Chapter 18

Batool Imran

@nav_bat

It was the big day for all the students in Grade X, that testifying moment to know if their hard work throughout the weekend had paid off. Arnav came early in the morning then usual, when the school grounds were sparsely populated so that he wouldn't have much trouble, with carrying the project back to his class. With Anjali and Aakash's help they had gotten all the necessary things in his class, keeping everything neatly on the corner, so as to not have it disrupted by some foolish maniacs. Mayank and Samrat who had been specially called in early by him, had appeared a little later, him as usual scowling at them for that, as they marveled the perfection and beauty of the project Arnav and Khushi had made, giving in their hopes of how Ms.Anita was definitely going to go Gaga over this, and awarding top marks for it.

Later in the day, it was time for the Biology class, the moment of truth drawing near, as the four groups carried all their projects to the interactive room at Stanford, each one getting their own corner, as the student hustled and bustled here and there putting up there things in place, getting on the final touches on their projects, standing by the side of their table to see if they lacked anything.

"Where is Khushi?", Mayank tapped on Arnav's shoulder asking him frantically, who too was lost into deep thought thinking about the same thing, well aware of the fact of that painful wound on her leg. He had been doubtful if she would be able to make it, but she had assured him only yesterday when he had called to ask her of that, that she would be there 20 minutes before the project started as they still had to get the tagging in place, the black thread being in her pocession.

"I don't know, we still have to get our tagging's on", Arnav replied back worriedly, Mayank nodded, as Samrat by there side feeling extremely nervous now, was moving about here and there bumping into the two boys now and then, annoying looks being shot in his direction.

"If you are gonna puke go get out of this place, I don't want Gupta and My work going down the drain because of you", Arnav said angrily, rattling the living life out of Samrat, who looked like a scared cat right there and stopped pacing about taking his seat quietly at the edge of the compartment they had been allotted.

Suddenly Mayank's phone began to vibrate in his pockets, and he took it out, his face shining with hope seeing Khushi's name flash on it. "Khushi, where the hell are you? We have all been waiting, do you have the tags?", he asked quickly, out of breathe, as Arnav leaned on his shoulder trying to hear their conversation.

"Yeah, I am in the locker room, could you and Raizada come out and help me carry the supplies, I have a injured leg" she hurriedly explained, as Mayank gave his answer in the affirmative, and giving a quick review to Arnav, leaving Samrat in charge of the stall, they literally ran out of the large room, making their way quickly as possible to the locker room, where Khushi was standing with a bandaged leg, which very well from its size looked swollen.

Mayank and Arnav both grabbed the supplies from her hand, Mayank taking most of them, as they raced down to the interactive room back again, not waiting for Khushi who was helplessly taking the support of the walls and was limping away at a much slower rate then was required. Arnav slightly turned back, not hearing her footsteps, and looked in horror at her limping, taking her time to make it through to the hall. Realizing what a necessity time was now to them, he ran back to her much to her surprise, handed over the small shopper he was carrying, and effectively picked her up in arms, her pupils almost out of their sockets wide with shock, as he ran down, the entire length of the corridor, and then up the stairs, her clinging strongly to him.

"We don't have the time, the class starts in about 15 minutes from now, and we have to get out taggings up. Will you be able to do it in time?", he asked her back quickly, in between short intervals of acquiring breathe for his rapidly working heart.

"It wont take me more than 10 minutes or so, if you help me out with it.", she said grimly, a calculative look on her face, as he for a moment looked down on her face deep in thought, which quickly looked up to his own, as he fiercely nodded a yes, and stopped dead in his tracks realizing they were in the interactive room now. Keeping her down gently as to not hurt her, he helped her inside the room, leading her to their compartment which fortunately for them, was near to the entrance door in fact it was the first one to be judged.

Khushi followed him in, smiling at Vivek who was on the opposite end of the room, pointing at her toe curiously, as she made a 'Later' gesture with her hand, giving him a small smile with him nodding his head in an 'Okay', flashing a thumbs up sign at her, as she too did the same, with him getting back to his work after that. Inside the compartment, much to her relief, everything else was in place, and she quickly got to work taking out the tags and an enlarged diagram of the heart, twisting the black 'dori' type thread that she had with her, and cut identical pieces of it, showing a sample to Arnav and Mayank, who hurriedly like her got to work, pinning everything into place, their fingers ragged with the effect of hooking down the pencil pins straight into the thermo pole.

Just like Khushi had predicted, it did not take them longer then 10 minutes to have all the tags in place, giving the entire model a more magnificent look than it already had one. The three of them looked at it approvingly, dragging Samrat who was lazing around on the chair, to give it a look, as he timidly smiled, looking shyly at Khushi, an almost frightened one at Arnav, and a free easy going one to Mayank.

"The two of you have done an exceptional job! It just couldn't be better" Mayank voiced out his thoughts appreciatively, giving a light pat on Khushi's back, and a much harder one on Arnav's as if actually slapping him there.

Khushi gave him a broad smile, as Arnav looked away not being in the habit of smiling, with Khushi twitching her nose seeing the model as if there was still something incomplete about it. Suddenly it struck to her of the most glorious heading that they still hadn't put up. Limping over to the other side of the table, she took out a black bold marker, and a mounted piece of cardboard, much to the three boys surprise, and started penning down the names of the group members. That down she cut out a straw glued it to the back side, and cut slits into its end to make a fan shape, applying a little glue and sticking it firmly on the hardboard, that was the base of their entire model.

"Here, now its complete." She said with satisfaction, the three males still a little bit taken aback by her sudden action, but then realized what she meant by it, and moved into position to introduce the model. Samrat was to do the basic introductions, Mayank would go on with a closer insight to the heart and then Arnav and Khushi would explain the working of it together.

Only seconds after they had decided upon the order of it, and were standing in the same, that Ms. Anita Thawer entered, with the Principal Mr. Harshad Singh Mulavya, who was very pleased to see the students doing such brilliant work, and motivated them further in a welcoming speech, after which they got to judging, starting with the tables farthest from the entrance which meant that Arnav-Khushi's grouped would be judged in the last. They lazed around trying to get an insight to the progress of the other 7 groups, 4 groups from each section of Grade X.

The four of them who were earlier, having gone through their vocal presentation a trillion times by now, tired of waiting, on the first sight of seeing the principal approaching them got into position, standing straight, perfecting their uniforms as they got into order and greeted Good Morning, in a synchronized manner.

Samrat started with the introduction, followed by Mayank who gave in a larger insight to the parts of the heart and their respective functions very briefly, avoiding any details. That done it was Arnav and Khushi's turn to get down to business, and the two giving a last look to each other, went about the presentation just like the way they had planned, filling the heads of their two judges with as much information as possible, delivering it in such a way that the concept was easy enough to grasp. Giving a very appreciative and commendable response to their hard work, The Principal congratulated the four for their fabulous put up of the model, and for the first time ever Ms. Anita satisfied with the work of the students, beamed in happiness at every word of praise that the principal showered on them.

That done the Principal gave a final speech, appreciating the work of all the students present and went off, leaving Ms. Anita with an intercepted group of students. The air in the room was thick, with the tension of result, dancing on the head of every individual, knowing how much this project mattered for their academic result at the end of the mid term, which was only two months away.

Ms.Anita swinging her blond hair about, stood in the middle of the room, the students crowding around them, all standing in their respective groups waiting for her to start giving out the marks.

"Students, you have done a highly appreciative job today, so congratulations to you all for that! Now, for the marks, every group will be getting marks out of a total of 50, based on five categories each out of 10. Vocal presentation, the effectiveness of the working heart model, structure and perfection, team effort, and lastly on the making of the model" the Biology teacher announced in a thunderous voice, the students nodding in response, highly annoyed at her for wasting their time, and letting the suspense grow.

Chirping in a few more heroic dialogues, letting the students on the verge of real maddening, she started calling out the marks of each group starting with section A, as cheers of happiness, and sounds of high fives filled the air, as the marks got revealed one by one, some not so happy with what they had got, some highly contented, others moaning over how could they have done much better if the time limit was exceeded, some on the other hand complaining of Ms.Anita's biased attitude. But all chatter halted, as she let built the excitement of the only group now left to have their marks revealed- Arnav and Khushi's. None had failed to notice the glitches between the two, but the brilliant way the model was executed everybody had been pondering over their options of scoring a 50/50, for the first time ever by Ms.Anita who was in fact was a miser at giving marks.

"And now for the marks of the last group, (All the four were holding each others hand, Khushi in between Arnav and Mayank, as the three of them closed their eyes in wait, while Arnav looked straight at Ms.Anita)..the one which did what nobody till date has been able to do with me, bag marks out of my hands, and get a..(an untimely suspense creating pause) 50/50!" she said in the most delighted voice she could manage out of her thunder tone, as Khushi, Mayank and Samrat's eyes flew open right at that moment, Arnav pressing his fingers in Khushi's a lop sided smile on is face.

Slowly, as the three got out of their shock, seeing the whole crowd of students cheering for them, a broad smile flickered on their faces, as Khushi let go of Arnav and Mayank's hand, jumping up high in excitement, landing on a rough note back on the ground, the pain in her toe rising out from the dead.

"Gupta have you seriously lost your head? Look at that toe of yours its begging for mercy", Arnav whispered in her ear in a husky tone as she looked at him with a painful and annoyed expression mixed with a whole bundle of happiness. Mayank and Samrat hugged each other coming towards Arnav too, who they gave a moment considering their actions, but just shook his hand and walked away, not in the mood for a bashing right now. They came over to Khushi who was slithering in pain, however that smile not going from her face, as people from her former class congratulated her, some from this section, and then finally Vivek came towards looking at her joyfully.

"So that partnership of Gupta and Raizada, actually worked out.", he said cheekily, poking his shoulder into her arm, winking at her, as she gave a hard punch on his shoulder, causing him to friendly yelp with pain, as he himself a while later saw that bandage on her toe, reminding him of how she had signaled him earlier that she would tell him about that later.

Before he could ask her about it, Mayank came towards her, as he shook her hand not entirely sure if she was comfortable with being hugged, but she pulled his arm, shaking his head drawing him into a hug, mumbling something like 'I am not Raizada', making him pull away from her rolling into laughter. Samrat timidly shook her hand, still shying away like a newly wedded bride, with Vivek who was standing right next to her, nudging her closely much to her mixed reaction of irritation and amusement.

"He's hopefully getting over that 'girls are sinful creatures' slogan now. Who knows in a day or two he might even ask you out.", Vivek said naughtily, receiving a friendly glare as she landed another heavy punch directly into his chest now, having him double back in pain.

"It's the English class next, we can talk in that." he told her looking distantly at a girl a look of fondness on his face, causing Khushi to look at him suspiciously.

"About what? (Arching her eyebrows) Don't tell me you found a girlfriend in that girl you have been secretly eyeing" she said in a narrowed expression, catching him off guard for a minute until he got over his blushing and looked at her calmly.

"I'll tell you everything once we get back to class, I can hardly hear my self talking in all this chatter here. *pause* (Khushi taking step forward but stumbling Vivek holding her stable by her arm) I'll help you out with that, the poor thing looks to be begging for mercy", he said casually, as she instantly looked up at him with wide eyes, being reminded of the exact same thing that Arnav had told her about some while earlier.

"Well I want to talk to Raizada before going back, this wouldn't have been possible without him" she said smiling lightly, as he nodded grinning, her poking her shoulder into his sides again giving him a glare too, with him having no effect but laughing, taking her to where Arnav was standing with Karan, a rare smile playing on his lips, as Karan kept shaking his hand congratulating him. She stopped in her tracks as she heard him say her name all over the noise around them, making Vivek stop too who looked at her startled.

"What?"

"Stop here, Raizada is talking to Karan about me, let me listen", she said cautiously, moving in a bit closer to the boy's, but standing at a position where the two of them could not see her.

"You do give her credit for the work don't you Arnav? After all you just said she was good working with" Karan said slyly twisting Arnav's previous words to derive the meaning which he wanted too out of them.

"I never said it was good working with her, I just said it was okay, she was better than anyone I have worked with before. (clearing his point) that certainly does not mean that she is good." Arnav told him stoutly, Khushi intercepting from Karan's expression that he was mentally giggling to himself.

"It's the same thing Arnav. The point is you appreciated having her around, and have accepted that the partnership of the two of you was a big success" Karan said casually, brushing all other argument that Arnav was to put up to defend himself, but before that Khushi almost dragging Vivek with her hobbling on her leg, who was busy having eye communication with his lady love. The two of them stood just next to Karan and Arnav, as Karan seeing her gave her a million dollar smile which she returned with her own, shaking his hand as he took her into his own.

"You know what that was absolutely amazing! The reason nobody ever got a 50/50 in a Bio project is because of Ms.Anitas horrible pairing sense, but I guess for the first time ever she made some mistake putting the two of you together, which actually worked out way better than expected!" Karan informed her, as Vivek too gave in the same view, agreeing with Karan giving him a light slap on his back which Karan returned back with a much graceful one of his own. Khushi was surprised, the way people were more concerned about her and Arnav's partnership and the two working together turning out successful than at the brilliance of their project, it seemed like Mayank and Samrat were no bodies, who she noticed seemed a bit off having Arnav and Khushi's partnership share the highlight. Even the teacher herself had given her regards on their pairing, making her feel all the giddier about it. Was it really that good? Are we different?

"Raizada (looking at Arnav who was looking at her now), you have been the best project partner ever, and I was glad to have you around, you get more credit for this than any of the three of us, working your butt off", she said modestly, smiling at him as for a minute he looked at her full of surprise but quickly recovered, just like Karan and Vivek who were sharing knowing looks with each other, already have figured out how the two were very evidently into each other.

"I was hoping you would accept my supremacy over you in future, but really had no idea it would be this soon. Thank you anyway for the rightfully owned credit" he said rather grimly, a expression of some victory on his face, as she taken aback by words took a step back, wincing in pain, about to tumble to the ground, but he effectively caught her slipping his arm around her waist holding her in mid air.

"You will never stop being clumsy will you?", he said grossly, causing her to look at him with blazing eyes, straightening herself up and shoving him aside, holding on to Vivek's shoulder in support, who was busy getting over the reverie of the scene he had noticed a minute ago, just like Karans having an identical expression on his face like Vivek's.

"We had to go to class Vivek, remember you had to tell me something.", she said in a steely tone, shooting Arnav a icy look as she gave a tight smile to Karan, limping out of the room with Vivek supporting her, leaving a flabbergasted Karan and a slumped up Arnav behind.

"Arnav you are sick. She was being so nice to you, and that's how you answer her back?", Karan told him with a certain edge of disgust in his voice.

"She must be going back to that butter polishing skills of all the girls around here, thinking that I would go falling for her with those sickingly sweet words of her's" Arnav shot back faking disgrace in his voice, which for the record was the last thing he felt she would be doing right now. She wasn't like other girls he knew that, she was different.

"You are a hopeless case Arnav", Karans said in intense disgust, walking past him out of the room, which was by now almost empty with only a few girls gossiping around. Arnav followed him out soon after still in that grumpy mood of his trying to catch him on Karan's heels who was going inhumanly fast.

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Khushi and Vivek sat in the almost empty class, half the students bunking the class after the interactive Bio project class earlier, and on account of the teacher being absent, the population was only dispersing away chatting with each other, after a while only Vivek and Khushi left sitting on their seats, talking to each other, with Khushi telling him of her weekend, every moment with Arnav, skipping out the awkward ones, like the hug the fall, and her fathers fiasco for the time being planning to tell him about it sometime later for the environment right now was very merry she didn't want to spoil it. When she got to the part of Aakash and Anjali and the fun they had along with Arnav's unexpected dance, Vivek escaped into fits of laughter looking at her hilariously.

"Don't tell me! Man! Did he seriously dance? And that too like a professional! OMG! I wish I was there, it would have been such a scene, with Aakash and Anjali having their eyes pop out!", Vivek said literally choking with laughter, as his entire body shook with the effect of it, making Khushi go giggling herself.

"Di and AK Bhai were like giving his What The expressions, and when he went away the three of us went mad laughing, you know what he even banned Di and AK Bhai from coming into the room after that", she said amused, recalling those moments, and cherishing them in her memories.

"Well I would expect you all to do that! *pause* (he stops laughing, and looks at her curiously), you are on brotherly-sisterly terms with Anjali and Aakash?" he asked her a bit surprised and curious to know too, as she bobbed her head up and down, telling him of how they had directly told her to refer to them as her brother and sister, and so she had done only that.

"Oh it's a bit odd, they hardly know much of you, and they got so friendly with you all of a sudden, you sure they are not up to something?", he asked in an unnerving tone, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"They are genuinely nice. Not everybody goes to their home, for a project, and besides, (she thought twice and then lowered her voice), can you keep a secret, its not mine it is AK Bhai's." she said oddly, still wondering if she doing the right thing telling Vivek about Aakash secret crush on her cousin, pondering over a little more until he kept waiting and then decided with it, moving in closer to him, keeping her hand on his ear.

"I think AK Bhai likes Payal Jiji (Vivek looking at her confused) My cousin that I told you about na" she whispered into his ear, as he smiled at her and asked if she was doing anything to help them in the regard, but she shook her head telling him of Arnav's advice.

"Maybe he is right. You should keep out of it, fill them in if they need it, they just might not be needing your help", he told her sensibly as a distant look coming on his face again him staring up at the ceiling of their classroom aimlessly.

"I wanted to tell you something Khushi.", he said finally blushing away furiously with her looking at him oddly.

"Don't make me wait, I am listening"

"I think I like Vishaka." He said shyly, looking at her hopefully, whose eyes portrayed nothing but bewilderment and shock.

"You mean, that like, LIKE?" she said slowly blinking her eyes up and down taking her time to get over the information, as he bobbed his head up and down in a ridiculous manner, a far off look on his face as if thinking about someone.

"OMG! (cupping her hands over her mouth), fill me in with every detail quick!", she immediately demanded, now her eyes glistening with happiness for her friend, as he in between untimely stops and some drooling and affectionate emotions erupting out of him, told her of how they had got that instantaneous spark between them from the day the groups were made they had chatted a lot, and then had skyped for a long time regarding the project, met at her home and made the project together in her backyard, and then for long hours at night texted each other for almost random stuff.

"Don't expect me to say its dreamy, because frankly speaking it seems to be out of a scripted fairy tale (seeing his face going down,) but tell me does she like you too?", she asked back seriously, him looking at her with disappointment, as he took his time forming a answer, which just turned out to be a three lettered phrase, 'I don't know'.

"What do you mean you don't know? You should be knowing nit wit! Find out about it or I will." she told him excitedly, with him still hesitant over deciding on a reaction.

"I am just waiting for the right time.", he told her, and she looked at him un blinking for a second, but then nodded, both of them silent for the time after that, as he asked her again of how she had gotten her feet injured, with her going all back to that night again telling him everything to the time they had both entered the interactive room together.

"Well, well, well, I smell something fishy going here", he remarked playfully having her press her uninjured foot hard on his own, making him laugh stupidly. Almost suddenly, Khushi felt a soft hand on her shoulder, and turned around sharply in her chair to see Anjali standing over her head smiling at her joyfully.

"Congratulations on the project! You and Chotte nailed it!" she said happily shaking Khushi's hand who got up from her seat with Vivek's help, who was now looking at Anjali amused with the nick name she was referring to Arnav with.

"Thankyou so much Di! (Anjali looking at her toe suspiciously) Oh that's nothing, I just hit a rock on my way back home", she said casually, the look on Anjali's face subsiding, filled with one of intense excitement.

"I had to tell you about something. *pause* Me and Aakash are turning 18 on Saturday, so we have thrown a party to celebrate our birthday, and you have to come in it (looking at Vivek), you too Vivek", she informed her thrilled at the prospect of it, as Khushi gave her a tight smile looking back and again at her toe.

"Don't worry about that, it will be alright by Saturday, it's still five days to that. Btw, erm, could you maybe on Friday accompany me to the mall so I can get a dress for myself, all my friends are busy so I thought..I would", Anjali said a bit hesitant in asking about it from Khushi, who kept her hand on Anjali's shoulder nodding her head.

"Of course Di! I would be happy to accompany you. *pause* (looking at Vivek who was trying to prompt her about something, when it clicked to her) Di, erm, can I bring one of my erm..friends to your party, she has been a bit depressed lately, so I thought..this could erm..cheer her up", Khushi said stammering with Vivek looking at her full of gratitude, Anjali smiling widely at her.

"You can bring anyone you like Khushi. I don't mind at all, and I most certainly think Aakash wouldn't mind either.", she said her eyes sparkling with delight.

"Then I'll see you around later, I have my Physics class to attend", she told Khushi casually, and bid goodbye to the duo going away from there, as Vivek seeing his chance, hugged Khushi almost knocking the breath out of her.

"Khushi! You are the best! I love you so much!", he said excitedly still hugging her, having her smile happy that she could come to some good use for him finally.

"Now, now, don't say that to me, if that girlfriend hears this, she is going to rip me apart", she said jokingly, as Vivek pulled away from her looking at her cheekily.

"Nah. She wouldn't mind one bit, I already filled her a lot on our relationship", he told her, having her give him a lop sided smile, taking their seats back.

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