My Life: Feeling of Love [Completed]

25. Efforts

At home-

Pooja: (pouting) "Dad, I couldn't get full marks. I made a ridiculous mistake. Ugh! I can't do anything."

Dad: (patting her head lovingly) "It's okay, Pooja. It was just one mistake. Next time, you'll surely get full marks. I believe in you."

Sanjana, sitting away from them, felt hurt hearing their conversation.

"I believe in you."

'I also want to hear this from you, Dad.'

Sanjana's father did not even look at her.

Pooja: (smirking at Sanjana) "How much did you score, Sanjana?"

Sanjana: (caught off-guard) "Huh? Me? I..."

Dad: (focussing back on his laptop) "I'm not interested in her marks anymore. Let her do whatever she wants."

Sanjana tightened her grip on her phone that she was holding, looking down at the floor.

After the classes, Sanjana and Sooraj went to the library to study.

They met Pooja at the entrance when she was exiting the library.

Pooja: (surprised) "Oh! Sanjana? In a library? What a miracle!" (Looking at Sooraj) "Don't waste your time on her, Sooraj. No matter how hard she tries, she'll always be a loser."

Sooraj: (smiling confidently) "Are you afraid that she will score better than you?"

Pooja: (scoffing) "Huh? Not even in my dreams! You might not know but she failed her previous class. She- "

Sooraj: (cutting her sentence) "What if I say she WILL score higher than you!"

Sanjana looked at Sooraj, shocked.

'What is he saying?'

Pooja: (smirking) "Are you challenging me?"

Sooraj still had that confident smile on his face that pissed Pooja off.

Pooja: (glaring) "I know her better than you. She'll never be able to do it."

Sooraj: (smiling) "I believe in her. I believe she can do it."

Pooja: (smirking) "Don't be disappointed later."

Sooraj: "I won't."

Pooja glared at Sanjana before walking away.

Sooraj went inside the library.

When Sooraj was pulling out his chair, Sanjana spoke up, thumping on the desk.

Sanjana: "What was that? Why did you say those things to her?"

Sooraj: (taking out the books) "I just said the truth."

Sanjana: "There's no way I can score higher than her! She is a topper! And I'm a..."

Sooraj: (looking at her) "What? A failure?"

Sanjana did not respond.

Sooraj: "Stop calling yourself that all the time! Why can't you score higher than her? The winner is the one who keeps trying without giving up! You can't give up before even trying! I believe in you! I believe you can score higher than her!"

Sanjana looked down and pulling out her chair, sat down, opening her notebook.

Sanjana: "Let's start studying..."