Part 21 Champion

Khushi hopped in joy, seeing Arnav leading in the race. Her face lost its charms when Parthiban took the lead. She pouted angrily. She knew Arnav could not be beaten up. Yes, she was right. Arnav could not be beaten up UNLESS he wanted it to happen.

Parthiban shouted like a maniac when she crossed Arnav. He ran laughing at Arnav sarcastically but the next second, his face drained as Arnav again took the lead. Parthiban tried to beat him and he succeeded in his try too but again Arnav took the lead.

Khushi understood that Arnav did that intentionally to show his power to Parthiban. Arnav purposely ran parallel with Parthiban giving him the hope of winning. So that he would try to beat him and get to know it was not that easy. When it was twenty meters to the finish, Arnav ran fast and finished with the lead of fifteen meters.

Khushi ran to Arnav screaming delightedly. She held his hand and raised it hopping cheerfully. Arnav smiled softly. In the joy, she didn't notice that he didn't even gasp after running two hundred meters race.

"Arnie, did you see someone who asked for a MAN?" She asked looking at Parthiban who was glaring at them.

Arnav looked at Parthiban smirking.

"You showed what is meant by MANLYNESS by defeating him playing with him casually..." She tapped his shoulder.

Parthiban gritted his teeth.

"Don't fly high, Arnav...! If you have guts, face me in the hundred-meter race..."

"Arnie, it seems it's not enough for him to be defeated for one time..."

Khushi looked at Parthiban and said,

"He has guts... you have already seen it... Yet, he will participate in a hundred meters' races as you are so much interested in losing"

NK came there with their fellow students.

"What a performance Arnav...! We don't know you have such talent"

"He is not like others to show his talent only in WORDS. He just shows his talent through action" Khushi said, keeping her hand on Arnav's shoulder.

Parthiban knew she was taunting him. He wanted to win the hundred-meter race at any cause.

After a while, the hundred-meter race started. Of course, Arnav participated as Khushi challenged Parthiban.

This time, Arnav didn't play with Parthiban and maintained the lead from the beginning. He made sure that he didn't break any RECORDS because he didn't want to be noticed. There was a two-meter gap between him and Parthiban when he finished the race. According to the hundred-meter race, the gap was too high.

Khushi was on cloud nine. Arnav got two gold medals. NK ran to Khushi and murmured something.

"Is it?"

NK nodded yes.

"Arnie, you have a lot of chances to become our college Champion...! To get the Championship, you have to win one more race" She said.

Arnav rolled his eyes.

"Please Please don't say no... Please..."

He nodded his head from left to right smiling.

"He agreed..." Khushi hoped happily.

NK looked at her confusingly and said,

"Khushi, I think you are mistaken... he nodded his head from left to right..."

"But with the SMILE..." She chuckled.

"Oh, that meant, he agreed?"

Khushi nodded yes and shared hi-fi with him.

"What race Arnav should participate in to become a Champion?"

"He will become a Champion if he participates in the same event with Parthiban and wins"

"What's his next event?"

"Long jump..."

"Arnie... will you jump?"

"I had not jumped ever before..." he said plainly.

"No problem... even though you win second or third place, you will be the champion according to the points," NK said.

"My dear Arnie... please win at least second place" Khushi pleaded, clutching his chin.

Arnav controlled his smile and nodded ok like a good boy.

Athletes who participated in the Long jump were called. Arnav was about to go, but Khushi stopped him.

"One minute..." She closed her eyes and prayed.

"Hey, Devi Maiya... please give strength to Arnav's legs..." bending down, she touched the mud and kept it on his forehead.

"Jai, devi Maiya..."

"Shall I?" Arnav smiled.

She took a deep breath and nodded ok.

The players lined up. Arnav came and stood behind Parthiban.

"This is not like running... long jump needs practice to win," he said sarcastically.

Arnav nodded ok sincerely.

Students were standing on either side of the long jump field curiously. Khushi was nervously standing with students to see the event.

Parthiban jumped 8.03 meters and it was his own best. He was so satisfied. He was sure that Arnav could not beat it.

Arnav was the next. He ran towards the field and jumped... correction, not jumped but fled...! 8.41 meters!

That created many WOWs in the field.

"Sir, he needs just two centimeters to create a new state record..." One of the students said.

Students looked at Arnav with amazement... especially, the physical instructor.

Dusting his dress, Arnav started walking out of the field making everyone disappointed. Khushi rushed behind him.

"Arnie, where are you going? You have two more chances"

"You wanted me to win the Championship. I just did. That's all"

Khushi was about to say something,

"I'm not interested in sports... I participated in it ONLY for you... please don't compel me"

Khushi pouted and then nodded ok.

Students and professors were stunned to see him not showing interest in taking two more chances.

That was the first time, Parthiban got SILVER medals. So, he lost the championship... because Arnav got it. Arnav won three Gold medals and also the Championship Cup.

It was the peak of humiliation for Parthiban. He left the college not just wanting to get silver medals but also because he could not see Arnav getting the cup. He could not bear the humiliation. The way Arnav beat him playfully irked him. He could not take it. He was the college Champion so far. It made him a HERO in their college but Arnav broke it. He knew Arnav got into it only because of Khushi. He wanted to revenge them for the humiliation. He didn't want to leave it easily.

On the other side,

All the eyes were on Arnav. Students saw a NEW Arnav that day. He became a center of attraction that attracted many girls' attention. A few girls purposely wished him for his victory. He didn't give heed to them.

"It seems someone became a hero of our college girls..." Khushi teased him.

"Did you eat anything?" Arnav changed the topic.

"No..."

"Are not you hungry?"

"Yes... but I don't feel like eating anything because I'm so happy"

"Come and eat something"

He walked to the classroom and Khushi went with him. Washing their hands, they got in. Arnav removed the boxes that Ratna sent for them. They started eating.

"Why are you not interested in sports?"

"I just am not..."

"You can create many records you know"

Arnav ate silently.

"The most difficult thing to understand in the world is YOU... Mr. CBM..."

Arnav stopped eating and asked,

"Is it Cold Blood Monster or, Calm and Beautiful Man?"

Khushi smiled brightly.

"How did you get such a doubt? Don't you know what I call you?"

Arnav continued eating.

"Hello, CBM... answer me"

Arnav smiled.

"So, you know what's there in my heart..." she asked in double meaning.

Arnav was stuck. What could he say now?

"Why don't I know? I'm your best friend" he simply said.

Khushi's face drained. Won't he understand? Or, was he pretending? She ate silently. Arnav saw her slightly lifting his eyelashes. He too wanted to tell her what was there in his heart but he could not...!

After finished eating they came to the auditorium where the prize distribution was going to be held.

Arnav received the medals and the Championship Cup from the chief guest. He gave the cup to Khushi and put the medals on her neck.

"They belong to you," he said making her chuckle.

She raised the cup above her head and shouted,

"Hurreeeeyyyyy..."

Her friends joined her.

Vedika clicked the pic and sent it to Parthiban with a caption.

"Their RAISE can't be your DOWNFALL. There are many ways to beat them... you can do it"

Parthiban was also thinking about it. If Khushi had not forced Arnav, he would not have participated in the sports. He lost his respect in the college because of Khushi. He wanted to teach her a lesson. Just because she was a SP's daughter, she could not be left freely. He didn't know how to do it but he wanted to do something immediately because the election was nearing.

Khushi was surprised as Arnav didn't show interest in taking the cup and medals home.

Khushi kept them in his bag.

"I don't need them"

"Why?"

"I told you. I'm not interested"

"No problem if you don't take them. Just keep it as a memento"

"Why should not you keep it as a memento?"

"Me?"

"Yeah... keep remembering that you made a guy win all of them"

"Why don't you keep remembering a girl brought the best out of you?"

"I don't think this is my best"

"You yourself are the best"

"Take them to your home"

"But why Arnie? Show these to Uncle and Aunty... they will be happy"

"I don't want to take them only because I don't want them to see these"

"But why?"

"They are already surprised as I already started doing things that are not my cup of tea... and adding to it, if they got to know I won the championship, they will think differently"

"What will they think?"

"Leave it..."

"Will they think you are in love with me?"

Arnav was stuck and nodded yes.

"Oh... to avoid them to think so, you don't want to take them home?"

He nodded yes.

"What if I tell them about this?"

Arnav rolled his eyes.

"I don't think they will think differently because they knew me"

Arnav looked at her sharply. He so wanted to say that they knew you that was why they would think differently.

To be continued...