Sanju

A week went in a blur with us getting our scheduler and books. The induction and introduction took most of our time during the week. I finally discovered that my flat mate's name was Pooja and she loved being addressed as Pooja and not Pooh.

She still stayed aloof and I still did my best to befriend her. But she kept ignoring me royally.

In the third week, we were asked to enroll in extra circulars. That's when my mad side started. I hated games or any sort of extra-curricular all my life. Now, being forced to be a part of it was driving me mad. Meanwhile, Pooja still stayed aloof giving me a stink eye and in return I gave her my scare crow face. She understood and decided to ignore me till I cooled. How I wished that my grandfather could use his reference and help me by not being pushed to be the par of extra curricular.   

I researched for three days and decided to be a part of dodge ball team. To me it seemed simpler game , not requiring much of practice. Sports was done, and for the club, I decided to be the part of theater as Karan bhai always called me a drama and I was pathetic and dance and other things.

Finally, the day arrived when we had to play our first practice game. I watched as two teams stood opposite to each other while our coach explained the rules. It was simple, we had to hit the opposite team with the ball without getting hit, the player who would be hit by the opposite team will be considered disqualified.

It occurred simple to me; boy I was wrong. The opposite team had one of the meanest person I had known all my life, Ruby. She was from the same department as ours but a year senior. The moment we came opposite to each other, the sparse crowd cheered for Ruby and her team. She stared at us as if we were headless chickens. I just shrugged, the plan was to get hit and get disqualified, but mean queen Ruby changed my mind.

Ruby took the first hit on my roommate Pooja, and a bad one. Pooja fell on her back holding her face. The referee whistled bringing the game to halt, Pooja was taken to infirmary and when I questioned the action, the referee said we need to learn to be careful. Ruby just smirked, bad for her as I decided to dismiss my plan of getting disqualified. I wasn't the best one. But I was going after Ruby at any cost. She hurt my friend, and I was going to take blood for blood.

I stayed low and realized it was more of the game of timing ,I was able to hit 3 and my team took other 2 out. We were just 2 left while opposite team still had 3. It was time for a break and I told my teammate that I was going after Ruby. She warned against it, but I was determined. I watched Ruby from the corner of my eyes and her eyes seemed trained on someone else. When I looked up, it was the Same guy who helped me, THE BAD BOY. I was right about him. If Ruby was he one he liked, he ought to be bad.

The way Ruby looked at him , I knew what that look meant. I smiled, the devil in my head did a little somersault. How would it feel to turn Ruby's face into a mashed potato in presence  of her boyfriend. Yes, I was going to do that. That mere thought awoke the devil in me. Poor Ruby, if she could read my twisted brain, she would be running to mountains. I was going to go down in he history for defeating the evil Que...Nah! She was no queen, she was a troll from those shows I enjoyed as a kid.

I looked once up again following Ruby's eyes and he was looking at me, blankly. He waved, I squinted poking my tongue  a him. He just smiled. As the whistle went off, we stood opposite ready to attack and I released, Ruby's team had all focused on me, bad for them as I was not planning to go down without tasting her blood. I felt like a soldier ready to avenge his brothers. I gave nod to my partner. Since all focus was on me, I was going down next but I was taking Ruby with me. Oh! This revenge felt so good, I smirked making her frown and with my whole strength  aimed for Ruby's snooty nose. I martyred taking three cannon balls at once on my back and my team mate took down the other of the opposite team. Ruby wailed holding her nose as I saw my victory trickled down her nose.  ''You did on purpose.'' She wailed

''You should be more careful!'' I repeated referee's words thrown at me when my roomie took a hit. Trust me, in my head I was doing a crazy witch dance watching Ruby going Ruby red in the face. While she was being taken to infirmary, I sat there scaring Ruby's single player. Moreover, the opposite team was less in the stands as well, the members tailed out to check on precious Ruby whose nose I just broke.  The thing about any battle is that its won on guts and how well you play with your opponents mind.  The active player in the team  looked nervous the way her two players went down in a single blow and now we stood even with one player each in the team. I smirked at her gesturing we were going to slit her throat. My team hooted and she went down without a fight. 

We celebrated and best thing that came out was that Pooja smiled at me , and that was the beginning of a best friendship in the world. The referee, the crowd looked a little shocked and I know I just got he unwanted attention. Well, I was up for it. No one hurts my roomie.

***

Rishi

''I don't want to be here.'' I admonished Jai as he dragged me to the game room. Ruby, a crazy second year I had befriended during my high school; had declared me to be her boyfriend, and everyone believed it. Initially, I just brushed it off but all this is now taking toll on me. Jai, like a true friend, enjoys my plight before helping me out of it.

''Buddy, don't go for her, come for me. There is a new batch and may be I could find one for me. Jai pleaded and I gave up with the determination to be out in five minutes but all changed the moment game started. Ruby, true to her shitty attitude enjoyed tormenting others and took down a fresher. ''She is such a bi****'' Jai said equally enraged. The act halted the game and we watched a little exchange between the freshmen team and referee. There is a thing about Ruby, she always makes the right connection. She knows the art of impressing the ones she can benefit from and this is why she escapes all the time. But it changed

I was about to walk to when my eyes fell on the goof ball, she stood with her team, glaring at Ruby. She did little comical stretches as if preparing for a battle and then her eyes followed Ruby's and met mine. She smirked, the evil one. I knew she had something in her had and that made me curious. I am the bad boy, all say that but not to my face. This goof ball did and now that smirk. I was going to stay. The match continued and freshers were outnumbered by 1 player. But they were playing good. There was a second break and the goof ball looked up again, this time, I waved , she made a face and Jai elbowed me towards scowling Ruby. I huffed, I didn't wanted this poor girl being tortured but I was so wrong. This young girl had brains, she knew they all were coming after her and she decided to take Ruby down instructing the other of her member to take Ruby's  second in command down as all was focused on her. Well, she gave Ruby taste of her own medicine and Jai applauded her. Once Ruby and her team was out, the freshman team pulled the final mind game winning the match. 

I smiled, this little goof ball was something and the faces she made at me was making me more curious about her. ''Block E.'' I whispered to self

''Sanjana Khanna, that's her name. '' Jai declared giving me his smug smile

''So!''

''I have known you since your diaper days Rishi, I know that look.'' I just smiled. ''I am the BAD BOY to her.''

''WOW!'' Jai said staring down at me.

''What?''

''You like her.''

''Shut up! I don't don't want another girl in trouble with Ruby.''

''Boy, she just knocked Ruby off. This one, will just do fine for herself. She isn't the bad girl types but she is no damsel in distress. She knows how to use her brain.''

I just covered his mouth dragging him out. I didn't want any unwanted thoughts in my head for now.

***

I didn't see Ruby or Sanjana for a week. Ruby being too depressed of her swollen face and Sanjana being in different course. In morning , I decided to go for a run. I was a part of football team and we had a couple of matches coming up. All students were divided into four houses, named after different mountain ranges. I belonged to Aravalli and Jai was a part of Nilgiri, to my bad luck Ruby made sure she was a part of Aravalli and now I wondered which house did Sanjana go into. Her name bought smile on my face and I decided to change the route of my run.

Running by the main road I moved toward block E. Though we have many blocks, female accommodation are generally  surrounded by another layer of wired fences. I took a turn towards the ending and my eyes fell on ow lean figures, one rolled over the grass pretending to be dead while other was trying to drag her. I pulled up my mask to cover my face and slowed down near her block. ''Sanju , get up. You need this.''

''My weight is perfect.'' Sanjana wailed like a baby

''Its for fitness, we need to be in our best strength to win all games.''

''We will start next week.''

The other girl who had a pixie cut, jumped around mad and then said. ''If you slag, Ruby will get an upper hand.'' That got her up and I chuckled bringing the attention. Sanjana was up and she walked closer and I decided to move . Don't know what got into her, she started chasing me and that took me by surprise. I didn't know what was running in her mind so I ran faster.

''You! Ruby's spy. tell her , I am watching her.'' I was just left dumb founded. Once I lost her , I laughed. Sanjana was cute and now I wanted to know her. Befriend her, she took on a bully for her friend whom she had just met and I knew she was going to be an amazing friend. But she wouldn't befriend me, she was not going to accept that but I will.

Smiling, I made my way back to my apartment and found Jai in a bad mood. ''What?''

''Do something of this Ruby or I will kill and bury her in grounds of Redwood University.''

''Do it! Pls do this sacrifice for your best friend.'' I teased. 

''This is serious. She is mad you didn't check on her ; refused to answer her calls and threatening me that she will break off with you.''

We huffed, how I wished she does that. But she wasn't going to leave me, and in that moment I knew what I should be doing. Time to start a rumor.

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