39. The Touted Top Girl

Life is back to normal after such a stormy weekend. I have done really well in the 1st two assessment tests. Though it’s the best two out of three, I am in no mood or idea of compromising on the 3rd. I can’t afford to let down loved ones again.

For 4 papers our 3rd asses is replaced by mini-projects. Not all projects are interesting. We had to do them in teams if teams are of 3 obviously it would be myself, Anu and Sangi. But in 2’s though it’s a controversial option I still preferred it.

In internet programming myself and Shantanu are a team and we can now legally or logically can spend more time with the project as an excuse. His negligence on the fight plan caused bitterness in me but that can’t be a reason for me to hate him completely.

Whenever I asked him about the vengeance he either asked for more time or tried to keep me cool or used to change the context. I am not so convinced. Whenever this issue pops up I fume with bitterness and he is not dumb to be ignorant of that. Yet he still ignored it.

Shantanu was not as bad in programming. In fact he is better than me in application oriented programming. When I spend time in learning the theory behind the algorithms and implement them he casually coded applets and swings and made a lucrative work.

Our projects kept us busy throughout the last month of the 4th sem. Anu’s breakup is obvious and most of us know of that now though the solution she chose for it is known only to the 2 of us. Many pitied Anu, and Kiran’s image grew as a villain.

Meanwhile college election matters are also been part of Shantanu’s concern. He is into almost everything else in college except studies, me being the exact opposite.

One fine day we after a few mins of project discussion are walking around the campus as usual. He said, “I am feeling so embarrassed”

“oh why?”

“Yesterday I saw Ranjana akka on the way to her hostel, she was carrying her baggage and literally struggling to carry them.”

“Hmmm so..”

“I should have helped her but I was rather excited on seeing her and was speaking about the college symposium this year and my plans for the next year’s one..”

“And you forgot to help her out”

“Yes, what an idiot I am, I noticed it only when we almost reached your hostel and only then I offered help lamely”

“Ok man relax there is nothing worth worrying about it”

By this time we almost reached our hostel and I don’t want to fall in sight of our warden ma’am, as she doesn’t think it’s a good idea for a girl to hang around with a guy. He gave me my laptop which he was carrying for me all this time. His chivalry is one thing that I felt very sweet about him.

He still enthusiastically continued, “Hey you should have known her, she is such a personality, man she is one of the important reasons, one of the very few key people who keep all these stuff running, or the college will only get rotten in all those crappy books”

“Oh great, salute her service and keep looking whether she needs any help, bye” and I walked away. I am not very sure whether his unacceptable opinion on books or his zeal to woo another girl annoyed me, but I am clearly annoyed.

When I entered the hostel he was standing still in the place I left him. I am not out of that bad mood yet. I didn’t care and I walked into my room throwing my laptop on the bed.

Over lunch the next day I heard some girl in a nearby table talk about this girl Ranjana with the same enthusiasm like Shantanu. I got a bit curious and asked Sindhu, “hey who is this Ranjana”

Keeping the rice in her hand mid way in air, “hey she is a senior the top girl in the college’s symposium committee, considered one of the key persons in any such activity inside college. Ask Divya, Ranjana is her dept senior and she must know more about her”

“Ha enough, enough, I had more than enough info about her, fine so everyone is trying to woo her so that they could get a prestigious place in the committee next year”

“Oh why are you so skeptical about her, she must have been a nice person, I have talked to her once she is sweet, not everyone would want to be in the committee and why would they speak good about her in her absence to woo her”, man she is also doped by her.

This ruminated in me throughout the afternoon classes. I walked to Shantanu after the classes as usual. He definitely is angry he loves me and values me but never compromises on something he feels right and unworthy of compromise.

He avoided my eyes. I said, “Hey I am sorry”, he didn’t look convinced.

I added, “it’s the way you addressed books was what annoyed me”, I tried to make up an excuse to that unruly behavior, “anyway…hmmm k man cool, enough I said sorry”

He nodded silently yet the usual smile is missing, “Ok, see you by 5 in this room, hope we will finish the project in a couple of days, cya”, and he walked away.

Things must be ok, my mind told me, yet his inimical face kept coming back for every wink. I took a short nap and started getting ready by 4.30 to meet him by 5.