17

                                                                       17

I,along with rahul and bidya, was standing just in front of our class-room, when the girls' hostel bus arrived. Pipasa couldn’t help smiling as she walked past us.

‘I see you’re very happy’- I said.

‘yes’, she said simply, her eyes resting on my face for a few seconds.

Rahul and lalu decided to leave to allow us a private talk, thankfully. Saina joined them.

‘you look even happier than me’, pipasa said, looking up at me, more confidently this time.

She paused and frowned.

‘techfest effect!!!! Hmmm………!!!!!!’

Pipasa began smiling again.

‘well’, I said,’ you are not laughing at me, are you???? ’

‘I’m not laughing at all,’ said pipasa.

‘smiling,I meant’

‘no, not at you’, said pipasa, ’at myself’, almost laughing this time.

‘ohhh………that is mysterious and confusing………………’- I said.

‘ There is nothing new about you being confused. You always are, and sometimes for nothing .’

Now we could see professor mishra coming towards our class and decided to go in before he reached.

My eyes followed her pink salwar for a few seconds as we settled in our respective seats. The image of barsha came into my mind. Pink is the wrong colour for her complexion, I thought. My attention veered to a new object of contemplation.

‘ You’re not writing anything today???????’- rahul shook my hand almost bringing me back from my exaggerated thoughtful contemplation.

‘oh’, I said, suddenly self-conscious.

I tried to bring back my concentration into the class. I saw pipasa and saina writing wverything that was written or even spoken by the faculty religiously. Bidya, as usual, was listening to the faculty carefully. He always preferred to understand the concept rather than writing down everything told. Rahul was studying- or was trying to study- I could not decipher.

After taking a view of all those who mattered for me, I decided to listen to the faculty, finally. Having missed first few minutes of the class, I found it difficult to follow.

The class got over and students started leaving the class one after another. We decided to sit back and let others leave first.

‘hey man……see the back of meenakshi……….everything is visible…….her dress is so fucking transparent………’- rahul said, excited, as bidya and I looked forward.

Meenakshi was wearing a white salwar that exposed more of her wearings than our eyes were privileged or prepared to see in reality.

‘she needs a carrot man’- rahul uttered spontaneously.

I decided to leave the class before I could picture the whole scene………..THE WHOLE SCENE………………….;)

16

                                 16

I had difficulty in sleeping that night. Girls have the ability to steal your sleep and even if you sleep, they will enter into your dream, effortlessly.

I preferred my black-pink combination to wear the next morning. Black-pink combination was pipasa’s favorite. So I expected other girls to like that combination as well. But I didn’t have a tie to match that. I took my cell and dialed smarak’s number to get me his tie. He drove all the way to my home and gave me his tie.

As anshuman and I entered the ITER campus for the second consequtive day, I started to search for opportunities to implement my plan successfully. We went to the registration counter expecting barsha to be present there. But I had to be disappointed.

We entered the main building and wandered through the corridors. It was 10.30 and time for a new event ‘CodeC’- which was a C coding competition. I was miserably bad in C unlike anshuman. He was a master of C programming.

Anshuman started moving towards the room no. 34-c to participate in ‘CodeC’. I started following him without even an iota of interest. I unconscious turned to left while walking found a familiar face in front of my eyes. I was elated to see her again. I was elated to see barsha again.

She greeted me with an usual ‘hi’ and I replied with the same. After meeting barsha I dropped the idea of participating in ‘CodeC’. Anshuman gave me an irritating look, but I ignored that. Barsha suggested to go to the cafeteria. Girls have views and preferences of their own.and it was unlikely for me to put down her suggestion.

The cafeteria was a rather crowded place than what I had expected. May be more because of the ongoing techfest. We searched for a vacant table and finally got one.

‘2 coffees please’- she ordered, as we settled down.

We talked on various topics. But one thing I discovered that she was not that much talkative as the girls usually are. Suddenly my cell rang putting a break in our discussion. It was pipasa.

‘good morning’- she said from the other side before I could say something.

It was for the second time on that day she had wished me good morning apart from the message in the morning. She was calling from the college after completion of the second class.

‘how is your day????? What are you doing now??????’- she asked, her voice, concerned.

‘mmmmmm……..i m in the cafeteria with a friend’

‘friend??????who??????anshuman????’

I paused for a few seconds.

‘hello’- she said suspecting a network problem.

‘ahhhhhh………….yes………….listen…………..i’ll call you later………….not getting your voice clearly’

She cut the call. I hoped the next class had started.

Barsha and I talked for the next few minutes. We exchanged contact numbers. Barsha cought a friend’s eye and waved towards her. Her friend wanted barsha to go with her. Barsha paid  the bill,finally,  as all my efforts to convince her failed.

And I was happy as I spent some time with her, got her contact number, with zero investment!!!!!!!