JOIN USAnkita alone — of Lesley Academy’s Class of 2011 — had not taken a single step towards finding out her results (easily done in this age of advanced technology!), and Reena was determined to convey the information. All of Ankita’s classmates had been in a state of anticipation over the past week, but none of them was suffering from the feverish anxiety that was consuming Ankita.
While several hoped they had put in decent performances, they were not worried sick that their marks might not meet their expectations. Some would be content with a second class, and others grateful if they cleared the required number of subjects.
Ankita was unable to understand how young people could take life so lightly. Earnest to a fault, she was constantly under intense academic pressure. This had nothing to do with her parents, who — unlike those of many of her peers — were not pushy. As for Ankita’s teachers, they continually cautioned her against driving herself too hard.
Reena was an improbable friend for Ankita, for she was quite her opposite. Never stressed out before tests, Reena forgot about them once they were over. She had sounded a little concerned the night before, since her fate would be known the following morning, but had signed off with her trademark, “Not to worry, Anks!”
Reena did not let low grades upset her, while Ankita was miserable if she scored below 18/20 on assignments, and sobbed herself to sleep if she secured the second place instead of the first.
The latter situation occasionally arose because — among Ankita’s classmates who, for the most part, did not particularly care whether they shone or not — one student was as eager to excel as she was. Chitra, bright and diligent, was Ankita’s chief competitor in examinations.
Now that the verdict was out on the biggest one of all, Ankita felt faint with apprehension. She knew, of course, that she could not have fared badly, but, as she admitted only to herself, doing well, even extremely well, was not good enough if she hadn’t beaten Chitra. The phone continued to ring; there was no avoiding it.
“Hi, Anks!” said Reena. Ankita tensed. “I’m sorry...” Reena went on, and Ankita’s heart plummeted. She was dimly conscious of Reena telling her that, while she had done brilliantly, Chitra had sneaked past her; that she need have no regrets as it was by a narrow margin; that when it came to the overall percentage...” Ankita was barely listening. There was no need to hear more.
What did it matter? What did anything matter?
Suddenly another voice came on the line, and Ankita jerked to attention. Surely it couldn’t be Chitra! The last thing she wanted was a triumphant rival’s sympathy. But what was Chitra saying? “Let me be the first to congratulate you, Ankita. How does it feel to top? Come on, first-ranker, say something.
Don’t tell me you took that nonsense seriously. You know Reena! She couldn’t resist the temptation to play a post-April Fools’ Day prank.”
Chitra, so generous in defeat! Ankita could hardly believe it; but then, having always viewed the girl as an opponent, she had never responded to Chitra’s overtures of friendship or got to know her. “It wasn’t nonsense, Chitra,” said Ankita. There was respect in her tone as she added: “You are a topper —no fooling!”