In the next few days, the students were busy with the preparation of the annual function.
Sanjana and Karan were in the auditorium with many other students. They were painting the banners together but at the same time giggling and laughing with each other.
Rahul along with Suresh came to them.
Rahul: (seeing Sanjana) "Hello Super Girl!"
Sanjana: (confused) "Super Girl?"
Karan: (chuckled) "That's because of how you beat him the other day."
Sanjana realized and walked closer to Rahul.
Rahul: (holding his hands up in defense) "What is it?"
Sanjana: (apologetic) "I'm sorry for that day...Did it hurt a lot?"
Sanjana patted Rahul's shoulder.
Rahul: (smiling widely) "It hurts a little bit. But it will go away if you go out with me."
Sanjana chuckled at his statement.
Sanjana: "Okay, let's go for a movie tomorrow."
Rahul: (excited) "Okay!!"
Karan: (pouting) "What about me?"
Sanjana turned around to see Karan's puppy dog eyes.
Rahul: "Hey! You are always with her!"
Karan: (shrugging his shoulders) "Yeah, yeah, okay..."
After a bit of chatting, they went back to their work.
Sanjana saw Karan engrossed in his work. Suddenly an idea popped into her mind and she smiled to herself.
She took her brush which had black paint on it and stroked it on Karan's hand. Karan looked at Sanjana, only to find her giggling innocently.
Karan had a poker face which worried Sanjana.
Sanjana: "Are you mad? I was just joking."
Then, suddenly Karan snatched her brush and stroked her right cheek with the black paint.
Sanjana: (rubbing off the paint) "Hey!!"
Karan laughed at her. Sanjana tried to take the brush from his hand, but Karan pulled his hand up out of her reach.
Sanjana held Karan's shoulder with one hand while she jumped to reach the brush with her other hand.
Sanjana: (giggling) "Give it back..."
Karan: (looking up at Sanjana's hand trying to reach the brush) "No... you started it..."
Karan looked down only to realize how close they were standing and Sanjana's face was just inches away from his as she was standing on her toes. Sanjana did not realize the closeness. Sanjana jumped a little and her cheek brushed against Karan's nose. Karan brought his hand a little down and Sanjana grabbed the brush and moved back.
Sanjana: (smiling widely) "See, I won!"
Sanjana was giggling looking at Karan, oblivious to his heart racing in his chest.
Pooja and Neena were standing at a distance, helping with the decorations. But Pooja always had her eyes on Karan and Sanjana. Her blood boiled seeing them hugging each other.
Pooja: (through gritted teeth) "This Sanjana is going out of hands!"
Neena turned around to look at Sanjana and Karan.
Neena: "Well, I think they look good together."
Pooja: (glaring at Neena) "Shut up!"
Neena: (sighing) "Pooja, I think you should look for someone else instead of obsessing over Karan. I know someone. He's the topper of our school and a total hottie. I think you should approach him."
Pooja: (looking at Karan) "I'm not interested in anyone other than Karan. I don't care if you call this obsession but I don't want anyone other than Karan. He was my first love."
Neena shook her head in disbelief and focussed back on her work.
Two days later...
Sanjana was standing in front of the boys' changing room, leaning against the wall. After a few moments, the boys started coming out one by one, wearing jerseys, ready to go for the practice.
Sanjana looked at them exiting the room, searching for someone.
Rahul came out with Suresh and immediately noticed Sanjana.
Rahul: (walking near her) "Sanjana? What are you doing here?"
Sanjana: (looked down, feeling embarrassed) "I was..."
Rahul: (smirking) "Did you come to see the boys changing their clothes?"
Sanjana immediately shook her head in a no.
Sanjana: (face turning red) "What are you saying?? I would never do that!!"
But Rahul continued to tease her.
Karan came out of the room and his eyes fell on Rahul, Suresh, and the small familiar figure covered by their large bodies.
Karan: (walking closer to them) "Sanjana? Why are you here?"
Sanjana: (relieved to see Karan) "Oh, Karan..."
Rahul: (smirking) "She came to see us half naked!"
Sanjana: "NO! THAT'S NOT IT!"
Karan stood beside Sanjana and turned to Rahul.
Karan: "Stop teasing her Rahul. Go to the field. I'm coming."
Rahul gave Sanjana a cheeky smile and went away with Suresh.
Karan: (turning to Sanjana) "You wanted to say something to me?"
Sanjana leaned against the wall and looked down, nodding her head. Karan placed a hand on the wall beside her head and leaned a little closer.
Karan: (softly) "What is it?"
Sanjana: (fidgeting with her fingers) "Can we go to the café today?"
Karan chuckled.
Karan: (moving away) "Of course! "
Sanjana smiled sweetly at him and nodded her head.
Karan: (ruffling her hair) "Then I'm going for the practice. Meet you at the café."
Karan was about to go but Sanjana's voice stopped him.
Sanjana: "Karan, wait!"
Karan looked at her.
Sanjana: (face turning red) "I have something important to tell you."
Karan: (confused) "What is it?"
Sanjana: (shaking her head) "Not now! I'll tell you when we meet at the café. Please come to the café."
Karan: (reassuring smile) "Don't worry! I'll surely come."
Karan brushed his fingers on Sanjana's cheek and smiled.
Sanjana's face turned redder at the sudden touch of his long and soft fingers.
Karan: "I'll go now."
Sanjana nodded and Karan walked away from there. Sanjana kept staring at his retreating back, her heart racing in her chest.
It was almost 6 pm. Sanjana entered the café wearing the peach-colored floral dress that Karan bought for her and took a seat at an empty table.
Waiter: (approaching her table) "What can I get for you, ma'am?"
Sanjana: "I'm waiting for someone. I'll order when he comes."
Waiter: "Okay ma'am."
After the waiter went away, Sanjana took out her phone and texted Karan.
(TEXT)
Sanjana: "I'm at the café."
Karan replied to her immediately.
Karan: "I'm done here. I'll reach in 5 minutes."
Sanjana: "Okay, no hurry!"
Karan was in the changing room, wearing only his jeans. Karan smiled at the phone after keeping it away.
Then suddenly, a boy screamed loudly.
Boy: (surprised) "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE???"
Karan turned to the door only to find Pooja leaning against the door frame with her arms crossed above her chest.
Karan: (stern voice) "It's a Boy's changing room!"
Pooja: (looking at Karan) "Everyone get out! I want to talk to Karan...alone."
The boys looked at each other, not moving from their places.
Pooja: (getting irritated) "I SAID OUT! EVERYONE!"
Karan gestured to Rahul to get everyone out.
Rahul: "Guys, let's go out."
The boys, after hesitating a lot, exited the room.
Karan: (turning towards his locker) "What is it?"
Pooja smirked and walked towards him. Karan turned towards her. Standing before him, she placed one hand on Karan's bare chest and the other caressed his face. Karan looked at her with an expressionless face.
Pooja: (looking at him seductively) "What are you doing with a loser like Sanjana? Don't you think you should be with me?"
Pooja brought her face closer to his, nose touching.
Karan: (looking into her eyes) "Wasn't it you who rejected me first?"
Pooja: (looking at his lips) "I just wanted to play hard to get." (Looking back into his eyes) "So, leave Sanjana and date me instead."
Finishing her words, Pooja crashed her lips on Karan's. She started moving her lips against his but Karan did not respond.
He was hesitating. His mind was in a conflict. His hands formed fists on his side.
'Why am I hesitating so much? Why am I having second thoughts? Isn't this what I wanted from the beginning to date Pooja? Isn't this why I approached Sanjana in the first place, then why?'
Pooja parted her lips and moved away from Karan. Karan looked down at his feet and closed his eyes to get rid of the turmoil in his head.
Pooja: (getting angry) "Why aren't you kissing me back? Forget about her! She is nothing compared to me! I'm accepting your confession now. Let's date!"
Karan kept looking down. Pooja was getting frustrated.
Pooja: "Make the decision now. Kiss me...if you want to date me...or else..."
Karan looked up and let go of his fists. He walked to her, pulled her by her waist, and placed his lips on hers. Pooja smirked to herself and kissed him back.
Karan pulled her even closer and deepened the kiss. Pooja entangled her fingers through his silky hair.
Sanjana looked at the clock. It was 6:13 p.m.
Sanjana looked at the door and decided to text him.
TEXT: "Did something come up?"
She waited but no reply came from the other side.
It was 6:30 p.m. Every time the bell on the door chimed, Sanjana's anticipation made her restless, but the person was never Karan.
'Should I call him?'
'Maybe I should wait a little longer. He must be stuck somewhere.'
One hour passed.
Sanjana sighed and decided to call Karan.
"The number you're trying to reach is currently switched off..."
Sanjana looked at the phone screen.
'Switched off? What happened Karan?'
Another hour passed away. Sanjana sat at the table, glancing at the door, with her hopeful eyes. There were two empty mugs in front of her.
Sanjana called again but Karan's phone was still turned off.
It was 9 pm. The café was empty. It was nearly the closing time.
Waiter: (walking to Sanjana's table) "Ma'am, it's the closing time."
Sanjana: (pleading eyes) "Can you wait a little bit longer, please?"
Waiter: (helpless) "I'm sorry ma'am. We need to close the shop now."
Sanjana sighed and got up from her seat. She came out of the shop and texted Karan.
TEXT: "I waited for you but you didn't come. Did something happen? Your phone is also switched off. Please call me when you get this message. I'm worried about you."
Sanjana looked down at her feet.
'It must be something important. Karan is not someone to ditch me like that.'