With Mangoes And Chocolates | ✓

Prologue: me, myself, and I.

"Mishika is obsessed with him."
"Hm."
"I mean, Parv is actually good looking, I can't blame her. But again, he appears dumb to me."

My bench-mate turns towards me, raising her eyebrows at me. "Who doesn't appear dumb to you?"
"Me, myself, and I." I grin.

"God, Manasvi," she sighs. "You will have so much trouble finding the kind of guy you are looking for."

I was about to begin my ramble but then I hear the school bell and the class ends abruptly. Ishita turns away from me, having no desire to listen to me. She leaves. I don't care, not everybody deserves my golden words. Or my golden rubbish. It's golden, any of the way.

I look all around the classroom and feel pity at the students going crazy during the recess. Especially the boys, they always eat together, in a pack, all of them. At this point it does not even matter whether they are friends or not, do they share the same status—heck, they even share their tiffin. Ew-w-w.

Girls don't behave the same. Instead of all the girls together, we rather have lots of small groups. I spot Ishita joining her own 'friend' circle. I am not invited, of course. I don't think I have the tag of being the depressed kid of the class, and neither am I treated like an outcast—it's just that I enjoy solitude and they prefer me not being there.

I wonder if she really hates sitting beside me. Ishita is the friend of the great Ms. Perfect of our class. Yuvika, often not called by her full name rather lots of pet-names by our classmate, (me excluded) is the kind of girl you would see on Tiktok and feel worthless. She has good grades (so do I, mind you) this lean figure, thin lips, smiley face, slender hands (now these things are not something I own). She's also labelled for having a warm personality but it's just me who knows she's dumb as hell. Everyone around me, is.

Despite the contrast between us, we both often stand out. She's famous and I am infamous. Infamous for being clumsy, arguing with the authorities, lacking confidence, and being artistic. What a blend.

I finish off my lunch early, as usual. I do this so as to stare out of the window even though I don't extract any philosophical, deep, poem out of it. I like roaming around and just being free, or talk to random people.

I simply observe everyone else's lives around me. A few human beings from here and there invite me to have a tour downstairs with them, as most people do, but I politely deny. Tenth grade is literally on the first floor and I have to climb a total of twenty-four stairs plus the walk—God, I am not doing it. I hate that, it drains me.

I, instead, peek outside the window. There are lots of trees and houses I can spot, school buses. . . and claps.

Claps.

I turn around at the sound. "Another official declaration? OH MY GOD!"

"I know right?" Ishita stands beside me. "Aryan and Jahnvi!"
"Unexpected."
"I saw it coming," she says, "he used to dog around her."

"Don't tell me all this shit. I have seen and congratulated three couples this month. Enough content for me to realize how lonely I am."
"Soon, Manasvi," she beams.

"Soon, when? Heck, even chromatids have a partner at this point."
"They are sisters." She tries to smile again but doesn't do after receiving my glare.
"Lame."

"Arre, whatever, but you know, talking about relationships," she widens her eyes like she is going to say something really dramatic. "There's a new admission."
"Impossible," I utter out without much thinking. "No one gets admitted in tenth."
"That is why I smell richness."

I shot her a disgusted look and turn back at the newly paired up pair getting teased by their 'friends.' Lucky there's no authority inside the classroom. "Sex?"
"Huh?"
"Gender, I mean?"

"Oh, male," she wiggles her eyebrows, "if he's rich, he's definitely pretty."
"If he's rich and pretty, he's way out of league of any of the girls present here," I sigh nonchalantly. "Oh, except if he's really dumb and has low standards."

"Maybe you could try. Kartik told me it's a family friend. He has quite of a good opinion about you and thinks you're wise. Maybe. . "
"Shut up," I start moving towards my place as soon as I heard the bell. "I am very happy with me, myself, and I."

🧩

I am dispersed from school after six atrocious hours. My shoulders feel exhausted after carrying tons of books. Dude.

I walk across the ground of our school, and in all honesty, the intensity of sunlight makes me feel like I'll burn into ashes. I try to hide in the shadows of the huge building structure just above me, but it doesn't help much. Looks like I'll faint due to a heat stroke.

I spot Aryan and Jahnvi across the crowd. They are surrounded by people and are looking at each other shyly. The sight warms my heart. The innocence and naiveness is remarkable. I think high school relationships are great if you have got brain enough to handle it. It provides a very rich experience of human understanding and to be honest, is very thrilling. But of course, if you are too dumb to use it productively and end up becoming distracted or pregnant, you should really question your existence. No offence, but this is India—not US, and either of them will get you into great trouble.

Talking about relationships, I think about the newly admitted guy Ishita mentioned. A part of me really feels curious about him. The other part is rational enough to understand that he will be making no difference to my life. Yes, if he's really pretty and kind, I'll end up simping over him for a week or two, or maybe I'll talk to him once or twice if we share the same school house or if we get paired up for a project—but that's it.

He will make no difference, like no one does. Apart from that, I am already happy with me, my not-so-charismatic self, and I.