2020 A/N: I'm really sorry for the late update. I don't have any excuses.
Old A/N: Dedication to my 50th follower :) Do check out her works. She's really nice!
09
Oscar Nomination
<unedited>
I slowly made my way through the now memorised corridors. I had been doing this every week in my four months stay here.
I knew it all started as an act, a mission, but now, a sincere and real friendship was between Rohan and I. At first it was awkward to see him all the time in a wife beater and sweatpants. He didn't care about me since obviously his roommate was a guy. It was even awkward when he put his hands over my shoulder as if I was his mobile pillar of support. He put it because I was a guy and guys don't freak out when their fellow mates put their hands around them. And by now, all my senses had died.
Rohan was still not downright talkative. Hey, that kid was an introvert all his life and just because I came and helped him come out of his shell doesn't mean that he is suddenly a super confident extrovert, the life of a party. He talked to the other guys, laughed at their jokes, tried to make his own jokes and he was taking some initiative. He was improving. And suddenly something hit me.
My mission was over.
Wow. My mission was done.
My mission was done. Finished. Completed. Accomplished.
And for once I didn't feel silly to say that my "mission" was finished. I had proved to my father that Rohan was normal.
I won. We won.
But instead of a triumphant smile, I felt a sting in my eyes. I sniffed as I tried to wipe the colourless liquid from my eye tips without looking obvious.
Guess someone was peeling onions nearby.
And before I knew, I was standing in front of a big oak door with the metal board "PRINCIPAL" screwed to it.
I knocked even though Uncle knew I was coming there right now. But unlike the other visits, I wasn't in a cheerful mood to boost Rohan's improvement. Even without me reporting, he would know everything since he has asked Snape's doppelganger (remember? Our homeroom teacher. Ring a bell? Yeah that guy) to keep an eye. It seemed like he was Uncle's trusted right hand man and in fact he knew I was a girl. He updated Uncle with all the happenings which Uncle delivers to Rohan's dad.
By now, Uncle would know Rohan was okay. He doesn't need me here anymore.
"Come in," said a gruff voice pulling me from my conflicted thoughts.
I opened the door, surprised, since his secretary was the one who always opens the door.
I looked at her empty seat as I stepped in. Uncle's eyes travelled to where I was seeing and he smiled.
"Took a leave," he said mildly, the smile deepening the wrinkles on his face.
I didn't smile back.
Vimal Uncle gave me another smile before he stood from his chair and came towards me. He rested a hand on my left shoulder, his deep brown eyes boring into my black ones.
"Raj"— Snape's doppelganger —" has said that Rohan has improved tremendously.."
I nodded.
"... and that he has new friends."
I nodded again, pressing my toe to the ground so as to control the quiver in my lips.
"Rohit and Rohan seem really close."
Well, not as close as Rohan and I. But I didn't dare say that.
"Yes," I replied dryly.
Vimal Uncle smiled at me proudly. "Guess you've finished what you came here for. To be honest, I didn't expect any turnover by this act but you actually did it!"
I didn't open my mouth.
But he continued.
"Arun seems really worried and since the job is done, why don't you return?"
I gritted my teeth as I took a quick breath to calm my nerves.
"Are you saying I have to leave?"
My voice cracked but Uncle didn't notice it. Why are adults so ignorant?
"Haha yes, my child," he said sounding overjoyed. "You never liked coming here. Now, I saw your face four months back when I proposed this idea. And Rohan's father thinks he is wasting an innocent girl's life by this. So here's your release. You can go home!"
He was the once who sounded like a little kid going to Disneyland. He was the one who looked all happy and giddy. He was the one who was pressing my shoulders unable to contain the excitement. And I just sat there, eyes on his face, face devoid of any emotions, hands clutched and jaw grinding.
It was only after two minutes or so that he noticed my silence. The pressure clutching my left shoulder loosened and so did the happiness in his face.
He looked at me and I knew he knew it.
"Uthra.." he dragged in disbelief.
Vimal Uncle was the next man I loved, after my father and Jeremy since I never had any relatives. He was there when my mother's family disowned her for marrying my father. They both were rich. Yet it was another modern day Romeo and Juliet story. He was there during situations where blood related uncle were required. And he was there when we went bankrupt.
I can tell him.
"I don't want to go," I said point blank.
Uncle's hand retrieved from my shoulder to rest on the bridge of his huge nose.
"Uthra," he said slowly, "what you are asking isn't practical."
Practical?
I let out a boisterous, sarcastic laugh.
"Practical?" I spat out sarcastically. I know I was being rude but yeah, whatever.
"I was forced to join an all boys school. That isn't practical. And that too for the sake of a socially awkward kid. That isn't practical. Moreover I was assigned as a boy's roommate. That isn't practical. But it all happened! Now, you're trying to tell me that me wishing to stay with a boy I came to love as my best friend is impractical?"
I heaved hard because of the scorching anger and because of the impact of the words.
Vimal Uncle looked taken aback and it took him a moment to regain his composure.
"Uthra— honey, I know I made you do all that. But this is your life! You can't graduate as a guy. It can't go like that! Think dear.." He looked at me sympathetically.
What he said seriously came as a slap to me.
If I graduate from this school, I should be a guy at college, a guy at work... a guy... I can't escape and lie forever. And it's not like I can survive that long. Every lie comes to light. But at that age, it would be an offensive crime. They won't let me off the hook since I won't be a teenager then. A minor.
And whoa, to say the impact of the situation crushed me was the understatement of the year.
And suddenly a crazy idea flashed in my mind.
"What about—" I sounded so desperate, "What about I just stay here till the end of the year?"
"Uthra," Vimal Uncle started but I interrupted him.
"I DID EVERYTHING I CAN!" I shouted desperately, tears sprinkled from my eyes, my girl voice out for everyone to hear. "Can't I have a single wish?"
Vimal Uncle's sympathetic face didn't change.
And that's when I got angry.
"How can you adults be so selfish?" I asked angrily, "My own father didn't go against the world to stop me from dressing as a boy. Even though it was crazy beyond imagination, you proposed this idea. And Rohan's dad-—he let me go, do everything and now, he dare thinks this wasted my life? Are you gents freaking kidding me?!"
And after my hot as lava angry speech, Vimal Uncle's face turned from sympathy to shame.
"Just four more months," I whispered.
I knew I wouldn't be satisfied by four months but asking forever would be too much. It sounded greedy even to my mind.
"Eleventh grade ends in four months. Then I'll leave this school, my friends and my best friend Rohan or job, as you adults say," I added sarcastically, "and I'll pretend that none of this ever happened. I gave you people what you wanted. Now, please... please give me what I want."
Can't a girl wish..?
Vimal Uncle lowered his head and for the next five minutes, only the tapping of his right forefinger on the table was the only movement in the entire room.
With a sigh, he looked up and I could see the resolve faltering in his eyes.
Yes!
"Four months," he said, a protective yet stern voice on display.
"Four months," I agreed nodding.
"And no amount of smart talk would allow you to sta—"
Knock knock.
We both froze.
After that initial moment of shock, I quickly wiped my face and patted my face to bring some colour to it. With my shirt sleeve, I wiped my eyes, hoping they didn't look puffy.
Uncle, who was by now back to his seat, cast a glance at me and seeing that I didn't look suspicious, took an inaudible breath.
"Come in," he said as sternly as possible.
I waited with batted breath to see the intruder. I seriously hoped he didn't hear the commotion that was going in here a few moments ago. Especially... my girl voice.
Hrithik anna's head looked from behind the door, smiling.
"Did I interrupt something?" He asked in a cherry tone as he walked inside.
I tried to read is his face to see if I could see any traces that showed that he had heard anything.
But there was no trace. Which only left two options. Either he was a very good actor deserving an Oscar or he didn't hear anything.
"Yes?" Uncle's tone surprised me.
He was always my goofy uncle and always behaved like that to me. But in front of Hrithik anna I could see that he was a Principal, not my uncle.
Since Hrithik anna who was the Student President wouldn't come here for a petty talk, I decided to leave since it would be indecent to sit in someone's conversation.
I stood up with a parting smile.
"Then I'll be going, Un— sir," I corrected since no one knew I was related to the school's owner.
He gave me a curt nod but I could see the warmth in his eyes. Hrithik anna gave me his normal friendly grin before he turned to Uncle and started talking.
I exited the room.
The last few days were hectic excluding the tests and school work. My father getting all worked up, now Uncle proposing that I should leave and the huge heart attack in the form of Hrithik anna knocking the door in between an argument all seemed to drain me suddenly.
I came here during the recess before the last period. But I noticed that all my class guys were running laps around the ground since it was PE now.
The coach wouldn't notice if I slipped in right?
"TEN MORE LAPS!" Coach screamed at the top of his voice and even the most athletic guys groaned.
When they were coming near the place where I was standing, I joined in.
And Rohan somehow managed to come and run beside me.
"How did you come here?" I asked.
"Where did you go?" he asked instead.
"To the bathroom," I lied, unnerving. Lying has become my second best friend.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
*
*
*
By the time we finished the laps, I was puffing and gasping. Blood was rushing in my ears and my heart felt like it would jump straight from my chest. We didn't play at all in this PE. We just ran laps.
All the guys slumped on the ground not minding where they were and sunk their head in between their outstretched legs.
I did the same too.
*
*
*
Where the hell did Rohan go?
I stomped my foot as I walked as fast as my legs would carry me through the corridors. It was time for dinner and he was nowhere.
"Yo," a familiar voice came from behind me.
I wasn't actually happy to see Hrithik anna now, to be honest.
"Anna," I said, flashing a fake smile.
My eyes still searched his face to see if he had heard anything. But his face was normal.
Oh well, Uncle took more than five minutes to decide. So I think it's quite unlikely to think that he heard the conversation. As far as I know, he's not known for eavesdropping.
He smiled as he walked along with me. It was strange to see him alone, without Karan anna following around.
"I saw that Coach sucked the living soul outta you guys with his laps," he stated, laughing heartily.
I laughed too.
"Yep."
"Twelve laps," Hrithik anna said, a mixture of shock and sympathy in his voice.
"Haha yes," I said as I still ran my eyes around the place to locate Rohan.
"How did you manage it?"
"What?" I asked.
I looked up at Hrithik anna's face and that's when I realised that something, which was always there, was missing.
His down-to-earth smile.
He looked down at me and wow, I've never seen Hrithik anna like this. Ever.
In the moonlight, with his stony glare, he looked like he was ready to kill me.
"You know," Hrithik anna said coolly, "being a girl and all."
Guess option one was correct. He absolutely deserves an Oscar.
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A cliffhanger?! Well, I could say it is one ;) Whatd'ya think about what Vimal Uncle said? About Uthra's rude speech? And mainly about Hrithik anna's statement?!
I'd seriously love to hear it! And please, this story is a contestant in the competition hosted by RamblingBrooks and there is still about 2 to 3 days before the result for the result.
SO PLEASE VOTE! Thanks :)
With love,
Kai.