It had been one hour since the test started. Sooraj completed his paper first and looked at Sanjana. She was still writing.
Teacher: (sitting at her desk) "Those who have completed their paper submit it and go outside."
Sooraj got up from his seat and submitting the paper went outside.
Sanjana looked at him exiting the room. Then she saw Pooja standing up from her seat. She looked at Sanjana and smirked. Submitting the paper, she went out of the class. Sanjana sighed looking at her unfinished paper.
Pooja came out of the class and saw Sooraj leaning against the wall beside the door.
Pooja: (coming beside him) "I see, you're good at studies too...my ideal type..."
Sooraj ignored her and looked back at the classroom towards Sanjana.
Pooja: (looking at Sanjana) "You shouldn't hang out with a loser like Sanjana."
Sooraj: (glaring at her) "I get to decide with whom I'll hang out. You don't have a say in that."
Pooja: (scoffing) "Why are you always talking to me like this?"
Sooraj: "Because I don't like you at all! So, stay away from me!"
Pooja: (through gritted teeth) "Are you rejecting me right now?"
Sooraj: (shrugging his shoulders) "So, you do have a brain to understand that."
Pooja: "Listen you- "
Sanjana: (coming out of the class) "Sooraj?"
Both Pooja and Sooraj turned towards her.
Sooraj: (taking Sanjana's hand) "Let's go to the cafeteria. It'll be lunchtime soon."
They were about to walk away when Pooja grabbed Sooraj's arm.
Pooja: (glaring at him) "I'm not done talking to you."
Sooraj: (glaring back) "But I don't have any interest in talking to you."
Sooraj walked away from there with Sanjana.
Sooraj and Sanjana were having lunch on the terrace.
Sanjana: (looking down) "You didn't ask about how my test was?"
Sooraj: "Do you want to talk about it?"
Sanjana: (shaking her head) "No..."
Sooraj: "Then, I guess I shouldn't ask."
Before school ended, the teacher came to the class to declare the results of the surprise test.
Teacher: (sighing) "Most of you didn't do well on the test. You need to study hard. Focus on your studies."
Pooja: (after getting the paper) "Shit! I made a silly mistake! I should've easily got full marks."
Teacher: "Go through your papers and see where you made mistakes."
Pooja: (raising her hand) "Ma'am?"
Teacher: (looking at her) "Yes, Pooja?"
Pooja: "Did anyone get full marks?"
Teacher: "Oh, yes! I think it was..."
Sooraj raised his hand.
Teacher: (looking at Sooraj) "Yes, it was Sooraj! He got full marks. Great work, Sooraj!"
Sooraj gave her a bright smile. But Pooja glared at him and sat down.
Kaira: "Hey, Pooja, he is great at studies..."
Pooja: "Shut up!"
'How did he score higher than me?' She thought balling her palms into fists.
Sanjana looked back at her paper. The sudden feeling of insecurity enveloped her.
'I just barely passed. What am I even doing with such a good student like Sooraj? It's not my place to hang out with him.'
The bell rang and the teacher, packing her things, went out of the classroom.
The girls flocked around Sooraj.
Girl1: "Wow, Sooraj! You're so smart!"
Sooraj: (smiling) "Thanks. The questions were easy, though."
Girl2: "Can you teach me? I'm having some problems."
Girl3: "Me too."
Girl4: "Me too."
Sanjana looked at him and smiled sadly. She packed her bag and stood up.
Sooraj noticed Sanjana walking out of the class.
Sooraj: (picking up his bag) "I'm sorry but I need to go. I'll talk to you all later."
Sooraj ran after Sanjana.
Sooraj: (grabbing her hand) "Hey...why are you leaving alone?"
Sanjana: (pulling her hand back) "Because...I...we're different, Sooraj."
Sooraj: (confused) "What?"
Sanjana: (looking down) "You are smart, Sooraj...you're a topper...but I'm a below-average student."
Sooraj: (furrowing his eyebrows) "What are you saying, Sanjana?"
Sanjana: (holding back her tears) "We shouldn't hang out together, Sooraj."
Sooraj: (perplexed) "Why are you saying this?"
Sanjana: (biting her lip) "I need to go..."
Sanjana turned around and walked away from there.
Sooraj was about to go after her but Pooja held his arm and made him face her.
Pooja: "Leave her! She just found out her place! She realized that she doesn't belong with you!"
Sooraj: (jerking away her hand) "Stay away from me!"
Sooraj ran after Sanjana.
Sanjana was exiting the school gate, wiping away her tears which kept flowing down her eyes. Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand and twirled her around making her bump into a hard chest.
She looked up to see Sooraj.
Sanjana: (trying to move back) "Sooraj, leave me!"
Sooraj: (tightening his grip) "Are you upset about the test?"
Sanjana: (struggling) "Leave me, Sooraj!"
Sooraj: "Are you thinking that you don't belong with me?"
Sanjana: (looking around) "Everyone's watching, Sooraj, leave me!"
Sooraj held her hand tightly and dragged her to the back of the building.
Sooraj: (grabbing her shoulders) "Answer me, Sanjana!"
Sanjana: "Yes, I'm thinking that! I feel insecure around you! I feel incompetent around you! You're so smart and I...I failed in my previous class Sooraj...I'm not supposed to study in this class...I'm here just because of my father's money...I'm a failure, Sooraj...I can't do anything...I'm a disgrace to my family...I..."
Sanjana started sobbing again.
Sooraj: "No, you're not Sanjana..."
Sanjana looked at his eyes which held the glimmer of sadness.
Sooraj: "If you want, you can do it. Why are you thinking so low of yourself?"
Sanjana: (sniffing) "Everyone says that...that I can't do anything...that I can't be like Pooja...ever..."
Sooraj: "Who told you to be like her? You don't have to be like her. You're Sanjana! Your name is Sanjana! Not Pooja. You don't have to be like anyone. You just have to be yourself. You have to be Sanjana."
Sanjana: (shaking her head) "No, I don't want to be Sanjana. No one likes her. She can't do anything. She is a failure. No one needs her. Everyone hates her."
Sooraj: (wiping her tears) "Don't think about others. Think about yourself."
Sooraj turned Sanjana around and made her face towards the mirrored window of the building.
Sooraj: (from her back) "If you think no one needs you then...look up Sanjana..."
Sanjana lifted her head and saw her reflection in the huge glass window.
Sooraj: (continuing) "Did you see it? The person you see there needs you the most."
The reflection looked so broken.
Sooraj: "She is in a mess right now. She needs you to care about her. She needs you to think about her. She needs you to love her. Only you can help her."
Sanjana did not say anything. She just listened to Sooraj's words and stared at her broken self.
Sooraj: (coming in front of her) "Now, listen to me, Sanjana. Whatever other people say, whatever this world tells you, don't listen to them because you are the best to me just the way you are. You don't have to be anyone in front of me. I believe in you. I believe you can do it. I believe you can overcome your insecurities. I believe you can be a better student. You just have to work a little harder. You have to learn to believe in yourself. Sometimes you might get tired or sick of everything. But it's okay because I'll always be by your side. This road might be long and arduous but I will stay with you. You'll always find me by your side. I know you can do it."
Sanjana, who was staring into his eyes while listening to his words, finally spoke up.
Sanjana: (wiping her tears) "But how? There's not much time left before the mid-term exams."
Sooraj: "You have me, Sanjana. I'll help you in every way possible."
Sanjana: (shaking her head) "No...I don't want to be a burden to anyone."
Sooraj: (smiling softly) "You'll never be a burden, Sanjana. I want to help you."
Looking at his eyes, Sanjana's mind was in a conflict. She did not know what she should do.
'Should I try reaching him? Or should I stay where I am now?'