"Zoya are you coming?"

"In a moment", I said logging out of Instagram.

Rahul had surpassed two hundred thousand followers.

Why did his achievements seem ten times more attractive now?

Riya's phone which had been brought to school under the excuse of the competition had passed many hands since morning.

"Were you stalking Rahul?", Riya asked with a knowing face as she held out her hand for her phone.

"Guess what?", I said trying to sound as bored as possible.

"Are you sure you never want to talk to him again?", she asked.

"Riya, I told you he wouldn't want to see me anymore, even if I do. It takes two hand to clap".

"But it takes only one hand to slap".

"What?"

"Yeah. Call him up and abuse him. Finish it your way. Who's he to dump you, huh?"

"You were the one advising me to forget him", I said, struck by this.

"Yeah but forget him after this", said Riya pulling out her phone again, "Let's do it now".

"Riya please. No".

"You don't want to do it? Okay then, I'll do it. I saved his number from your phone during Eid", Riya said eagerly as she scrolled through her screen, "Aha!"

Before I could say anything, she had called him and put the call on speaker. I heard the phone ring a couple of times before the voice that I so well knew said, "Hello".

I felt like collapsing right there.

"Hello. This is Riya".

"Riya who?"

"Riya who? Oh wait. I'm your father's sister's husband's father's sister's son's daughter you useless bucket of puke! Ha, ha.."

"Riya!", I said, completely shocked and leapt forward to grab her phone.

"You stay away!", Riya said trying to push me away.

"For Godsake, just leave it and hang up", I begged.

"Oh, Riya Dixit!", I heard Rahul exclaim though I was sure he already knew who he was talking to.

"Ah! Now he remembers!", Riya drawled.

"Why are you calling me anyway?", Rahul asked irritably "Is Zoya with you?"

"What concern of yours is that you bastard?"

"Achcha. So you are also a drama queen like Zoya", Rahul asked coldly.

"Yeah. All St Xavier's girls are like that. Drama or nothing", Riya said.

"But I don't have time for useless pretty drama queens. So excuse me, but I'm going to hang up now".

"Who are you to hang up on me?", Riya snapped "And calling me a drama queen? Zoya has already told me that you are nothing but seventy kilos of drama and a black jacket!"

"This conversation is over".

"Oh I'll end it now. Don't worry. You're good at playing dude. And I ain't talking about the guitar!"

And with that Riya cut the call, looking thoroughly excited and triumphant.

"I always wanted to abuse someone on the phone and I finally did it!", Riya squealed.

I should've known! Riya was merely crossing another wish off her bucket list.

"Anyway, are you okay about Rahul now?", she asked turning to look at me with badly suppressed glee.

"Can't worry too much about it, can I? We have tomorrow to think about!", I said fiercely.

"Exactly the attitude I want Zo!", Riya said clapping me on the back, "Now let's go to the hall. We were supposed to be there five minutes ago. They're going to give us instructions for the competition. Hurry up, girl. We have a trophy to bring home tomorrow".

"St Xavier's has had a prominent reputation for many years now. Kindly do not besmirch it in a single day by doing something stu-pid", Loukya mam stretched the last word.

Suhrit sir stood next to Loukya mam with an expression of mingled exasperation and amusement.

"I expect all of you to be on your best behaviour tomorrow at the festival", Loukya mam continued importantly, "Stick to the St Xavier's crowd and don't wander off anywhere. Anything you want, come to me or Suhrit sir. Don't do anything too smart. And there will be no need to talk to students from other schools".

"Why didn't she say anything about Harry?", Reyansh asked frowning, "I was looking forward to hear a movie star's name from our dear Loukya mam".

I was pretty sure Loukya mam wouldn't say anything about Harinder Kapoor. She had very strict ideas about movie stars and she was certainly not going to talk or praise one infront of us, that too a hero who was known for driving all common sense from a girl's mind.

"Never mind", Riya said "I just hope this time tomorrow we'll be coming back to school with a trophy".

The tempo holding all the belongings of the Saxenas was parked a few metres ahead of their car in the driveway, ready to leave.

The basement of D Block was crowded. The Saxenas had been undoubtedly popular in the society (mainly because of Rahul) and many people had come to say goodbye.

I couldn't bear to see the sight infront of me - the sight of Rahul shaking hands with everybody, hugging some and even signing a last few autographs.

I was wishing with all my heart that I was still in school laughing over some bawdy joke with Riya and Mishti.

I had been waiting for Rahul to leave for a fortnight but now when it was finally happening, I felt sick. He had been the first and only person, in the society who had made an impact on me.

I recalled the time I had seen him first. The way he had stepped in at Tashan's to help me get rid of Varun. Nobody had done anything like that for me. And I had never asked him why he had done that.
I had never asked him either whether I could join his band and do the la-la-la's. There were so many many things I had never asked him...

"It was wonderful, knowing you and your daughter", Mrs Saxena said hugging mom, "Bye darling", she said moving over to me.

Mr Saxena was already at the wheel and waved at us. Meghna was pompous as always and was behaving like a politician who was being promoted. She shook hands with mom enthusiastically and insisted that she should grace her wedding next year.

My existence, however was completely ignored and she crossed me like I was one of the gulmohar trees in the park, before clambering into the backseat of the car.

Not that I minded very much.

What I did mind, was Rahul doing the same thing as his sister.

He waddled through the crowd of people fussing and fawning over him, to walk right past me with no iota of recognition and straight into the car.

But, I realized, it wasn't like, I had said "Hey Rahul!" and then he had ghosted me. Maybe I should've done that. Maybe I should've thrown myself on him and begged him not to go.

I was going mad.

Trying to ignore the lump in my throat, I tried to divert my focus.

The only thing that came into my head was Riya's words that evening.

We have a trophy to bring home!