Lies require commitment.
~ Veronica Roth

Jagruthi

"What is she doing in the middle of the night?" My dad came into the living room covering himself in a robe.

"She is nervous about her 2nd semester results. And it's almost 12:30PM in India." My mom replied and gave him some coffee.

We are on a vacation for a week in Cancun, Mexico for the summer break. We have to do vacations outside India because dad and mom need privacy and we don't want people finding out I'm alive.

"When did she turn into you, A nerd? Where did my daughter go?" Mama asked papa who's looking at me like a I've gone crazy.

"You love this nerd. This is for a dare, and we Dhanraj's don't back out of a dare." Papa said proudly and mom scoffed rolling her eyes at him.

One night we were all bored and decided to spice up our life with one crazy thing each semester. We did a Rock Paper Scissors last time, Nidhi won making us bunk the class for Manju and giving proxy and sneak out after for me. For Kajal it was to bang all the other room doors after midnight.

That night was really crazy, we had to write an apology letter for the warden. I almost peed laughing that night.

I've been pacing from an hour in the anticipation of seeing my result, but they didn't release them yet.  I think I did good but like Karthik told Devansh, my top floor becomes empty and I go blank in panic. Please god help me,

"Papa, Mama, The results are out. Log into my account and don't tell me if I don't have a 8." I said looking at the message from Kajal about the results.

Papa grabbed the laptop by him, and kept moving his eyes between me and the computer screen.

Oh god! What's taking him so long? I started walking from one end to the other end of the room not knowing what to do.

"Stop walking, you are making me nauseous." Mama told me and I stood still biting my nails.

"It's time for.. PARTYYY." Papa yelled and I jumped up and down.

I ran to the screen and looked at it, I got a fiddling 8.53 this time. This is going to be crazy. I hugged them both and they both kissed me proud of my accomplishments.

"So, what are your plans for everyone?" Papa asked me after we celebrated with some drinks. I had some coke, while mom and dad drank some cocktails.

"How did you guys know you loved each other?" I asked them sitting on the couch while they are standing infront of me.

Kajal says she loves Randhir and I want to be sure that's what love is before I make her ask him out.

"I saw your mom protesting on the road to get better food at the hostel and she was so sexy yelling at everyone, I wanted to grab and her kiss her right there. Mmmm." He said and pulled Mama into his arms and kissed her.

"Please don't move and make sounds. Why can't you be like regular Indian parents? You know no touching and kissing infront of their children." I said closing my eyes with a pillow shuddering at their actions.

"How do you think we made you? Without touching and kissing." Mama said kissing my dad on the cheek raising her eyebrows at me.

"Eww.. Gross. Please stop! Never mind I asked. You guys suck." I said walking into my room.

"Run away from us and we will make a Baby sister or brother for you." Mama told me smirking and made me stop.

"Nope, I don't want a sibling, I don't like sharing your love with anyone else. I'm going to stop you guys by sleeping in between you." I said and ran to their room.

After a few minutes mom came in and sat infront of me.

"Is that question about the hot bawler Devansh?" Mama asked me and I sat straight in shock.

I told her about my crush on him, but that's not like or love him right? I shook my head in denial, not able to wrap my mind around the thought.

"When you love someone, you will know it. You will feel complete when the person is beside you, you will feel loved, cared and mostly you will feel yourself, not the person you show the world." She said holding my hand and pulled me into hug.

"You can't ever love anyone not until I'm alive. No boy in this world is good enough for my precious. They can't treat you like we do and college boys are stupid." My papa said coming into the room and I laughed at his answer.

"It's not for me Papa, it's for Kajal. I won't love anyone other than you and mama. And who's going to be crazy enough to like me." I said and kissed him on the cheek as joined us on the bed.

Will Devansh like me?

Why will he? He already has a girlfriend remember.

"Where is my kiss? You guys always leave me out." Mama asked pouting at us.

"I love you, Mama, Muah."

"I love you, Sruthi, Muah."

"I love you, Mama, Muah."

"I love you, Sruthi, Muah."

We continued yelling kissing her on each cheek. I felt all what mama said about love today. I love these two, My happy and lovely family. I can do anything for them.

We had a crazy party because of my grades and I had so much fun in Mexico, we went parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving. It was fun to spend all the days near the beach with my family.

This summer break was fun and the best summer of my life. I lived with my parents instead of grandparents. We lived in our own house, the feeling of home is always amazing.

Papa will be busy next year because of the elections. So, he made up in every way this year. I hope he wins again, he loves what he does and I don't want him to go through all the struggle again. If he wins this time, it's going to be a hatrick. I'm so excited for him and I get to vote this year.

All the fun comes to an end tonight, I have to go back to hostel, the fake life where I'm Jagruthi. It's good to be Jagruthi but I don't feel like lying to my friends. Every time someone calls me Jagruthi, it hurts me makes me feel like I'm cheating them. I'm thankful I get to live a normal life but at what cost?

Mama is working late. So papa, aunty and Karthik are here to help me pack for tonight. Karthik went out to meet his friends.

Can you believe it? I'm going to be a senior now. And it's been a year without any major problems and I'm alive.

Yay! me

"I don't like this college going daughter of mine." My dad complained to my aunt like a small boy scrunching his nose.

"What happened brother?" My aunt asked papa patting his back.

Aunty treats my papa like a son more than a brother, always pampering him, making him food he likes and what not. And he acts like a freaking child, such a baby.

"She is so excited to leave me. If she was staying at home this would never happen and i would have all her attention instead of that stupid phone in her hands and her new friends." He whined with his sister.

"Offo.. Papa. You had all my attention this summer break. Stop whining and fold my shirt." I told him eating my favorite Gulab Jamun with vanilla ice cream.

"This is slavery and adult abuse. you know that right." He whined again and I rolled my eyes at his drama.

Adult abuse my foot, he is just grumpy that I'm leaving.

"Stop making my brother work. He is a small baby, go fold your own clothes." Aunty joined my papa and my papa stopped folding my clothes.

"MAMA, Papa and aunty are ganging up against me. They unfolded all my clothes and are making me do them." I complained to my mom who just walked home after a long day.

"No, we did not mess up her clothes. She is lying Sruthi, ask my sister?" Papa told my mom.

"Like your sister will go against you. Janu is leaving tonight and you are making fun of her. What is this Jag? Be nice to her and say sorry." My mama yelled at my papa and I winked at him.

"Let's go baby, I got you these new clothes on the way back. Try them on." She said and pulled me away from my father and aunty.

After trying on all the clothes she bought me, I was hella tired, mama fed me dinner while I told her all about my plans and college.

My mama, papa and Aunty gave me and Karthik another set of instructions on how to behave and we bid byes with no tears. As usual Karthik drove me to the hostel and dropped me there after a long 6 hour drive, I took my bags out and walked to the room excited as ever knowing that from today Kajal, Manju, Nidhi and me are going to be roommates for ever.

I slammed the door open and yelled

"Hello my kindred spirits! I am back and we are seniors this year."

I ran to them and pulled everyone into a group hug.

"Guess what my mom sent you?" Manju asked me breaking our hug.

"Your mom's special and my favorite Rum cake without rum." I asked her in excitement and she nodded revealing the cake.

Manju's mom makes the best cake ever. This is going to be my breakfast. Yum!

This is so exciting, can this day get any better? And the cherry to my beautiful day is, Nidhi, Samrat and me are going to be in the same class.

We quickly got ready and put on our uniforms, our uniform is beige and white checkered kurta with khaki pants and a khaki jacket on top. Looks pretty weird to the eye but you get habituated to it.

We ran to our new classroom and me and Nidhi settled in the 3rd bench. My Mama says teacher concentrate on the first and last benches, if you sit in the middle no one cares. That's the step one of going under the radar.

"Hey Sammy! Here I saved some cake for you." I told giving a part in my share. He grinned like an Idiot showing all his teeth looking between me and the cake.

"Learn from her, she is the best sister ever." Samrat snickered at Nidhi.

"Who said I'm your sister? I'm just making my place to be your girlfriend, the minute you breakup with Nidhi. I'm going to snatch you right off." I said winking at him, I hope that scares him of for saying that to Nidhi.

"You can have him now, you know what we can all share him like the pandavas shared draupadi. " Nidhi said continuing the drama.

"You guys are lunatics! I'm leaving." Samrat said and ran away from us.

We high-fived each other laughing at Sammy's misery and all of sudden the class got quite like deathly hallows quite. I turned around and every one is looking at the door. My eyes automatically turned towards the door and found the circus which caught everyone's attention.

My eyes grew wide, I opened my mouth in shock and I felt a pang everywhere on my body.

Devansh and Sahastra are kissing each other at the door, on the lips, mouth to mouth.

Is she saving him by giving him oxygen like in the movies? I just want to go there and pull her away from him.

Why does Devansh's posture look taken back?Why do I feel angry looking at them? I have this pain near my chest and I just want to cry looking at them.

No Janu! You can't feel this way.

Watching your crush kiss your nemesis is the not the sight you enjoy watching. May be, he is nice to me and he is hot, handsome, nerd and a jock with emotions, but he is not mine and this scene is the ever living proof of that.

Eww! I can't watch this, It's way too early for me to watch an R rated movie and hurt myself.

Do you want to know something?

Go ahead taunt me, tell me that I suck for liking him.

Kissing is nothing but a spit exchange, and do you know that a 10 sec kiss leads to sharing 80 million germs. So don't worry about them kissing they are just making each other sick, gross and contract Mononucleosis.

I laughed like a big snort, and Nidhi looked at me like I was crazy. They just pulled apart and everyone started murmuring.

"What's our schedule today?" I asked her deviating from the drama.

"Did you just see what happened? This is awesome! This is going to be the exciting year ever." She giggled and we discussed about the classes. I kept my eyes to myself instead of looking at Devansh, and soon the dreading day ended giving me peace.

We met Manju and Kajal and settled in the cafeteria with some food. Sammy went to his friends.

"Now that I got more than 8 G.P.A, I get to pick the dares remember." I said eating my cornetto double chocolate ice cream.

I see panic on everyone's faces and I'm enjoying it. Wow, I'm loving that horror look on them.

"So, I gave it a lot of thought over the summer break and first Nidhi, I want you to fake fight with Samrat." I announced and Nidhi looks shocked.

Why don't you just grow some horns? Making two people in love fight evil jerk.

Samrat and Nidhi never fight, I mean never and not even a single argument and I just want to see Samrat rattled.

"Fine! You got it." Nidhi said with a smirk, making me rethink my dare for her.

"Manju, I want you to steal Aarthav's phone and message in our class group chat that I am an ape and the most stupidest person on the earth." I completed saying and she literally dropped her ice cream in shock.

"That's not fair Janu, Nidhi got an easy one. I can't tolerate that Ape." Manju argued but I just laughed at her flustered face.

I happen to think there is some spark between Manju and Aarthav and I wanted to test that out. I finally looked at Kajal who is ready to cry, Ha ha. This is going to be fun.

Upgraded from creep to sadist.

"Are you ready Kaju?" I asked her looking at her Panic stricken face.

"Please have some mercy on me god, Don't let this monster Janu toy with my life." She folded her hands and prayed to god.

We all chuckled at her, no one knows about my plan for her all the six eyes are eagerly looking at me with enthusiasm.

"God can't help you my dear, You all have a week to complete the task, because I'm rewarding like that. " I said licking my ice cream.

"You should ask Randhir bhaiyya to be your date for the SSM Old age home charity ball. " I said and enjoyed the best part of Cornetto ice cream, the end crunchy waffle cone with chocolate in it.

Manju and Nidhi gasped at my dare for Kajal. Kajal sat still, no movement whatsoever.

"I can't, What if he says no? I can't take the rejection." Kajal said pushing her plate away.

"What if he says yes?" What if you have the chance of being someone you love, like me?" Nidhi questioned her.

"You are always judged by the courage of your heart not the fear of rejection." Manju encouraged.

Manju and her fancy way of saying things.

"Stop being pessimistic and give it try. There is more to win than to lose." I told her and she has tears in her eyes.

"You people make me feel like a fudging empress, I love you guys! You are the best friends I could ever get." Kajal said brushing her tears off.

We all looked at each other, and at that moment I knew, this is what friendship is. Being there every minute, through pain, sorrow and happiness.

I, Jagati Jagadeesh Dhanraj vow to myself and thy god, that I will be with them through everything in life whatever it is and I'm glad to have them in my life. I might not have Devansh in my life but I have these people who can help me through anything.

"What's going on here? Why is everyone crying?" Karthik asked us looking shocked and furious by the tears in everyone's eyes.

"Umm..hmm. Nothing, we were having a staring competition and you made me lose." I snarled at him lying through my teeth and he calmed down.

"Wow! That looked more like a sob fest than a staring competition. You guys are so dramatic." He said making a face at us. He pulled a chair between me and Kajal and joined us.

"Why don't you go sit with your friends and leave us alone." I asked him feeling all the eyes in the cafeteria on us.

"Why? Do you guys hate me?" Karthik asked everyone with a pout.

"No! We don't. She does." They all sang in unison.

I widened my eyes at their answer, freaking liars. Karthik scrunched his eyes at me for an answer.

"You know I don't Kar. I just don't want to gain attention." I told him and looking at everyone in the cafeteria.

It's been one year people live with it, Karthik talks to me, he is my cousin. I wanted to yell at everyone. But hey! I can't do that.

"Ignore them Janu! Tell me what are your plans this weekend? May be we can catch a movie." He said scratching his beard.

"We don't have any plans Karthik bhaiyya, and we would love to watch the new Fast and Furious movie with you." Nidhi asked him.

As soon Nidhi started talking to Karthik, Samrat stood up from his table and started walking to us. Sammy thinks Nidhi has a crush on Karthik, I told him a bazillion times that she doesn't but he won't believe me.

"Nice, I can join you guys too." Samrat came to our table.

"No thanks Sam! I am going with them, you always try to rule my life. I want to live my way without you constantly shoving yourself into it." Nidhi yelled at him and Sammy was shocked was an understatement.

"I am sorry Nidhi, I didn't mean to be like that. You can go alone if you want." Samrat said with a sullen look and I felt bad for him.

"Is that enough Janu or do you want some more reaction for me?" Samrat asked me with an evil smirk and it was my turn to be shocked today.

They betrayed me,  stupid freaking friends, I hate them.

Did you guys like Janu's dares for everyone?

I hope you all got vaccinated and are safely tucked in at your home.

Praying for the pandemic to end, so that we can celebrate my big sisters wedding, which we have been planning for the last 2 years but keeps on getting postponed, it's just sucking the excitement out of it.

Anyway that's it, will give more Devansh and Jagruthi in the next chapters.

Stay Safe and Take Care you guys.

Don't forget to Vote and Comment.

Love,
Sneha