The next day at school, while Mr. Shaw was preoccupied with the coffee that tasted particularly delicious, Mil's class had turned into an uproar after being selected as the next assembly representatives. That meant that their class had to hold the assembly two weeks prior from the original schedule. From instructing the school to line up in the basketball court to conducting a flawless morning prayer and speech: they had to do it all. They weren't lucky enough like others to receive week worth of time to prepare. Instead, the performance was in 3 days. The schedule had been interchanged for some reason which none other than the principal himself knew about. He wanted to see Amber and to ensure he attended the assembly; he changed some routines. To him, meeting the girls in the café meant that their class had already prepared for the event and was anxious to showcase their talented and hardworking piece. Unknown to the reality, Shaw continued to feel a deep sense of pride and happiness that arose from the misunderstanding that he had put together a stage for the passionate performers.
The panic had dug its root deep in the class, with everyone fighting what the role of everyone was. The introverts would eventually be chosen to stand in the last line of the morning prayer where all they had to do was pretend to sing. Since morning assemblies were a nuisance and no one bothered to participate, the fight for this limited seat was hazardous. Misha who was the most talented yet introverted singer was forced to be stationed right in front of the microphone. So, the nightingale cried internally. Her friend comforted her by the fact that right after the morning prayer ended, the choir was allowed to walk down the stage and join the other students. And so, the discussion about the events continued. However, for some reasons everyone took the four girls' group performance for granted, not bothering to confirm with them if they were ready or not.
The same fate rested on the class president too, who was naturally swept into the role of the instructor, he was handed a piece of paper with the script he had to follow. His friends would then juxtaposition him to an actor. The only problem the students discovered in this comparison was that the president did not possess good looks. A group of girls nearby cut through the conversation and defended the boy. According to them, the title of the class president made him look twice as pretty in their fantasy. They had stressed on the word 'pretty', which meant that they weren't flirting.
"Hey, how's it going?" Misha tapped Mil's shoulder with the tip of her fingers.
"Hey.." Mil turned back to find the girl shivering quietly. Perhaps because of the rain. "Are you cold?"
"A little"
Mil grabbed the spare overalls she had from her desk and offered them to Misha. The latter blushing at the gesture. Mil, who thought that her new friend had caught a fever brushed her hands through her forehead.
"You don't have a fever... then why is your face so red?"
Misha who had read a scene so similar as such in a romance novel she loved couldn't help but blush more. It was apparent when even her brown skin turned red that something was wrong. Which indeed was, Misha did not know why her fantasies were being carried out in real life, that too with someone of the same gender. What surprised her the most wasn't Mil but herself who liked the situation.
"Do you perhaps have a headache?" Mil continued when she didn't receive an answer from the enchanted girl.
Misha nodded.
"Miss? Can I take Misha to the medical? She seems to be unwell." Mil called out to the teacher who stood glued to her phone as her class chatted away blissfully.
"You just want to slack off." A curt response was received from the adult.
"No, she really is sick, look at her tomato face."
The teacher looked up from the screen and glanced at Misha who had turned into an even darker shade of red after being so shamelessly called a tomato in front of the whole class.
"Alright, take her to the nurse. Only the MM can leave the class though. If I find anyone else sneaking out, I'll make sure I click pictures of you when you're sleeping in class." The teacher went back to her phone.
Mil grabbed Misha's wrist softly and tugged her outwards. One of their classmates tried to secretly follow them outside but was caught by the teacher who then promised to click his sleeping in the lecture picture and send it to his girlfriend. No one dared to leave the class without permission after that. Misha was holding onto the class pass that their teacher had written for them.
MM was a nickname everyone had given Mil and Misha during the singing competition. They were paired according to their roll numbers and the two girls who always sat one after another during exams were forced to sit one beside another to practice. At first it was awkward but then Misha started to enjoy the side view of the girl she always saw the back of. That was what Misha thought of Mil: a girl who had a pretty side profile.
"It's easy to fall sick when the seasons are changing isn't it? It was just yesterday when the sun was so warm I felt like I was being roasted alive and now the weather has turned chilly again." Mil made small talks as they walked to the medical. When they reached the tiny room filled with nothing but beds and wardrobes filled with medicines, they found it empty and void of any humans. Mil said that the nurse might have stepped out and asked Misha to lay down on the bed and take rest. Misha followed her suggestions without saying a word, lost in her thoughts or tried from the sickness. Mil closed the windows as the wind was rather chilly and tried to find a blanket Misha could use. In an ordinary story, Misha would have been touched by the kindness she received from a friend. Today however, she had heard a rumor go around school. That Mil liked a girl from her class and was wandering about trying to look good in front of a straight person. 'Wouldn't that make them uncomfortable?' Misha wanted to stop the group of girls who were gossiping but a part of her couldn't stop from thinking over the same question.
"Is there anything I could do for you till the nurse comes?" Mil asked. She did not expect a response back since the sick girl had been silent for some time now, but Misha spoke up, turning to lie on her side so she could face Mil.
"Then do you remember the game we played in the auditorium? Let's play that to keep me distracted from the headache." Misha said, "Sit down here." She pointed to the chair beside the bed.
"Alright, I'll start." Mil grinned as she hurriedly sat down, rolling her shirt upwards to show her competitive spirit.
This was however, even confusing for Misha whose romantic fantasies were being completed by a friend of the same gender.
"No, wait, I'll go first." Misha said and without being bothered to wait for Mil to speak she started, "Are you in love with someone in our class?" Misha looked up to see her reaction.
"No....."
Mil hesitated in a low tone, her voice was like a whimpering puppy according to Misha and her eyes like an owl. Even though it was Mil's turn to ask a question, Misha jumped into the game as fast as light. By the second question, Mil had acquired an idea of the situation she was in.
"Are you in love with a boy?"
"Yes." This time Mil didn't hesitate to answer.
"Are you..... bisexual?"
"Yes..."
"Are you..... pansexual?"
"Yes..."
"Are you lesbian?"
"No."
"Are you in love with me?"
"No."
Misha turned silent, her face turned into a darker shade of red, which Mil thought was resentment. It was Mil's turn to ask and so she did.
"Are you homophobic?"
"Yes."
"Are you into girls?"
"..."
"Is there a possibility that you could like me back?"
"..."
Just like a cliché, the door slammed open and the nurse sprinted inside like an athlete during the Olympics. Behind her, two seniors supported their friend who limped inside with a bleeding leg. He was dressed in professional sports attire. The pair guessed that the boy had experienced an accident during his match in school. The students saw the nurse take out the essential first aid materials before rushing towards the injured male. That was also when she noticed the girls. Like a professional, she spoke to them while treating her patient.
"What are you pretty girls here for?"
"She has a headache."
"Wait for a moment, I'll give you some medicine. Till then drink the whole bottle of water that's kept near my table and open the window and take deep breaths."
Misha followed what the nurse said almost immediately to avoid sharing an awkward moment with Mil. During this, the so called romantic awkward phase had turned into a horror movie with the screaming and whimpering thundering the room.
When the nurse finally gave Mil a pill and told them to return to their class, the two speed-walked away from the senior who was crying silently after realizing he had acted like a child in front of his juniors. His pride was hurt and so he had gone through all phases of depression.
Misha told Mil to go back on her own as she stopped by the washroom. Mil wanted to wait for her but with what had happened, decided it was better to follow her word. Mil headed back alone and gave Misha space. Misha rushed inside the bathroom and towards the sink before spitting.
When Misha left the washroom and headed back to her class, the headache pill that had been spit out would be long flushed down the drain. Misha would then ask herself,
'Are you serious for lying like that just to spend some time alone with her Misha?'