Playing Her Lover

Part 2 - I Could Never

Sameera and Indu looked at each other, completely paralysed by shock. Indu found her voice first. "Ma'am, I'm extremely sorry, but I don't think I can act, much less for a competition..." Archana ma'am's face fell.
"Aah... I do understand, but could you think it over once more? The thing is ki, nobody is free. I don't know how much y'all put yourself through, but I could only find 7 - 8 people from your entire grade who were not fully immersed in their tuitions or competitive exams coaching."
Hesitantly, Sam asked, "Ma'am, what skit is it? Do we know the topic?..."

"Oh, the topic given is Romeo and Juliet, but we're making some changes to the original story! To be honest, I'm extremely excited about this" said Archana ma'am, her face bursting into a toothy smile.
Indu looked at her, confused. "Ma'am, so are the other two people you were talking about... Who are they?"
"Prakash and Swapna, from A section"
Both Sam and Indu looked at each other again, and then back at Archana ma'am.
"Ma'am... there are three girls and one boy..." said Sameera, speaking each word extremely slowly.
"Oh, I know honey! The casting is completely gender-blind. Not really by choice, to be honest, but yeah, you two may have to play alongside each other"

Both Indu's and Sameera's eyes widened in horror. Archana ma'am had to physically strain herself to control any laughter, inciting a drawling duet of "Ma'am!" from both girls.
"It isn't that bad girls..." she said, calming herself down. "I would love to make it completely sapphic, but I'm afraid of the consequences it might have on your school life in general... The story will still be heterosexual (quite, unfortunately, if I may add). So, if two girls are chosen, one of them will still be playing a guy"

Indu did not have the heart to tell her that her reasons for discomfort were completely different. She looked over at the girl beside her, biting her nail, deep in thought. 'Why should I do this when it won't help me at all? And playing a lead with a girl?! The whole class will be strife with rumours. And if Raghav hears those rumours... My chances are completely ruined!' As her train of thoughts went on, the lines on her forehead became more and more pronounced. Archana ma'am looked at her watch and gasped. "Sameera, Indu go get to your buses now, or you'll miss them, okay? Just... don't overthink it putta." The last sentence was obviously pointed more towards Sameera.
"Tomorrow, come to the high school seminar room in the 5th period before lunch, k?" Indu and Sameera both gave half-hearted nods and left the staff room.

Sameera and Indu ran into their bus, apologised to their bus teacher, and sat down at the back of the bus. Usually, they could just ignore the other even if they were seated right next to each other, but today, their eyes keep turning to each other for glances, and each person's mind was filled with a rush of thoughts about the other. Indu was mildly fuming inside. 'I get asked out by that idiot, and she confronts me?! Bringing up 9th grade too. I'm not working with her, no chance.' But then she remembered Archana ma'am's face as she asked them to try out for the role. She loved her English teacher, and she knew that Archana ma'am had searched and asked around a lot so that she could ask only those who had the time. She did not want to disappoint her. It left her with a lot of conflicting feelings.

At the far left side of the bus, Sameera was busy with her thoughts too. 'Why do I have to work with her, out of ALL the goddamn people in their section? She's annoyingly quiet, acts like she is above everyone else, and doesn't respect people's boundaries. Like, does Archana ma'am have any idea what she's getting into if she takes Indu?! I'm not going pa. Never in my life can I work with her' She too remembered Archana ma'am. She would have a hard time saying no to her... But, there was still a chance of getting the role of Juliet and maybe Prakash might get the role of Romeo? But the risk was much higher, and she would have nothing to gain from Prakash, he was well known to be quite the clown. She wouldn't join then. She was firm.