Chapter 5: Tryouts

 

 

*Next day at school*

Khushi grabbed the things from her locker and went towards the stairs to go to her class. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned her head around.

"Hey," Arnav said and started walking with her since they were going to the same class.

"Hi," she replied back.

"So you still think I'm stalking you?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Oh. I'm really sorry about last night, it's just I assume a lot of things without thinking through," Khushi said .

"Yea, I think I did figure that out yesterday," Arnav said sarcastically and at the same time laughing.

"So you're making fun of me?" Khushi asked while laughing.

"I guess so," Arnav said.

"I didn't know you lived so close to my house," Khushi said as they began going up the second staircase.

"Me neither, but we didn't know each other from before so how could we have known?" Arnav said as they entered their classroom. Arnav placed his books on his desk and sat down; Khushi put her things down also and took her assigned seat next to him. The teacher came in, took attendance then gave a presentation and later told them to spend the class time working on their project.

"So what time are you free after school today?" Arnav asked.

"Well, I'm staying after school because I'm trying out for cheerleading, and that lasts till like 5," Khushi said.

"You cheerlead?" Arnav asked her.

"Yeah, I did at my old school, so thought of trying out. Why?" Khushi said.

"Oh that's nice. Well I'm also trying out for football, and it's supposed to go on during your tryouts I think," Arnav said. Just then the bell rang and they got up to go to their next class. Again like yesterday, Arnav walked Khushi to his next class. Neither of them found it weird and they just walked in silence.

When they got to her class Khushi turned around and said, "So I'll see you at lunch then?"

"Yea. Bye," Arnav said and went to his class. After the class was over, the bell rang and Khushi made her way down to the cafeteria. She found the table they were sitting at yesterday and went to sit there.

"Hey," Anjali said as she came and sat at the table and along with her was a guy.

"Hey," Khushi said back.

"Shaleen, this is Khushi, Payal's younger sister" Anjali said to the guy next to her and motioning to Khushi.

"And Khushi this is Shaleen, my boyfriend," Anjali told Khushi.

"So she's Payal's sister? No wonder I thought she seemed familiar," Shaleen said looking at Khushi and said, "Hi."

"Hi," she said back.

"Shaleen! You're back," came Payal's voice from behind Khushi. Payal was walking to the table with her food in her hands.

"Yea, I did. Otherwise Anjali would've killed me," he said sarcastically only to be slapped on the shoulder by Anjali, "No I wouldn't have."

"Well you wouldn't have stopped annoying me or stopped calling," he said.

"Well'yea. True that," Anjali said while eating her salad.

"True what?" Arnav asked as he took the seat next to Khushi. Akash also came and sat next to him.

"I was saying how your sister wouldn't have stopped bothering me if I decided not to come to school today," Shaleen said.

"You should've seen her yesterday, she was so tempted to call you," Arnav said and Anjali just gave him a deathly glare.

"Sorry Di," Arnav said while trying to control his laughter.

"Anjali, don't get mad at your brother now," Shaleen said and everyone went back to eating.

"Di, you and Akash can go home today and then send a car for me later because I'm staying for the football tryouts," Arnav said.

"Oh Chotte, I was actually going over to Payal's house today, and Akash was also coming because h wanted to borrow some books from her" Anjali said, "So then the driver will just stay here and take you home when you need to go."

"That reminds me, Khushi also is trying out for cheerleading practice," Payal said, "So then our driver will also have to stay."

"That's a problem," Anjali said.

"Well how about this. Khushi and I were already going to meet up to work on our project after school, so why not you guys go home in one car and Khushi will just come with me to our house so that we can work on our project," Arnav said.

"Yea, that will work out," Khushi said, "And we can work on our project and you guys can go home to our house in one car."

"Yea, that works. And we won't be wasting a lot of car fuel by going from place to place," Akash added in.

Arnav muttered to himself, "And that's the only thing that comes to your mind." Khushi heard it and started giggling to herself.

"What's so funny Khushi?" Payal asked.

"Funny? Nothing. Nothing at all," Khushi said with a straight face. But the minute Payal turned her head around Khushi started giggling again and so did Arnav a little bit.

"Bhai and Khushi, what is wrong with you both?" Akash asked.

"Wrong? Humein kya hua hai?" Khushi said.

"Yes, why would you think that?" Arnav asked.

"Never mind," Akash said. Arnav and Khushi looked up at each other and just smiled.

"The bell will ring soon, so we'll get going," Anjali said as her and Shaleen got up and left the table. A few seconds later the bell did ring, and everyone got up to leave.

"Meet me outside the gym when you're tryout is over," Arnav told Khushi, "So they we can leave together."

"Okay, I will," Khushi said. Arnav left for his class and Khushi left for hers. At the end of the day, Khushi went to the large gym; where here tryout was suppose to be. There she found a lot of other girls who had also come. She went and sat at one of the benches, the teacher came in a few minutes later.

"Good afternoon everyone," the coach said.

"Good afternoon," everyone replied.

"You guys have 20 minutes to change into your gym clothes and meet me outside in the field," she said and left. All the girls got up and went into the locker room to change. Since there were a lot of girls trying out, lines had been formed outside the stalls. Khushi went and got in line. After about 5 minutes Khushi's turn came and she was about to go in when a girl just went passed her and entered the stall.

"Hey! It's my turn," Khushi said but the girl just entered and didn't say anything. She then felt a tap one her shoulder and turned around to find a girl standing there, "Hey I'm Lavanya! You're the new girl right?"

"Yea, I'm Khushi," Khushi said shaking hands with her.

"Nice name, and don't mind the girls, there always just like that and want to be ahead of everyone else even though everyone's been given the same amount of time," Lavanya said.

"Oh. I didn't mind but it would've been nicer if she had asked. So are you trying out also?" Khushi asked her.

"Yea, this is my first year trying out. Hopefully I make the team," Lavanya said.

"Don't worry too much, you'll probably make it," Khushi said.

"You're first year also?" Lavanya asked.

"No, I used to cheerlead at my old school," Khushi said. Just then a new stall opened and Khushi decided to go change.

"You go, I'll wait for you here," Lavanya said. Khushi went inside to change and back out in white shorts with a black shirt and her hair in a high ponytail.

"So shall we go?" Lavanya asked her

"Yea, let's go," Khushi said and they started walking towards the exit.

"Wait, you go ahead. I'll catch up with you, I need to go get my water bottle," Lavanya said and went back to her bench to get it. Khushi was too busy looking in front of her that she didn't notice when she tripped.

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