`There will be no fight regarding us! We will be the first choice!' Radhica said, confidently.
She had reasons to be confident. They were after all, Debating heroes after that win.
`You think so? DPS R.K. Puram. Three member team. We didn't make it Radhica. I talked to the Vice Principal and he said it's the club President's call! You get it now?'
`Damn! This can't be! I didn't know the team was finalized? When?' Radhica said, I will talk to Natasha.'
'And you think that will help?' Ananya asked.
`So? We just sit here and lament? You might be good at doing that, I am not! I am going to the Principal.'
Radhica was always a bit rash with her decisions. Even that day, before Ananya could stop her, she had gone rushing to the Principal's office with her concerns. What she didn't understand was, even though The Debating Club was kind of a big deal for the students, it wasn't really the same for the teachers and the principals.
`Bastard,' Radhica muttered under her breath as she came back to the class. The principal had asked her to sod off, although in very polite words.
`I told you,' Ananya said.
`So what will you guys do?' Naman asked.
`Nothing,' Ananya said.
`But why?' Naman said.
`Because it won't do any good! At least I won't do anything! And Radhica, it's good to retire when you are at top!' she tried to lighten up the mood.
`That was lame,' Naman said and held Radhica's hand under the table. It was such an Aw! moment. Ananya felt good about the two of them. She looked around the class, and spotted Yuvraj down at the other corner, immersed deep into his books. It had barely been ten seconds when Yuvraj looked up and looked in Ananya's direction. There was a momentary eye contact, which almost brought tears to Ananya's eyes and she looked away.
Over the rest of the periods that day, there were many certain eye contacts between the two of them. Ananya made an effort not to look at him, but she couldn't help it. She just couldn't help it.
`I think he's looking,' Radhica said.
`I know,' Ananya said.
`Why don't you just go talk to him?'
`He doesn't want to talk, Radhica. He has told me that.'
`C'mon Ananya! Obviously, he wants to. He sits there alone, all day long, brooding. Don't you think he needs to talk to someone?'
`Even if he does, I'm sure it's not to me.' Ananya said and looked away.
After the school ended, Ananya was walking to her bus, her head hung low and thoughts of Yuvraj going all across her head, when a car repeatedly honked behind her. She absent-mindedly walked on. But the honks kept getting angrier and more persistent.
She finally looked back to see Rishab honking his car. She realized that she had totally forgotten about him. And she'd thought that Rishab had too but apparently, he had not. He had just got a little busy with his old friends and getting back to his old school.
`What are you doing here?' she asked.
`Get in!' he said and opened the car door for her. She did so.
They exchanged pleasantries and then she asked Rishab, `Where have you been? Got busy, eh?'
She almost forgot that she was the one who'd asked him to stop calling her.
`Not really, I think of you all the time.'
`Flirt.'
`Only for you!'
`Honoured,' she laughed.
'But...you are looking sad. Have you been crying?'
'No!
`Something is wrong,' he said. `You can tell me!'
`Naah, it's nothing major. It's just that things have not been the best ever since you left.'
`Umm...because I left? 'Rishab said, half smiling.
`No silly, generally.'
`Is it about Yuvraj?'
`Yes, sort of,' she said.
`What happened with him? Still depressed, is he?' he asked.
`Not really, but he is not talking to me.'
`Why not?'
`He somehow believes it was my fault that he is no longer the President, and that I didn't tell him about Natasha and Rana earlier. And even because you were the one who broke the news at The Bishop Boys' and you were my friend...so he is kind of pissed off...'
`You want me to talk to him?' Rishab asked. He was being really sweet, and Ananya liked that.
`No, but thank you. Anyway, why are you here?'
`Umm...' Rishab stammered a little, `Ananya...The Bishop Boys...once it was everything to me. When I was kicked out of that school, I felt like I had lost everything.'
`So? You must be happy that you're back there, right?'
`Not really. Things changed.'
`Changed? Why?'
'Ananya, we are just bred there in such a way that, you know...you feel that the school defines you. So, when I came to this school, I was a little disillusioned.'
`Go on.'
`You might have heard about me and few junior girls. Those flings,' he said.
`Yes, who hasn't!'
`I mean, that wasn't really me. But I was being silly!'
`Hmmm...so?'Ananya asked, really not getting his point.
`Then, I met you.'
`Me?
`Yes! And you know, you were this smart, pretty new girl in school who had no preconceived notions about me...and you tolerated my self-obsessed talks! It was refreshing!'
`Ohh...so, you do know that you talk about yourself all the time?' Ananya joked.
`Well yes,' he grinned sheepishly.
`Good for you.'
'And then the incident happened, and suddenly I thought, I could get my old life back! I could become a Bishop Boy back again.'
'And you did.'
`Yes, I did. The school, the friends. Everything was back. But still, something was missing. And it didn't take me too long to realize...you were missing,' he said and looked at her.
`Umm...That's so sweet, Rishab,' she said. She was a little taken aback at this. She always knew he kind of liked her, but she never thought it would come to this.
,...and that's the truth. If given a choice, I would leave behind everything at the Bishop's school and give it all up for the times we had spent at the corner table at the canteen. I really never thought I would miss you and the time we spent together this much!' he said earnestly.
`Hmmm...'
`I really like you, Ananya.'
Ananya felt a little uncomfortable. For her, Rishab was always a school stud, who was sweet to her when she needed someone. She had never really imagined him saying all this, that too so articulately. Like someone really in love would. In fact, she had always thought a day would come when Rishab, tired of pursuing a dead end would move on to some other girl! But this was turning out to be quite different...very different...She didn't know what to say. But, strangely, she felt immensely good. A guy like him, gushing all over her, was not something that happened every day. She had every reason to feel good about this.
`That's really sweet of you...but I am sure The Bishop Boys means a lot to you than I do...' she said.
`No, it doesn't. You just need to tell me once that you want me back in The Presidency and I will be there. No questions asked.'
`Don't be silly!' Ananya said.
`I am not. And I know you wouldn't ask me to do so,' he said, his enthusiasm dipping.
`Why do you say that?' she asked.
`Because you like someone else.'
`What? NO!' she said.
`Don't lie to yourself, Ananya,' he said, `You know you like Yuvraj.'
`No, I don't!'
`Get a life. I don't remember you talking about anything else but him!' he said, `It was like you were obsessed with him...'
`I am not...and I never talked about him that much...'
`Why would I lie? In fact, I wish what you are saying is true...but it's not. You like him and as much as it sucks for me, I think you should go and tell him.'
`There is nothing like that!' Ananya said again.
`If there is not, I am asking you out...so, will yo
u go out with me?'
`Rishab?'
`I'm serious. If you don't like Yuvraj, you would have said yes, wouldn't you?'
`I don't know.'
`See. Anyway, I know that you like him.'
`You're making me feel bad now,' she said.
`I really had no intention to do that. I just think you should go and tell him how you feel,' he smiled.
`Hmm,' she said and smiled at him.
Rishab drove back home that day. Yes, what he had always thought was true...she didn't like him as much she liked Yuvraj. But he was happy he could finally tell her that he wanted to. At least, he wasn't choked anymore.
On his way back, Rishab called Yuvraj up.
he world was a better place. Being self-aware is possibly the best thing that could happen to anyone. All this while, Ananya had been fighting whatever was going on inside her. First it was Natasha, so liking Yuvraj was out of the question. And then, it was the whole messed up incident that happened that day. But as she went back home that day, everything was clear to her. She likedYuvraj. More than a friend! All those moments of discomfort when Naman and Radhica secretly held hands or whispered sweet nothings into each other's ears wasn't because she was put off by their actions. It was because she wanted the same things with Yuvraj.
`Radhica?' she asked.
`Yes, Ananya?'
`When are you going to tell me!'
`Tell you what?'
`About you and Naman! You think no one knows! Everyone does. And people ask me.'
`What? They do?'
`Well, I exaggerated. But still! You've got to tell me. You're seeing him right?'
`I am not.'
`Yes, you are! I see your holding hands like a million times,' Ananya said.
Radhica blushed, and it was clear enough what was up. Radhica told Ananya that she had started seeing Naman. She seemed happy.
Ananya wanted to feel the same! She had finally acknowledged all those elevated heart beats and stammered sentences now. Ananya had never stammered before an auditorium full of people, but she remembered all those times she had done so in front ofYuvraj and smiled stupidly at herself. The next day, she took longer than usual to get ready. She took longer than usual to brush her hair. And she found herself smiling back at herself in the mirror. It was a strange feeling for her.
Radhica was the first person she met that day, and she just wanted tell someone about it.
`Is this love?'
`What?' Radhica asked.
`I think I love him,' Ananya said.
`Yuvraj?'
`Phew! Finally!'
`What do you mean?'
`Ofcourse you love him! You've been love with him since ages! It's amazing that it took you this long to realize!'
`You mean you knew?' Ananya was surprised.
`Yes! Everyone knew. I, Naman, the whole class...'
`So, everyone except me!'
`...and Yuvraj.'
`And Yuvraj,' Ananya said softly.
`So?' Radhica asked. `You are going to tell him?'
`Should I not?'
`No! You should! It would be so cool...the four of us...' she said, as she excitedly clutched Ananya's hand.
`I don't even know whether he likes me or not!'
`Oh! Worry not. He likes you.,
'You think?'
`I know'
`How?'
`Sixth sense! Anyway, have you thought of anything to say?' Radhica said.
A little,' she said, `I am thinking of picking up lines from what Rishab said to me yesterday!'
`Really?'
`Yes!'
`That's so mean...'
`I know. I was just kidding!' she said and they both laughed.
She saw Yuvraj enter the class and smiled at him. He looked at her and started walking straight up to her. Ananya was taken aback!
`Can I talk to you for a minute?' he asked as he got near.
Radhica and Ananya both looked at his face, nervously.
`Yeah,' Ananya said.
Alone?' he added.
`Sure,' Radhica said and walked away.
`Can we go outside?' he asked.
Ananya nodded and she followed him outside. Ms. Juneja saw them outside and Yuvraj asked her if they could come in the class in a moment. She nodded and smiled at them.
`Ananya,' he began, `Rishab called yesterday.'
`He did?' she asked. Now, she was really worried. Instantly her mind threw up a thousand possibilities about what he could have talked about.
`Yes, and he was sorry for whatever happened...'
`Did he say something else?'
,...and that you had nothing to do about whatever happened,' he said.
`Hmmm...'
`I am sorry Ananya, to blame it all on you...and him,' he said, `It really isn't his fault.'
`I understand, Yuvraj. You were angry.'
'Still...I shouldn't have lashed out on you like that...'
`That you shouldn't have!'
`I'm sorry...I feel like such a loser for jumping to conclusions and judging you like that. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I shouldn't have made you go through all that...'
Ananya stayed silent.
`Ananya...'
`Yeah?'
`Why aren't you saying anything?'
`I was enjoying listening to you talk!'
`Yeah, yeah! You'd sure like to listen to me repent about how I acted like a jackass!'
`Right!' she laughed. What she didn't say was that she was serious. She was really enjoying listening to him talk. It had been such a long time...she had been missing him.
`But, I'm really sorry...for everything. Judging you...and him...'
`It's okay,' she said softly.
`He is a really nice guy.'
`That he is,' Ananya said.
`Best of luck! You make a really cute couple.'
`What?Couple? We are not seeing each other!' she said.
`You are not? l always thought you were...' he said, `...and you know, Rishab...the way he talked, it really looked like he likes you a lot, Ananya!'
`No Yuvraj! Rishab is just a friend!' she said.
`Are you sure?' Yuvraj said and winked. For him, it was all still a joke. For Ananya, it spelt disaster.
`Yes! And I don't like him...I mean like that. He is just a friend!' she still went on defending herself.
`Fine. Fine,' he said, `Shall we go back inside?'
`Sure,' she said, really not happy with the way the conversation ended.
As they moved inside, Radhica and Naman looked at her from a distance and asked with gestures as to what happened. She just shook her head.
The four of them sat together that day. They laughed, they joked and had fun. Like old times. Except Ananya. She was lost. It didn't seem that Yuvraj felt for her even a little. On one hand she was thankful that she didn't make a fool out of herself by saying all what she had planned to, but on the other, she was sad that she and Yuvraj might never be together.
The day ended and that's when Ananya told Radhica about her conversation with Yuvraj.
`It's not that bad,' Radhica said.
`What? He thought I was going out with Rishab! It's a disaster.'
`But listen, Ananya! He asked you twice...maybe he was just checking whether you're dating him!'
`Do you really think so?'
`Could be! Who knows?'
`Hmmm.'
Ananya didn't know what to say. Though deep in her heart, a tiny flame of hope flickered. She was happy.
week passed since Yuvraj and Ananya had sorted out their differences. And Ananya had realized that she should never tell Yuvraj what she felt about it.
Days only got tougher. When Yuvraj and Ananya weren't talking, it was easier for her to push Yuvraj out of her head, but now it was incredibly hard to do it. He was right in front of her all the time, smiling, laughing and making her fall more in love with him even more. Naman and Radhica looked at her helplessly and they felt really bad
about her. But still, they tried to be as normal as they could in front of everyone.
Though, Ananya was not the only one who was spending her days in discomfort. The other one was - Natasha.
Now, Natasha was never loved for what she was in school.
But she was always admired for what she did. Debating Team. Head girl. Super achiever in class. Hockey team vice-captain. And incredible legs. People either loved her or hated her, but everyone talked about her! But ever since Ananya had stepped in, she had not been receiving the amount of attention that she usually did. And she didn't like it.
`I don't know what people see in that low life bitch,' Natasha muttered to her friend Saakshi, the new debating club president.
`She is sweet,' Saakshi said.
`You will take her side too? After all that she did with me? And after what I did for you?'
`I am sorry,' Saakshi said, a little scared.
`I am going to do something about this,' Natasha said.
`What?'
`I don't know. But that girl doesn't even deserve to get all that attention! You're the president! You should get it. I don't know what that bitch does to people.'
`Hmm.'
Natasha continued, `I have to tell people that they are the ones at fault! Not me.'
`Nobody thinks you're at fault, Natasha.'
`Will you stop telling me who thinks what? I know what people say. Don't teach me,' she said and the girl shut up.
Natasha had been losing her patience with every passing second. She wasn't used to being the second most popular girl in school. Even her pictures with The Bishop Boys in their parties didn't bring in the kind of attention she always wanted to get. It only led to people to calling her slut under their breath.
That's when she blew her top. It was just a matter of time. She chose Facebook to vent out her anger!
Her Facebook status message one day stated:
You choose them, you take them to the top...and they leave you when you need them the most!
Now, this could have meant anything. But then, just below, Saakshi had commented. Well, actually Natasha had taken her password and commented herself, as they later got to know.
Thank god, the club is in right hands now! First the dog was kicked out for being a stray, uncivilized being...! And then, his puppy quietly followed after. Haha! 00
The Backbenchers: The Extra Class Page 9
