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2 Days Later-
The competition is finally over, and we’ve got our results. The last two days were crazy busy for us. We were running from one round to the next, and honestly, I was so anxious I thought I might faint.
I didn’t want to admit it, but Vihaan was a huge help in keeping me motivated.
I never thought he’d be so calm and supportive.
Usually, he just annoys me with his antics.
And I just hate him.
But he is not that bad.
As I was thinking about him.
My brain joined me in saying, ‘You actually like it when he annoys you.’
No i don’t like it, he just gave me a headache.
‘Sure sure…..that’s why he is running in your mind all day’, my subconscious mind poked its nose.
I mentally rolled my eyes.
I tried to ignore it because it was too confusing to deal with.
My thoughts were all over the place, and I couldn’t figure out why I felt that way.
But eventually, I snapped back to reality and focused on the results, which were announced a couple of hours ago.
Unfortunately, we didn’t Win.
We ended up as the runner-up, and another team from a different school won the trophy by just one second.
In the final round, the last question was the deciding factor. We were about to press the buzzer when the other team beat us to it by a single second.
That’s how we ended up as runners-up instead of winners.
Now, we were all in the hall, looking completely exhausted.
Yash was leaning back, staring at the ceiling, and said, “We really worked so hard.”
Sid, still disappointed, added, “We were so close to winning…”
Vani tried to cheer him up, saying, “Don’t be too upset. We came second out of ten teams. That’s still impressive.”
She came and sat beside him.
Sid glared at her and then walked over to me.
Vani sighed, shook her head, and sat back down next to Sid.
I noticed Sid taking a deep breath, he seemed too tired to move again.
Something didn’t feel right, though.
Am I missing something?
I looked at Tanya, who nodded, and i also nodded with her.
But my thoughts again went to Vihaan.
Where is that Chimpanzee?
He hadn’t come out of his room, so I thought maybe I should check on him.
Shut Up Ruhii, remember the rule, you have to follow.
Rule- Stay away from Vihaan.
He could be sleeping or just hanging out.
Yes he is definitely sleeping.
But what if he wasn’t feeling well? Maybe I should go and see.
Ahh these thoughts are making me crazy.
I abruptly stood up.
Just then, Sid called out, “Ruhanika!”
I turned to look at him.
“Can you fill my water bottle, please?” he asked, handing it to me.
Tanya also gave her bottle.
I looked at Yash and raised my eyebrows, thinking he will also pass his bottle to me, but he said, “Don’t worry, I’ll drink from Tanya’s bottle,” and closed his eyes landing into sleep.
I sighed, took the bottles, and went to fill them. It’s such a boring job, but I couldn’t say no.
After filling the bottles, I headed back and was about to go to Vihaan’s room.
I stopped outside his door, unsure if I should knock.
Finally, I mustered up the courage and knocked.
No response.
I knocked again, but still nothing.
Maybe he was really asleep.
I turned back to go to the hall.
Just then, I heard a soft whisper near my ear, “Aapne hame yaad kiya, aur ham haazir”
(You remembered me, and i am here)
My heart started racing, it was beating so fast I bet he can also listen to it. But I tried to compose myself although my organs are twisting and turning inside my body.
I turned around and saw Vihaan with a mischievous grin.
I took a step back, flustered, and mumbled, “mene to nhi yaad kia”
(I didn’t actually remember you)
I tried to stay composed and headed toward the auditorium hall.
Vihaan followed me, teasing, “Ruh, It’s bad manners to lie. Didn’t you learn that in kindergarten?”
I rolled my eyes and admitted, “Fine, I came to check on you.”
He acted all dramatic, saying, “I knew it. You can’t stay away from me for even a second.”
I smirked and said, “I was actually worried you might have fainted because of the second-rank.”
His face fell, and he stopped walking.
He nervously chuckled and said, “Look, Ruh, I didn’t faint because of second rank. It was just really hot that day.”
I mimicked his words, “Oh, come on. It’s bad manners to lie. Didn’t you learn that in kindergarten?”
He rolled his eyes at my teasing.
I laughed at his cute expression and kept walking.
Vihaan came up next to me and took the bottles from my hands.
“Give me the bottles,” he said.
“I can hold them,” I protested, trying to take them back, but he ignored me.
“I like to hold them for you,” he insisted, and moved ahead with the bottles.
My heart again flutter.
He should stop doing this.
We both walked into the hall, and he was continuously blabbering that he really faints that day because of hot weather.
Liar!
I went to my usual seat.
Vihaan came over and sat next to me.
I quickly moved to another spot, but he followed me. I sighed, shifted again, and he did the same.
“Can’t you keep some distance?’ I whispered, feeling frustrated.
“I can’t keep myself a milimeter away from you,” he whispered back, his voice low and teasing.
Lately, he always said things that made me blush.
I tapped my fingers on my thigh, and, as usual, Vihaan shifted closer. I again shifted and he did the same. This went on until I heard a loud thud.
Thud!
I looked over and saw Sid had fallen to the ground.
Oops I forgot Sid was also sitting beside me.
“Sid, are you okay?” I rushed over to him.
“Ouch, it hurts,” he said, trying to get up.
I helped him to his feet.
“I’m sorry, it’s just because of this stupid Vihaan,” I said, not thinking before I spoke.
“What did I do, Ruhanika?” Vihaan asked, sipping his juice and acting all innocent.
“Yes, Ruhanika, what did he do?” Sid asked, looking confused.
I didn’t know how to answer.
I glared at Vihaan, who just winked at me.
Right now I want to punched his handsome yet stupid face.
But I control the urge, control Ruhii, control.
“I am really sorry Sid, let me help you,” I said to Sid, trying to brush off the dust from his clothes.
But Vihaan grabbed my hand.
“Don’t worry, I’ll do it,” he said, starting to brush off the dust himself.
I pulled my hand away, feeling awkward.
Whenever he holds my hands, I feel like my hands stopped their movements, gosh these weird feelings.
“Tere irade thik nhi lag rhe,” Sid said, glaring at Vihaan.
(Your intentions don’t seem right)
“Bhaad me jaa tu,” Vihaan told Sid, slightly pushing him aside, while Sid kept his distance.
(Go to hell)
Yash woke up from his beauty sleep and looked around clueless.
Soon, Miss Ragini arrived and noticed the tension in the room.
“Ye sab aise muh fula kr kyu bethe ho,” Miss Ragini asked.
(Why are you all sitting with long faces?)
“Mam, we were so close to winning, but we lost by just one second. It feels like all our efforts were for nothing,” one of my classmates said, clearly upset.
“Oh my pyaare baccho, why do you think everything is ruined? Nothing is ruined. I saw my students on stage, answering every question. You all made me so proud. And so what if we didn’t win the trophy? The important thing is to enjoy the process. I saw how you learned new things and came up with great strategies to tackle the questions. My students are truly the best…” She said all this with a warm smile.
For the first time, I felt like I hadn’t done badly, it was just a matter of luck.
“Mam, don’t you feel sad that we lost?” another classmate asked.
“No, actually, I’m very proud of you all. Your first win was when you first participated, as it wasn’t an easy competition many of the students dropped from this competition.
You won again when you faced everyone on stage, despite knowing there were people who were going to judge you, the audience, the other team but you were so confident.
Your third win was your knowledge, and your fourth win was your honesty,” she said, smiling brightly.
It was clear she was very proud of us.
Finally, everyone started to relax after hearing Miss Ragini’s encouraging words.
I felt something shift inside me. I had always been told that being first was everything.
I came second, and my family didn’t even acknowledge it. Even when I was first, they always expected more.
I realized I had lost myself trying to meet my parents expectations of always being the best.
Miss Ragini truly is an amazing teacher.
“Ab aise muh na fulao. I talked to the principal, and seeing all your hard work, she decided to give you a surprise,” she said excitedly, clapping her hands. Everyone cheered.
“Since we’re leaving in the afternoon tomorrow, we’ve decided to have a campfire tonight. Since we’re here, let’s have a bit of fun and refresh ourselves.”
With that, everyone forgot their worries and started celebrating.
The school grounds were buzzing with activity as everyone prepared for the campfire.
The earlier tension had turned into excitement.
Students were working together to set up the campfire. They cleared a safe area and arranged big stones in a circle to contain the fire.
Others collected dry branches and logs and stacked them in the center.
Teachers were also busy.
There are five areas which are set up, as there are five teams.
Some teachers were hanging colorful lanterns and fairy lights from the trees, making the place look festive and cozy.
The soft lights made the setting feel warm and inviting.
A few students set up a table with snacks like marshmallows, cookies, and juice.
The table was covered with a cheerful tablecloth, adding to the festive mood.
Miss Ragini asked us to lay out wooden benches and chairs from the store room, blankets and cushions around the campfire, arranging them in a semi-circle so everyone could see the fire.
As the sun began to set, the campfire area was ready.
Everyone was excited and looking forward to the evening.
I walked into the room and decided to get dressed. Vani and Tanya were goofing around and jumping to the music as if there was no tomorrow.
Lately, I’ve gotten to know Vani and she’s not only beautiful but also really cool.
She is awesome!
Whenever there’s a problem, she’s the first one to come to me, and I really like her.
The three of us together make it all so crazy.
“Ruhii, come up here and let’s dance!” Tanya shouted, brimming with energy.
“I don’t know how to dance,” I replied and went back to get my books, because honestly, I don’t know much other than studying.
That’s just me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll find you the perfect future boyfriend who can teach you how to dance. But for now, come join us on the bed and let’s dance like nobody’s watching,” Vani chimed in with another comment.
“Seriously, Vani, stop dreaming, that’s never going to happen,” I chuckled and tried to read my book.
But whom am I explaining, she literally pulled me up and made me dance with her.
“Until you find a boyfriend, I’ll teach you how to dance,” Vani said, spinning me around as I let out a giggle.
“But then I’ll be left alone,” Tanya pouted.
“Oh, but you have Yash, right?” Vani teased, causing Tanya to blush and look around nervously.
“Looks like someone can’t stop blushing,” I teased, making her cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red as she couldn’t help but smile.
“Stop it, you two,” Tanya exclaimed, hiding her face with a pillow.
Vani and I burst out laughing.
“Yash is a total idiot. The whole school knows about her crush on him, but that goofball is clueless… I wish I could just punch some sense into him,” Vani grumbled.
“Maybe he has feelings too, but he’s too dense to realize it,” I suggested, causing Tanya to stand up with a gloomy expression.
“Why the sad face?” I asked as I got up to walk over to Tanya and knelt down, with Vani joining me.
“My beautiful girl, don’t be sad if he doesn’t like you. I’ll just kidnap him and shower him with Vani’s special punch treats to make him come to his senses,” mumbled Vani in her classic style, leading to Tanya’s laughter.
“He won’t understand it,” she said sadly.
I and Vani glanced at her and rushed to give her a hug.
“If he doesn’t get it, we’ll be by your side all the time,” I said as I comfortingly rubbed her back to prevent her from bursting into tears.
“And hey, who needs a boyfriend for dates? We can go on group dates – the three of us together,” Vani playfully remarked, making Tanya burst into laughter.
“Exactly! Don’t feel down, he’s just being dumb. But mark my words, I have a feeling he’ll soon realise,” I said, causing Tanya to immediately turn towards me.
“Are you some kind of futurist predicting the future now?” Tanya said in between giggles.
Finally, our cheerful Tanya was back.
“Believe me, my gut feelings are always right,” I proudly replied.
“Oh, whatever the all-knowing Ruhii says,” Tanya teased with a bow, while Vani clapped, and I beamed with pride.
“Okay guys, you’re choking me,” Tanya said, trying to get free.
We all fell onto the bed and burst into fits of laughter.
I never imagined I’d make such great friends.
“Guys, we have to get ready!” Vani shouted.
Me and Tanya both put their hands on their chests in surprise. Vani started rummaging through her bag, throwing out every dress.
Tanya and I stood up and went to our bags to find something to wear.
I pulled out my blue wide-leg jeans, a black crop top, and a white shirt to go over it because the nights in Lucknow can get chilly, and paired it with white sneakers and not forget to add the golden Beige colour pendant.
After changing, I started fixing my hair when Vihaan’s voice rang in my head.
You know you look more beautiful with your hair open!
“Vani, can you do my hairstyle?” I asked.
“Sure,” she replied, coming over to my side.
She began working on my hair.
“Umm, Vani, can you do a hairstyle with my hair open?” I asked.
She looked at me, then nodded with a smile.
“Now just see Vani Mehta’s magic!”
In just 15 minutes, she took a few strands and braided on both sides, adding a pretty bow.
Okay I am looking good!
(Imagine a cushion and blankets to the side π…I couldn’t find the picture and was too lazy to generate it from Ai…)
We three went downstairs, and the vibe was amazing.
I wanted to capture this beautiful day for the rest of my life.
I sat where my class usually meets but noticed Yash and Sid talking, and Vihaan was missing.
Why does he keep disappearing like this?
He shows up for a moment and then vanishes.
I didn’t let anyone sit next to me because I was waiting for him.
Soon, Vihaan arrived, wearing an olive-green shirt and black jeans.
One thing I noticed was that Vihaan looks handsome in any color.
When our gazes met, I smiled, but he didn’t react at all.
His face remained blank and emotionless, as if he was a stranger. I felt a sudden pang in my heart, a sharp, uncomfortable ache that I couldn’t ignore.
I had shifted to make space for him, hoping he’d sit next to me. Instead, he chose to sit with Sid, completely avoiding any interaction with me.
Now, his ignorance made me feel like I am invisible.
I don’t know why he is acting like this, he didn’t even glance at me, a few hours before when I met him in the store room he was alright and talking and annoying me.
But now, uhhh shut the hell up Ruhii don’t overthink. I took a deep breath to avoid any thought regarding him.
I know if I overthink I will burst into crying, and only i know how I am controlling my tears.
But did I do something wrong which unintentionally hurts him?
I don’t know, i tried to remember everything but couldn’t remember.
I tried to imitate a conversation but he didn’t listen to me.
I feel like crying.
I can’t bear his ignorance!
————————————
Finally Chapter 25…!!!
So how was the chapter?
Oops why Vihaan is ignoring his Ruh?π₯Ή
(Mujhko koi aise ignore krega me to ro dungi bhaiπ)
Ain’t Miss Ragini is an awesome teacher?
Do let me know your favorite scenes?
And share your thoughts?
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