Chapter 4: Who is This New Girl?

Jully's Unseen Scars

My name is Jully. And for as long as I can remember, I've been criticized for my dark skin. "Blacky, Blacky," they'd jeer. No matter what people said, I pretended to be fine, building a wall around myself. I never let them see how much I suffered inside, how deeply their words cut. So, for Rocky to have liked me, there had to be a powerful reason.

(Flashback to before Jully met Rocky.)

Someone was making Jully cry in the college bathroom, tears mixing with the water as other girls bullied her, soaking her hair completely. She silently cleaned herself, then walked out, head held high, without a word. She went straight to class and sat in her seat. Sara watched her, tense, wondering what terrible thing had just happened.

Just then, Rocky burst into the classroom. He'd come looking for Jully, prompted by a friend who’d insisted on her beauty. Rocky saw Jully for the very first time.

Rocky: "Wow! You're very beautiful. If I had seen you before them, I would have fallen for you."

Hearing his words, Jully felt a warmth spread through her. She blushed, a soft flush against her dark skin. Rocky saw her as beautiful, not as "black and ugly" like everyone else did. His words made her incredibly happy. From that moment, Jully had a crush on Rocky.

Three Hearts, One Rocky

(Return to the present, immediately following Episode 3's cliffhanger, with Rocky on the floor after the proposition.)

After a moment of stunned silence, Jully confided in Sara about Rocky. "I like Rocky," Jully admitted. "I'm going to propose to him. Why am I telling you? You don't have boyfriends, and you don't have any experience."

Sara: "...I'll propose too. Rocky liked me before you did, so I'll tell him too."

Jully: "Wow! Sudden courage? Okay, let's both tell him. I don't have any problem with that. I already like you. Let's not lose our friendship, okay?"

Sara: "Done."

(Rocky breaks the fourth wall, addressing the audience.)

Rocky: "How many conspiracies are happening behind my back? Ugh!"

Today was Navy Day. And winter holidays were coming soon.

Present morning:

Rocky rushed into class, late as usual, to find three girls waiting for him. He felt incredibly awkward, wondering how on earth he was going to face them. He went and slumped onto his bench. Jully subtly slid a small note towards him. Rocky unfolded it carefully. Inside, scrawled in neat handwriting, were three simple words: "I love you." He looked up in shock. Jully winked at him. Rocky's eyes darted around, realizing others were watching his reaction. He was in a situation where he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. SIGH.

(Cut to the lunch break.)

Rocky recounted his love-life dilemmas to Anjali and Vicky. Their eyes widened, almost comically, as he spoke.

Anjali: "How...?!"

Rocky: "I don't know!"

"What's happening, man?" Anjali muttered to Vicky, who was already walking away, shoulders slumped in dejection.

Vicky: "I'm struggling to find one girl, and you have three girlfriends? Seriously?"

Anjali: "Okay, whatever. Just don't forget us after you get all loved up. And today is Navy Day, so we're going as usual. Don't miss it."

Rocky: "Yeah, yeah, okay."

The Road to Navy Day

In the evening, Anjali's class was dismissed a bit early, but Rocky's class was not. He arrived at their meeting spot, breathless.

Rocky: "Sorry, sorry, it got very late. The teacher wouldn't let us go. At the last minute, he gave us a test. I quickly finished it because I had prepared; otherwise, I would've been stuck." He glanced around. "My friend said he'll take some more time. He said he'll come directly."

Anjali: "If we waste any more time, the show will be over."

Rocky: "You know how it is, right? If someone's weak in studies, they keep grinding them until they wear out."

Anjali: "Okay, let's go."

At that moment, a hand reached out and pulled Rocky back. It was Jully.

Jully: "Can I come too?"

Rocky: "Uh... uh... that. Yeah, I think you can." He stammered, flustered.

Another hand grabbed Rocky's, firmly. It was Ramya.

Ramya: "I'll come too." Her face was cute, a touch of jealousy flickering in her eyes.

Sara watched from a slight distance, then cautiously stepped forward.

Sara: "Uh... uh, excuse me. Can I come too?"

Anjali looked at them comically, raising an eyebrow as if to ask, Is anyone else coming? Rocky, meanwhile, managed a "Yeah, okay" out loud, but inside, he was doing a wild, wavy dance. Jiggle Jiggle Jiggle!

What is this feeling? Rocky thought, I'm going crazy!

They set off for the beach. On the road, everyone seemed to be staring at Rocky.

Ramya: "Why is everyone looking at us?"

Anjali: "They're not looking at us. They're looking at the guy in the middle, the one and only."

Rocky’s pride swelled beyond limit. He imagined himself acting like the boss, flirting with the three girls while riding a magnificent horse, with Anjali expertly driving it. What a dream!

Sara, walking beside them, kept glancing at Rocky's hands. Ramya and Jully were openly holding his. Sara longed to hold his hand too, but she wasn't as bold as they were. While thinking, Sara also wondered how they had all come together. How had they agreed to all like Rocky simultaneously?

(Flashback to a conversation between the three girls before going to Navy Day with Rocky.)

The girls had talked. Ramya and Jully hadn't initially agreed to like Rocky, but Ramya had insisted that he had liked her first. Jully then, emotionally, explained what had happened to her before she met Rocky—the bullying, the name-calling, the isolation. Ramya, being sensitive, understood Jully's story. Sara, understanding her own family restrictions and recognizing that these girls were becoming her only true friends, made a decision. Ramya and Sara knew that Jully, despite being new to their circle, was a good person. And Ramya and Sara were already friends. So, they decided not to fight over Rocky. They wanted to spend some time with him without causing problems for each other. They realized they wouldn't get another college life like this, so they decided to express their love for Rocky together.

Ramya, hearing Jully's painful situation, had become quite emotional. Jully, for her part, hated discussing her sad story in front of everyone. She’d only told it because they asked about Rocky. But she didn't like the ongoing discussion. Ramya, understanding this, quietly decided to talk to her again on the bus after Navy Day. Thus, they both decided to spend time with Rocky together, united, without fighting.

(The story cuts back to Sara's thoughts.)

While Sara was thinking, they reached the beach. It was incredibly crowded.

Anjali: "Why is it so crowded?"

Rocky was still in his dreamy mood, oblivious.

Anjali: "Let's stand near the beachfront. It has a good view."

They pushed through the throngs of people and reached the very front.

(Note: The Navy Air Force show began. Airplanes performed dazzling maneuvers for the crowd, ending with patriotic Indian colors streaming for publicity.)

Anjali: "It's starting, it's starting!" she exclaimed, excitedly.

Jully: "Do you guys come here every year?"

Anjali: "Yes, it's one of our favorites."

As they spoke, the show began. Everyone watched with rapt interest and surprise, their faces lit up by the aerial display. Finally, the camera showed Sara. She too was watching with wide-eyed surprise. At that moment, Rocky gently took Sara's hand.

Rocky: "Jully and Ramya held my hands, but you haven't held my hand yet. So, I held it myself."

Sara blushed furiously, her heart soaring with happiness. Everyone continued to enjoy the spectacular show.

Vicky joined them late. He’d just arrived and was at the back of the massive crowd. He was delighted to see the air show. He pushed his way through, finding his friends at their favorite spot on the beachfront. Rocky and Anjali beamed when they saw him. They wrapped their arms around each other and enjoyed the rest of the show. Colors exploded in the sky, planes roared overhead. Everyone forgot their problems and tensions for a while, lost in the joy of the moment.

After a while, the Navy Air Show concluded. It was time to go home. Before leaving, they all ate noodles together from a street vendor outside the beach. SLURP! CHOMP!

Then, everyone headed home. Ramya announced she would go with Jully. Ramya knew about Jully's suffering, having heard it from others. She genuinely wanted to offer emotional support, which was why she went with her. She intended to talk to her on the bus. Jully didn't know Ramya's intention yet, and Ramya hadn't clearly explained anything, simply saying she had some work and would accompany her.

Before leaving, Jully suddenly hugged Rocky. SQUEEZE! The others watched with wide eyes. Ramya’s face tightened with jealousy. Rocky, surprised by the hug, saw Ramya's serious expression and quickly tried to flirt his way out of the awkward situation.

Rocky: "Come on, darling, give me a daddy hug!" he said in a cringeworthy, comedic tone.

KICK! She promptly kicked him. Rocky went flying, hitting the bus stop sign. THUD!

Beachside Confessions

The exams were starting again. They all had to begin preparing. Anjali took Vicky with her, who groaned dramatically, saying he didn't want to study. Anjali was deliberately acting to give Rocky and Sara some personal time together.

Rocky, still sporting a significant bump on his head, waited with Sara for a while. Sara gathered her courage and made a request.

Sara: "Shall we sit by the beach for a while?"

Rocky: "Sure."

They walked hand-in-hand along the beach. As they strolled, Rocky asked Sara a question that had been on his mind.

Rocky: "Why do you actually love me?"

Sara: "To be honest, I don't know if it's love or not."

Rocky was shocked and instinctively let go of her hand. GASP! But Sara immediately held his hand tightly again.

Sara: "Please don't let go of my hand."

Rocky didn't understand.

(Cut to the bus, where Ramya and Jully were talking.)

Ramya gently pressed Jully about the bullying she’d endured, asking why it happened and what it was about. Ramya encouraged Jully to tell her if anyone ever did it again. Jully, still pretending to be tough, avoided the direct questions. When her stop came, she got off, almost ignoring Ramya. Ramya genuinely wanted to help as a friend, but Jully didn't understand that. She didn't want to show that vulnerable side of herself to anyone, and she certainly didn't want to talk about that painful topic, so she simply ignored her.

(Cut back to the beach, where Rocky and Sara were sitting.)

Sara was lovingly stroking Rocky's hand, her touch light and tender. Rocky, still puzzled, didn't understand her earlier comment.

What's up with this girl? Rocky thought. I don't understand at all.

He decided to ask her again.

Rocky: "Then what is all this?"

Sara: "To be honest, the silly things you and Ramya do make me laugh. I don't know how close you are, but I've found good friends in your school friends and Jully. They are all very nice. Even when I'm silent, they talk to me and show me importance, which makes me very happy. That's how I started liking you. I want to experience these feelings with you. But I don't know if it's love or not."

Rocky: "Then why did you propose?"

Sara: "I just felt like experiencing these feelings. But since then, I've been getting a lot of new feelings. I never want to let go of your hand. When I'm with you, I feel something unknown. I don't know how to explain it. It's all new to me."

Rocky looked at her face. She was so happy holding his hand. He didn't want to disturb her. So, Rocky simply stayed there, letting her hold his hand. They sat there for a while, the waves gently lapping the shore.

Ice Cream and Cotton Candy

(Cut to Rocky on the bus.)

He was looking out the window, lost in thought, a faint smile playing on his lips. He got off the bus. Ramya was waiting for him. Rocky didn't understand why she was there. He walked up to her and asked.

Rocky: "What are you doing here?"

Ramya: "I'm waiting for you."

Rocky: "Why?"

Ramya: "Will you buy me an ice cream?"

Rocky looked at her questioningly, surprised by her sudden request. He bought her an ice cream. She took it and immediately started eating. SLURP! Rocky, still a little bewildered, looked elsewhere. Then, she brought the ice cream close to his face and shyly gestured for him to eat some. Rocky understood, a slight blush rising on his cheeks, and took a small bite. Ramya continued to eat her ice cream. They walked together, Ramya alternating between eating and offering him a bite. Suddenly, Rocky opened his mouth wide, like Tom from the cartoons, and swallowed the whole thing in one go. GULP! Ramya was shocked, then her face clouded with anger. GRRR! Rocky quickly apologized and offered to buy her another ice cream. Ramya pulled him back and pointed to a cotton candy vendor, asking for that instead.

Rocky bought that too. This time, she offered him the first bite. Rocky blushed again and took a small, delicate bite. They spent some nice time together, strolling and sharing, and then she left. Rocky waited until she turned the corner, then, still smiling, he left too.

That night, lying on his bed, he thought about everything that had happened during the day. He saw the faces of the three girls in his mind, and a contented smile spread across his face. Then, he suddenly fell asleep. Zzzzzzz...

Cliffhanger for the next episode:

Anjali hits Rocky.

We'll see why in the next episode...