And that's when it became crystal clear.
Now, Natasha, always had an army of guys after her. And a lot of them had had crushes on her since sixth grade! And these were the guys who liked every picture that she uploaded and used to comment on every status and every album update.
So, within minutes of this update, there were some forty odd likes and twenty odd comments. And everyone knew who the `dog' was and who the `puppy' was!
It was one of the most liked and commented on status over the weekend. And so, it didn't take long for Naman to take notice. Both Yuvraj and Ananya had kicked Natasha out of their Facebook friend lists, so they had no idea as to what was going on.
On Monday, when they came to school, it seemed like the whole school was talking about it. And Natasha didn't stop at that status.
Sunday night, she had another status update. And in this, Rana was tagged.
Thank You Rana! You're the best...Against dog bites.!! *Evil smile* Thank you for saving me.
Rana had commented below
Awww! Baby!Always there for you. I would put down any dog that comes in our way. Or puppies! O
And as if guys liking her status wasn't bad enough, it seemed like the entire Bishop Boys community had liked Rana's comment! And so had all the girls from The Presidency! After all, it was such an Aww! comment.
That day when Ananya reached school, she saw Naman, Radhica and Yuvraj huddled in a group and discussing something.
`What's up?' she put on a smile and tapped on Naman's shoulder.
Naman thrust his cell phone and Natashas Facebook profile in her face. Ananya took the cell phone from his hand and scrolled through comments.
`That...' she said. `How could she? Ananya face flushed with anger.
`Don't worry,' Yuvraj said, `I messaged her not to drag you into this.'
`Drag me?' she said, `How could she write such things about you?'
`It's okay,' Yuvraj said.
`It's not okay,' she said as she read the comments again. `We need to report this!'
What?' Radhica said, Are you crazy? What will teachers do? It's none of their business!'
`So? Let's update our status messages,' Ananya said. She was surprised to see Yuvraj taking all the shit silently. `Yuvraj? Won't you react?'
`No, Ananya. I don't care. As long as she keeps off you, I am fine with this,' he said. `Let her do whatever.'
`I am not letting her do it,' she said. She just couldn't take it. And she was incredibly angry. It was strange because Ananya usually never had a temper. She always chose to bear it. But this was different. And she knew why this was different. This didn't include just her. Yuvraj was involved and she couldn't take anything against him.
She could barely sit through the class. Even though Naman and Radhica were equally enraged, they were still nowhere close to where she was. She went online on Naman's phone and commented on the string:
Being a dog or a puppy is much better than being a bitch.
Within minutes, the comment was deleted and Naman was kicked out of Natasha's profile. By the time class ended, her nerves had somewhat calmed down.
And Yuvraj said, `Please don't do what she wants us to do! She wants us to react...she wants this to be an issue. She wants to attract attention. And you are giving her exactly what she wants!'
`Tell her that!' Radhica said and pointed out to Ananya, who was still fuming.
`What? She can't just go about maligning you like that! She is such a...whatever...and we should do something about it!' Ananya said, still very angry.
`Calm down, Ananya!' Yuvraj said, `Why are you getting so worked up? All these things she said are directed to me...why are you so pissed off?ff
'Because she is in LOVE with you, ASSHOLE!' Naman said out loud!
And there was a silence. Did he say it? Everyone had the same question running in their minds. Everybody looked at each other not knowing what to say, and they really didn't know how to react. Ananya blushed almost immediately. Yuvraj looked at Naman and Radhica, both of whom nodded.
And he looked at Ananya who looked elsewhere and mumbled something like `...nothing like that...'
`Shut up,' Radhica said, `She loves you like crazy! Deal with it, Yuvraj...She does. And she is much better than the freaking slut you were dating earlier.'
`Seconded!' Naman said, `I don't know what you saw in her! Well, apart from the legs, of course!'
`I think we should leave them. Give them time to talk about it,' Radhica said and walked away from them, with Naman.
And there was silence again. Ananya was standing there, shifting her steps. She had nothing to say. And Yuvraj didn't know where to start from!
`You do?' Yuvraj asked, dork-ily.
`I don't know,' Ananya said softly.
`What were they saying?'
`I don't know,' she said again.
`But I thought Rishab...'
`Just a friend...'
`So, then...all this while...You were in-' Yuvraj said in stops and stutters.
`Maybe,' she said.
`But you are too good for me!' he said, almost smiling at this point.
'Am I?' Ananya looked at him and smiled.
`Yes!' he said.
`But you were with Natasha? The hot one?' she said, flapping her eyelids and looking at him with those big pearly eyes.
`There was a time, that I was with her and I used to think about the two of us,' he said.
`Now, you are just lying!' she said, `You used to run after her! Even till the day she got caught...'
`That was for all the wrong reasons...' he said and smiled at her, `...and you were always with Rishab? The hot one?'
`That I did. But...I never liked him as much as I liked you,' she said.
Radhica and Naman, who had been watching them talk from a distance, now smiled, because they saw the two of them smiling. They saw Yuvraj's hand creep up on to Ananya's hand as he held it. They sensed something good.
uch news spreads like wildfire. And it had to. For two reasons. The first being that Yuvraj, had some freakish luck. For first he dated Natasha. And now, within weeks of his break up with Natasha he was dating Ananya! Now, both these girls were extremely pretty and sexy in their own special ways. So, Yuvraj ended up being one of the most envied guys in the school!
Ananya, the new girl, whom a lot of new guys eyed-but no one really had the balls to go up to her since she was a big debater and mini celebrity-was hitched too!
This had to make news. And it did. Ananya and Yuvraj, both of them were pretty unmoved by these distractions. Their new found love took away most of their times! Even while sitting inches away from each other, they used to be on BBM all the time! And when I say all the time, I mean all the time.
For Ananya, it was her first relationship, though it really didn't feel like it. She just had to be herself and things were coasting along! For Yuvraj, he had never felt better. He felt loved, wanted and respected. The last part never figured in his relationship with Natasha.
Talking about Natasha, things just went downhill for her! Her stunt on Facebook to malign Yuvraj had not worked. Yes, it did create a buzz for a while! But it died down and people were happy to see Yuvraj and Ananya so much in love. And the day Yuvraj and Ananya put their relationship status on Facebook, it saw more comments and likes than there were total number of friends in Natasha's list!
So, quite obviously, Natasha was pretty furious about the whole thing. And she had been itching to do something about it.
Ananya had started coming to school with Yuvraj. That day, something strange happened.
`Rishab?'Ananya said, as she spotted him outside the school as she and Yuvraj were entering the school.
`Umm...er...hi!' he said, caught surprised.
`Hi Rishab,' Yuvraj said.
`Hi Yuvraj. And yes, congratulations,' he said. `You are a lucky guy!'
`Thank you,' he said, `...umm...You two talk, I have to rush...'
Yuvraj said and left for the class. He
felt a little awkward standing there between Ananya and the guy who had a crush on her. Ananya looked at her watch; there were still ten minutes to go for class.
`What are you doing here Rishab?' she asked.
`Nothing,' he said, `...had to collect a few things, that's why.'
`Collect a few things?' she asked suspiciously.
`Okay, okay, I just wanted to see you,' he said, `I didn't want to ask you to meet me because you know. ..you are with him...I just...'
`That's so sweet, Rishab! And no matter who I am with, you can always talk to me!' she said. `Let's meet over the weekend?'
`You will do that?' he asked.
`Sure!' she said.
At that point of time Rishab looked like such a puppy that Ananya wanted to hug him tight. But then, it was time for her to go. She bid him goodbye and made her way to the class. She looked back once and saw that Rishab was still hanging around the Security Guard's room.
Ananya felt a little sorry for him. She wished the best for him. He really was lot cuter than she had earlier thought he was.
As soon as she reached the class, Yuvraj asked her, `What did he want?' His tone was stern and he meant business.
`Nothing, he was just there to collect some things,' she said.
`Some things?' he asked, his tone still not easing up.
`That's what he said,' she said.
Are you sure?' he asked.
`Hmmm...'
The teacher started teaching and they didn't talk. Mid way, through the class, Ananya started feeling a little guilty for not having told the whole thing. She thought initially it didn't matter, but as time progressed she started feeling bad about it.
Finally, she couldn't keep it inside her anymore. The guilt was just too much.
`He came to meet me,' she said.
`Meet you?' Yuvraj said softly, trying not to attract attention from the teacher.
`Yes,' she said.
`Why didn't you tell me that before?'
`I...' she said.
`Did you know he was coming?' he asked.
`No!'
`Then? Did he just think he would bump into you this morning?' he asked angrily.
`I don't know Yuvraj! He said he didn't know whether I would say yes to meet him or not...so he landed there!' she said.
`What? So? That's it? He wanted to see you for five minutes?' The anger in his voice was still not lessening.
`I don't know. We are meeting over the weekend... let's see,' she said.
`Meeting him? First you lie that he was just here to collect things! And then to see you. And now you are meeting him! What's going on?' he was clearly not pleased with how things were going.
`I have no idea Yuvraj what he wants,' she said, `He just likes me, I guess.'
`Fine,' Yuvraj said and looked away.
Fine,' she said and looked the other side. But as soon as she did that she felt terrible about this. It felt shitty to fight with him.
`Yuvraj? If you want, I will not meet him,' she said softly.
`No, I don't care!' he said.
`Seriously, if you have a problem, I won't meet him...' she said, `I swear.'
`I don't have a problem with you meeting him,' he said, `But why did you lie to me about your ex?'
`He is not my ex, Yuvraj!'
`Whatever he is. Do whatever you feel right...just don't ask me,' he said.
`Why are you getting so pissed off?' she said. `I will not meet him baby, but don't talk to me like that!'
`Fine,' he said.
The class ended and he left the room without talking to her. She had tears in her eyes. She was calling him during the break but his phone was switched off. The thirty minutes passed by, and she had broken down and cried more than once. She couldn't understand what she had done wrong. Was it her fault that Rishab had feelings for her? Or that he had come to see her at school this morning? Hell! She didn't even know he was coming! And he had looked so lost standing there, looking at her.. .that she'd said she'd meet him without even thinking how Yuvraj might react to it.
But just because she was going to meet him didn't imply she had feelings for him. She never had and never will. And it wasn't as if she'd hidden something from Yuvraj. She'd told him whatever had happened. What she hadn't expected was the reaction she was getting from him. He was overreacting for no reason. When, after the break, he still hadn't switched his phone on, she left the classroom to search for him. But she couldn't find him anywhere.
She decided she couldn't attend the class unless she sees him. So she went into the library and put her head down. His phone was still switched off. She didn't know when she had drifted off.
It had been quite some time that she had been there, when she felt a hand caressing her head. She opened her eyes groggily... and saw Yuvraj.
`Sorry,' he whispered tenderly in her ear as she looked at him.
`Whatever,' she said, `You just go away and switch off your phone.'
`Sorry, baby,' he said, `I just got a little possessive about you.
'A little? You were away for an hour!' she said. `I was so worried,' she added softly.
`I am sorry, baby,' he said, `He is Rishab! The kind of guy every girl drools over... and after my experience with Natasha...' he said and looked down.
`I would never cheat on you! I'm not like Natasha...'
`I know. But still...I was scared...'
`You don't have to be scared with me, baby,' she said and cupped his face.
`Am I worrying too much?' he asked.
`Yes,' she said, `Come. There is something I have always wanted to do.'
`What?' he said as she pulled him up from his chair.
`Just shut up,' Ananya said. Ananya heart beat faster than she had ever known as they left behind them, rack after racks of books. The further deeper down in the library they went, the more deserted it became.
Just two racks were left for the library to end, when Ananya took a sharp right turn into a dingy lane with huge racks of books on both the sides. It was one of the very few places in the school campus where the security cameras couldn't reach. `What?' Yuvraj said.
`Shut up, Yuvraj,' she said, `I have never done this,' she said with her breath heavy, and her hands trembling. `But I want to...with you.'
`What?' he said, as he started breathing heavily too in anticipation.
She let her hands creep up his neck, her fingers moved on his nape and slowly near his ears. She leant into him, and he leant on to a huge rack of books. Her breath was heavy on his, and they could feel the warmth. They looked into each other's eyes and then darkness overcame. Their lips touched. Ananya felt like every nerve in her body was bursting. Her face flushed red and her entire body became warm. The kiss was warm and passionate and she had never felt anything even close to it before. For the first time, she felt like a girl. And she had never felt that good.
She lost track of time between those books racks...and Yuvraj. But by the time they came out of the library, it had been quite some time. It was strange that they had spent two and a half periods in that dimly lit lane of books, kissing and hugging each other, and saying sweet and dirty nothings to each other.
he best time I have ever spent in a library!' she said, as they picked up their bags from their classroom. They had spent so much time in the library that by the time they came out, she had already missed her school bus. And so, Yuvraj said he would drop her home.
`Ditto! Never thought library could be this fun!' Yuvraj said and smiled at her.
There were many missed calls from Naman and Radhica on their cell phones and they had decided they would call them back once they get home. They didn't want to waste a single second of their time with each other, talking to anyone else on phone. They left the gate and were on their way to where Yuvraj had parked his car. The parking lot was empty and just his car stood there. They were still walking towards it, looking at each other when a car came up from behind and screeched to a halt!
It was huge black Toy
ota Land Cruiser. Yuvraj and Ananya looked back, a little shocked. Minutes later, four guys got down from the huge car. One of them had a cricket bat in hand. And then, both Ananya and Yuvraj recognized him. It was Rana!
Within seconds, all the three guys were yards away from Yuvraj and they didn't look happy. And then, slowly, a girl emerged from their behind. Walking slowly, she came up to Rana and held his hand. It was Natasha.
`What do you want?' Ananya said out loud as she stepped ahead! She was already freaking out. The bat in the Rana's friend's hand looked bad and she didn't want that to get anywhere near Yuvraj.
`Shut up, bitch!' Rana said out loud. `He is the one who called you a bitch, right Natasha?' he questioned, turning to look at her.
`Yes! This asshole commented on my status. From his friend's profile! And the whole school read it!' Natasha screamed out loud.
`Let's take it easy guys,' Yuvraj said.
`I DID IT! Not him!' Ananya said.
`Ohh, chill Ananya. I did it.' Yuvraj said and turned to Rana, `Let the girls go home and we'll talk about this man to man, okay?'
`Talk? I am here to make you apologize to Natasha. . .but not before I beat the shit out of you,' Rana said, stepping closer.
`You so much as touch him and I promise you, you're out of The Bishop Boys tomorrow!' Ananya shouted.
`You think anyone will believe you? After what he did there? No one would! Not in my school! And not in his school... and you fucker! Apologize to her. Right now!'
`I will not,' he said as he stepped up too. He just figured that Rana was scaring him. But apparently he was not. Rana moved a step closer.
`I will just ask you one more time. Apologize.' He shouted again.
`I am not doing it,' he said.
`JUST GO AWAY. Ananya shouted at them.
`Screw you!' Rana said and within a second he pounced on Yuvraj and pinned him to the ground. Ananya screamed out loud and was going to pull Rana back but Natasha held her tight. Ananya swung her hands wildly and got Natasha in the face. Ananya had never thought it would come to this. As she saw Yuvraj being hit in the face, she wished she had never come into these people's lives. She couldn't bear to see him like that. She had pushed Natasha and rushed towards the two boys, fighting. There were punches flying all around the place, and just as she came close, she heard noises in the background.
The Backbenchers: The Extra Class Page 10
