Nina always felt a sort of electric current when teacher returned their test books. And the current seemed to emanate from where Arvind, her arch rival, sat.

Within seconds of opening his book and looking at his marks, he’d rush to her side, aggressively demanding, ‘How much?” Sometimes he got more than her and sometimes it was the other way around.

Now that rivalry had heated up because of the school play. Both had auditioned for the lead role of Gandhi; out of 12 candidates, just the two of them had been shortlisted! So Ma’am asked them both to learn Gandhi’s entire dialogues, and that she’d decide later. Both had stayed up late, pacing their homes, mugging their parts. Both had delivered their lines, with great style…such style, in fact, that class Ma’am just couldn’t figure out whom to select and invited Principal Sir to pick the school’s Gandhiji.

Well, the God of Luck was on Nina’s side because the day Principal Sir watched the 2 rivals perform, Arvind had a bad cold…ruining his dialogue with a racking cough. And Nina was declared Gandhi while Arvind sulked. Getting his revenge by maxing his math test, while she only managed an 89.

Her wild mane of curly hair was oiled and flattened down by her mother, who then stretched a skin-toned balloon over her head to make her ‘bald’! The performance at school went off fabulously. The teachers and parents were thrilled by ‘Gandhiji’ though there were a few giggles from the audience when part of the balloon slipped back and some of Nina’s wild curls sprung out. Of course, she quickly stuffed them back under, and went on to deliver her lines perfectly.

The problem arose, when the school was invited to perform their play by the Rotary Club at the Town Hall. By that time, Arvind had well and truly recovered from his cold and cough. So all that tension of competing for Gandhiji’s part, returned. Nina was determined to play Gandhiji at the town Hall too. While Arvind was equally determined that this was his chance.

Class Ma’am was in a tight spot. On one hand she felt that Nina ought to step back and give Arvind a chance. But Nina’s performance on the school stage had been so fabulous, that the school had been invited by the Rotary Club only because one of the parents, a Rotarian, and watched Nina in action.

Once again, Class Ma’am left the decision to Principal Sir. For a whole week, Nina and Arvind glared at each other across the classroom, turning every test into a war, competing for every mark. Nina even heard a rumour that the teachers thought Arvind might prove a better choice, because of her hair. It would be much easier to get him ready at Town Hall than tame Nina’s crazy curls under a balloon.

Just before the Day of the Decision, class Ma’am told the 2 arch enemies that Principal Sir would decide after seeing both of them perform in costume…so could they both come to school prepared with their make-up and costumes? Arvind grinned wickedly! He knew that the role was now his. Nina would never be able to manage her hair without her mother around! On the Day, the God of Luck seemed to have switched sides. It was Nina who arrived in school with a cold, her head wrapped up in a thick woollen scarf, while she coughed now and then. Arvind was ecstatic!

When the two were summoned by Principal to act out their parts, Arvind assumed that he’d get the first chance, since Nina would need time to sort out her hair. But when he was ready and got onto stage, there was Nina, already strutting around, making a fiery speech. And how had she managed her hair so fast…and so well? She looked far more ‘bald’ than she’d managed to at the school play. And there was Principal sir even clapping after her lines.

It was only when Nina strutted off the stage, past hi, at the end of her part, that Arvind realised what she’d done! Nina hadn’t ‘managed to look bald’….she was, in fact, totally bald! That crazy girl had gone and shaved her head! Arvind was so shocked and then so furious that he messed up his lines! And it was Nina who went and stole the show at the Town Hall.

Arvind never forgave her. And neither did Nina’s mother, who sat in the audience at the Town Hall and wept. How was she going to send her ‘bald’ daughter for her ‘Arangetrum’ next month?