Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

39

-• 26th of January •-

I was wrong. It was Agastya calling to check up on me.

When the call ends, I put the phone aside, resuming my studies. Guilt weighs me down when the girls bring up Atharva. I'm expected to blush shyly at his mention but all I feel is this slight discomfort that I'm doing him wrong. I'm a hundred percent sure I'm not attracted to the mystery man, but I should not be thinking about him so often as well, right? I don't know why my head feels so mushy, my thoughts so jumbled and my opinions so distorted when it comes to the guy who's deceit himself. He can't even show himself in the broad daylight, can't even reveal his real voice. So why is my judgement about him so volatile? Why can't I define him all that's bad and evil and call it a day? Why am I so indecisive?

Maybe it's because of Yuvraaj? Maybe I'm giving the man benefit of doubt because my brother is involved in this too?

Or maybe I'm just finding excuses to justify my messy feelings?

I sigh, dropping my head in my arms as I take a break from the studies. Not that I was studying. I could barely focus on the notes.

"Tara, what's wrong?" Kusum questions, twirling the end of pencil between her lips.

I shake my head. "Nothing. Just thinking."

"About what?" Anagha leans in curiously.

"When's 26th of January?"

"On 26th of January?" Revathi deadpans, looking at me as if I'm an idiot.

"No, I mean, on which day of the week the date falls on?" I ask further.

"Hmm," Anagha trails as she opens her phone to check the calender. "Next Tuesday. Why?" She turns off her phone, eyeing me curiously.

"You mean, the one that's coming day after tomorrow?"

She nods. "It's 24th today."

"Oh," I whisper. "I know it's Republic Day but how do we celebrate it in schools? Or it's just another national holiday?"

"No, actually, we celebrate it with vigor every year," Kusum replies.

"Yeah, did you see the students practicing parade on the field for the last week?"

I nod in response.

"It's for the Republic day." Anagha adds. "So what happens is, the school bus picks us up at around six thirty or seven and the event commences at eight. We host the flag, play the national anthem, watch the parade and sit through different performances and stuff. At around eleven, we're sent back home with a bottle of flavoured milk and a packet of biscuit." She shrugs.

"And the game?"

"The baseball match?" Kusum asks.

I hum, "Yeah, it's in the evening, right?"

"Yup. It's an important game of the year. The school authorities said someone from the Grand Slam is coming to scout the players. Considering most of the boys in the team are in twelfth grade right now, this will be the last game they'll play this year. So it's very important for your brother." Anagha answers, referring to Agastya.

I know about that. It's a different thing that I realised it the hard way, but I'm aware of the importance attached to it. I hope Agastya makes it. He lives and breathes for baseball. I'd hate to see him crestfallen if he doesn't get scouted. He deserves to make big in baseball.

"By the way guys, do you know, Miss. Jasmine, our class teacher is also the event coordinator? She needs some volunteers to overlook and maintain equilibrium of the function."