School Stories- Part 1- Bollywood Queen Roohi.

So the year was 2000, and everyone had gotten reshuffled into different classes for Secondary 3 (that's the 9th grade).
So on the first day of school, I walked into class, straightened my *Ahem* Prefect's tie and took in some new and some old faces, some faces I couldn't stand and some faces that I was thankful to see.

I saw Roohi.

Roohi was (is) about half my height (HAHA sorry babe you know I can't resist!!!), with flashing dark brown eyes framed with ultra long lashes that would always get smushed behind her glasses, high cheekbones, an amazing hourglass figure and lovely wavy-curly hair, a strand of which she would CONSTANTLY twirl with her finger. God. It was SO annoying.
Nevermind that 2 months later, you just had to look up from your book to see 39 girls absentmindedly twirling their hair too.
Not me though.
*small voice*My hair was too short for that.

She had a REALLY strong Indian accent, but with just a splash of that Singlish thrown in.
'Lavender' became 'Luh-vhen-der', 'Comfortable' became 'Comfort-table' and 'Love' became 'Luuuhve'.
Of course, me being me, I mercilessly teased her about it.
I know. I'm such a snob. (Oh we made fun about her Mom's ultra strong Punjabi accent too- in front of her.)

:D All love Roohi, all love!

Anyway she looked every bit the quintessential Bollywood starlet.

Okay, fair enough. I had seen her around..she was a friend of my best friend Sagarika. Nice enough girl.
We decided to sit together.

Now Mahi at the age of *counts* 16 was a bit of jerk. Quick to pounce on the easily emo-senti (that's emotional-sentimental), she found an easy, convenient target in Roohi. Sure she adored her, but hell..it was just so easy!

One afternoon in class, I was busy at work on my essay and from the corner I could see Roohi picking up her pen to write something, only to put it back down. She did this over and over again.
I ignored it.
The she started twisting her fingers in what seemed to be mind boggling urgency. She would look at me, open her mouth to speak, bite her lip and then turn away. She did this over and over again.

With a deep breath I finally put my pen down calmly, turned to her and said "What. What, Roohi, WHAT."
"Mahi...*twisting of fingers*...Where is this relationship going?!?!"
.
.
.
I just stared at her like she had gone nuts.
She worriedly blinked at me.

And then I felt The Laugh.
The Laugh that starts in your belly, causes your nostrils to flutter, gurgles up to your throat, struggles to get out but your pursing lips don't allow it too.
It finally erupted and I saw Roohi's 'hurt-look' (again).

Oh it turns out that Roohi simply thought I was being too cold and unfeeling towards her..or something cockamamey story like that.

She got hurt of course, started tearing up- which I laughed even harder at.
Then her eyebrows would form Nike ticks and she'd blast me for laughing and then when I still wouldnt stop, she'd wring her hands and scream "What is your problem?!!"


My daily routine at school would be to find some way or another to piss her off.
She was (is) positively anal about keeping her books scratch-free, dog eared-free, mark-free, everything-free.
So naturally, I just had to take her Bio textbook, or any book of hers within my vicinity, and say slowly "Oh Rooooooohiii" and in front of her horrified eyes, I would slowly start folding a page in half.
"Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"
Of course this, like other fights, would end with Roohi tearing up, fluttering her hands in front of her teary eyes and me apologizing and trying in vain to straighten the page out. "See??See Roohi, it's straight! Uhh..Just ignore that little mark on the page..it's almost INVISIBLE!"

We'd fight like cats and dogs everyday- I admit, I almost always started it coz I loved antagonizing her.
Sidra (coming up soon) who used to sit behind us would wearily roll her eyes and scream "Can you guys stop being COMPLETE IDIOTS FOR ONE DAY?" .
Roohi and I would stop, look behind at her, say in unison "But she started it!!", turn back in front and carry on fighting/screaming/pulling hair/vandalising each other's stuff.
Sidra would tiredly get up, pack her books and go to the back to sit with Arpeeta and Ju (coming up too).

At every break, we'd assign Duties (Arpu was in charge of this). Roohi used to be in charge of getting the garlic bread but she'd take ages.Finally she exploded in exasperation one day and angrily stated that she absolutely WOULD NOT get the garlic bread for us anymore.
Why?
"Coz I'M TOO SHORT AND EVERYONE PUSHES ME ASIDE AND MANAGES TO GET THEIR ORDER IN BEFORE ME!!'


That was Roohi- A child at heart, emotional, loving, easily angered but easily placated, a neat freak, conscious about her height (it's part of the charm baby!) and the butt of my jokes.

Ahhh thank God somethings never change :D

Roohi is one of my dearest friends. We've been through so much and I know I don't say this emo-senti shit enough but- I love you Roohi! You've been there for me so many times that I've lost count. I still have those silly notes we would write to each other in class and I still remember how a teacher once told you she loved reading your curlicue handwriting..as yes as much as I snorted about how annoying it was to read, I loved it too.


Now stop complaining about how I never blog about you because I don't care about you!!!
See! I care!

-Mahi cackles and walks away, folding Roohi's papers in half-
Heh heh heh.

Update : I just called Roohi to tell her to check this blog.
Roohi - Did you write about me??
Me- Maybe..maybe not
Roohi - You slut, you'd better have written about me. You never ever write about me!!!!!
Me- hahahaahahaha