... cheated

**... cheated** is the seventh episode in Season 3 of the Netflix series, *Never Have I Ever*. It is also the twenty-seventh episode overall and premiered on August 12, 2022.

## Synopsis

*Up against Des' team in a tournament, Devi takes her competitiveness too far. An opportunity arises for Eleanor. Pati explains herself to Kamala.*

## Plot

Devi and Des continue to date behind their mothers' backs. They both lie to them, by telling their parents they were at debate practice. However, Devi is taken aback because their schools will actually be involved in the upcoming regional debate tournament. Des tells Devi, "I look forward to cross-firing you.”"

However, Devi needs to get something off her chest. She asks Des bluntly why he ghosted her. He explains that when he got home that night, he did not know how smart it would be to get involved with a girl who looked like she was not over her ex-boyfriend. Devi assures him she is over Paxton and likes someone else now.

Elsewhere, Fabiola and Aneesa are about to reveal their announcement, stating they are now an official couple. Eleanor and Devi celebrate and give them hugs. However, both are still awkward around each other. Aneesa tries and dresses up to hear Fabiola at the upcoming debate tournament.

When studying at home with Des, they find out they will face each other in the tournament.

On that day, where the kids were at the debate, Nalini and Rhyah are in the garage looking through the garage and doing some cleaning. There, they discover Devi's old wheelchair. Rhyah states how she feels terrible for Nalini's family having so much trouble lately but thanks Nalini for remembering gratitude for her son's self-sufficiency.

However, when Devi faces Des in the championship in the debate club match, rival schools, her team has no chance. Des' school is so rich that they hire paralegals to do instant research for them at a moment's notice. So, she throws out one of their research books. When Des then announces they are missing one of their books, Manish remembers he saw Devi in the school during the fire drill that temporarily stopped the tournament. He then switches back the sides, giving Hartman Hill the "pro" side and Sherman Oaks High the "con" debate.

Yet, Sherman Oak's team still wins the matchup with an argument about the cons of privatization. Manish confronts Devi after, and instead of impacting her future, he takes her home. The dedicated, loyal, and ethical teacher tells Devi's mother and grandmother. Manish also adds that he wanted the family to handle this in a private family manner. This causes Nirmala to see the man that Kamala has fallen for, and she accepts him. However, she is so nice to him, he thinks it may be a trap. Rhyah, who was in the background listening to the entire interaction, remarks that it serious.

Later, Devi comes clean about throwing out the binder (Des' school fired a paralegal over it), but Des forgives her and admits he is intimidated by her, but it doesn't stop them from kissing.

## Cast

* Poorna Jagannathan as Nalini Vishwakumar
* Richa Shukla as Kamala Nandiwadal
* Jaren Lewison as Ben Gross
* Darren Barnet as Paxton Hall-Yoshida
* Ramona Young as Eleanor Wong
* Lee Rodriguez as Fabiola Torres
* John McEnroe as The Narrator
* Megan Suri as Aneesa Qureshi
* Anirudh Pisharody as Des
* Utkarsh Ambudkar as Manish Kulkarni
* Sarayu Blue as Rhyah
* Benjamin Norris as Trent Harrison
* Ranjita Chakravarty as Nirmala Vishwakumar
* Jack Seavor McDonald as Eric Perkins
* Deacon Philippe as Parker

## Trivia

* Fabiola reveals to Aneesa that she hates public speaking.
* Nirmala finally accepts Manish into the family.