At Mia’s school
“And what is so funny?” Lakshmi who was trying to shake off her anger asked Mia.
“Nothing” Mia shrugged and looked away from Lakshmi.
“Nothing but yet you are smiling as if you just won an award. Come to think of it, did you win an award?” Lakshmi lowered her eyebrows.
“No I didn’t” Mia gave a faint smile.
“I just like the way you defended me. You weren’t ashamed of me and also you were brave, I like it” Mia added before she walked away.
“No matter what I do I can never bring myself to understand what this girl really wants. I think I need to read half of the textbooks in the library to understand her, if not all” Lakshmi thought to herself.
Meanwhile, Lakshmi had just stirred up more anger in Bella’s heart, Bella went into the bathroom to secretly cry her eyes out. She felt humiliated in front of the whole school. Lakshmi had just bullied her ( in her own words) in front of everyone, she felt like no one was going to listen to her.
She vowed to get her revenge and there was no other way to do that than at the competition, she was going to do everything in her power to humiliate Lakshmi in front of everyone that would be present there. She looked at her face in the mirror and turned on the running water to rinse her face.
“Lakshmi I promise you, you will regret what you did to me. I will make sure you pay, I will make sure you feel the humiliation you inflicted on me earlier. The same way the school laughed at me while you threatened me, it would be the same way the audience at the dance competition will make you a laughing stock. Just you wait and see” Bella spoke to herself.
One thing was sure, she was going to humiliate Lakshmi, her mind was hell bent on it and there was nothing that was going to change her mind at that point but the issue was how? What was she going to do to ?
Lakshmi at the competition which was to be held the next day being Saturday, if only she had found out about Lakshmi’s plans earlier then she could have thought of something but now she was stuck.
The worst part was that Lakshmi wasn’t the type of person one could easily defeat, she was very smart and also very corny, she had to think of her weak point and the only weak point she knew Lakshmi had that she could use against her was her pride.
She felt like the easiest way to hurt Lakshmi was to aim for her pride and hurt it in the most painful way. Could she be wrong in her assumption?.
Finally the day the whole school had been waiting for had arrived. Everyone including the teachers were looking forward to this competition, while most students saw it as a means to showcase their talents and use it to get fame, Bella was going to use it as a means to take her revenge.
Bella had texted Lakshmi that she was waiting for her just next to the janitor’s closet. She dared Lakshmi so much in the text message and she was sure that it would lure Lakshmi into the trap that she had set for her.
“If you have the guts, come face me alone near the janitor’s closet. I have a surprise for you” that was the message Bella sent to Lakshmi.
Bella was quite accurate as in less than 10 minutes, Lakshmi was already there.
“What is it Bella, why have you chosen to disgrace yourself yet again?” Lakshmi folded her hands and rested it in her chest while she rolled her eyes. Bella was already in her costume but Lakshmi was yet to put on hers.
“So far you have managed to embarrass me but today I promise you that you would be the one to get embarrassed, trust me” Bella smiled wickedly before she took lakshmi’s phone forcefully and threw her into the closet.
Lakshmi struggled to open the closet but Bella called two of her friends who had been hiding to support her, they overpowered Lakshmi together and they were able to lock Lakshmi in the closet.
“Open the door right now Bella unless you will be sorry once I get outta here” Lakshmi was ranting and banging the closet door.
“I will let you out once the competition is over and once I have been crowned as the winner then I can let you come out to cry and take your shame.
You know, it’s a pity that your crew won’t know you are in here, at least not till I am declared the winner. You don’t have to worry your head about anything, I am going to tell them how you quit and let them down.
I am sure they will understand you, bye Lakshmi or should I say it in an Indian accent, bye Lak.. sh.. mi ” Bella and her friends laughed hysterically.
“I swear I am going to kill that girl once I get outta here, how could she do this to me. What are they going to do now? We are supposed to be the second performers, how I’m I going to get out if this place in time?”.
Lakshmi kept on thinking to herself as she kept on banging on the door with the hopes that someone might hear her but all her efforts were in vain, no one was going to come and save her because everyone was already at the hall.
The place was so loud and the music had already begun playing, so it would be very difficult if not impossible for anyone to hear her cries.
“Someone please get me outta here, any one, please just open the door” Lakshmi had completely broken down in tears after completely banging on the door for 20 minutes without getting any reply.
Meanwhile, backstage all the contestants were getting ready with their costumes and make-up. Everyone was excited for the competition to officially start except for Lakshmi’s crew, they were the only ones that were looking happy, they looked very worried and disturbed.
“Where could she have gone without telling anyone? Doesn’t she know we are the second performers” Juliet kept on lamenting as she continued to try lakshmi’s number which was switched off.