The next day, I was anxiously waiting for Lia and Lisa in my class, Mike was already there in his place counting the money. I was lying on the desk with clouded thoughts.

Suddenly someone placed a cover filled with currency notes and changes, well actually banged it on the desk not placed, I got up, it was Lia and Lisa.

"150 dollars!"

Lia said raising her eyebrow and Lisa stood there with folded arms.

I was amazed. Not because they done their best, it's because they were without fighting!

"You guys are awesome, I... I... How you both worked together, you din't fight right?"

They exchanged glances and laughed hard. I was confused.

"We actually made it as a deal!" Lia said.

"Deal?"

"Yes, those who collect the largest sum can lunch with Mike!"

"But luckily we ended up with equal sum" Lisa said.

"Does Mike, knows about it?"

I asked in surprise.

"You have to tell him Mina"

They replied in chorus.

"What! I?" I asked them.

"Yes, You!"

"I hope you will do this small help for our group members, Leader!"

Lisa said in a dragging tone and a pity looking face.

"Look I'm only the leader of this group not a match-maker, okay?"

"Now say yes, or we'll not give the money" They scared me with their funny threatening.

"Ok...ok... I'll do it for you" I agreed, not because I was frightened for the words of these clowns; but I wanted them not to get disappointed, after all they did a co-operative job just for this.

Soon, I could hear the bell ringing and Mr. Alex stepped into our classroom.

We started to handover our collections to him in groups. I took the initiative in my group. The teacher adjusted his glasses when he saw me with my bag.

"Your group did a good job!" he said.
I was really happy. I returned to my place and gave a hi-fi to Lia. Lisa used to sit on the other side, so I just gave her a thumbs-up.

I turned toward Mike to give him a thumbs-up too but he was busy talking to his neighbor so I left.

"You all have done a very good job students, I am proud of you all. Tomorrow the group which collected the highest sum will get an amazing, wonderful and a marvelous prize from our principal, check your names on the notice board tomorrow"

Later, that afternoon, when I was busy searching my next class books in my locker, It was math, and I could remember throwing my last assignment inside it in a hurry, but now I could not find it, the locker was so messy and I dunno whether it got stuck somewhere up.

I was talking to myself like a mad and was praying that I should get it back; I don't wish any punishments in my Math class. My madness was stopped by someone's voice,

"May I help you?"

I turned to see, it was Mike.

"Well I am searching for my math assignment, It's okay, I can manage" I replied him with my hands searching and me in a half knelt position.

Just then a pile of books on the third shelf in my locker fell right on my head.

"Ouch!"

"I think you need help!" he said leaning on my locker with crossed arms and legs.

I just grinned.

Then we both started to search for it furiously.

"How does it look like? You have any identification?" he asked me while searching.

"Not exactly like a file, but something like..."

He got a pile of papers pinned together, that was in an awful condition. Mike mistook it for some trash and was about to throw it away.

"No don't throw that! That's it! You found it Mike!" I said to him with gleaming eyes like he has found a lost treasure

"Is it this?"

"Yes!"

"Sure?" he asked me again and glanced at those papers again.

I went near him to get my assignment from his hand.

"Thank you!" I said, and was about to stand.

Ouch!

Something got stuck; My hair!

My hair got stuck in his Tie, I was pulling my head harder away from him, but no use the hair is still stuck.

"Wait, don't be in a hurry, I'll try"

he said and was trying to get my hair loose away from his tie. I was watching him untie my lock of hair from his tie.

Not bad, he looks really good, no wonder these girls fall for him.

He is fit and tall. And sometimes his gelled hair looks great, today he had done it.

Suddenly he lifted his head and found me staring at him,

Shit!

I am done!

"What?"he asked with a confused look.

I actually got a kind of shock when he asked me that all of a sudden.

"What, What?"

I asked him back.

"Just help me untie your messy lock instead of admiring me, got it?" he said.

"What? I was just staring not admiring!"

"Whatever, just help me now!" he replied coldly.

Then I too started to help him, atlast it was done. I got up dusted my skirt.

It was only then I realized someone was watching all this scene, my unluck, that someone was Rachel!

I think she must have been here for more than 10 minutes; I could see that from her face.

I don't know what to do,

"See ya!"

Mike said and left the other side, he din't notice her.

I just smiled at Rachel! She squeezed the bottle in her hand so hard that the entire water came out like a live fountain.

Poor bottle!

***

The next day, at school, there was a huge crowd near the notice board. I could see Lia and Lisa in the midst of the crowd, I identified them because of their hairstyles. The crowd blocked the entire notice board.

"Why it's so crowded?" I asked Mike.

"Maybe they must have declared the winners of the charity competition"

"That's right" I said.

I feared to move into the crowd, I thought that I might be crushed. So I stood patiently for the crowd to suppress.

Then I saw 2 girls with messy hair and smudged make-ups. It took me a couple of minutes to realize that it was Lisa and Lia.

They really looked busted but looked very happy.

"Any good news?" I asked them

"We won the first prize in charity collecting the highest amount!" the both yelled out in happiness hugging me.

I was very happy. For the first time I won something in my entire school life. I hugged them back yelling in joy. The both took it as a chance and hugged Mike; sorry actually squeezed him until he pretended a fake chock.

I dint hug him but I just gave him a handshake for his best in our group. He just smiled.

Later when we were seated in our class during English class, I saw Mr. Alex entering our class.

"Mina and your group are wanted by the principal!" he said with a smile.
I looked at him blank,

"gift"

he murmured.

We 4 left the class and headed to the principal's room.

We pushed each one of us to get in first, then my group said that the leader has to go first,

What!

I rolled my eyes and knocked the door.

"Excuse me Sir!"

"Come in"

the principal voiced back.

We got inside the room one by one.

"Dear students, I am very proud of you all! You have all done a very good job..." he continued with many things, but I don't remember any of that now.

The talk was so boring that I cannot resist my eyelids drooping.

I turned to see Lia closing her mouth because she was yawning.

Mike was glancing at his watch; Lisa was twisting her lock of hair.

Finally he came to the point,

"Now I want to honor you all with amazing gifts! Are you all happy?"

We anxiously waited for something special, but we were given something really normal, which I never thought. It was a school memento.

our school picture hid by his gigantic pose in it!

I just wanna leave that place, I thought I could have continued with my classes.

We 4 looked each other faces and thanked him for his 'wonderful' gift and hurried ourselves to the door.

"Wait I wanna give you something else" he made us pause.

We turned to see what it was.

"I got this coupon a couple of days back, but I am not interested with it hope you like it" and extended us 4 coupons.

We received it and this really made our eyes widen with happiness.

It was 4 KFC coupons with 80% offer. I felt like shouting but I controlled myself. We thanked him more than twice and left his room.

We 4 were really excited and thought that this was the best gift to receive.

"Is there anyone who is not interested in these"

Lia asked waving her coupon.

"Maybe, the fate says that we should own it"

Lisa said and gave a wink.

"It's so cool!" Mike replied and headed to class.

Just then Lia and Lisa pulled me back by my collar and reminded me about their lunch with Mike.

"Yes I remember!" I said.

"Anyway we will be going to KFC today evening, we can compensate with it!"

"Well that's ok but if it is a lunch, I and Lisa can talk to him more freely because you won't be there!" she said sarcastically.

I frowned.

"No! You both can sit on the either side of him in the restaurant. I won't ask you anything", I said and smiled at them sheepishly.

"Ok guys so everyone wait after school" Lisa said with a turn.

We trios headed to the class, by then we enter the class, we could see our English teacher leaving the class and it was our Gym!

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Hey guys, hope u like this chapter, keep supporting "Can't Change the Fate!"

Stay safe and Love u all
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