Somz walked into Anika's room the following morning, she was still in bed, he thought she did look slightly less pale. Somz felt bad. He really didn't expect things to come this far, but then again this was Anne, the gentle, fragile and soft spoken room mate of his - she couldn't have handled it better.
"Anne..?" he whispered softly.
"Hmm.." she snuggled in her sleep.
He tried again, "Anne, will you be coming to college today?" Anika awoke with a start, but she felt very weak. She was deciding whether she would make it to college or not when Somz spoke again.
"Anne, I don't think you should go to college today, take rest and come tomorrow" Anika looked at him uncertainly.
"Why are you being so nice to me suddenly Somz?" she asked suspiciously. Somz couldn't help but laugh.
"Because you told me, you were hooking up with other guys last evening. That puts me back on safe grounds! Hence" he laughed some more.
"What?!?" Anika asked, further confused.
"Arre Anne, I thought you have fallen in love with me or something, you know, after the way you tried to seduce me last Friday with the dress incident!" he replied darkly glancing at her awkwardly.
"Seduce you?" piped Anika uncertainly. Was the fever this bad? Why was her head not functioning properly? She looked confused and looked at Somz for shedding more light into the matter. Somz seemed to read her mind.
"Umm Anika, do you mind clearing this now? Are you fit enough to have a conversation over tea?" he asked cautiously.
"Sure"
Somz got back in the room with two cups of tea, he gave Anika one, and sipped from his cup uncertainly, gathering his thoughts.
"You were saying?" Anika asked curiously.
"Umm..Anne, I can see that staying with me for sometime now, you seemed to have developed genuine feelings for me, but Anne, I never saw you that way - I mean I do love you, but like a sibling - it is not romantic. I got shocked, when you tried to coze up to me that night - hence I reacted badly. But later I understood, we need to talk. We cannot spoil whatever we have because of a small thing like that. Anne, you're with me in this?" he asked softly.
Anika just stared at her in absolute shock. Then it all started slowly registering in her head, Somz really, seriously thought he was a guy? Like this seriously? All of a sudden the revelation explained her behavior completely - she wasn't upset with him anymore, in fact she found it HILARIOUS.
To Somz's surprise, suddenly Anne started shaking on the bed, and then to her amazement, she was trembling in laughter. What was so funny thought Somz in bewilderment. Did the fever muddle Anne's head? He was debating whether to call for a doctor or not, when Anne finally opened her mouth.
"Somz you really really think that I am hitting on you?" and she clutched onto the sides of her stomach laughing hard.
"What's so funny Anne?" replied Somz in irritation.
Anika laughed some more, she was feeling tired now, after all the fever, she felt considerably weakened. Then she stopped and looked at Somz with all sincerity, and gently held her hand.
"Soumya look at yourself properly. Notice yourself. Recognize who you truly are, appreciate your reality. You are Soumya not Somz. Don't deny your own-self your true nature." She spoke softly looking at his eyes.
"Anne, what rubbish is this" he flinched.
"Somz, I wasn't hitting on you. I have pretended for long enough to humor you that you are a man. But I feel it's high time someone shows you who you really are." Anika began calmly.
"You weren't hitting on me?" he murmured confused, not focusing on the other gibberish she spoke about his gender - those were nonsensical.
"Somz, you are a GIRL. I am a girl and thankfully a straight one at that! Why will I hit on you? I was simply asking for a favour - like any girl may ask of a girl friend. You took it all in the wrong sense Somz. I love you too, but as a sibling not in any romantic way!" Anika replied calmly.
Somz stared at her incredulously. "She didn't hit on him, good. She looked at him as a sibling, good. But she thought he was a GIRL!?! That was not acceptable - of all the people, he knew Rudra and Anne were the only ones who accepted him as he is. Then why now was Anika challenging him?"
"Anne, all is well between us now. We are good. You rest, I need to go" he replied ignoring the gender attack.
"Somu, listen to me, understand your self before it's late" Anika tried again in desperation.
"Anne, I think that's enough. I don't need you to tell me who I am. I am a guy. That's my truth." Somz replied back in force. The determination in his voice further irked Anika, she shot back with equal force,
"Fine! Believe that and live in illusion for life! Never step into reality you escapist! But for one moment also if you trust your brother Shivay Singh Oberoi's judgement if not other's - remember he calls you Somu not Somz. He thinks you're his sister not brother - Somz if not for yourself, at least for him - open your eyes! You are a girl!"
"Shut Up now Anne! If you were anyone other than yourself, it would have been very ugly by now! But you're close to me, hence this is your last chance - what shall I do to prove it to you that I am a guy Anne? How will I convince you and bhai of my reality?" he asked in frustration.
Anika looked at him breathing heavily, "Don't try proving you're a guy Somz, if you really want to give us proof. Prove it to us that you're not a girl. Then why only Shivay and me? Everyone will believe you"
Somz stared at her in shock. "How?" he whispered softly.
"Go close to a man, really close, get intimate, may be kiss him? Then see, if your body reacts differently than a man's should. Then come and talk to me" replied Anika looking straight in the eyes.
Somz shuddered, then he left.
***
Mallika was wishfully looking out of her classroom window - she was a bit put off, God knew why - she couldn't put her finger exactly on her misery. Last night was fun - she, Tia and Daksh had a great time. Daksh was in a jovial and fun mood - quite different from how he was in their last few interactions - he was giving both ladies equal time and attention - Tia was enjoying, but she somewhere felt a tug in her heart. Wasn't Daksh supposed to give a tiny bit of more attention towards her? But he was strictly polite and casual towards her too. May be he didn't want to make it obvious? She tried consoling herself. She envied Tia seeing her laugh and enjoy and be herself before Daksh, she wished she could be too - she had wanted to grab Daksh by the collar and take him to dance, but she figured that would be counted as a childish act before him - she had refrained. Then when Tia mentioned some movie their class friends were going for and asked if Mallika could join, before Mallika could answer Daksh had spoken on her behalf saying she hated sci-fi's and also would get bored with their gang. Mallika sadly agreed after that - it felt good in a way that he took a decision for her, she only wished the decision could help them be together for a while instead of distancing them. Overall they had a nice dinner and had fun too - but something was missing - she wished she knew what it was.
***
Shivay was sitting in the class with the lecturer droning about the same old things he cared the least about. He was super bored today - Om was sitting next to him and reading a book on scultping - if there was something more important to Om than life itself, it was scultpting - he was passionate about it to say the least - he attended all possible workshops for it and according to Shivay, he was a fantaMallious professional sculptor in making. So when he was deeply engrossed in a book on the same topic, until and unless a tornado came and blew the book away, chances are that Omkara Jai Singh wouldn't respond to anything else.
Shivay lazily turned back to look at Tia - she was sitting on Anika's spot today - and beside her sat Daksh, Tia after observing that Anika was absent had generously invited him to join her at our corner and he had obliged with a smile. And in order to make him "comfortable" she had moved to Anika's spot leaving Om next to him - now as he looked back at her, he saw her smiling and whispering something to Daksh. Shivay felt agitated - Tia was his, then why was she suddenly so alien to him? He decided he would talk to her after the movie that evening - would Anika be able to come? Well if she wanted to, he could go and pick her up. But he remembered their conversation from last evening - he'd better ask Om to check on her.
***
Somz was sitting in the class next to Rudra. He was severely disturbed. What did Anne mean? If he could prove it to her that he wasn't a girl then everybody would accept him as a guy? Was there a way to gain that unchallenged acceptance about her gender? Would he achieve it just by doing what Anika said? Well, getting intimate and kissing a guy was repulsive, Somz shuddered at the thought, but if that was the final price, should she consider paying it?
Rudra was noticing Somz since he entered class - he was not himself today, he seemed disturbed - he nudged Somz, "Hey buddy what's wrong?"
"Nothing" he grunted and looked away. He realized he was in a tough crossroad of life. It was either all or none. Somz felt a chill catch her.
Rudra on the other hand just nodded and got back to his phone, he was going to ask Priyanka out in a day or two! Then maybe find someone for Somz too, maybe someone from Priyanka's friend circle?
***
Tia was looking at Daksh and smiling as he sat deeply engrossed in the sum she wanted him to solve for her - he looked sexy when he was thinking deep she mused. Shivay could never solve these sums, she was sure. He would probably get it solved from Anika behenji if she ever asked him, and then bask in his fake glory thought Tia scornfully - how immature - she wished she knew if Daksh had a girlfriend, she thought he didn't, but one could never be so sure. Of course behenji would know, but asking her really wasn't even an option. Oh, she could ask Malli! Though not directly, Malli would then tease the life out of her she giggled. Then she saw Shivay looking at her from the seat before her - she smiled at him too.
"How are you now? Illness from last night, all gone it seems" he whispered.
Tia looked startled, she was hoping Daksh hadn't heard that, when Daksh looked up in response to Shivay's remark. Damn! She thought.
"I am good Shivay, how sweet of you to enquire" she croaked with an unconvincing smile. Shivay frowned, why was Tia being so formal? If he wasn't mistaken, she was a bit uncomfortable too. Before he could enquire, Daksh spoke,
"Hey Tia, were you unwell after dinner last night?" It confused Shivay now, why did Daksh sound like he was with her last evening, but before he could question further, Om diverted Shivay's attention as the professor was asking for assignment submissions.
Tia heaved a sigh of relief.
***
Om was waiting during recess for Tia to come out of the class, Shivay had called him, but he had excused himself. Then he saw Tia coming out of the class with Daksh.
"Hey, we er..need to talk" Om called at Tia.
"Hi bhai! Umm now?" she looked reluctant.
"Yes now. Daksh could you excuse her for a bit?" he asked turning to Daksh not waiting for Tia's response. Daksh did a friendly shrug and went away. Om pulled Tia by the hand and took her back to the now empty classroom.
"Tia, I know what you're up to. You like Daksh, that's fine. Don't play up with Shivay and his feelings. You know very well he likes you. I don't want him hurt okay?" began Om
"Bhai, this is really none of your business" replied Tia with a tight lip.
"It is Tia. It is because Shivay is my friend and you're my cousin, your behavior with him will impact my relation with him and I don't want it tarred. I have saved you today, I won't help again. Don't mess with my friend, he is a very nice guy Tia" finished Om gently.
Tia nodded in pretentious understanding and walked away. Om stood there and sighed. Out of all his cousins, why did Tia have to join his college?
***
Anika was curled up in her bed and reading a book, when she received a text message.
5:47p.m. [Hi Anika! How are you? Are you well enough for joining us for the movie tonight?]
5:49p.m. [Hey Om, yes I am much better. I was going to come anyway! Cant miss Avengers can I? : P ]
5:50p.m. [Oh great! I will pick you up in an hour? Or would you join Rudra and his soul-mate, you're new found bitter enemy? Heh.]
5:52p.m. [Haha, meanie! Don't worry, Daksh is picking me up. Er..is Shivay coming too?]
5:55p.m. [Oh great then, Daksh will pick you up. And yes he is coming. Sorry can't avoid this one Anika. But I will keep him away from you. Plus this is technically not a group hang-out, so you're not breaking rules!]
5:57p.m. [See you Om! : ) ]
Anika slowly got up lazily from her bed, to get ready. She was getting ready when her phone vibrated again, thinking it was one more of Om's teasing texts, she smiled and ignored it, and continued dressing for the movie in the evening. After a long and tiring day home, she was looking forward to the evening.