We won.

When Shaan came to our lab to deliver the good news, I jumped into his arms unable to contain my excitement. 

In fact, I would have gone ahead and kissed him right there on his mouth, if I didn't know the consequences with Neha.

Winning never felt so good before.

"First?" I asked cheerfully when he pulled back.

"Yes. They just put the list on notice board" he grinned.

"Damn! Who's second?" I said, remembering that the top two couples will be performing on stage.

"Someone called Kashyap and Pranavi" he said vaguely.

I barely contained myself from sighing in relief when I remembered Vamsi and Nisha sitting next to me. 

It made me a terrible person for being grateful for my best friend's loss but thankfully, I won't have to watch them together on stage.

Vamsi didn't meet my eyes when he mumbled congratulations but Nisha glanced at me with a genuine smile "No surprise there"

After Shaan left, I went To Neha's spot where she's pouting at the computer screen "Come, let's go"

Without a word, she got up and followed me. We ended up at the bench where Vamsi tended to my injury ten days ago.

"You don't have to say sorry" she said dolefully "You reacted like that because you were happy"

"Hearing him say we won felt like one big happy ending after a week of nonstop struggle" I confessed, feeling reassured.

"Why is winning so important to you, Anju?" she said gloomily.

I opened my mouth to give a meaningless excuse but seeing her look so dejected made me pause.

How can I lie to the person who forgave me even before I apologized!

"Because I wanted to be better than Nisha at something" I confessed finally.

The surprise on her face is evident and so is her compassion "I never thought....I didn't know"

Pulling my knees up to my chest, I wrapped my arms around my legs "Seeing them together is..... hard. It made me question things and brought up insecurities that I never gave a second thought before"

"I started to feel inadequate" I continued with a sad smile "She's pretty. Isn't she?"

"You're prettier" My best friend grumbled sulkily.

"Liar" I said glumly, looking away "Nisha and I are as opposite as day and night. I can't help thinking how different we are and how he preferred her"

"Your timing is wrong, Anju"

"She's so damn perfect" I whined childishly "Why does it have to be her?"

"I'm sorry" she said, hugging me.

"For?"

"Feeling jealous"

"My feelings are one directional at the moment. You don't have to worry about me"

"I know" she said, looking sullen "But you looked like you wanted more than a hug from Shaan"

I laughed "I almost did too. But then I pictured you with a knife in your hand standing over me while I am sleeping"

She burst into laughter "You are too much"

When her laugh subsided, I began yawning.

"Are you even sleeping these days?" she asked with a frown.

"Four hours. Barely"

She gasped "I thought you can't function without 8 hours"

"I had to. With rehearsals leaving a dent on my project time, I had to put extra hours at home. I'm just glad it's over"

"You're one lucky bitch you don't have under eye dark circles"

"Thank you universe, for brown skin" I said sardonically.

"How did Vamsi take the news?"

"I don't think he's happy" I said smiling evilly.

She raised her eyebrows "If he saw what I did, then he knows you are happy that he lost"

Damn! If she saw that, I have no doubt he did too. No wonder he looked unhappy.

To her look of scrutiny, I sighed "You are right. I'm selfish. I was relieved that I don't have to watch them; I can't run away like I did in the auditorium yesterday"

"What's wrong with being selfish?"

That made me pause "What?"

"What's wrong with being selfish? Since when is, putting yourself before others, wrong?"

A slow smile spread on my face "Since when are you so smart?"

"Forever" she smirked, getting up "Let's go back. I won't be surprised if our class mates thought we are having a cat fight"

I grinned "What?"

"You don't know how much the world enjoys watching girls fight amongst each other"

I rolled my eyes but followed her.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. After a long gap, I visited Ammamma before going to my own house where I had a good ten hours of sleep.

"Are you ignoring me?" I asked Vamsi, the next day during recess when Neha went to the ladies' room.

"Why would I?"

"You didn't come to pick me up"

"I sent you a text that I'm not coming" he reminded with a scowl.

"Why didn't you come?"

"Nisha wanted me to pick her up" he said absentmindedly.

Something's wrong. If it's about my reaction yesterday, then it's better I keep my mouth shut..

Some time later, he called out quietly "Anju!"

"What?" I responded dully without turning back.

"I don't like this"

This time I did face him "I didn't say anything"

"You don't have to. It's written all over your face" he said numbly.

"Should I say sorry?"

"For what? Being yourself?" he asked sharply.

"I don't know what to---"

"Don't then!" he sounded angry.

"Vamsi, I-----"

"Save it, Anju" he snapped "You don't want to feel guilty but you insist on making things hard"

"I don't have to like her" I reminded, feeling impatience.

"You said you'll try"

I groaned inwardly. Sometimes, I am really stupid. Why did I say that?

"I can't wait to have a boyfriend" I mumbled grudgingly.

"Why?"

"So I can take my motorcycle and have romantic long rides with my Mr.Perfect"

It's meant to be sarcastic but he looked annoyed "That's my bullet"

"It was a gift to both of us" I reminded sweetly.

"It's not on your name"

"Not on yours either" I taunted, acting silly.

"No but she is my nannamma. So, technically it's mine"

That ticked me. She is his' alright but it's no secret I loved her more than my own. Despite knowing that, he threw it on my face.

His hand touched my shoulder as he said "Anju, I'm...."

"Don't!" I said furiously, raising my palm up to stop him from apologizing.

We didn't talk during lunch making Neha understand that something happened. Again. She even mumbled something about us fighting all the time.

Which is true. We had silly arguments all the time but not like this; where we ignored each other's presence. 

In fact, we fought more in the last 3 months than we did in the last 10 years.

Things could have been better if he isn't my ride home but thankfully, I still have Neha with me. She's more than okay with taking me home.

"She's coming with me" Vamsi announced, pulling me away from her.

"I'm not" I yelled trying to pull my hand back but damn, he is much stronger and I can do nothing but tag alongside him.

"I'm not getting on your bullet" I said when he dragged me to the spot where he parked the motor cycle.

"I will tie you up if that's what I have to do"

We stood glaring at each other until he looked away, biting back a swear "This is getting ridiculous, Anju. Come on!"

"You are not responsible for me" I said infuriated.

"Get on the bike or I'll call your mother"

"As if I don't have your parents' numbers!" I exclaimed feeling juvenile.

He sighed heavily "God, you test my patience!"

"Good, because you test mine!" I said bitterly.

"Your patience level is not zero; it's minus" He chuckled suddenly and then started laughing at his own joke "Damn it all, but I love you"

My heart skipped a beat and my temper went down in an instant. Just like that.

"Let's go home, Anju. We will watch a movie and I'll make something for you" he said, gazing at me fondly "Come on"

Without another word, I got behind but we didn't go much further as his phone rang and he stopped by the sidewalk to answer.

"Now? Oh. I am with Anju. Ok. We will meet you there" he spoke into the phone before disconnecting.

"Who's that?" I asked curiously.

"Nisha" he replied calmly "I have to go somewhere"

I groaned. I knew his offer is too good to be true.

"And you are coming with me" he decided.

"Where?"

"She's at dominos with her friends"

"Why should I come?" I asked absurdly, feeling my temper return.

"She wants me to meet her friends. This is probably for the better. You can see her too"

"But I see her everyday"

"Outside of college, you don't"

I shut my eyes in frustration.

"Leave me here. I will take an auto" I said as calmly as I could.

"Anju, you are my only friend.... Please. I don't know any of her friends. If not for her, come for me" he requested glumly.

Seeing his sad eyes softened my heart and I agreed to him; albeit unwillingly. But it isn't until we parked at dominos did I doubt if he used the friend card deliberately.

Nisha is seated with four of her friends when we arrived; all of them looked fresh and chic despite coming here straight from college like us.

Their hair style is what grabbed my attention. Not one matched the other's and I wouldn't be surprised if they have fashionable names.

Like fish tail. Is that name of a hair style?

Well, I'll never know; which is exactly why I look like the odd fish with my button down, jeans, shoes and my tiny pony tail that I haven't fixed since putting it up in the morning.

"We ordered for ourselves already" Nisha announced with a smile, looking bright and warm "I didn't know what you guys prefer"

"It's alright. I will do that" he strutted away to the reception counter leaving me with her friends.

"Guys you know Anjali. Anjali, meet my friends: Aishwarya, Sreenitha, Pavani and Pallavi" Nisha announced.

Except Pavani who is the topper of section B, I don't know others' though I remember seeing their faces in our department over the last 3.5 years.

We greeted each other when the girl who's introduced as Sreenitha said awkwardly "Do you want to, like wash your face or something?"

"Is there something on my face?" I asked, uncertainly.

"No, you look---"

"Tired" Nisha interfered, throwing a look at her friend to stop.

Vamsi returned with a butterscotch mousse cake and a bisleri water bottle.

"It'll take some time. Eat this" he said offering me the mousse cake.

Not only am I grateful for the chance of stuffing my mouth with food so I don't have to talk, I am also very hungry.

They introduced themselves and one by one started discussing about their respective projects while I stayed quiet eating my cake.

When our pizzas came, Vamsi and I shared our regular Chicken Fiesta when I mumbled under my breath "Do I have something on my face?"

He stared at me "No. Why"

"Check properly" I whispered, flexing my face left to right.

He looked surprised, then turned to look at the girls opposite to us "Did anyone say anything?"

"No" I said, looking down.

Technically they didn't but the way they looked at me. Damn, I am probably making a mountain out of a molehill. I should stop letting Anila's words get into my head.

But they continued with their observation as Vamsi cut my pizza slices into bite pieces because I've always had trouble doing that.

Nisha stayed quiet enjoying her pizza while her friends asked him about his family and education background. It isn't until he revealed his plan to study MS did she pay them any attention.

When the bill came, I took out my wallet from my jeans pocket and said "What's my share?"

"Don't tell me you're going to make us pay" Aishwarya drawled in a teasing tone.

"Why should I pay for you?" I asked doubtfully.

"Not you. Nobody expects you to" she said, looking at my clothes up and down.

Her look of contempt flared my temper and made me clench my fist in irritation.

"He's the guy!" Pallavi smiled as if that explained everything.

"I will pay for my friends" Nisha intervened gently.

"It's alright. I can pay" Vamsi replied with one of his easy smiles but his voice held an undertone of unease and I understood why.

He doesn't carry that much cash and only brings card when necessary.

"Everybody's equal here. Why should you pay?" I grumbled in exasperation. Belatedly, I felt his hand squeeze mine under the table to stay silent.

"Anju, shut it" he mumbled quietly, throwing a warning look at me.

"Why should I? Who says guys have to pick up the tab?" I argued.

"What's your problem, anyway?" Aishwarya said, glancing at me like I'm an immature kid.

"Aishu....." Nisha gritted her teeth, shaking her head. Turning around to face Vamsi, she said calmly "I will take care of my friends"

"It's alright Nisha" he said in a pacifying tone "Anju is just being protective"

"I'm sorry the thought of a guy paying for me while I eat like a pig seems repulsive" I said snidely.

"What did you just say?" Aishwarya said, getting out of her chair.

"Aishu, calm down! She's crazy" Sreenidhi commented looking pissed "Guess books don't teach everything"

A look of disgust filled Aishwarya's face as she said "Doesn't mean I have to take notes from this cross-dresser pile of crap"

Before I could respond to either of their statements with my fists, Vamsi closed my mouth, pulled me out of my seat and dragged me out of the shop.

When we reached the parking lot, he screamed angrily "What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Me? What the hell is wrong with them?"

"You can't beat people, Anju. Especially, not girls!"

"No girl in her right mind would expect a random man to pay for her expenses" I yelled, matching his loud voice.

"That doesn't mean you can hit them!"

I wanted to shout that I can but the anger in his eyes stopped me. He looked furious and that rattled me. Being angry has always been my forte. Not his'.

"Why are you taking their side?" I said bitterly.

He looked pissed at my accusation "I don't want you to get hurt. Can't you see it'll be four against one?"

"You won't be my side?" I glared.

"I have to hit a bunch of stupid girls to prove my loyalty?" he looked shocked. 

That shut my mouth. And my anger lessened as seconds passed by.

Vamsi sounded less upset when he spoke again "We could have handled money. I'd have loaned some from you and if you didn't have, I could have gone home while you stayed here. Why do we have to complicate things?"

"Those girls said I -----"

"Since when do you care what others think of you?"

"I don't"

"Then?"

I bit my lower lip in irritation. It's right I have been called worse things before but not only did the girls look sophisticated, they looked at me like I'm beneath them.

They did what Anila failed to do; for nearly four years.

When he stayed silent, I opened my wallet, took out two five hundred rupee notes and placed them in his hand.

He sighed heavily but clenched his fingers "I will pay you back. Thank you"

"Don't bother" I said mindlessly when he took my hand, rubbing his fingertips on my knuckles.

"It'd be a waste to hurt these; for them" he added fervently.

I nodded silently, turning away.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll see you tomorrow"

"Wait for few minutes. I will drop you home" he called out.

The only person who can understand and undo what these girls made me feel is my other best friend. 

So, I decided "I'm going to Neha's"

----

Thank you for reading. Please vote, comment and share if you like this chap.

It's one thing to be happy about your own success. It's another to be happy about other's failure. POV matters. I know.

How ironic is it that I talked of women being pitted against each other and women fighting in the same chapter!

- JANAKI