The news of Vamsi and Nisha's relationship spread in college two days later. For the next few days, that's what everyone talked about. How perfect they are for each other!

I wish I stayed in Neha's pink room for a week until everything abated but there's a project that needs my attention and eventually, life has to move on.

My best friend looked the happiest I have ever seen and that bore a hole in my chest for not being happy for him.

My bad temper about the entire situation made him think I'm irritable cause I am worried about the project because of their relationship when it's the last thing on my mind.

Though he picks me up from home and sits behind my bench, I evade him outside of classes with Neha's help. She'd say she needed me and take me to her home every day where we worked on our respective projects til night.

On the outside, I am my usual grumpy self but in the inside I am a mess. Even sleep is tormenting me as my dream of kissing Vamsi is now replaced with their kiss in the lab and I'd wake up in anger and frustration.

He hasn't slept in my bed in more than a week which means his insomnia is now mine to worry about.

But I know my life is about to turn dreadful when I saw Anila walking up to me in the women's lounge.

"Anjali!" Her chirpy toned yell made me close my eyes reflexively.

"Kill me please" I mumbled under my breath and Neha looked into the mirror at the incoming tornado as she washed her hands in the sink.

Her eyes hardened and she gave a long exhale "What's up Anila?"

"Just want to see how you are doing"

"I'm fine. Now, go away please"

"Aww.. What are your plans for Valentine's day? Getting blown off by Shaan for the 1000th time?"

She laughed at her own joke making me clench my teeth "What do you want?"

"Just a friendly talk"

"We are not friends" I pointed out.

"Class mates. Same thing" she said carelessly, turning her gaze back at Neha "I have a little appointment today, so I will----"

"She's not doing any more of your dirty work" I retorted firmly.

Turning her attention on me, she said "I have a date"

"She has work"

"She will have to postpone it then"

"There lies the answer" I said coolly, looking at my best friend "She's postponing her date"

"It's chocolate day!"

"What?" I said, appalled. 

"Of course you don't know" she said, her signature smirk on place "It's not like any boy showed interest in you"

"Bet, you got more than your fill" Neha slid in, looking bored.

"Of course. Unlike some, I don't have to go around chasing boys"

The subtle jibe at Neha snapped something in me and I had no control over the words that left my mouth "And you repay them by spreading your legs?"

Neha gasped.

Anila glared. I have gotten immune to the mean-ness under all her fluff but the way she's throwing daggers at me made me realize I just started a war.

Her cool mask slipped back on her face and she said "I get where's that coming from, sis. Considering you lost your only opportunity of bagging a boy, I understand that you are bitter"

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking"

That's Neha. Stayed calm when she's insulted but talking on my behalf when no words came out of my mouth.

"Don't I?" she said, her upper lip curling up in a smirk "It's a wonder how long Vamsi stayed by your side. Didn't take him long to shift his priorities though, did it?"

"Of course who'd want a scrawny boob-less tomboy when he can have the angel of the college" she continued in a bored tone.

Internally, I fumed. But every word she uttered pricked my heart and stamped in my brain as 'truth'.

Neha stepped in to take a shot but grabbing her by the elbow, I stood face to face with Anila and said as bravely as possible "I don't know if his priorities have changed or not but I do know one thing"

"What?"

"That I will always have his back and he, mine. We can have arguments, fights, we can even live worlds apart but we will always be there for each other. And that, is something you will never have"

"We will see"

With that, she made an exit and Neha patted my shoulder "I despise her. You did good, babe"

"Did I?"

Something in my eyes must have warned her as she said "We will talk about it at home"

The rest of the day passed with me brooding over Anila's words and being extra grumpy.

Few months ago, I'd have laughed at her and not cared what she thought of Vamsi and me but now, that's all I can think of, all day.

"You believe her" Neha commented, as I settled back on her bed with my laptop.

"What's not to believe?"

"Everything. She's wrong about everything" She complained, pulling her scrunchie out of her long ponytail.

I snorted in disbelief "Then everyone must be wrong. My dad's colleague, nannamma, Pranitha from school, my auntie's friend, Amma's cousin. There's a long list of people who can go on and on about everything that's wrong with me"

"Nothing's wrong with you"

"Sweet of you to think so"

"Shut up! I know that she did a number on you this time but Anju, she's wrong. Don't take her words to heart. Ignore her like you always did before" She shouted, her thick long hair flowing around her.

"Well before, I didn't know I'm in love with my best friend" I shouted back.

There. I said it!

She gasped and for thirty long seconds, stared at me in horror.

"Why are you so surprised? It's not like you didn't know it." I said feigning nonchalance

"Does it hurt so much? Seeing them together. Holding hands?" she asked sadly.

I sighed, closing my eyes. I have been pretending to not notice that but every single time it feels like a punch to the gut.

"Don't say. I can see it on your face" she said, looking sullen.

"Let's forget about it" I said glumly.

"Can you?"

I grimaced and shook my head "No"

"Anju, why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"He's happy"

"But you are miserable"

"It's not fair on either of them" I maneuvered into another excuse.

"At least you will have a closure"

"And lose my best friend? No, thank you"

"You are not a quitter" she commented, sitting directly in front of me "This isn't about your friendship or being fair, is it?"

I looked away making her gasp "This is about Anila's words"

"No" I snorted. A lie!

"Oh my god, it is! You really think there's no way he'll choose you over her" She said, looking appalled.

"She is right" I gave in.

"Bullshit"

"Just because we hate her doesn't mean what she said is not true. Look at me!" I stood up, giving myself a once over.

I'm wearing a checkered cotton shirt and blue jeans with my short hair pulled back in a tight pony tail and tiny ear drops graced my pierced ears.

I don't know the difference between colours pink and peach.

I am a tomboy who loves riding motor cycles, playing cricket, watching foot ball and action movies.

I am not special. There's not one thing about me that's eye-catching.

Vamsi, on the other hand, is patient, understanding and easy to love. He isn't bossy, egotistic or stubborn like me. Most of all, he is the one person outside of my family who took me the way, I am.

He is special and deserves someone special.

Someone not like me, the words echoed in my mind.

Every jibe, insult and mocking that I heard over years and ignored came rushing back to my mind since my spat with Anila.

They didn't mean a thing before. I was loved and accepted by my parents, cousins and most of all, by Vamsi.

Never did I have a reason to be insecure about the way I looked or acted when the people that really matter to me, loved me for who I am.

But, all of that is now past.

Before falling for my best friend.

And I don't know how that happened. I don't know if I was in love with him all along and only understood what it means in the last couple of months or if it's a gradual process that made me see him in a different light.

The how, no longer matters because he likes another girl and I lost my chance to be with him.

"Don't do that" Neha's gruff tone pulled me out of my miserly thoughts.

"What?"

"You are giving up" she grouched.

"It's a lost cause"

"No. They are only dating. Couples break up all the time"

My spirits lifted up and I despised that one second when I wished for it to be true.

I may be selfish but I can't hope for that to happen to my best friend. He should never experience what I feel.

Nisha is the first and the only girl he's dated. As a person who's known him almost all my life, I know she's special.

In fact, I knew this for a couple of months.

Months, I should have done something but did nothing hoping their infatuation will go away.

Well, what did you expect them to do? Flirt innocently and then part ways when we move to US?

This is probably what I deserve for being so stupid and naive.

"Don't" Neha repeated.

"I can't do anything that will be a hindrance to their relationship"

"I am not asking you to break them up" Neha retorted, looking offended "You see him, differently now. Don't you?"

Nodding, I confessed "I have been seeing him differently for a long while now. I thought I could make it go away if I ignored"

"Feelings never go away, honey" she chided impatiently.

I gave up "What do you want me to do?"

"Let him see you differently"

"And how do I make that?" I grumbled bitterly.

"We change his impression on you"

"How?"

"We are getting you a makeover" She decided "Imagine how you'll go from drab to fab once I'm done with you"

"No way" I deadpanned.

"It'll be interesting. I always wondered how you'll look like in girly clothes" she said, thinking deeply.

"Not happening!"

"We will start with your eyebrows, Uni brow is so old fashioned" she continued, ignoring me "Damn, I should check if Sumona aunty is free now"

"What? No!"

My yells are rendered useless as she called up her beautician to make an appointment.

"Perfect" she replied into the phone and disconnected the call.

"She told us to come now"

I glowered at her "I didn't agree to your shit"

"Too bad I'm not giving you an option" she said carelessly.

"I hate getting my eyebrows done" I complained.

"How many times did you do it?"

"Once!"

"Duh! If you did it again, it wouldn't have hurt so much because your skin gets used to it"

"You are enjoying this. Aren't you?"

Her smirk answered my doubts "Too much. I always wanted to do this to you"

"Neha, this is not funny" I fumed.

"I didn't say it is" she defended with an answering glare "I just want Vamsi to see you as a girl"

"He does!"

"No, he doesn't. No one takes you seriously because you behave like you're one of the boys. Hell, you are more like Vamsi and your cricket team than you're like me or Ananya"

"That doesn't make me any less of a girl!" I retorted, discomfited by her argument.

"I'm not saying you are. I am only offering suggestions on what to do to change their opinion of you"

"I don't want to change myself"

"You will be the same, honey. No matter what the world says, looks and appearance matter the most. Not only does it make you confident, it makes people notice you"

"That's not true"

"See Vamsi for example"

I scowled "Nisha is a well mannered girl. No wonder he likes her"

"Hun, if boys really like good hearted girls, Pranathi would have been drowned in proposals and Anila would have stayed single forever but that didn't happen. Did it?"

Pranathi is the quintessential good girl of our college and like me, is one of the few girls who was never asked out by any boy.

She got me there and she knows it. Dammit!

"Fine! Just eye brows for now" I finally conceded and she did a happy dance.

"How often do you shave your legs?" She asked as we ascended the steps of the beauty parlour.

Jeez! She wants to know intimate details now?

"Don't worry. I am not asking you to rub your legs against mine" she grumbled, annoyed with my questioning stare.

That got a heartful laugh out of me.

"Every day" I replied amusingly.

Her eyes looked up in surprise "Every day?"

I nodded, biting my lip.

"God, you must be hairy"

And just like that, I laughed again.

This is why I love her.

She's crazy. But damn, I love her..

The parlour lady, Sumona aunty as Neha so lovingly calls her questioned me about my skin type, allergies, when was the last time I got my brows done.

Though I don't know how it's relevant, I answered her as patiently as possible.

If she thinks she bagged a new customer, then I feel sorry for her.

Mid way through the process of threading, another customer came in with her daughter and asked for waxing.

Sumona aunty asked two of her helpers to do it and the daughter who looked not a day older than eighteen took the seat beside me.

Apparently, she's getting married in a few days and this is her first time waxing.

By the time my brows are done, they started on her.

Two girls on her two hands.

The minute one of them pulled the first wax strip, her shout filled the entire room. For the next couple of minutes, all we heard is 'Oohh','aaaahhh' and 'it hurts'

Her panicked cries, her mother's soothing words is a little too much drama but Neha and I stared at them, trying not to laugh.

Out of sheer interest, we stayed back to watch the show, instead of paying up and leave.

When they were done, her mother said "Now, legs"

That earned a groan from the girl "Please do it one by one. It hurts!"

The same repeated, only this time, louder; making me slip a chuckle which I quickly faked into a cough.

After what felt like forever, one of her legs is done and the girl cried out in relief "Leave it. Please. I can't take more"

"What about the other?" One of the girls asked.

"Leave it, please. It's alright"

"No, it's not" Sumona aunty said, leaning forward "How will it look to your husband on your first night when he sees one clean leg and one hairy?"

Unable to stop the picture from forming in our minds, Neha and I burst into laughter. Holding the desk by the mirror, I laughed until tears came out of my eyes.

My bad day has been turned into a good one; at a beauty parlour of all places.

When the mother and daughter paid and left, we laughed again.

"Your face is tanned. Why don't you get a clean up and anti----"

"I don't like those shenanigans" I intervened awkwardly.

"At least use a face wash and a scrub. We have some good range---"

Neha piped in "It's useless auntie. She doesn't know the difference between them"

The beautician frowned "Why wouldn't she? Everybody knows"

"What are they used for Anju?" Neha said, looking in my direction.

I've heard about those though I don't know exactly how they are used. The only plausible answer is they clean the face.

"Umm, it's not that hard" I said defensively, doing quick thinking. The names suggest what they do, so I added "Face wash is to wash the face and scrub is used to scrub"

Hey, that's the most logical answer!

To aunty's look, Neha said "What's the difference between washing and scrubbing, hun?"

Huh? Damn, she caught on me.

"Of course, there's a difference" I said vaguely, like I am aware of their respective usage.

"What, hun?"

Again, I did some quick thinking. No matter how hard I tried to remember if Ananya or Neha ever spoke about them in front of me, my mind yielded nothing.

So I resorted to my only solution. I made up.

"You know, a face wash---um---what a face wash does is, it---umm-- it washes your face" At Neha's glare, I quickly amended "You know, like a red harpic"

I almost bit my lip at my stupid reference. Where did that come from?

"Red harpic?" Neha looked disgusted.

Clearing my throat, I amended "Like how a red harpic cleans the bathroom floor, without damaging the tiles"

To Neha's look of revolt, I added "While a scrub is like, ummm--- blue harpic. It's err---the same as red harpic but it cleans the toilet and is more powerful"

Neha looked strained but Sumona aunty laughed heartily "Technically, she's right"

"That's disgusting" Neha said, as a shiver passed through her "Eww... I don't think I will ever use a face wash or a scrub again"

As we paid and walked away, we heard her call "Bring your friend around, Neha"

"Stop moping" I said as we descended the stairs..

"That's the worst reference I have ever heard"

"She was fine with it"

"That's cause she's a darling!" Neha commented going back to being moody.

"There's so much to teach you" she said, a minute later "It's going to be such fun!" 

------

Thank you for reading. Vote, Comment and share if you like this chap.

If you're living in India, be careful about fevers. I read in newspaper today that dengue and chickun gunya are rampant again. 

It's been 2 months exactly since I've had fever and I still have joint pains and I walk like an 80 year old lady. Out of experience I'm advising you. Don't be lazy to switch on mosquito refills. If you're outdoors, use repellant creams.

I have no idea how I am going to do my pongal shopping next week or dust my house, which I haven't done in 2 months when literally everything aches. My wrists, fingers, knees, ankles, shoulders.

I have been told that the pains can last as long as 2 years. Trust me, it's better to be safe than suffer that long. 

 Remember, prevention is better than cure.

- JANAKI