Anyone Else But You... (20 page)

“
Arre o Sambha, main toh senti ho gya re!
” Jai exclaimed. His remarks drew large rounds of laughter and sniggered comments from those around him.

“One
chutiya
joins forces with another
chutiya,
” Jai laughed. “Expect
Kaun Banega Chutiya
next, eh?”

Rishav and Siddhant couldn’t come up with a reply quick enough. But someone else did.

Tired of over hearing constant jibes at someone who meant a lot to her and fed up with Jai’s arrogance, Sahana couldn’t take a word more.

She walked and stood in front of Jai with her hands tightly crossed in front of her.

“You son of a dog,” she said in almost a whisper. “You are worse than the fungus that grows after a street dog pees on an electric pole. And don’t you DARE COME NEAR THEM AGAIN. YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND?”She screamed the last bit while pushing Jai violently.

Jai fell back and tripped on a stone and landed with a thump on the ground.

“He gets enough attention already,” Sahana said to Rishav and Siddhant. “I don’t think you need to feed that ego anymore. Bloody scum. Let’s just get out of here okay?” she tugged Rishav as she walked away from that place.

Hardik whispered into Jai’s ears, “
Tera toh katta ho gya!”

Jai changed into a deeper tone of red after the initial redness due to those heavy slaps across his face. “Fuck you
bhenchods
!” he shouted and stormed off.

*

“I appreciate what you did for me but never ever do this okay?” Rishav curtly pointed out to a visibly angry Sahana.

“Do what? That asshole deserved a kick on the crotch. But then I would’ve had to dirty my shoes you know. Had I stood there for a second more, I would’ve done that too, you know.” she said as though it was a matter of fact. But Rishav could sense how angry she was.

“Calm down Sahana, it doesn’t matter.”

“Maybe not to you, but for me, yes. My friend’s insult is my insult. For once, quit being such a girl and go and confront him.”

“Why should I? Isn’t he miserable enough already? Can’t you see the freakin’ insecurity in his eyes? Ever since he’s lost his mom – he remains insecure about everything that money can’t buy. Sympathise with him Sahana,” Rishav plead.

“My sympathies are not sold on the pavement; I have none for the likes of Jai and Co. who think that the world is under their feet because of fuckin’ money in their pockets,” Sahana had got hyper and that meant more swinging of arms and more neck movements.

“I see your point, but…”

“No, you don’t see my point. If you did, you would have supported me rather than being such a loser about it,” she said. She was pacing the floor of their empty classroom. It was a PT period and all but two of them had gone outside to sweat it out in the Sun.

“I do support you but tell me something, the truth will always remain the truth wouldn’t it? Jai saying things about me that intend to hurt me would just be
opinions
and opinions in no way influence the truth,” he said calmly.

“They do, you big dumbass! They make the reality appear differently. And that is exactly what you should challenge.”

“Sahana, we clearly differ in our point of view, could we not talk about it? Please?” he asked.

“No, if you want it to happen then clearly we need to resolve these issues. I don’t want to be seen around with a sissy. You can’t stand up for yourself, how would you ever stand up for me?” she charged at him.

“Lower your voice…” Rishav hissed. “There are classes going on here and besides, I
am
the Head Boy right? Jai can do nothing about it, he knows that and everyone does. So why should I respond unnecessarily?”

Sahana didn’t reply. She was still burning with rage. Some kind of silence transcended upon them and that silence sent both of them into realization mode and the much sought after realization did strike after all.

“Listen, I am really glad you did that for me. But Siddhant was already there. Why exactly did you do that?”Rishav asked her in a sweet whisper as he put his hand on her arm.

Sahana took his hand from her arm and placed it in her hand.

“Get up,” she said.

“Why?” he asked as he got up. He could feel the goose bumps on his neck.

“Come here,” she said as she hugged him tightly.

Rishav put his hands on her back and held tightly.

They stood like that for how long, Rishav didn’t know. But he didn’t want to let go.

“Now let me go, you idiot,” Sahana said laughing.

Sahana kissed his neck and pulled out her arms. Rishav placed a kiss on her cheek. He could see that her face was completely red.

“Feel
le li
?”Sahana said, putting her tongue out.

“Oh yes,” Rishav slyly smiled.

NINE
TEEN

“Sahana, I have been assigned duty today, won’t be in class. Mind taking down the notes for me please?” Rishav asked while he dumped his bag on top of his desk in haste.

“What duty?” she asked.

She had washed her hair; it was left open. Rishav
gawked at
her for a few seconds. She wasn’t conventionally the most beautiful around but wasn’t someone who wouldn’t catch your eye either.
She looks stunning
, he thought.

“Yeah yeah, stop gazing at my pretty face. I know I look good today,” she teased. “What duty?” she asked again.

“Some French Exchange programme,” he said. “
I have to stand there beside
A. Chandrashekhar, all the while he goes about with his long speech and then I also have to ensure that everyone’s on duty and that no-one’s making out in the green room.”

He smirked when he said
making out
. Sahana looked at him with a wry smile, “I have a cold today.”

“So?” Rishav asked. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Just like that,” she replied. “I just wanted you to know.”

“Hmm…so will you or will you not?” he pinned his badge that read
Head Boy
next to his name.

“Of course not!” Sahana hissed.

“You won’t take down notes for me?” he re-checked.

“Notes? Huh?” she was thinking of something else. It was pretty evident to Rishav from the way she replied but he chose to act dumb for the time being. “Notes? Yeah of course, I shall take down your notes!” she fumbled while she spoke.

“Then what was the no for?” he asked.

“Umm…nevermind! So? You have to go right?”

“Yeah, in about five minutes,” he said hesitantly.

“Cool. Why five minutes? Go now,” she replied.

“You have a problem if I wait for five minutes?”

“Umm…for what exactly?”

“I dunno. Just like that, talk to you maybe?” Rishav shrugged.

“I see, couldn’t you realize that before you took up your goddamn duty? Huh?” she sounded pissed.

“Sahana, it’s
my duty
, I can’t run away from it. I need to prove that I am better that Jai.”

“Yes, that’s all you care about- proving to the world that you aren’t a loser. Eh?”

“Oh God! Here you go again…Sahana try to understand my perspective.” He
tried convincing her, but in vain.

“Nopes, there’s no need. It’s okay Rishav.
Your five minutes are up really and if you don’t mind I need to put my head down and sleep, so bye!” she rested her head on the desk. She looked in the other direction.

“Sahana? Angry?” he gently caressed her hair.

“No, just go now okay?” she pushed his hand away.

“I’ll miss you, see you later,” he said as he retracted and turned around to leave.

She didn’t reply.
Women,
Rishav thought.

*

“Hello Muskaan, how do you do?”
the Chairman guffawed without any reason.

“I am good Sir, how are you?” she bent her knees slightly to greet him.

“Sit, sit,” said
Kalsi
, popping a biscuit in her mouth.

“And you called for me? For?” Muskaan inquired.

“
Wanted to know about Socialact Wave, I’ve heard that we’ve got sponsorships double the amount this year?” the Chairman asked.

“Indeed sir. We have. And thanks to the ever patronizing Veer
Chauhan
, he nearly paid up seventy percent of the total amount,” she took great care to ensure that every word that left her mouth was politically correct.

“Old Veer eh?” the Chairman chuckled. “Came to me once searching for a job, his IIT degree was taking him nowhere. I got him associated with this Heeru Balwani guy. Now look where Veer is,” there was a hint of arrogance in A.Chandrashekhar’s voice.

Both
Kalsi
and Muskaan nodded upon hearing what he had to say.

“So, Veer’s son…what’s his name again, erm?” he tried recollecting the name.

“…Jai!” He said. “Yes, so is
Jai
being well looked after?”

“Yes he is. He is one of our Head Boys this year,” that often missing smile was now
Bindu
Kalsi
’s face.

“Head Boy, that’s great news. But two? Why
Bindu
?” he asked her directly.

“It’s partly my decision Sir,” Muskaan intervened.