That day neither Mil nor Misha dared to start up a conversation with each other again. It was only when Misha went back home did she regret doing that. She could have talked to Mil, asked her more about what had happened. Then a question suddenly struck upon the apparently straight girl. What if Mil misunderstood which game Misha referred to when she asked to play? Mil could have thought that they were playing the game of truth or dare. In that case, everything fit the norm. But did she want it to fit the norm?
Overthinking and anxiety soon crawled up her bones and she shivered under the influence of her both her feelings and the weather. It had started raining. Misha rolled around the bed and wrapped herself in the blankets like a burrito. Her mind revolved around Mil as she felt herself heat up again. This time she wasn't lying when she said she had a headache. These situations in turn reminded her again about what had happened during the day. She had lied about being sick to spend some time alone with Mil.
She recalled that day when the two were paired up for the singing competition. Misha who liked singing and was fairly good at the job detested Mil for being a bad singer. She was embarrassed and ashamed to have such a partner, but as she spent some time with the girl, she realized that she didn't mind even if they placed at the bottom during results. It didn't seem to matter what prize they got when the real price was Mil herself. Mil was closely and cute but sometimes sad, mostly sad. No one else seemed to realize that she was having a hard time mentally. Misha didn't know what had caused the girl to suffer but was also not bothered enough to approach her about the same. Misha simply couldn't afford getting worked up for someone else when she herself was in a tight position. After the competition had ended, Mil did not catch Misha's eyes for a long time.
After Misha was hospitalized, she thought that going back to school would be scary. Her friends would have gotten closer to other friends and she would have been consumed with the missed workload. Meeting Mil outside school helped her relax. It was as if she knew she could go back to a welcoming arm at school. That helped her go back to school sooner and in a way Mil had become her crashes savior.
There were many times when Misha would catch Mil looking at her after that. Mil always looked away when she was caught. She didn't seem to realize she had been caught anyways. Misha feigned ignorance. Misha didn't want to do it anymore. She wanted to face hers and Mil's feeling head on from now. She didn't know how but she could find a way or another. Just like how she had done today.
The next day at school, her plans failed miserably when she was dragged to practice for the choir. Mil seemed fairly busy on her own. The four had finally collected all their costumes, makeups and equipment. What they had also collected was a lack of pride, since they knew the performance would be embarrassing. Mil had planned to act sick that morning but the three friends had already informed her mother. The only thing she could do now was wait for a miracle.
Misha stole glances at Mil during class, after they left the class and while she was being dragged away from the class. Mil didn't glance back even once during these three times. Hence so, Misha's misunderstanding only deepened. Perhaps Mil had thought of the game as truth and dare indeed. At the same time, Mil was so shy to even stay even a few steps away from the girl she, technically confessed to. What if Misha hated her now? Everything felt embarrassing for the youngster. She wasn't afraid of the rumors, no. As a matter of fact, Mil wouldn't hate Misha even if she told the whole school of the incident. Mil didn't know if she regretted speaking out the truth struck at the bottom of her heart.
Fluid like time passed by swiftly as the morning assembly approached. The man behind the change in schedule was pleased by the presence of his new interest. The principal was somewhat the main character of the show, appearing when all the arrangements were made and the students were lined up. That is why Amber was surprised when the tall man was overlooking his actions before the time of the assembly. What was the use of a tall man in neat suit standing while everyone prepared for the event? All he did was bring feelings of nervousness around the ground.
"Your class looks prepared."
Amber flinched at the voice. He looked back to find the man that had approached him. He was behind Amber's misery and panic. The employee was so sure that his boss had done this deed with high hopes of torturing him. Who could have told him it was the opposite? Shaw was proud of his decision and this smug look came out as taunting to the man facing him.
"The children tried their best given the short time. Well then, please excuse me."
Shaw was disappointed he couldn't talk to Amber more but he dare not hold him back. He had work to do even if his class was perfectly prepared and enthusiastic. His vision fell of the four familiar girls at the corner of the stage. They had a peculiar look in their face. Shaw, who was smart but not particularly great with emotions thought that the four were already into their roles and had adopted method acting. All throughout this, the four girls were finally feeling the pressure that rests upon an artist, if they could be called one. Their costumes too, was rather troublesome. It made them stand out in the hundreds of students in the same school uniform. Normal students in blue overpowered by four girls dressed in military. Mil sweated in the heat, she prayed to god to bestow rain upon her humble self. She needed to cool off and run away from her responsibilities. All this while her crush was blessing her with her presence on the same ground.
Mil barely managed to glance towards Misha after days of avoiding eye contact. She wasn't sure if her heart could handle it. It couldn't. Mil recalled when she saw Misha during the party. They were drinking a blue soda under the dark blue night. The morning was just like that night. The dark clouds had mushroomed the school and the two girls had locked eyes. Unlike the past few days, they didn't avoid each other. The music in the party had been replaced by the thundering of the clouds and the slow drizzling rain, it started to fasten the rain poured down like it was a battleground. The group was engulfed by the same: drenched by the waters. Amber didn't know if the rain was a fortune or misfortune for him but what he did know was that he was going to catch a cold by the time he dragged all of the microphones and tables inside the hall. What a day to be poured on!
"Everyone run inside the hall after grabbing your stuff, try to no stay under the rain for too long." Amber shouted at the students who were staring at him for permission as if they were a herd of sheep. Amber took a note of lecturing them on this later but his main priority were the microphones. He was about to grab them when a hand clenched his wrist and dragged his inside. Amber looked at a drenched Shaw. The man looked better with his wet hair down but Amber didn't have the time to appreciate that.
"Sir...the microphones."
"We can bring them back when the rain stops."
Shaw's reply was firm. The two joined the students back in the common hall. Some teachers were around the corridor, probably curious if the assembly was shifted to the indoor auditorium or if it was cancelled. Shaw looked at the face of a shivering Amber.
"The assembly is cancelled today."
Shaw once again dragged Amber with him, leaving the students unattended to. This meant that the students could bunk class once again. Like ants in a colony, when attacked, the students ran away in all directions. Mil was left alone when she chose not to follow her three friends and the others, thinking that the fourth would naturally follow, did not realize that their group had become a trio.
Mil ran back to the assembly ground under the harsh rain. She didn't mind getting wet as long as she saved the fake guns they had borrowed from the drama club. She knew that the club had collected money to buy them, that was why it looked real. The group had flinched every time one pointed the muzzle at another. She had to save it from the rain. It was dumb of her to take shelter without recovering it at the first place, but it was even dumber to run back alone without being assisted by her friends. Fortunately, the four props were hidden under a table and Mil decided it was better for them to stay there than be taken out in the downpour. She turned back to run inside feeling like the dumbest person on planet earth, in the universe even. Since she did not want to discriminate against aliens.
Mil turned back to find Misha behind her. The two were separated by a few steps, under the rain. It didn't matter if they were being hit by the needle like shower of the nature. Perhaps it was the natures wrath towards the two. They stood frozen in each other's gazes. They were afraid, but not of each other.
"I..." Misha could speak no more. Spit struck onto her windpipe like a baby panda to his mother. But Mil couldn't even hear this under the loud noise of the splashes.
"I... I am so sorry." Mil took a few steps towards Misha and grabbed her arms with her soft hands. She spoke out loud enough for Misha to listen but not enough for it to be counted as a scream. It was soft, desperate. Mil could almost see Abhi in her behavior. Even though she didn't know his story, his words of 'Anu could never like me' almost made sense to her.
"You can't apologize." Misha wiped away the water in her face, pushing her hair behind her. She raised her voice, "Not when you left me all confused after what you did! There was always this weird feeling around you and I never thought about it. You were always staring at me but I never thought much of it either. Then there are these girls gossiping that you like girls. One even asked me if I was dating you! People badmouth me because you chose to get caught bunking class right after I did and apparently spending time together alone means that the entire school thinks we kissed. I hate it all!..." Misha looked down and in an almost mumble she repeated, "I hate it all..."
Mil looked like she could cry any moment, none of it mattered though. It wasn't as if her tears would be obvious under the rain. She looked at Misha whose wet uniform struck on her body tightly. Mil looked down and then above, letting the rain engulf her face. Then in a sudden fit threw down her cap down on the ground. The upside-down hat would then collect the raindrops. Mil took her military jacket off revealing the black shirt she wore underneath. Unlike Misha the black fabric wouldn't look revealing even if the water hit. Mil wrapped the jacket around Misha and rested her hands at the end of the hem. The two classmates were now facing each other in the closest distance. Mil's nose touched Misha's. Mil thought that the other would push her away, but she didn't. Misha just stared down.
"Your wrist has cuts on them."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because people hate it... me being this way."
"I don't."
"You just said you did."
"I hated the gossips."
"And if there were no gossip? No one to judge?"
"..."
"Misha..."
"Yes?"
"Why was there a weird vibe around me?"
"Cause... I liked it when you stared at me."
"Then do you like me?"
"I don't know... I never thought about it until you confessed. That time when I asked you if you liked me... it was supposed to be a joke. I was just teasing you because you came out."
"Are you still joking with me?"
"No... no, I could never again."
"Misha last time I couldn't do it properly but I want to confess again... Misha, I always thought you were pretty but when we ran for the competition together I wasn't sure of my sexuality myself. So, I forgot about you overtime. When we suddenly crossed paths, I recalled everything. Those moments finally made sense. I really like you Misha. I really do."
"Mil..." Misha had a soft look on her face, she looked overwhelmed, almost as if she was about to cry. She still struggled to talk properly.
Mil let go of the hem and cleared her throat amidst wiping her face again, moving her finger through her hair to softly push them behind. She slowly reduced the distance between them again, not worried about anyone seeing them since the school building and the ground were guarded by tall trees blocking the view. It was only Mil, Misha and the rain in their small little world. Mil capped Misha's cheeks with her warm hands, absorbing the cold in her face.
"Misha will you be my girlfriend?"
"No."