Never Have I Ever Season 3: an alternative theory

Chapter 6: Part 2

Devi had been the first to fling her bag over her shoulder, jump to her feet, make a vanishing act after the teacher dismisses them from their chemistry class.
Ofcourse, there was a pretty damn good reason why… a text from Eleanor had said all she had needed to know… where Aneesa was… with her friends, El and Fab, in the school auditorium where they had just met to catch each other before lunch.
Devi nervously strides through the full hallways until she finally arrives outside the doors that open up to the auditorum hall.
Peering through, she can hear pearls of laughter ringing out inside the large spacious room, letting her know the room had more than a few people in it.
It had appeared they may had just finished up doing a play rehearsal of some kind, some people exiting the auditorium in odd interesting customes as Devi tries stepping in.
As she does step in, Devi's eyes instantly come across Aneesa and Fab, whose backs are both turned facing the stage, like they had been awaiting someone to walk out onto it.
From behind some very large heavy looking velvet curtains that drape onto the stage, Eleanor walts out onto center stage, strutting with confidence, wearing a top hat and a sparkly dress, shimmering her hands like she were about to walk out onto a broadway show.
“No one gonna rain on my paaaaaarrrraaaaaaade!” She belts out as she kicks her feet and frazzle her hands, tipping her head back, then ends in a sway of her hips, and her hands landing promptly onto her hips.
Her eyes finally come up and fall onto Devi who stands up the back by the door of the entrance.
El cracks her a wide grin as Aneesa and Fab applaud.
“Just in time, Devi, to see my grand finale.” She calls from on stage, still in character, trying to pull off a grand accent, and she lowers herself off stage. Aneesa and Fab simultaneously turn to find Devi who does a little awkward wave.
When Aneesa’s eyes catch Devi's, her eyes roll back, and she turns herself away again.
“El. Fab. You guys never said Devi was going to be here.” She sighs. “I’m sort of not… at all… ready for this.”
El walks over to Aneesa, laying a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder.
“I think you guys have things to sort out. And this is not a bad time. Maybe it could help you guys get past things.” El says, with a gentle crooked smile that said she understood and cared. “Fab and I will see you both in the cafeteria… that is… if you don’t both cause your own drama in here cause… I will need to know… and bring the popcorn.” She winks, then giggles as she turns and walks away.
Fab tips her head back and laughs as they head out together.
“Oh, I see what you did there.” Fab says as she continues on chuckling, bringing on a cringe from Devi as the pair pass her.
Devi puffs in a breath of air, preparing herself. Finally, she begins to descend the stairs to meet Aneesa.
An unhappy Aneesa- Devi notices, her eyes widening and she anticipates how this will all go, the tension inkling and sharp in the air…
Her arms crossed over her chest, her posture hostile and her eyes briefly meeting Devi's before they instantly turn away again.
Devi inclines her head, thinking the words “hi" could at least come out but… she says nothing.
She takes a breath in again… She knows she needs to begin. She briefly looks around. It was only them. She feels safe she can be totally honest… She could be free to talk.
Her eyes flicker over Aneesa, wondering how to start… how to begin… when she’s suprised Aneesa jumps in first.
“Devi, you dont need to do this… you don’t have to say anything… I’m ok-"
“No I do! I’m sorry. I just didn't know how to say sorry because I know I always mess things up…. Like I messed things up for you and Ben. So… I’m sorry. Really… I am.”
Aneesa’s eyes turn up to meet hers, and a little smile twists to her lips.
Devi feels a smile begin to want to beam when Aneesa’s expression begins to want to change again. She purses her lips, brows tightening alittle, confusing Devi once again because she had thought she were just about to forgive her… given the expression had just previously given her. Aneesa ducks her head, pensively.
“No.” Aneesa pauses, Devi feeling her heart pick up pace. “I don’t forgive you.”
Devi looks at her confused, her eyes saddened with her response.
“Because…” Aneesa continues, tilting her head to the side. “you did nothing wrong Devi.”
This time it’s Devi turn to pin her brows together… yet again confused.
“Ben. He kissed you. I even sort of knew he still had feelings for you. I mean, it was sort of insanely obvious. I just held it all back because… I don’t know… I thought that it would go with time.. and Ben would be mine eventually. And he was sweet. And we just seemed to click. But the number of times he brought up your name-”
“It is my fault.” Devi abruptly interrupts her, her eyes swimming with guilt.
It's the first time she's ever actually admitted it… out loud, anyway… but there was something… something making her feel she needed to be completely honest with Aneesa… like she couldn’t hold anything back from her anymore… especially after what she had done… spread that rumor about her anorexia… and now this. The guilt was heavier than ever and it had begun to take its toll, eating her up inside… she couldnt lie to Aneesa again…
Aneesa’s gaze freezes on Devi. Her eyes widened, and shocked. She stammers and looks for words to ask… how?- was the only question she had wanted to ask… but the words dont come out. She clears her throat instead, watching a nervous Devi twisting her hands in front of her.
“I… I… kissed Ben too.” She gets out, a confession Devi struggled to get out but it here it were… re-emerging from the darkest if its depths… she begins to breath a little heavier now. “I mean… as in, I kissed him back. I should have pushed him away… pushed him back.”
A pang of disappointment twisted at Aneesa's heart. Then anger begins to settle in her stomach, and she struggles to hold it down.
Aneesa bites her lip down, trying to contain her anger, wanting to throw her hands into the air, her frustration with Devi growing… first Devi had spread rumors about her and now this!
“But you have Paxton!” She snaps. “Why would you… why would you…” She groans, feeling it were useless to ask. “Do you still have feelings for Ben?” She rasps, angrily.
Devi's eyes widen shocked not knowing what to say… but then she scoffs, feeling defensive now.
“No! Ofcourse not… no… no I don’t.” But her tone seems to become uncertain… and Aneesa catches on. “Paxton… Paxton is the only… Paxton is the only…” she keeps repeating as though she were trying to convince her own self. “Paxton is…”
Aneesa raises her brows impatiently at her as she waits for her to complete her sentence.
Tired of waiting she completes it for her.
“Paxton is just who you thought you wanted to be with?”
She rambles out, irritated. But her face then winces, saddness building in her eyes. Red rim of her eyes that are holding back her emotions that want to pool and pit deeply in her, and she is trying to keep it all in.
“I don’t know…” Devi finally confesses, not noticing the redness of Aneesa's eyes that seem to threaten and indicated that Aneesa may have wanted to cry or something, but Aneesa is just barely holding it all back. “Sorry Anees-"
“Devi, just tell me one thing… who do you want?”
Devi gulps, not knowing why Aneesa had felt so pertinent in her question to know… but she feels a pressure to say something in the way Aneesa glares back at her.
“I dont want to loose Paxton.” She blurts out, admitting some of her truth, but then looking away after she says this.
“And Ben? You obvious like him.”
Something cuts into Devi… a pang of pain engulfing her, the words making her heart race. Her heart wants to battle against what it were that her mouth wanted to say… but… god, she is struggling to steer away from what were the painful truth... from how strong she feels for him… how selfish it had all seemed, but how her heart can’t stop revolving back to him… pounding like it needed him…
Devi's eyes gleamer, the intensity reflected in her eyes could only say how much she felt… and how it hurt… alot.
“Ben… Ben, I-" she stammers, not knowing how she would complete her sentence… not knowing how she could put her feelings into words that wouldn’t upset Aneesa also. She closes her eyes, letting out an anxious breath. “I… I can’t stop thinking about… Ben.”
Devi had thought Aneesa might have slightly understood… besides, she had understood Ben had still had feelings for Devi, so how hard could it be to understand Devi may also still have had feelings for Ben too? But when Devi opens her eyes she could clearly see how Aneesa's face distorts with something… Devi's words had clearly had more effect on Aneesa than Devi had anticipated… she had begun to feel worried she had said too much.
Aneesa still feeling a fury swirling inside her, she pushes it down again, trying to ignore it, wanting to push herself past this… push herself on.
“I dont know, but you really need to sort this shit out… before you hurt more people, Devi.” she replies, a tone that laced with something in it that Devi knew Aneesa wouldnt be over this for a while.
It is when Aneesa stands to her feet suddenly that she could feel her stomach clench with more worry.
“Listen… I need to go. I’m going to skip lunch with the girls today and go to soccor practice early. Tell them I’ll see them around.”
Aneesa walks away with one thing on her mind… she can’t help but think to herself “if Devi can’t decide who she wanted… she would help decide things for her instead...”
Devi continues to sit there, poundering on what had just happened… completely engulfed in thoughts, she hadn’t noticed as Oliver weasels out from behind stage and sneaks up the auditorium stairs and to the exit.
The entire time… he had been wiping down some lights and equipment backstage… no one had noticed… not even El nor Fab when they had been there. And he had heard the entire conversation… the whole thing…
“Oh boy… that was incredible.” He chuckles to himself once his out the door and already making his way down the corridor. “Wait till Ben hears this… two girls? Fighting over Ben?… who the hell knew?! Oh, there is no way.” He laughs some more as he spots Ben as Ben turns a corner, heading toward the library. A wide grin forms over his face. And Oliver… he could keep a secret, right?… not this one… and he thinks he cant wait to tell all he knew… And directly to Ben.
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Hey Guys! I was supposed to put a Ben and Devi part before this but I thought I would keep it shorter... I thought I would only have only 5 parts left but you know I struggle with my word count and I then realise I need to add more parts... sorry guys! Anyway, hope I did ok! Point out any mistakes if you like! I also realised I had forgotten to include Devi's grandma in this story... I absolutely love her too! But maybe I could include her along the line somewhere still. Next part may take a little longer as I have alot on this week but I will try my best to get it out as soon as I can! Xxxx all💗