The One I Love

Shuffling

After having my dinner I called Rachel , I told her about my speech and then about me resting on his shoulder .

Whaatttt !!!! , was her reply to what I told her on the phone .

Yeah , I said .

I mean how did you even ....Okay.... wait , when are you going to tell him that you love him , tell me that first , she said to me .

I started to blush to her question .

I don't know , I said .

Please stop blushing and answer me correctly Rachel , When .... are ...you going to tell him , she asked me again .

I'll tell Austin that I love him when you tell Justin that you like him , I said and giggled .

I will. when the time comes. she replied .

Even he told the same thing , I said in a low voice .

I can't hear you Jess , louder louder , she said .

When is the match tomorrow , I asked her .

It is in the evening .

Oh , okay , do you want to go and see the match ?

What kind of stupid is question is that , obviously , she said.

Ahaaan, okay .We'll meet him before the match , I want to talk to him .

Okay , I need to go byee she said and ended the call .

Sports competitions was not like other competitions . It started a month ago . It had quarter final, semi final and then final . Tomorrow is the final match and Justin's team got selected in it .

I went to school with Rachel like other days . We had classes in the morning and in the evening we had basket ball match .

Justin being in tenth standard was made as captain instead of eleventh and twelfth standard students by our sports teacher .

In the evening , we went to the basket ball court and looked for Justin . He wasn't there , later we came to know that the players went to change their dress .

We looked at eacthother and thought of sitting on the bench where we usually sit .

Captain , I shouted waving my hand .

He was in a hurry but still came to talk to us .

What , he asked me .

What do you mean by what , I called you to wish you luck , I said.

Thankyou , he said .

When is the match going to start , I asked him .

It will , in a while , he replied looking at his watch .

All the best , came Rachel's sweet voice .

He didn't say anything but just gave a warm smile .

The person who was tensed and in a hurry now looked calm .

You better make us proud or else I might kill you , Rachel warned him .

He chuckled to her words .

I'd be happy if it is you , he said .

Rachel rolled her eyes , whatever ,she said .

We'll leave together , wait for me , he said to Rachel .

yeah , okay she replied .

Rachel's mother have meetings next week due to which she was leaving tonight , my aunt Helen told Rachel's mother that Rachel would stay at her home . My aunt was always like this , she always tried to bring Justin and Rachel closer which Justin never liked . But to my surprise this time he told her to wait for him so that they would go to his house together .

After a while , the match started .

Crowed gathered at basket ball court and people started to cheer . The match was really exciting , we didn't know who would win but at the end Justin's team won the match .

Rachel and I were waiting for Justin after the match , he was with a group of guys and they were shouting his name out loud in a rhythm .

He then came towards us and asked me if I was coming too. The way he asked me looked like he didn't want me to come .

Don't worry I'm not coming , was my reply to his question .

Thanks sister !!!

Austin won the first place in elocution competition and Justin in sports competition , the prize distribution was done the very next day to which I didn't attend .

It has been more than a month since the competitions took place , exams were near but the syllabus wasn't completed because of those competitions . Our teachers tried their level best to complete the syllabus .

I had my exams in the month of April , I worked hard . I went through those sleepless nights again and on the last day of exam we ripped out hall ticket and threw it in the air . It was a kind of satisfaction in tearing the hall ticket into pieces and throw them on the last day of our exams .

During my summer holidays I went to my grandparents to visit and got back home after few days as my results were out . I went to my school with my mother as she had to sign on my report card .

My mother was to tears looking at my name which were written on a board . My name was in the top list . she looked at me with her teary eyes and kissed me on my forehead .

Rachel's mother Clara met my mother they both started to talk and I was talking to Rachel .

I'm so proud of you , Rachel said and hugged me .

Thankyou , I replied while hugging her.

This time I scored 93% , she scored 88% .

As we were walking in the corridor , I saw my aunt coming towards us . She came and greeted my mother and hugged her friend , Clara who is Rachel's mother .

After a while Rachel left with her mother .

My mother and aunt were still talking , my mother told that we would leave in five minutes , but even after thirty minutes she didn't even move an inch . I lost my patience and their conversation looked like it might take more than an hour .

I didn't know what to do , I went to Justin's class to call him and at the same time I wanted to see Austin , it has been so long since I met him . I went to their class and saw Austin helping his teacher , he looked at me and gave a bright smile .

I waved at him ,he looked at me and then towards the benches . I thought he was telling me to look at the benches but later I understood what he meant . He told me to sit in the bench . I nodded and sat in the first bench . I was staring at him when he was busy helping his teacher , a slight smile appeared on my face looking at him .

After he was done helping , we both came out of the class .

Congratulations , he said as soon as we came out of the class.

Congratulations for being in the top place since three years , I said .

He gave a chuckle to my reply .

Jessica , my cousin called me.

I gave him a death stare for interrupting us and asked him why he called me while not loosing my coolness .

They are waiting for us , come fast , he said .

I looked at Austin and told him that I'll be leaving and left without looking back .

After my summer vacation I started to go to school . Can't believe that I'm already in eleven standard . On the first day after reopening of my school I came to know that we were going to get shuffle , I looked at Rachel in shock , I can't even imagine we both being in different classes we both held our hands .

After a while a person came and handed over a paper to the class teacher , she read my name out loud . I was to tears I didn't want to leave her , I was holding back my tears and so was Rachel and finally before folding the paper she read Rachel's name . The tears which were filled with sadness rolled down on my cheeks with happiness . We hugged eacthother and couldn't control our happiness we were laughing and talking which made our classmates to look at us , our teacher made us to stand and scolded us for disturbing the class and for not behaving properly , even though she was scolding I was happy that I would be with her in the same class .

After a while she told everyone to take our bags and go to our new classroom .

As soon as we entered our new class we were welcomed by Justin who was sitting in the second bench .

Finally we are class mates , Justin said with a smirk .

Yeah , I replied .

I have a bad feeling , said Rachel to Justin pursing her lips .

I looked around to see if Austin was in my class but he wasn't there . I went and sat in a bench beside Rachel .Even though I was happy because Rachel and I were in same class at the same time I was slightly dissapointed when I didn't see him in my class .

I laid down on the bench and closed my eyes .

you both are in the same class again , lucky people , I heard someone saying to Rachel .

We are , said Rachel and giggled .

Jess , wake up ,she said , but I didn't .

Jessss ..... Austinnn , she whispered into my ears .

I got up and looked at him .

He is our in class ?, I asked her in a loud voice as I was excited which made people to look at us with strange expression but then we got used to such expressions since we were kids .

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Even though Jessica had another reason for working hard to score good marks, she felt very happy when she looked at my proud mother's face . All the things she did for him made her a better person today .

Nothing is impossible if we work hard , we should never doubt our capability , we need to work hard and make it happen . It might take time to be make it happen but it will happen , she Jessica thought and turned the page.