I Will Always Love You

Chapter 6- The Play

It's been 3 weeks since Shahrukh and I have become friends. Lalita, Varun, Shahrukh and I are like one big family. Shahrukh is still popular, well sort of, but he didn't care. He hates being known as the hottest guy in the school and the captain of the cricket team! I mean he's much more than that. But when he's around Varun, Lalita and I he's just who he is and we have lots of fun. The funny, carefree guy comes out. A few nights ago the four of us went out blowing and it was really fun; the girls vs the boys it was funny and when Lalita accidentally spilled her drink on Varun's pants it made him look like he'd pissed himself. It was funny until Fiona and her friends came and were all over Shahrukh. He pushed her away and we could see how Shahrukh was getting annoyed so the three of us decided to step in and save Shahrukh. We told Fiona to back off, Shahrukh put his arms around me and he made me blush like always and electric ran through my body. Fiona's face had contorted with anger as she stormed off, her friends in tow. We all laughed and went back to bowling, Shahrukh's hand around my waist.
It is lunch and the four of us are sitting on the back field.
'What do we have next?' Varun asks rubbing his hand through the manicured grass.
'Well the three of us have got English,' Lalita replies giving Varun a flirtatious smile.
'Okay, I've got science,' Varun says. Then I realise that Shahrukh and I haven't started our play and the English Assessment is due today!
'SHIT!' Shahrukh yells making all of us jump.
'What?' I ask knowing full well what the answer is.
'Our English assessment,' he replies rubbing his face with his hands. It's like he read my mind. The bell goes and Shahrukh and I are thinking about what to do.
'Lalita, come on we're going to be late!' Lalita laughs standing up pulling me after her. The three of us walk into English, where Shahrukh usually sits next to Fiona, but when we walk in Shahrukh sits next to me and Lalita, making me blush at how close we have become.
'Okay class, let's start the plays. I am going to pick a random name out the hat and you have come out the front and show us what you've prepared. Everyone else has to be quite,' Ms says eyeing us all suspiciously. I cross my fingers hoping Shahrukh and I are not the first ones up! Ms grabs the hat off her desk and plunges her hand into it drawing out a slip of paper.
'Mean Girls,' Ms announces. Shahrukh and I look at Lalita trying to hold our laughter in. Lalita gets up and as she passes us she hits me and Shahrukh playfully on the heads telling us to shut up. We continue to laugh quietly. We watch Lalita and Fiona perform their play. Shahrukh and I can't stop laughing because Lalita is doing both parts because it's all too 'much' for Fiona.
'Okay stop, just stop. Lalita you get 44/50 and Fiona 4/50' Ms grumbles annoyed at the lack of effort from Fiona. Fiona gives Lalita a death stare and walks off. Lalita comes back to her seat and Shahrukh and I look at her apologetically.
'I know I'm the queen of Regina Gorge,' she smiles and we all laugh.
'Shh' Ms looks in our direction giving us a mock disapproving look. We have always been her favourite students! Ms pulls out every single play names out but none of them are ours. I am so nervous because after this next play it is our turn. I feel a hand holding mine tightly and I look over to see Shahrukh holding my hand.
'Hey look it going to be fine just follow me lead okay!' He says looking into my eyes with a smile on his face. I don't know how he can be so calm in this situation when we've not rehearsed anything. We are going to flunk this assessment and be the laughing stock of the whole class. We'll be gossiped about in the canteen and people will point at us. Oh God it'll be complete humiliation.
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I can feel the nerves in Kajol, but I've got it all control. All she needs to do is to breathe and go with my flow. Everyone claps and it is now finally our go! Ms pulls out the last piece of paper and reads the name: 'Forever'. We both get up and walk to the front of the class. I take a deep breath and Kajol does the same. Ms turns off the lights. We both close our eyes waiting for our cue.
'And action.' We open our eyes looking at each other and grasp each other's hands.
************ Forever
Shahrukh ' Do You Love Me?'
Kajol ' More than anyone else'
'Your My Baby, My Sun, My Life My Universe'
'I...I'
'Shh, it's okay' Shahrukh touches Kajol's cheek bringing her closer to his face.
'I love you, I love more than anyone else in the world, I'm forever yours' Kajol moves closer to Shahrukh.
'Forever I will love you' Shahrukh gets closer still.
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The lights suddenly turn back on, pulling us back to reality, I see how my face is millimetres away from Kajol's and then I hear clapping and sniffing. Stepping back I look towards the class seeing everyone all teared up and clapping. I see Kajol smiling at me before looking away. I was so close to kissing Kajol! I want to kiss her so badly but I don't think right now would be appropriate..
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I see everyone clapping and tearing up from our play. I look at Shahrukh watching him smile which makes me smile before I looking away. I was about to kiss Shahrukh!!! The way he touched my cheek bringing me closer made my heart explode like fireworks. I wanted to kiss him so badly. There is just something about him which makes me feel so alive.