TejRan : A Twist of Fate

Part 2 - Jealousy is injurious to my health

Tejasswi

"To the worst internship of our lives," I say, holding up a shot glass.

"Cheers to that." Nishant clinks his glass against mine, and together, we take down a tequila shot, quickly counteracting the bitter taste with some lime.

When we finish, I let out a large breath. "I can't believe the fucker is making us work extra to earn our master credit."

Nishant licks the lime before setting it down. "That's what happens when you're an intern at the head of the journalism department."

Nishant Bhatt and I met on the first day of college. We were put into a study group together and immediately hit it off. We bonded over face creams, fashion trends, and workout routines that gave us the best results with the least possible injury.

"Have you even looked at your assignment?" he asks.

I slip the envelope handed to us when we left work today out of my purse and hold it to my chest. "I have not. Have you?"

"No."

"Want to do it together?" I ask.

He nods and reaches into the back pocket of his perfectly pressed shorts and pulls out his envelope. "I'll read yours, and you read mine."

"That seems fair. It lessens the blow."

We exchange envelopes, and he nods at me. "You read mine first. And if it says anything about celebrities, just end me now."

"Same," I say as I pull out the letter. "Ahem. You, my friend, have . . ." I pause, scanning the letter . . . "Oh shit, you have Ancient dance form."

"Shut up," he shouts before ripping the letter from my hands and reading it himself.

"Holy fuck, a five-hundred-word spread on the ancient dance form." His eyes widen when he looks up at me. "Teju, do you understand how big a deal this is?"

I chuckle. "I do. I worked with you this entire summer. Everyone is going to see that article, and I have no doubt it will be amazing."

He rips open my envelope, and I wait in anticipation engineering drawing would be my ideal topic, the one I know the most about. He clears his throat, tosses the letter open with a shake of his hand, and smiles at me. "Teju, my dearest friend you will be working tirelessly, writing about . . ." He pauses, and I know it's for dramatic effect. Nishu doesn't know any other way to operate. At least that's what I think until his brow creases in concern, and his smile flattens into a frown. Uh-oh, that can't be good.

"What, uh . . . what is it?" I ask nervously.

His eyes slowly lift to mine. "I think they messed up."

"What do you mean you think they messed up?" I snag the letter from him and scan it until my eyes land directly on the assignment.

"No, this can't be right."

"Looking at assignments?" we hear a shrill voice say as she walks up behind us. Shamita Shetty. The bane of our existence.

Plastering on a smile because even though we can't stand her, we have to pretend to get along, I turn toward Shamita and say, "Oh hey, didn't think you were going out tonight." She flips her hair over one shoulder and gives me a slow once-over. "Yes, thought I would introduce my boyfriend to all my work peeps."

"How fun," Nishu says with his genuinely fake smile.

"Can you believe boss allowed me to put together the assignments? He just tossed it on my desk and said have at it." The bitch. Of course, she put these together. I should have freaking known.