Sunday. Indu was up finishing her assignments, as Sunday nights usually went. She sat down on her bed, having come inside the room after finishing her dinner. She opened her classwork and her laptop, determined to start her work. But her thoughts kept going back to the weirdness of her week. Sameera was speaking with Raghav and Nur again, but she had been doing her best to talk to her as well. Things seemed happier. But Indu had a creeping feeling of discomfort every single day. Sameera seemed to have lost all her energy. She didn't talk as much, good or bad. She avoided talking about Raghav and constantly seemed to keep everyone at an arm's length. The smile that Indu had seen had also been replaced with a more artificial, stage-like smile.
Indu glanced at the clock and had to do a double-take. It was already 2 am, and the assignment for biology was still half-done in front of her. She realised with a start that she had spent almost 45 minutes mulling over this new situation with Sam. She vigorously shook her head, went to the kitchen and poured herself another cup of coffee, and dived deep into her work. It was refreshing, not having any thoughts other than her work, and biology was a favourite - the work got done by 3:30. As she closed her books, she prayed her mind would allow her to rest when her head hit the pillow.
Sameera was sitting in her usual place the next morning when Indu boarded the bus. A small smile and a single movement of the hand were her acknowledgement of Indu's arrival. Indu reciprocated and sat in her seat as well. She turned back and saw Sameera's legs shuddering, and her eyebrows furrowed in worry. When they reached school, Indu waited for Sameera to get down, so she could ask if anything was wrong. She had been wanting to do that for the past few days, anyway. But to her surprise, Sameera saw her at the foot of the bus and brushed past her, in a great hurry. She saw her run up to Nur and Raghav, who were sitting together at the far end of the field. Indu worried for her physical health as well, since she could swear she had seen Sameera having a completely flushed and sweaty face. Well, she'd have to wait till class then.
Sameera was, in fact, slightly ill. She had come down with a mild fever the last night but insisted on going to school that day. It had to be Monday. She had to do it now. So she got up early and, through the chill, did herself up even more prettily, choosing to remember each thing that Raghav said he liked, and doing away with everything that Raghav had ever criticised. Her hair was up in a small ponytail, perfectly slicked back. Her lips were a tint of peach, the shade that she had worn when Raghav had once complimented her. Small but delicate pearl earrings - the real deal, of course. She painted her nails as well, though she knew the school would punish her for them. She added a flush of pink to her cheeks, disregarding the growing hotness in them. Tucking in her skirt, she decided to show her freshly shaved legs off. Even her droopy eyelids got adequate attention, with a slight brown eyeshadow that enhanced her crease and winged eyeliner.
The bus ride had been hard, as her body was desperate to fall asleep, but she could not - not today. She had to look and be perfect when she reached school. No drool on her face, no smudged eyeliner or lipstick. She had noticed Indu look back at her several times, obviously concerned. It somehow put her mind at ease, even if it was by a fraction. When the school building came into sight, however - there was no way she could put her beating heart down. She was quite sure that all those around her were able to hear her heart perfectly.
She got down in a hurry, mind focused on finding Raghav. She had barely passed the school gates when her eyes landed on him, and her feet rushed her till there. Her eyes fell on Raghav's face - boyish, yet not so childish that he may be mistaken for one. A few freckles and moles over his face, and of course, the normal teen acne. A cocky smirk forever imprinted on his lips. For joy, for exhilaration, she searched her soul. She waited for the smile to creep up her lips, as it happened in so many movies. It never came. All that came was the mechanical drone of the plan she had drawn up the night before. 'Go talk to him the way you would, Sam. Why are you hesitating?'
So she did. Sat down on the surprisingly dry grass and made her usual small talk.
"Hey Raghav, could you stay in class today for breakfast? I need your help for something." she casually added. Nur caught the slight tremor in her voice.
"Why, ma? Do you need to torture yourself by asking this idiot's help? Ask anybody else. It will be better," Nur replied.
"Oye! I took that personally!" Raghav looked at her in mock disbelief.
"So? I meant for you to take it personally!"
Sameera gave a small laugh, wishing that she could talk with Raghav that casually. It didn't matter now. She'd have plenty of time once she became his girlfriend. Raghav assured her he'd stay back in class, and at the perfect time, the P.E teacher walked up to the front and began lining the students up for assembly.
Sameera's attention was completely elsewhere during the first period. She had the wrong classwork out, made no notes, and once the bell rang, wondered what class they had actually had for the past 40 minutes. Oh no. The bell had already rung. She was positively panting now. She looked around the class, making sure that everyone was going outside. Everyone was rising, except for Indu, who was already opening her box in class. 'Fuck. I forgot she'd be here! I don't want her to see this! She needs to go! Anybody can see this, not her!!' Sameera was almost on the verge of tears now. Her very pupils seemed to be shaking. She practically hissed at Indu, "Indu, Indu, could you please go out today?" It came out much harsher than she meant it to. Indu's eyes widened a bit in shock, then in concern.
"Indu, I really don't have time. I'll tell you later in practice, okay?" She assured, in a softer voice now. Indu's brows furrowed, but she nodded and took her box outside.
Sameera turned to Raghav and gave the widest smile her face would permit her to make. Raghav gave a smaller smile back. Opening her physics book, she flipped to the exercise page of a chapter. She kept her eyes glued to the page, trying to collect her courage. She took a deep breath and looked up.
"Raghav."
"Hmm? You want my help with physics?"
"Ya, no - that was a cover-up... I need to talk to you about something else..."
"Oh, okay!" Raghav said, considerably loosening up. He knew he couldn't help her out with academics, anyway. She was much better than him.
"So, you know how we've been friends for a while now?"
"Yeah, you're pretty okay - sometimes." He raised his eyebrows and glanced at Indu's table. Sameera looked at it too, not able to hold eye contact for too long.
"Ya., I know I get a little crazy when it comes to Indu," she gave a small smile. "Have you... Have you ever wondered why I get that way about Indu?" she asked, eyes still glued to Indu's desk. 'She's gone and left her book her, silly girl. I shouldn't have driven her out in a hurry... She might need the book. Who knows?'
"I mean, you don't exactly have the best impression of her, do you? You don't want me dating someone like her. You've told me this a million times." Raghav said, a little annoyed at the topic of Indu being brought up.
"You don't think there might be... another reason? A more... personal one, perhaps?"
"What do you mean?" Raghav asked, still oblivious.
Sameera tore her eyes away from Indu's desk and turned to Raghav again. "Think, dummy," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. It could have been her tone, or the way she put on a practised face that she had dreamt of putting on for weeks now, but Raghav's eyes finally widened in realisation.
"You don't mean... Do you?" Raghav's forehead lines became clearer by the second. Sameera nodded, confirming his suspicion. "You like me!" His eyes widened, and his mouth formed a little 'o'. "So, you're asking me out?" Raghav questioned. Sameera raised an eyebrow, slightly amused now.
"If you can't tell, yes - I am asking you out." She tilted her head slightly to the side, wondering why her heart was still racing, why she couldn't calm herself down. Raghav, who was sitting in front of her, turned his back to her, in deep thought. Sameera let herself breathe heavily and let the sighs out, now that he wasn't looking at her. Her hands went to her face, and she found her eyes moist. She quickly wiped it dry, when Raghav turned back to her.
"Yes."
Sameera looked him straight in the eye, absolutely shocked. She had hoped for this, yes. But to hear it from him gave her mind an exceeding amount of joy. Her face broke out into a genuine smile and she let out the biggest sigh and slumped into her arms.
"Like, I don't think I like you fully right now - but I don't mind seeing you that way, you know?" Raghav clarified.
"I'm okay with that!" Sameera looked up, still smiling. "But what about Indu, though? Don't you like her?"
"Oh, that... I got over her pretty fast... I just pretended I didn't. I kinda was just proving a point to you?..." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Sameera frowned, and playfully hit him on the arm, "Such an annoying idiot!" she exclaimed.
"Yes, and now you're dating this annoying idiot," Raghav laughed, putting his hand over Sameera's palm.
Sameera immediately pulled her hand away, embarrassed. It was too soon for things like hand-holding, or affection. People were slowly starting to come in now, and Sameera spotted Indu walking in as well. She didn't know why, but she quickly asked Raghav to turn back and act normal. She looked at Indu and waved, as if nothing had happened during breakfast. Indu came up to her desk, still worried.
"Sameera, are you fine? You look sick..." she asked.
"Oh yeah, I'm fine!" Sameera smiled. Raghav immediately turned back at these words.
"Now that I think about it..." He placed the back of his palm on Sameera's forehead, instantly making her heart rate shoot up, and not in a comfortable way. "You have a fever, Sam! Why didn't you tell us?!" he chided her. He offered to take her to the sick room just as Nur walked in.
Sameera begged Nur to take her to the sick room instead of Raghav. This communication was done through her eyes, of course. But it hit its mark.
"Raghav, stop annoying her - I'll take her."
"We both can take her! See, sir is here - go tell him that Sameera's ill and that we will take her to the nurse," he argued. Indu was faster. She quickly went to the teacher as soon as he walked in, and asked to let Sameera go.
The teacher, of course, refused to let Sameera have any escorts. She trudged up the corridors to the nurse's room and received scoldings for even having come to school in this condition. In the school bed, her thoughts roamed, and a smile crept up her face. She'd done it. She had a boyfriend now. No more second thoughts now, Sam.