"Earth to Sanyukta..." Dhruv clicked his fingers in front of an unmindful Sanyukta and her trance got broken instantly. She looked up to see the group staring at her with amused expressions.

"Where are you lost? We have been here for almost half an hour.." Parth spoke while chuckling. Sanyukta shrugged her shoulders at his query.

"Miss Sanyukta Aggarwal dreams too? Mind to share?" Sanaya crossed her arms against her chest and smirked.

"What? No.. I was just thinking about the competition..." Sanyukta made an annoyed face and turned to see her mother walking out of the kitchen with a tray.

"I know what you were thinking..." She heard Vidushi whisper near her ear and frowned looking at her. Vidushi moved away with a smug face.

"Here.. Kids.. Don't mind me but I'll just take a nap for a while.. You guys enjoy.." Anju kept the tray on the centre table and smiled at the group.

"Mumma you okay?" Sanyukta got up worriedly and clutched her mom's palm.

"It's alright aunty.. We'll probably just hang out for an hour.. Need to head back early and pack for tomorrow.." Dhruv said and took a bite.

"I am okay kiddo.." Anju tucked Sanyukta's hair lock behind her ear and assured her.

"All the best guys.. I'll be ready with your treat after you bring the cup home!" Her mother gave a thumbs up to the group and laughed.

"Thanks aunty..." They screamed enthusiastically and Anju left for her room after sharing a hearty laugh.

"So.. Does anybody feel scared for tomorrow?" Parth questioned while sipping on the steaming coffee. In return, he received some serious glares from the people surrounding him.

"What?" He bellowed while gobbling on a samosa.

"Kashyap.. Don't freak us out.. It's not our fault that you didn't practice well.." Sanaya twisted her lips and sipped on her coffee.

"Hey we have practiced hard enough okay.." Vidushi defended Parth while leaning onto him on the couch.

"Yeah we have.. I don't know about you guys though.. That's why I asked whether anyone was nervous about tomorrow.." He snuggled closer to Vidushi and pecked her forehead.

"Okay.. You two definitely need to lessen up your PDAs.." Sanaya snorted at that. Parth pulled his tongue out at her and pecked Vidushi's forehead again. Dhruv and Sanyukta rolled their eyes together at their banter and broke into chuckles when they found each other doing the same.

"Guys.. Look what I found.." Tanya exclaimed suddenly while scrolling through her tablet making others jump on their places.

"What? What did you find now?" Sanaya bellowed annoyingly. She made a face when Dhruv glared at her for behaving rudely.

"No I just thought.. Maybe it'll help us.. You know.. Before the competition, we must know our opponents right? So I basically thought to you know..." Tanya fumbled with her words as she tried to explain them. She was cut off by Vidushi.

"Yeah we know.. We know all well.. Spill the beans now Tanya..." She spoke impatiently and Tanya gulped.

"I stalked some of the members of the strongest school in the social networking sites.. Who might prove to be our biggest opponent and they all seem to be.. You know.. They seem to be quite strong.. And.. they have great bonding between the team mates.. Look.. Here are some of their pictures during the practice sessions..." All shifted their gaze towards the tablet.
Now the only good thing which came out of
"Hoho.. That guy is surely a package of handsomeness.." Sanaya smirked pointing at a guy in the picture and all threw her a "oh really" sort of glare.

"My god.. These boys.. Who'd say that they are still in high school? They're gigantic.. How are we supposed to run when these people will take up half of the race tracks..?" Parth acted to wipe off sweat from his forehead and all chuckled at his statement.

"Don't talk negative dumbo... We'll use their strength against them.." Sanaya said and slopped onto the couch again.

"Aha.. No look at that girl.. the girl in the swim suit.. Maybe she's one of your competitors Sanyukta.. " Dhruv said while tilting his head towards Sanyukta. There Sanyukta was sitting on the couch, still drown in her thoughts. The day after was the day they all had been practicing so hard for. All these days, she had dreamt of nothing but the championship cup. She wanted that at any cost, then, might not be for her but she had seen everyone of them work so hard on their respective tasks. She was confident of winning but the issue that had been eating up her brain from the past few days was Randhir's absence. She had seen him last during their practice session which ended three days back. Basically she hadn't had a glance of him for the past three days and she was getting impatient and tensed for him with the passing time. She had asked the group about his whereabouts but they also hadn't seen him for a while. Well they were busy with their respective partners. But this disappearance of Randhir was irking Sanyukta. The day after, they had to leave for the championship and there her partner wasn't even picking her calls for the past three days. Though she was sure that they'll perform well still she was a girl of double checks. They couldn't let the cup slip away like last year. So she mentally chalked out a plan to meet Randhir that night itself at any cost. She had to talk to him. Mind. Talk. Her heart knew how much she was dying every moment to get a glimpse of him. She had left him several messages but he didn't reply any of them. She was really starting to freak out then. She only knew how hard it had been for her to behave all calm and composed in front of her team mates. Probably he was busy with any family issue or might be he was all prepared and just wanted some time alone. There were several possibilities but Sanyukta had already made up her mind to meet him that night itself at any cost.

All those days, he was the only person beside her. He had made sure she wasn't lonely and gloomy all the time. When her mother was sick, he brought along the doctor for her treatment. He had been like a pillar during her bad time. At times, she used to wonder what she would have done without him. All those days, her perception of a haughty arrogant and self centred Shekhawat had been so damn wrong, she used to wonder. If felt like each day, he unfolded himself bit by bit. By then she could do nothing but adore Randhir.

She didn't know why she felt so attracted to him. The feeling had grown to be so strong in those days that she felt scared of her own emotions. There were other guys in the group. No doubt she liked them. But within those days, she had come to a conclusion that what she felt for Randhir was nowhere near to an ordinary friendly likeness. His presence used to get her all delighted and happy. At the same time, his aura had the power to make her go weak on her knees. She was indeed confused about her feelings towards him. There wasnt any doubt that she liked him. But there was still a question mark on her liking towards him. She didn't like him like others. She needed to figure out what she actually felt for him otherwise her heart won't be at peace and she knew that very well.

"Okay that's it..." Sanaya banged her plate on the table and got up from her seat before advancing towards Sanyukta. Dhruv tried to hold her back but she was quicker than a cat. She pulled Sanyukta's hair lock which immediately brought her out of her 'newly-found-feelings' trance with a shriek.

"Ahhhhh.. What are you doing Sanaya?" Sanyukta winced loudly with a frown and glared at the attacker.

"Serves you right for ignoring us.. Host.." Sanaya mocked before going back to her seat

"Sanyukta.. I guess we should leave.. Moreover we have to reach school by seven tomorrow morning.. And for now packing is still left.." Vidushi tried to ignore the situation.

"Okay.. So I guess we'll meet on the spot tomorrow then?" Sanyukta replied while rubbing her head and eyeing each of her team mates.

"Uh.. You want us to pick you up?" Parth asked while getting up from his seat. Everyone followed his lead.

"Huh? No.. It's okay.. I'll get to school on my own.. Moreover it's not much of a distance from my apartment... I'll walk..." Sanyukta assured while walking out with the guys.

"You sure?" Vidushi hugged her and Sanyukta nodded assuringly. With Tanya, Sanaya, Parth and Vidushi going out of the main door after bidding their goodbyes, she stopped Dhruv for a moment. He pulled his brow up in a questioning gaze and Sanyukta just nodded in negative.

"Uh Dhruv I was wondering if you have met him today... Actually he isn't attending my calls and now I am really getting tensed.." She said while biting her nail.

"No Sanyukta.. Even I have tried calling him.. But got no response.. You don't worry.. He might just be busy with his stuffs.. He'll surely be there tomorrow..." Dhruv patted her left shoulder and smile a little at her.

"I don't know.. It just needs to be perfect you know.. Father has all his hopes on us.. I just want every damn thing to go just right.. And Randhir.. I don't know why he's being so irresponsible.. He isn't like that.." She snorted while Dhruv chuckled at her expression.

"He'll be there.. I trust my best friend.. And you know how he is... Maybe this is his weird special strategy to come out all ready for tomorrow.." He laughed making Sanyukta smile a little.

"You need to pack now.. Go.. Get ready for tomorrow.. Or else you'll get grilled by Randhir..." He joked and she smacked his hand while he moved away.

"Bye.. Don't stress too much okay? Everything will be dot perfect..." He bade her before running down the stairs. Sanyukta stood there tracing his path through her eyes and sighed.

No matter how many times Dhruv said that it was going to be alright, she just couldn't tolerate Randhir's absence. Her heart sank a bit each time she thought of him being in any problem. Maybe she should just go and check on him once? Her heart urged her while her brain asked her to go and get herself ready for the show day. He'd come around tomorrow in anyway. Her brain said.
What if he doesn't? What if he was stuck in any problem? What if he needed her? Her heart screamed. Okay? Needed her? She was definitely thinking way too much. She just couldn't understand why her heart and brain had to contradict each other whenever there was issue of Randhir. Moreover she couldn't understand what the hell was wrong with that guy even? Why couldn't he see her in peace? She sighed before closing the main door behind her.

Sanyukta yawned while looking at the table clock which showed dot nine thirty. She had already tucked her mother to sleep after giving her medicines. After packing her stuffs up, she sighed as her stomach growled for food. She had double checked all the things she needed for the week long trip. The only worry she had regarding the trip was that she had to leave her mother alone for a freaking week, in that condition. She felt nothing but miserable. Though her mother had assured her that she'd take care of herself, she was still a daughter right? Moreover when her mother was her responsibility then, she was stressing about her condition. As an assurance to herself, she had asked the neighbour lady to look after her in Sanyukta's absence.

Sighing, she stood up from her seat on the couch and grabbed her keys. She had another worry to tackle. Randhir. God that boy! She felt her palms get sweaty and sticky and her heart thumped against her chest as she walked out of her apartment before making sure her mother was in complete slumber. She locked the apartment door and hurried downstairs.

As the cold night air gushed past her face, Sanyukta felt a strange knot of excitement fill her stomach. Surely she had to go insane just thinking about meeting him! Hell she was going to barge into his house for heaven's sake! The memory of the previous encounter they had in his house clouded her memories and her cheeks burnt crimson. Only he had that power of making her blush just by the recollection of a memory.

TBC

I know the story might be going slow. But each and every part is essential, in order to create a build up for the major storyline. Trust me, interesting tracks are just beginning. Though I have just a handful of readers for this piece, I request whoever reading this, to put forward your suggestions and likings. Otherwise, I'll have to discontinue it.