by Sidharth
`What do you want, Natasha?' Ananya asked.
`You know what I want. And I found a way to get it.'
`What do you mean?'
`I would like to talk about it alone,' Natasha said and looked meaningfully at all the people around them.
`What is it?' Ananya asked when they had moved away from the rest. The slight fear in her face made Natasha happy.
`Take a wild guess,' Natasha said. She liked playing around with Ananya. She did not get many chances at it and she wanted to make the most of it. She was feeling good about it. Being on top, controlling things. Something she had always done in the past.
`Well, tell me quickly. I have work to do,' Ananya said, clearly irritated.
`Oh really? Like what? Going back to your boyfriend? And dragging him to that dark aisle in the library? And then ... ?'
`It's none of your business.'
`But what if I decided to make it my business?' Natasha said.
`What do you mean?' Ananya asked stiffly.
`You know, I was just wondering-does the security camera near your lovers' spot work? What do you think?'
From the look on Ananya's face, Natasha could tell that she had hit the bull's eye. Still, she did not say anything. She wanted Ananya to ask. She wanted to hear the fear in her voice and to see it in her eyes. Natasha relished Ananya's pain.
`What are you getting at?' Ananya asked.
`Exactly what you are thinking. What did you expect? That I would let it go? After all you have done to me?'
`What did I-'
`I don't know how it happened, but I am sure my removal from the post of Head Girl and from the Debating Club has something to do with you. But let's not waste our time in futile conversations about the past. Let's talk about what would happen if I leak those videos to the public, say ... tomorrow?' Natasha said.
`You would do no such thing.'
`I won't? And who would stop me?'
`Natasha, whatever it is, it's between you and me. Let's keep Yuvraj out of it. Please do not do anything that affects him?' Ananya pleaded. She knew that if Yuvraj's reputation was ruined again, he would be removed from the post of the president of the Debating Club-and that was the least of all the repercussions. She did not want that to happen. She didn't want anything to happen to him.
`Don't give me that crap.'
`It's not crap. And you know it. Why are you doing this?'
`To get back at you. Weren't you listening to me all this while? Let me repeat it for you you ruined my life. I will ruin yours. As simple as that,' Natasha said, an evil grin stretched across her face.
`But it's between you and me. Why drag Yuvraj into it?'
'Added bonus. I hate him as much as I hate you.'
`Please don't. I love him . . .' Ananya said, more to herself. The look on her face was pitiable.
Natasha was struck by the look on Ananya's face. The feeling of revenge faded away a little. The fun dried up. That made Natasha feel bad about herself.
There was pure pain on Ananya's face, just knowing that something somehow was going to hurt Yuvraj. She had never pleaded in front of Natasha, but she was doing that now And you just had to take one look at her face when she was talking about Yuvraj ... there would be no doubt about how deeply she was in love with the guy. It showed.
Natasha was thrown for a moment. Her thoughts went back to Rana. She had loved him the way Ananya loved Yuvraj. But she had not been as lucky as Ananya. She had made mistakes. And she was paying for them. By making others ache too, she was trying to find refuge.
She wasn't succeeding. She realized that she was not the same person anymore. She was not capable of destroying people and being happy about it anymore. She had changed. She couldn't go through with it.
`Please, Natasha? Can't we talk about this?' Ananya's voice brought her back to the present.
`I'll ... I'll think about it,' she replied in a polite tone. The kind of tone she used while talking to Shreya. She did not understand what was happening to her. She turned around and walked out of the canteen. Her head was spinning.
`Natasha?' she heard Shreya call her.
`Yes?' she said, spotting her.
`Where were you? I have been looking for you all over!'
`Me? Why?'
`To have lunch. And we need to do something about the second round of the quiz too. I still can't believe we made it,' Shreya said excitedly. `Anyway, let's go! Only five minutes left of lunchtime.'
here's Dad?' Natasha asked one of the maids.
He has gone out with Madam,' she replied.
Madam?'
`Your mother ...'
`Oh.'
Her head was still dizzy from the short rendezvous with Ananya. One moment, she wanted to destroy her. .. the next, she wanted to forgive her. She lay back on the bed and tried to push out the thoughts from her head.
She looked around her room. She was bored. Her dad was out with her mother. She wondered what exactly was going on. She wondered why her dad was so confident that she would understand. She wondered why her dad was not angry with her, while she was.
He could probably forgive her and move on. But Natasha could not afford to give her mother a second chance. She did not want to open up to her and give her any kind of power over her. She hated being vulnerable. All her insecurities were because of that very woman, in the first place. She remembered how she had felt, years ago when her mother left home. She had been shattered. She had been haunted by her insecurities, which had developed as a result of her mother's leaving her. If her own mother did not love her enough to stay ...
It had been a huge blow to her self-worth. She had started to drown in the misery of her mother's betrayal, along with her own guilt.
She pushed these thoughts out of her mind and called up Shreya.
`Hello?' Shreya said.
`Hi Shreya. What's up?' Natasha asked.
`Just going out with cousins for shopping. What about you?'
`Nothing. I was getting bored, so I thought we could hang out ...'
`Oh. I ... Why don't you join us? We will have fun!' Shreya proposed.
`No, no. You carry on. I'll catch you later.'
'Are you sure? We don't mind. It's just three of us. We'd love to have you.'
`Yes, I am sure. Carry on. I'll talk to you later,' Natasha said.
Alright. Bye.'
After they hung up, Natasha looked around her room. She thought of picking up her books and studying. They had the second round of their quiz the next day. But she simply did not have any strength left. The course books were not helping in the quiz questions anyway. Finally, she switched on the television. There was nothing watchable on, as usual. But she had no other option. The advertisements were entertaining.
She slept off.
The quiz was supposed to be held in the school auditorium. The audience consisted only of the students of the twelfth grade-the science sections and a few teachers. There were four desks arranged on the stage, under bright lights. It was going to be a small event. No one, apart from the selected teams and some of their friends, had any interest in the whole thing. The students in the audience were literally yawning. They had not made the cut. They were not really interested in knowing which team would make it.
Until Natasha came on the stage. And then ... all eyes turned to her. She felt like everyone around her expected another scene wherever she went. They looked for free entertainment. It was like she was on display, and everyone was waiting with bated breath for something scandalous to happen. She went up to the stage and chose a corner seat at the table they were assigned. Shreya sat next to her.
`Where's Vicky?' Shreya asked.
`You are asking me?' Natasha made a face.
`Oh, right. But seriously ... where is he? We are starting in fifteen minutes and he is still not here.'
`You and I are enough, aren't we?'
`Yes, we are. But they won't let us participate if we do not have a team,' Shreya panicked.
`Relax. He will be here. He seemed mighty concerned the last time I got a couple of answers wrong. I am sure he won't miss this.'
`Yes, but that might have been because he found something against you. I don't think he genuinely cares.'
`What can we do? You have his phone number, right?' Natasha asked, remembering that Shreya had exchanged numbers with both of them the day the teams had been announced.
`Yes, but ... I can't call him from here,' Shreya replied. They were on the stage and they were not allowed cell phones in school. Yes, every student carried one, and every teacher knew about it. But they didn't dare take them out in front of the teachers.
1I'11 call him,' Natasha said, taking Shreya's phone and leaving the stage. Backstage, she kept ringing him constantly with no response. Finally, after four missed calls, he took her call.
`I'm coming, I'm coming. I am just getting there. And listen, Shreya-no matter how much Natasha forces you to, don't let it start without me,' Vicky said frantically. It sounded like he was running.
`This is Natasha, jerk,' Natasha gritted her teeth.
`Oh. The queen herselfl I must say, I'm honoured by your call. How may I be of help?' he mocked.
`By gracing us with your presence, maybe?'
`Oh, that. I thought you were in a mood to get naughty backstage before the quiz started. I'm sorry, but I really do not have time for it. Would after the quiz suit you?' Vicky said.
`Shut up, jackass. Just come. Now.'
`Whoa! I like the authority. Now. Quite turning on-'
And before he could say anymore, she hung up. That guy really rubbed her the wrong way. She went back to the stage and took her seat.
`Is he coming?' Shreya asked.
`In a minute,' Natasha replied. And please ask him to just keep shut the whole time. I don't want another scene.'
`Why? Did he say something?'
`Like always. But seriously, I will hit him the next time, and it won't be a pretty sight.'
Shreya suddenly burst out laughing. A few people turned to look at them and she tried to control her laughter. `What?' Natasha whispered.
`The look on your face! And the ... the ferocity with which you said it ...' Shreya said, still struggling to control her laughter.
`Whatever,' Natasha said, but she had a reluctant smile on her face, which soon got converted into a bigger smile, followed with a full-fledged laugh.
Vicky got there just in time. `I am here. Because you missed me so much. Now, how about the after the quiz ... ?'
'Another word ... and I will break your nose,' Natasha threatened. But she could not hold on to the ferocious expression on her face. It was ruined by Shreya giggling madly, right next to her. She joined in. Vicky looked baffled.
`What? What? Why are you laughing? What's so funny?' he kept asking again and again. But they were too busy to reply. It was not that funny, they knew. But there was something about bugging Vicky that made them laugh even more.
Soon, the quiz started and they all put on their serious faces. Out of the other three teams, one had Ananya, Yuvraj and Naman. Natasha wanted to win more than anything she had ever wanted in her life. The questions, again, were basic. And they did a good job. When it was time for the last round, the scores of Natasha's and Ananya's teams were tied. The other two teams lagged behind. The competition was one-on-one. And both Natasha and Ananya wanted to win very badly. Getting to the final round was not their only aim. Not letting the other person win was what drove them more. Or so it was for Natasha, at least.
Only three questions to go. Heartbeats started to rise. The next question was for them.
`The shape of XeO2F2 molecule is
(A) trigonal bipyramidal
(B) square planar
(C) tetrahedral
(D) see saw,' they were asked.
'B?' Vicky suggested softly.
`D,' Natasha and Shreya echoed in the microphone.
`D. That's the right answer. Section A-35 points,' the host announced.
Yes! Natasha kept her fingers crossed. She did not pay attention to the questions that were asked to sections B and C. She only cared about section D, Ananya's section.
Their question was, `As per IUPAC nomenclature, the name of the complex [Co(NH3)z[H2O]4]Cl3 is
(A) Tetraaquadiaminecobalt (III) chloride,
(B) Tetraaquadiaminecobalt (III) chloride,
(C) Diaminetetraaquacobalt (III) chloride or
(D) Diamminetetraaquacobalt (III) chloride?'
`It's D,' she heard Yuvraj say in a clear voice.
'And D is the right answer. Section D-35 points! Next question, section A- A thin uniform cylinder shell, closed at both ends is partially filled with water. It is floating vertically in water in a half-submerged state. If c is the relative density of the material of the shell with respect to water, then the correct statement is that the shell is
(A) more than half-filled if c is less than 0.5,
(B) more than half-filled if c is less than 1.0,
(C) half-filled if c is more than 0.5 or
(D) less than half-filled if c is less than 0.5?'
'A,' all three of them answered together. Their teachers had taken the whole thing a bit too lightly. The questions were a mere joke.
`That's the right answer. Section A-40 points.'
The next question to section D was, `Two solid cylinders P and Q of same mass and same radius start rolling down a fixed inclined plane from the same height at the same time. Cylinder P has most of its mass concentrated near its surface, while Qhas most of its mass concentrated near the axis. Which statement(s) is (are) correct?
(A) Both cylinders P and Q reach the ground at the same time,
(B) Cylinder P has a larger linear acceleration than cylinder Q,
(C) Cylinder Q reaches the ground with a larger angular speed or
(D) Both cylinders reach the ground with same translational kinetic energy?'
The three of them discussed it for a short moment before Ananya said unsurely, `Is it A?'
`No. It's the wrong answer. The right answer is C. Section D-35 points. And the last question to section A is-Among the following compounds, the most acidic is
(A) p-nitrophenol,
(B) p-hydroxybenzoic acid,
(C) o-hydroxybenzoic acid or
(D) p-toluic acid?'
`C, right?' Vicky whispered.
`I have no idea,' Natasha said. `But toluic acid seems right ...'
`No! It's C,' Shreya said.
`It's D, I think,' Natasha turned to Vicky and asked.
He shook his head, half in shock that Natasha had just directed a no-sarcasm, no-slang sentence to him.
`Trust me, I know,' she said confidently into the microphone. They crossed their fingers. If they got that answer right, they would win. Natasha bit her lip.
There was a dramatic pause after which it was announced, And that's the right answer. With that, section A wins!'
They did not bother with asking the last questions from sections B, C and D. Natasha sat still for a second as she played it in her head-section A wins! She looked up to see how section D was doing. The look on their faces was all the satisfaction she needed. She looked away and turned to her own team. They cheered, and Natasha hugged Shreya. `Wow, Shreya! That was good.'
Shreya blushed.
They all laughed. There was a brief awkward moment between Natasha and Vicky. They settled for a stiff handshake, in the end.
hey were thrilled. They had made it to the final round of the quiz and the euphoria simply did not fade for the next few days. They decided to celebrate. The occasion definitely called for it.
`So, it's done, then? I'll reserve three seats ...' Shreya said.
`Three? It's just the two of us, right?' Natasha asked.
`Why? Vicky is coming. He just called to confirm. He cancelled all his plans to come with us ...'
Are you kidding me?'Natasha let out. She almost dropped the phone in shock. Shreya invited Vicky?
<
br /> `Yes, I'm kidding you,' Shreya laughed.
Natasha let out a sigh of relief. In the days that had followed the second round of the quiz, they had developed a deeper bond between them. Even though they did not realise it, they had been practically inseparable. They were back to being best friends. Shreya had started to ignore her friends unknowingly. Natasha did not have any friends anyway. They started to hang out together in their free time.
But there was something bothering Natasha. The guilt. She had been feeling it for some time then, and she finally decided what she had to do. It was inevitable. There was no way around it. She just had to tell Shreya the truth. Whenever Shreya looked at her, without an iota of distrust, Natasha felt guilty. She had been ignoring the feeling and procrastinating what she had to do for long now.
She knew that there was a very good chance that she would lose Shreya forever if she told her the truth. But she was willing to take the risk. That was better than withholding the truth from her any longer.
She called her back as soon as they hung up.
`Hello?' Shreya said.
`Shreya, I need to talk to you about something.'
`Yes, say?'
`It's kind of ... important. Can I come over?' Natasha asked.
`Now? But what about our plans?'
`We can postpone it till the evening, right?'
`Okay. Come over, then,' Shreya said and hung up.
Half an hour later, Natasha found herself in Shreya's bedroom. Shreya was sitting on her bed, looking at her. And Natasha was at a loss for words. She suddenly just could not speak. She had a bad feeling about this. Back at home, when she thought about it, telling the truth had seemed like a very good idea. The only option. The right thing to do. It had not felt so scary then. But when she was standing right in front of Shreya, who was waiting for her to speak, she was scared out of her wits.
She simply could not do it.
`What is it? You are scaring me now . . .' Shreya said.
'I ... I have a confession to make . . .' Natasha started.
`Yes, Natasha. Please say whatever you want to stay quickly. This is getting a bit scary now.'
`Okay. But ... I know it is a big thing to ask for, but please do not judge me by what I say next ...'