Anyone Else But You... (19 page)

EIGH
TEEN

Rishav stood on stage with the twenty other students who were privileged enough to be chosen for the Council. And the list did include the likes of Hardik, Chintan, Tarun and Rishi. In short, most of Jai’s ass lickers had found their way into the Council – much to the delight of Jai.

If one felt that Rishav’s tough times had ended, well then it wasn’t to be – as the tough times had just begun for him.

The moment Rishav’s name was announced, there was an immediate lull that crept in. Everyone had an opinion, but no one was sure enough to share that opinion. As a result of that, Rishav didn’t get the most overwhelming response like Jai did. His was a more lukewarm one.

He could hear a few boos too, mostly coming from the senior lot. There were some derogatory remarks too, as he moved through the crowd. And finally when he reached the stage, Jai’s expression was that of a person whose pride had been hurt. And when you puncture the ego of the royalty, you don’t really escape unscathed.

Rishav nervously glanced at Sahana, from above the stage. She seemed all confident and chirpy. He looked around, while the Principal spoke. He saw the faces and apart from a couple of guys – Rishav couldn’t really relate to a single person. Yet, he was there – the Head Boy of Delhi High School.

The road that lay ahead was a difficult one as he would have to slog his butt out to manage to hold on to this post. By the end of Class XI, only one student would be retained as Head Boy and the other would be relegated to a lower post. And this decision would be taken purely on a merit basis – so said the almanac. However, Rishav knew how heavy Veer Chauhan’s wallet was and how good Jai’s chances were of retaining the post.

A lot of tact was required and for an impulsive, passionate fool like Rishav Sen; tact was something difficult to achieve.

*

“You did it! Congrats,” said Sahana, all smiling.
“Yes, I did,” Rishav replied, slightly morose over the response he had just got.
“What happened? You should be happy, Mr. Head Boy.” She tried her best to cheer him up.
“Happy over the fact that they booed me? Yes, right! I am happy, see…” he grinned artificially.
“God. Are you kidding me? You are sad because those ugly superficial bastards didn’t cheer?” she replied.
“Uh huh,” he started moving towards the school building. Sahana closely followed.
“ Would you get over it already? Where’s my treat first? Gimme my treat and then you can depressed as much as you want” she asked.
“Yeah, sure. Let’s celebrate that a loser just became the Head Boy!” he exclaimed.
“It doesn’t matter. And I think a person who is sensible and who has enough brains to comprehend logic would get that,” Sahana said as she grabbed his arm to ensure that Rishav got every word of what she was
saying.
 
He remained silent, she continued, “They either want you to be cool in lingo and behavior and stuff or hot by appearance. And since, you are none – they kind of don’t accept you as much as they accept Jai. No offence intended,” she smiled slyly as she explained it to him.
“That’s really flattering, Sahana. And what do you  mean by - I am not accepted?  Are you trying to make me feel better or worse?” he sounded pissed.
“Why do you take so much of offense for no reason? Just listen will you?” she insisted.
“No, thank you!” he fastened his steps. She walked a quicker to catch up with him.
“Sen, you are annoying me now. Don’t show me your anger, geddit?”
“Um, excuse me,” he stopped midway. “But I’m not showing you my frustration. I am just telling you that my sadness is kind of justified.
“To a certain extent, yes. But just because some people don’t clap for you doesn’t make you a loser. They are not as familiar with you as they are with Jai. And I order you to be not sad when I am around. When I am not, well then you can scream, shout, mourn, or whatever you want to do.” she said sweetly.
He smiled. “Where’s my hug?” he asked.
“You don’t ask for a hug. Ok? It’s weird.”

“Oh shut up. Just tell me if I am getting it or not?”

“Horny bastard. Stay away,” she said while taking her tongue out.
“And what if I say that a hug is the cure to my sadness?”
A lopsided grin reappeared, “Go to Veenu, she’ll give you a
tight
hug, I am sure,” she laughed.
Rishav almost had a pretty disjointed sentence formed in his head when she started speaking again

“You get it when you earn it. Just like that chocolate, you know. That fine, dark delicious chocolate.” she said the last bit while licking her lips.
“Hahaaa. Fine, fine…no hugs. Happy? But I get to treat you don’t I?” they entered the classroom and took their window seats.
“Yes you do. Chinese, bitch. Mainland China. Nothing less than that will be accepted.” she said in a dead serious tone.
Rishav’s jaw dropped for a moment, “What?” “Mainland China, isn’t it like a little too…”
“
Tres
expensive? Yes, I know,” she completed him. “But I still want you to treat me there.” She took her tongue out.
“Alright,” Rishav said hesitantly as his mind started working on how he would arrange for cash that would sustain a date at Mainland China.

Sahana broke into laughter as she saw Rishav’s face contort. “I was just pulling your leg. Don’t worry I won’t burn a hole in your pockets like your girlfriends will do in the future. Get me Crackle if you want to. Ok? Money to me,
mon ami
, doesn’t matter. Remember that.”
And just when Rishav was going to say something really praiseworthy of Sahana, she put a few more words to her previous sentence.
“Though if you see it practically money does matter you know…” she said. “…or else, you know, I can’t really kill all my options of being treated by you at expensive places,” she winked.
Rishav rolled his eyes. “Will you give me the chance to drop you back home again today?”
“Again? Umm…Wasn’t it like just a week back?” she asked.
“Didn’t you eat food, like just yesterday?” he countered.
“So, you are comparing yourself to food?”
“Yes, I am a necessity in your life,” he calmly replied.
“Nothing other than money is a necessity, babe. Stopflirting with me now.” she gave hints of her snappy self.
“Oh yes, trying too hard am I now?” Rishav casually mentioned.
“Whoa!  When did I say
that?
” she was surprised.

He knows that I think he tries too hard. Wow
, she thought.
“Yeah, I said something about you feeling that I try too hard,” he took off his glasses.
She narrowed her eyes, “I don’t feel that at all. Stop assuming things. It’s what they say when you assume, you make an ASS of U and ME.” she stuttered. She tried looking in all directions but at Rishav.
 

“Okay. But you should know that I do know how you feel. It’s not just you who gets to read what I think and understand what I am feeling,” he added.
A semi-stunned Sahana looked on as he spoke. “…at times, even I get to know what’s going on in your head. Remember that and now, I seriously need to go and use the washroom,” saying so, Rishav said while patting her arm and walked past her towards the classroom door.
God. I so don’t like him. Or do I?

*

“Head Boy!” Jai sneered, on seeing Rishav approach.

“Yes, Jai, I thought as much,” Rishav replied. “I was merely going to congratulate you on getting what you wanted and you spoiled my mood.”

“I didn’t spoil anything
Bengali
, you are like a cone stuck up my ass, didn’t want this day. Trust me.”

Rishav nodded, “We can’t really do anything can we? Guess, we have to work together.”

“We don’t
have
to work together Rishav Sen. I won’t change my ways and I am very hard to share power with.”

“I realized that already Jai. All that I am saying is that the school’s interests lie before our personal egos. Appreciate the fact that you are accountable to the school and not the other way,” Rishav tried hard.

Jai started laughing. He mimicked Rishav in an uncouth manner. “
Tu chutiya hai
,” he said.

Rishav smiled, “Thank you!”

“Hahahaa…” laughed Jai as some of his ass-lickers came by to see the drama. “He’s such a cunt, I just called him a
chutiya
and he says
thank you
.”

The people around him started laughing too. Jai landed a heavy arm on Rishav’s shoulder.

“Dude, bad times are in store for you. I was always going to be the Head Boy and even though there’d be two badges this time around – my badge would be the one with the real power with it, okay?” Jai pointed out.

“We shall see to that, don’t take tension so easily. After all, you too will have to work with me for a year now. Who knows what happens at the end of the day!”

“Ha ha…I know what happens at the end of the day. Ever heard of Veer Chauhan, you
son of a bitch?
”

“Yes, I have Jai. Your respected dad and the owner of
Skytel
, I know of him.”

“Then you should also know where he stands and where his son stands,” he started scratching his head like an eight year old chimp.

“As far as I know, his son is standing right in front of me and is no more powerful than what Rishav Sen is in this school,” Siddhant on seeing Rishav in a sticky situation, badly outnumbered, decided to stand up for his friend. And there he was, right next to Rishav, backing him up in this verbal duel.

There were calls of
aam-chutiya
, the moment Jai’s friends saw Siddhant arrive.

“Oh, look who’s here…
aaam-chuutiyyaaa!”
Jai’s comments ended with a roar of laughter and some high fives from his friends.

“You know and so do I know Jai, what all you’ve done over the past few years to come to this place. If not others then just pity yourself for what you’ve become, you power hungry moron. And I am proud that Rishav Sen, Head Boy of Delhi High School is a friend of mine,” Siddhant spoke with a lot of confidence for a change.

“One of,” mumbled Jai who was more interested in catching Siddhant saying something wrong that he could turn against him at any given moment.

“I am proud because even without enough years spent in this school, without having Veer Chauhan as his father, without buying his way out of every tough situation in life, Rishav Sen would be standing right next to you when the oath would be taken. He will be sworn in as the Head Boy and you, your dad and his money can do
shit
about it. You can never be a Rishav, no matter how much you’d want to be one.”

Jai did not respond, he chose to stay silent. Seeing him, so did his ass lickers.