Enemies Became Friends Forever

2. Start of the war

As usual, I woke up early in the morning, got ready and went to school. At the time of prayer, our H.M said that from next week onwards, our half yearly examinations are going to start. All of us got a little tensed after knowing about the exams. The day was passing well until the morning break time.

During break time we (me, Shruti, Preeti) sat on a bench under the tree, which is exactly straight to our classroom entrance door. When we were talking and laughing loudly a boy suddenly came and stood in front of us with a grumpy look on his face. I knew him, he is our classmate, Ashish, but I never spoke to him as far as I know. My conscience was telling me that something bad is going to happen for sure, but why is he here, looking so angry? May be he might have come here to talk with Shruti or Preeti because they both know him well, as Preeti is his neighbor and Shruti was his tuition mate last year (in 9th standard), so they were good friends. But he proved me wrong throwing his words rudely towards me.

"What do you think of yourself?" Ashish asked angrily. I was confused as I don't know what is he talking about.

"Excuse me?" I said, standing up. Both Preeti and Shruti were also confused by his behavior and stood up.

"Oh don't act okay?" He said sarcastically and soon gritted his teeth saying, "I know what you said to all about me." Is he nuts? Why will I talk to others about him?

"Why will I talk to others about you?" I asked.

"Exactly! I'm asking the same thing," he shouted at me. I got angry at him. What is he thinking of himself?

"Listen don't you dare shout at me like that," I said angrily. "Moreover, what are you thinkin..." I was shouting, but my friends stopped me as they know that I get crazy if anyone shouts at me.

"What happened Ashish?" Preeti asked him in confusion.

"And, why are you shouting at her? As far as I know, you both don't even know each other well," Shruti asked him with equal confusion.

"Shruti, Preeti you both don't know about her, so it's better if you both stop tagging along with her," he said. That's it, I was fuming with anger on one side and I was feeling like crying on the other side. No one has accused me like this ever.

"Enough, what is your problem? First tell me what did I say about you to others?" I shouted at him angrily and without me even knowing, a tear drop rolled down from my right eye.

"Oh, you are crying," he said sarcastically. "Good that you're crying. Did you even think before saying to others how I feel if I come to know about those words..," before he completes saying the bell rang indicating the end of break.

He turned to go to the class. Both Preeti and Shruti were pulling me to get into the class, but he turned around and said, "Listen, that tear drop is just the beginning, from now onwards you are going to cry a lot regretting about what you told about me to others."

But before I could say anything he left. Then we too left for the class.

In class, he sat on the bench, which is beside ours. I don't know where he usually sits, but that is not the place where he actually sits as that seat belongs to Manish. I sat on the extreme left of our bench and he, to the extreme right of theirs, i.e., we both were sitting side by side but there is 3 ft. distance between our benches. Myself, Preeti and Kathy sit on our bench, my other friends sit in some other places as the seating arrangement is according to our height and ours is 5th bench i.e., last but one. Now don't think that I'm tall, as of now am 5 ft. 2 inches, but my class teacher asked me to sit here as the mother of the girl who has to be in this place asked our teacher to shift her daughter's place to front benches, and she is now sitting in the second bench.

In the whole class, he kept throwing daggers at me with his eyes whenever possible. Seeing those Preeti touched my hand and said, " Don't worry, I'll ask him what's the matter is."

"No need Preeti, let him think whatever he wants," I said, gritting my teeth looking at him though Preeti was on my right side.

"No Naina, definitely there might be some misunderstanding. He won't behave like this with anyone unless if it hurts him or his ego," Preeti said.

"Let him misunderstand. Now I want to see him getting hurt. He accused me Preeti. No one ever accused me and he even told you guys to stay away from me. As soon as I listened to those words I felt like crying. I'll take my revenge so you no need to ask anythi..," as I was saying a sudden voice startled me calling our Biology teacher Mary who was teaching about chloroplast. I turned around to see the owner of the voice and found that it belongs to Ashish.

"Sorry to disturb teacher, but this girl who is next to me is disturbing her surrounding students from the past 15 mins with her chattering and we are not able to concentrate on the class because of the noise," he said pointing his finger towards me.

"Naina, stand up," Mary teacher asked me and I stood up.

"Even I too observed you when you were talking, but thought that you would keep quiet after that. But no, you didn't and now you are disturbing all of your surroundings? Just leave the class now and stand outside," She commanded me.

"Sorry teacher, I won't repeat this from next time," I apologized and was about to leave when suddenly Preeti stood up and held my hand.

"Teacher, she is not the one who started the conversation. It's me who disturbed her. So, please allow her to be inside. I'll go and stand outside," Preeti said.

"No teacher Preeti is not the one who was talking. It's this girl," Ashish said from the other side.

Preeti was about to say something, but I stopped her and whispered, "Preeti, just stop it and sit inside if you consider me as your friend."

"I'm considering you as my friend and that's the reason why I'm just saying the truth Naina and moreover I can't let you go outside because of my mistake," she whispered back.

"Shut up Preeti," I whisper yelled at her.

"Enough of drama both of you girls. You both are wasting my class. Both of you out of my class, now." Mary teacher shouted at us.

"Happy now!" I whisper yelled at Preeti and gave a last look at Ashish then went and stood outside of the class along with Preeti.

While we were listening to the class from outside Ashish gave a look at me, which said 'disgusting' and turned to listen to the class.