Up In The Air |✅|

The Heart Of The Rose

Akanksha Thakur stared at her name on the notice board.

'Rank one again!' Exclaimed Shweta, the "close friend", 'You never fail to amaze.'
The one supposed to amaze wasn't amazed at all though.
'But look at your expression... Not even the slightest beam of bliss.' Shweta retorted.

They started to walk away from the crowd gathered near the entrance, humbling themselves with small talk.
'I just don't want to give another speech on Monday morning.' Commented Akanksha, 'It's too troublesome.'
'Look at you, being lordly as usual again. When will you learn to not look down on others?'
'What are you talking about? That's the last thing I'd do. Have I ever looked down on you?'
Shweta didn't have to contemplate.
'Okay fine. Maybe not in my case.'
Akanksha pursed her lips.

'But we're finally in high school!' Shweta high-fived her partner, 'Oh how I've been waiting for this!'
'Stop dreaming and glance at reality for once. We're gonna have boards this year.'
'Ah, you're such a mood-spoiler!' Shweta pouted, 'And I was thinking we'd both get boyfriends this time.'
'Count me out. I'm only here to support you.'
'Oh? So you don't have what it takes to get a boyfriend?'
'Shut up Shweta. I'm never gonna be in a relationship. That's the last thing in my list right now or ever will be.'
Shweta clicked her tongue.
'Sometimes I feel like you're just another one of those thirty-year-old hardcore, career women.'
Akanksha rolled her eyes.

Shweta Chatterjee was the principal's daughter and Akanksha was the prized topper of Julian International School. Holding ceremonious positions, both were almost always together and almost always updated with the latest news around campus. Any kind of news. From gossip to intellectual talks and back to everyday, routine chit-chat.
Though Shweta's friend circle wasn't huge, it was just big enough. Besides, she was content with Akanksha.
Unlike her, Akanksha had a completely separate outlook on things and people. While Shweta was outgoing and sort of happy-go-lucky, Akanksha was straightforward, practical and could go about her life just fine on her own.
Shweta had been around since childhood so... it was different with her. She barely felt the need to look out for her 'cause she always knew she'd be there at the end of the day anyway.

Two things were banned from Akanksha's mind's list:
a) So-called "true" love, and b) Jealousy.
Even though both were feelings no human could resist feeling at least once in a life time, Akanksha didn't find the need to seek these emotions. Casting jealousy aside was easy. She had everything. And as for true love.... what was that?

She only understood one thing.
Both brought destruction. No matter what happened, both emotions would be the end of the world. She knew it. And she kept it well etched in her mind.

However, it was different when it came to other people. Because other people weren't her.

So it was pretty obvious that she'd get annoyed at the aspect of Shweta trying to lure her into one of those silly and unnecessary things like relationships. But even though she thought all such things, she never showed it. To nobody but Shweta.

They reached the new classroom. Even though it was just an extra class before the formal beginning of the academic year, Shweta had insisted they reach early so that they could greet their new classmates beforehand. Unlike other modern schools, JIS preferred to follow the old-fashioned system of dividing the sections according to the students' ranks.

Akanksha was number one.
While Shweta was close behind. Number five.

'Oh yeah!' Exclaimed Shweta quite suddenly.
'What?' Akanksha asked without looking up from the novel in her hand.
'Listen!'
'I'm listening....'
Shweta snatched the book from her.
'Hey!' Akanksha protested.
'Okay seriously? "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari"? You're not even sixteen yet!'
'How does that matter?' Akanksha grabbed the book back from her, 'Fine. I'm listening. What?'
'Yesterday, I overheard my father talking about this new transfer student. He's from Delhi, he said. And apparently he's really cute!'
'Huh? How do you know that? Your father said that?'
'No, silly! I saw the picture in his portfolio.'
'Is that even allowed?'
'Dude! It isn't a crime looking at beautiful people's pictures! Plus it wasn't a private record or anything. Moreover, it was lying on the coffee table.'
'Yeah, yeah. Of course it was.' Akanksha waved a hand, 'That all?'
Shweta scoffed.
'You're so boring, Akanksha. Can't you act a bit more your age?'
'I already do. It's you who should be doing so.'
'Oh jeez, I give up. Let's just wait for him to show up.'