I, Sravanti and Vishal just came out for a walk. Tonight, there's another party which is farewell party. But somehow, freshers should definitely come to this party.
'I don't understand. It's not that important for freshers to come to fresher's party, but they should come to farewell? Doesn't make sense, right?' Vishal said.
'Great point.' Sravanti said and yawned.
'Killich and Kinari are acting weird, aren't they?' Vishal said.
'Who the fudge cares about that, Vishal? Talk about something interesting.' I said.
'Something interesting like that avocado guy?' Vishal grinned.
'How did you know that?'
'I saw you hugging a stranger yesterday.' He started laughing. 'Oh my, that's literally a prank that only you would fall for.'
Sravanti remained calm. Why?
'Srav?' Vishal called her.
'SHHHH!' Sravanti shushed him. 'I am already dealing with enough of things and you would add to it? I'm Chandu. Remember or we'll die.' Sravanti lashed out.
Vishal froze for a second.
'Are you okay, Chandu?' I asked her. She looked at me. Blinked and then turned away. She sighed.
'How long are we gonna hide?' She whispered. Tears stand in front of her eyes. 'Somehow, they'll find us and at that moment, we gotta live like this, right?'
'Like what?'
'Like your identity exists due to your parents! What is more embarrassing? Who am I? What am I? It doesn't matter- all that matters is that our parents sacrificed- and you call that a sacrifice? I am an individual human being with individuality- won't they consider how I'd feel about all these things?'
'Chandu, calm down…'
'My parents didn't raise me, the money did. But I am still my parents' daughter- and also a rich, spoiled brat.' She said and hit a wall with the hand that got shot by the bullet. She groaned in pain. 'This is unfair.' She cried as people stared at us.
We took her to the nursing room again and they reapplied the stitches. It's just morning today and here we go. Why is Sravanti so reckless? Maybe she is so sad that the pain in her arm doesn't matter? I have experienced that much sadness when I lost Bindu. But I can't imagine how her pain is like. Reminds me of my leg pain.
Vishal helped her whenever she needed it while I just sat on my bed, reading a novel.
'Bindu, you're my twin and you aren't helping me at all!'
'Heal my leg. I will be your servant.'
'Does it hurt?' Vishal asked Sravanti. Sravanti glared at him.
'No. It doesn't, Vishal. Breaking an arm doesn't hurt before what my parents have did to me. I hate fame. I like attention, but they made me hate it.' She raised her hand to hit bed, but halfway through, she groaned in pain. Vishal stopped her. Genuine question, doesn't she use the other hand to hit anything at all?
'You think that you hate your parents, but I actually envy you two.' Vishal said. Sravanti looked at him.
'You guys at least know who your parents are. I don't even know whether they're alive or not. I am mess. But I am not saying that what you are going through is nothing either. I just felt like saying it out- I am very jealous.' Vishal said, looking down.
I never thought Vishal could be this mature- I almost compared my struggle with hers and judged her.
'Just providing another perspective.' Vishal said.
'You've only made it worse.' Sravanti said, clenching her fists.
'Ok, sorry. Please calm down- you might lose your arm.' Vishal said. Sravanti's eyes look red.
'Sravanti has two hands, right? Let me lose this hand.' Sravanti started hitting the bed while Vishal tried to stop her. I jumped out of my bed and came to her.
'I am not Sravanti. I am not a famous actress. I am not the destined one. I am not the adopted daughter of-'
'Chandu! Calm down. It's so hard for me to see you like this.' I held her hand. I expected a tear to come out of my eye but my eyes are dry as a desert.
'You wish I didn't meet you, right? Avanti? You lost Bindu because of this spoiled, rich brat.' Sravanti cried. Vishal shushed her.
'I am actually glad that I am away from that stupid Bindu. And I am glad that I met you. You might've made my life harder, but living without you is even harder.' I said awkwardly. Sravanti stopped for a second. I felt the air brush me harder.
'You two are the only ones I know. You two are like family to me, please don't fight.' Vishal said, suddenly tearing up. 'You made my life better, Sravanti. Imagine living in a world where no one gets you? Please don't talk like that.' Vishal whispered.
'Ah! You two are not getting me at all!' Sravanti shouted. 'I would rather die than live a life like- like- like, like I am some… Ah- I don't even understand myself and you guys are making things more complicated for me!' She said and covered her face with her hands and started crying.
'I think it's better if we leave her alone.' I suggested. Vishal nodded. Sravanti held Vishal's hand tightly. Vishal became a tomato for a second.
'Please don't leave me. Stay here.' Sravanti cried. I sat beside her. Vishal hid his face.
Sravanti slowly calmed down and fell asleep. Vishal slowly removed his hand from her hand.
'Shall we just go out for a walk? Maybe socialize with some more earthlings like us?' Vishal asked me. I sighed.
'I will tell the nurse to look after her. Let's go.'
We both came out and it was awkwardly silent. I opened my mobile and started scrolling. He was looking around. More like, he's avoiding looking at me. I spotted that avocado guy at that corner. He's literally everywhere! I got bored of social media, I opened a game. Ugh, this game's boring too. Then I'll just stare around awkwardly.
'Did you,' Vishal spoke. I raised my brows. 'Um, do you know anyone here other than Killich, Kinari and that Avocado guy?' I shook my head. He didn't notice.
'Nope.' I said out loud and stared at my mobile.
'Nope?'
'What do you think about tonight's party? Are you going?' I said. Vishal looked at me and turned away, scratching his hair.
'Um… I guess I'll go. I don't know about Chandu.'
'They said it's important. So, maybe I'll go. The party is gonna end in minutes just like yesterday.' I said.
Someone approached us. 'You two are Vishal and Bindu, right?' A guy said.
We both nodded. How did they know?
'Actually, you can join clubs here, so we are guiding earthlings. We have Earth club exclusively for Aeborians, Chess club, singing club, swimming club, dance club, movie club, science club, math club, drama club, robotics club, painting club, sketching club, designer club, animation club, programming club, Aeborian history club, earth history club, Aeborian geography, earth geography, Politics, civics, debate club, philosophy club, and many more. What do you want?'
I and Vishal blinked, looking at each other.
'I wanna join chess club. I know how to play chess, I am good at it.' Vishal boasted.
'I will join chess club too. I guess Chandu will join debate club- that's perfect for her.' Vishal chuckled.
'They'll actually play 3D or 4D chess. Earthlings can't handle it.' That guy said and laughed. 'Maybe I'll say the clubs that are compatible for earthlings and you can go there?' Whoever came with him, laughed.
Vishal clenched his fists.
'What you said wasn't funny. Make a better joke- oh, it's actually you who laugh at earthling are the biggest jokes right?' I said and tried to laugh. Vishal also laughed. They looked at us with a deadly face.
'Anyways, take these children to the chess club right now. If you wanna join, go now. Or else, you can't join.' He said and the others laughed.
'Kids always cry but these weird kids are laughing with no reason.' Vishal muttered under his breath.
They took us to another building and we reached the 2nd floor where chess club happens. A tall girl welcomed us.
'Hello! Are you earthlings? Wow, you're like the first earthling to ever dare to play 3D chess or 4D chess! Come in.' she pulled us in. There are more people inside and everyone is seated. We both sat down.
'Let's start by introducing ourselves. My name is Kit and I used to be this club's president. Tonight, it is farewell and I won't stay here from tomorrow onwards. So, I will conduct a,' She yawned. 'Didn't sleep for finals.' She yawned again. She Sat down and looked at us. 'I will conduct a tournament with 2D chess since we have earthlings like always.'
'She said we're the first earthlings?' Vishal whispered to me.
'That's actually a prank.' She yawned. 'Start introducing yourselves.' She pointed at me.
'Um, I- I am A- Bindu. An earthling.' I sat down. The guy who took my phone away was there.
'I am Vishal.'
'I am Potato.' Some people laughed including us. What kind of name is that?
'I am Shitila.'
'I am Arjun'
'I am mike'
'I am Evelyn.'
'I am Tarek.' The guy who stole my phone said. And some other people introduced themselves. I actually found my mobile in the same place we fell down yesterday. I left his mobile over there and took mine back. Did he get his mobile back? I guess he did…
'Okay. Let's start the tournament.' Kit selected pairs of people and made them sit against each other. I played against Vishal. Easy. I know how to defeat him.
Five minutes in and Vishal lost the game. I guess he saw the checkmate coming; all he needs to do is resign to save his dignity.
'Shit! I have no other move.' Vishal said.
'Resign then.' I said.
'I won't give up. Your turn,'
'Checkmate.'
'How?' He stood up.
'Your king is stuck at a corner Vishal! What else do you expect? You didn't castle properly!'
'Wow, this game's done?' Kit took a look at the board. 'That's a very unlucky situation…' She sighed.
She paired me with someone named Shock. Weird names… She lost the game and I moved to semi-finals. Then I played Potato and finally, with Tarek.
'Ooh! We have fresher's topping the tournament. Bindu and Tarek, one of you will be the president of this club and the runner will be the vice-president. And it's very unlikely for an earthling to be a president too!'
'Don't tell me it's another prank.' I said. Everyone one around me laughed.
'Well, since many years, no earthling has ever been the president. We have earthlings who're vice-presidents, but not president. Let's see if you'll really break the record or not.' Kit said. I never felt so confident. The only thing I am very good at is chess.
They started the timer. I am black. The opening went pretty normal- well, I got to move his king before it castled, so I'll take it as a win. He is more of an attack minded person and I'm more like a defense person. Well, your psychology in chess can tell a lot about your personality. This is a very stupid situation I guess he'll move back for defense. But he sacrificed his rook. Is this a temptation? If I don't take his rook, that entire file is holding me back!
Ah- wait, he was actually planning to bring his queen near my advancing knight. Knight in this row is literally powerful. I gotta defend my knight, so let me put a defender- luckily that defender is also attacking the rook he sacrificed. Now, he defends the rook and I check the king with my knight!
His face expression was so funny to watch. I should be a little more unpredictable. But his moves are very predictable.
I defended a hanging pawn which was for other purposes too, but it looks like I'm defending the pawn. Well, this is an attack that isn't visible on the surface and now he estimates that I am a defender. But he made a weird move. What? That was quite unpredictable. What was he thinking?
He looks like he doesn't know the move he made but the move he made was terrific. Is he acting like that to misguide me by making me think that he doesn't know what he's doing, so that I'll estimate that he's dumb and I'll make dumb move? Or is he genuinely confused about the move he made? I can see an unstoppable checkmate. If he takes his queen out too, then nothing can stop him from blocking my king. Any move I make will be a blunder. I can't see a way to stop his attack!!!
'I'll resign.' I stood up. He looked at me as if I lost my mind.
'Are you sure?' He asked me. Kit nodded.
'Yes. You are the winner.' I said.
'Can you please explain why you resigned?' Kit asked me.
'Can't you see? Tarek made a blunder.'
I showed them the possible checkmate that makes my chances of winning 0%.
'I didn't see it that way!?' Kit said, raising her eyebrows.
'I thought you're gonna kill my queen and win…' Tarek said.
'Oh, I thought you are intelligent enough to think this!' I said. Kit and Vishal laughed. Tarek blushed- out of embarrassment.
'Okay so, let's conclude this by saying that Tarek is our new president now.
I thought we're gonna have our first earthling president, but that's not possible now. Let's congratulate our presidents!'