Sara: Hey, do you really not feel anything when you see a guy like John?
Neela: Do you feel anything when you look at a garbage bin?
Sara: Are you calling him a garbage bin just because he’s been with multiple girls? By that logic, you were with Nabil too!
Neela: I was with one person, but John is with a new girl every day. Have you ever thought about what will happen when there’s no girl left in the campus who hasn’t been thrown into John’s garbage bin?
Sara: That day, he’ll come and pick you up. (Starts laughing loudly.)
Neela: It’s not that simple. I also wonder about the taste of those girls. What do they even see in him?
Sara: Listen, take a good look at him once. I’m sure you’ll start feeling something… (Starts laughing uncontrollably.)
Neela: I’m not that weak. Even if I stare at him for an hour, nothing will happen. After an hour, a garbage bin will still look like a garbage bin to me.
Sara: Then let’s make a bet. You will look at John with full attention, talk to him while maintaining eye contact, observe everything from his shoes to his earrings, watch his hair move in the breeze, notice his hand tattoos and his dimpled smile. You will stay within one to one-and-a-half feet of him, breathing in his sexy cologne, and you must maintain eye contact for ten whole minutes. You cannot run away midway. And if you can do this, I will gift you that Michael Kors bag you loved, a dinner at Niagara-on-the-Lake, and a full set of your favorite MAC makeup—all on the same day.
Neela: Have you won the lottery or something? Do you realize that’s a deal worth a thousand dollars?
Sara: Go ahead! I can do this much for my best friend! I’ll just tell Dad that I lost this month’s dorm money, and he’ll send it again.
Neela: You’re seriously going to lie to your dad for this stupid guy?
Sara: Not just for John—I want you two to be together.
Neela: Are you my biggest enemy?
Sara: To be honest, John is the most handsome guy I’ve seen, and you’re the most beautiful girl. You two would make such a perfect pair!
Neela: But I can never accept him! He’s a garbage bin!
Sara: Look, either way, you win. If you lose the bet, that means John wins—you’ll fall for him. In that case, I’ll save my thousand dollars! And John is so rich—his credit card will be in your hands! I’ll never have to worry about shopping again! But if you win, then you get all your favorite things before your birthday! You literally have nothing to lose. It’s a complete win-win situation.
Neela: Alright then, deal! Tomorrow, I will stand in front of him and talk for ten minutes. That’s all you want?
Sara: Yes, but don’t forget the conditions! Full body scan, take in his scent, and maintain eye contact for ten minutes. The Scan-Smell-and-Smile Deal!
Neela: Alright, deal!
Saying this, they both went their separate ways home.
As soon as Neela stepped into the shower and let the warm water drench her, she suddenly found herself in a strange state. On the large mirror on the ceiling, John’s entire figure seemed to appear. She stared for a few moments—was she astonished or mesmerized? The moment she realized it, she scolded herself in anger and embarrassment. No! She couldn’t afford to lose this way. She had hated this guy the entire semester; there was no way she could feel anything for him now. She had to find a way to shield herself even more.
As she applied lotion absentmindedly after her shower, she suddenly felt as if someone had touched her neck—the exact spot where no one had ever touched her before. It was an undeniable sensation. She shuddered and realized she needed to break free from this state. What hormone was responsible for this? Oh yes, she remembered—estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. But why were they suddenly flooding her system?
She started feeling angry at herself—and at Sara. It was all because of that stupid bet! Now, she had a real problem—how to get rid of this ridiculous thought from her mind?
Right then, her phone rang. Exactly what she had expected! The mastermind herself was laughing on the other end.
Sara: What are you doing, bestie? With John? (giggles)
Neela: I swear I’m going to kill you! How would John be in my house?
Sara: Then why are your cheeks turning red? Have you fallen in love?
Hearing this, Neela instinctively looked in the mirror. Oh no! It was true! She could see a reddish glow on her cheeks. But why? And how did Sara know just from her voice? What an embarrassment! She felt like banging her head against the wall.
She paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and composed herself.
Neela: Hey, before you started studying journalism, where did you study?
Sara: Why? Don’t you remember? I’ve told you before!
Neela: Say it again! I just remembered something. You’re not as clueless as me! You studied psychology before journalism! And that’s why you’re playing these brain games with me! How could you do this to me as a friend? You hypnotized me into this! I hate you forever!
Sara: Bestie, I never forced you. I just wanted your true feelings to come out. You’re crushing on someone but suppressing it because of what others might think, what people will say, or what John has done in the past. Is that fair?
Neela: I can see what you’re doing. Even if I don’t want to, you’ll force me to fall in love with John! This is not fair! I hate him!
Sara: Give me one reason—why? Is he not handsome?
Neela: Being handsome isn’t the only measure of worth. Nabil was handsome too!
Sara: Oh, come on! That girly, childish guy’s beauty and John’s dashing, John-Abraham-type looks—are they the same? Why are you pretending not to understand? I’m sure you’re feeling a shiver in your body right now. Tell me, am I right?
(Neela refused to get caught like this. So, without another word, she ended the call.)
Just then, a text message popped up: “Accept the true feeling. Listen to your heart!”
Neela suddenly realized her heart was beating too fast, and she couldn’t slow it down. It was pounding, as if trying to break free from her chest. She needed to change the topic—immediately.
Who was the most boring person in her life? Someone she could talk to and forget about this whole mess?
Then she remembered—Rubina from their class! Oh my God, Rubina was SO boring! The moment she saw her, all she would talk about was studies. It was as if nothing else in the world mattered to her.
Just yesterday, after class, all the friends were making plans for coffee, but Rubina suddenly burst in and said, “I got 28 out of 30 today, for absolutely no reason! I’m not going anywhere! It took me two whole days to do this assignment, and the professor is so mean!”
