Debating Club was to be decided that day. Normally, Ananya wouldn't have been called for something like this, but her win a few weeks back had changed everything. Now, she was a star.
What had also changed was Natasha.
She had kept a low profile ever since that incident. The news had spread like wild fire. And she didn't want to add to whatever was going on. The stories were obviously distorted. In some versions, the guy became someone like Sidharth Mallya. In other Natasha became Mallika Sherawattype slurry. In still others, Yuvraj was beaten up badly.
`Ananya-' Natasha said, trying to initiate a conversation.
`Natasha, I want to make one thing very clear to you,' Ananya cut her off. `I would not want to talk to you EVER. And EVER means NEVER EVER. Don't try to talk to me. So just stay away from me.'
`Wow! Someone suddenly has teeth!' Natasha said.
`More than you do, Natasha.'
`People change! Just one shitty competition win and they think they rule this place. Listen BITCH, I am the Head Girl and you are just another wannabe. The sooner you get it, the better.'
`Fine. At least I can keep my pants on,' she said.
And she mentally patted herself for the comeback! Natasha became all red-faced! It was a brilliant repartee. She was impressed with herself. They waited five more minutes outside the room, after which they were called inside for the meeting. The Vice Principal was young man of forty five and was respected by the school. He was smart and really knew how to manage students. He understood their concerns, and didn't blame everything on them.
`So, Ananya and Natasha,' he said.
`Good Morning Sir,' both of them echoed.
`Too much is being said about our team. I am not happy with all this.'
Ananya and Natasha looked at each other.
He continued, `...and this comes at totally the wrong time. We had such a good thing with your win Ananya, but this spoils everything. And I am not here to try to decide who was wrong in what happened. All I want is to get going and just take the good things out of this incident. We can do that, right?'
`Yes, sir,' they echoed.
`Since both of you were a par
t of that incident, I don't want you to be the club presidents,' he said.
`But Sir, why sack Yuvraj? He was doing a good job, and whatever happened...he is sorry about it,' Ananya said.
`I am sorry, Ananya. We can't put him back in the team.'
`Sir, I am sure I can handle the responsibility,' Natasha said.
'Aren't you two getting what I am saying? Nobody who was involved in that incident will run this club. I will talk the HOD and let you guys know what we have decided. We might look at re-elections...' he said.
Ananya and Natasha said nothing.
`Till then, Ananya, you will be the acting President of the club.'
`But Sir...Yuvraj?'
`No discussions. You two can leave now,' he said.
Both of them walked out of the room.
`What did you think?' Natasha sneered at Ananya, `You would be the next president? You small town bitch!' she said and laughed.
`I am already the acting President, ain't I? What was your club, is now mine.' Ananya sneered.
`Let's see for how long.' Natasha showed her the middle finger and walked away.
Although Ananya tried to brush off what Natasha had said, she really felt bad. She had done nothing wrong to anyone in this school, but things were just going one way -downhill. She went to her class and rested her head on the table, not wanting to talk to anyone. It was not something she wanted. That was the moment, when she wished things would go back to where they were. She wished she was invisible once more.
Natasha was right. Ananya was the president of the club for just a single day. There were no re-elections. A random girl, Saakshi, who also happened to be Natasha's close friend, was chosen to be the club President. Ananya was distraught and wanted to see nobody.
`What? Radhica exclaimed. Are you crazy? What the hell Ananya? Are you kidding me?' she said as she didn't believe her at first.
`No, I am not,' Ananya said.
`Then? You can't just walk out of the team just like that?'
`Why not?' she said. `I don't want to be in it anymore.'
`Why? Because Saakshi now the President of the club?' Radhica asked.
Yes, it was that reason too.
`Yes,' Ananya said, `...and I don't want any more complications in my life, Radhica. I liked how things were before. If I stay there, every time there is a competition, there will be the same fights about who will go and who will not! I don't want to be a part of all that...'
The Backbenchers: The Extra Class Page 8
