43. Interns Info

The next day we were taken back to college after the camp. The same loud menacing student’s travel cheer lasted throughout the journey back to college. Sir himself looked like he grew younger. But I am sitting near the window silent with melancholy.

Shantanu still limping of sprain due to last night’s duel didn’t miss all that fun. He even danced a little with that sprain. “Hey Elvi what’s wrong? Why are you so dull?”

“Nothing, just that I am going to miss all you people” I tried to smile. He for some reason didn’t bug me more. Only 2 souls in the bus know why, me and Anu.

As usual Mom and Dad have come to the hostel to pick me up. It went without saying that, Dad just looked and Anu is already there with her baggage.

Just another call, “Hello Sir, This is Elvia’s Mom”

“Oh ma’am I thought of calling you, why not this time Elvia come here for a change, I would feel happy”

“Oh fine, but now we are moving to our place. If you don’t mind I will send the girls in a couple of weeks”

“Hmm.. fine then, so you have already started with Anu”

“Sorry about that, we just thought..”, I saw mom blushing in the phone.

“No problem, fine then I will be in the lookout for them”

“Sure, thanks”

We are now moving to our place. Mom and dad sat in the front seats. I am sitting with the same somber expression, staring out through the window. I don’t know why I took so seriously, especially why as a failure of love.

Anu tried to cheer me up and failed to make conversation. Mom did notice, I managed with lame reasons.

I tried to cheer myself. I don’t want to be like this anymore. I gave out fake smiles, and yes that did work. I got over this madness in a while. Nevertheless his messages and many things around still kept reminding me of him.

After some 20 days Anu’s dad reminded Mom’s promise. Mom, “What Elvi are you going with Anu?”

I really don’t want to be alone. I want someone who knew the crack in my love pot to be around. Anu is such a nice friend to be with. So, I just agreed, “Ya I want to”

“Hope you remember there is no servant like me, to bring you water when you just shout and more than that you may have to help Anu’s dad in the kitchen”

“Mom, I am a grown up, and I will take care of myself”

Dad, “This will be a learning experience let her go”, his usual dialogue.

The next morning we boarded the train to take us to Anu’s place. Mom packed my luggage with a lot of ready made snacks and other stuff that would help me away from getting under nourished.

Right the first day I understood mom is right, very right. I have not grown up, I am not even a kid but an infant, compared to what a grown up has to know and do. I messed up a dish for dinner. Don’t assume I cooked, but I just botched up the dish already prepared.

Anu, “you were dreaming of Shantanu”

”Tramp, don’t make fun of me”

“Ok ok relax. I just said, sorry”

“hmmm.. me too”

“What?”

“Sorry”, she smiled and walked to the dinning table with another dish.

Mom’s backup items are really useful. It was not as bad as the hostel but we always have the canteen to supplement our needs. Somehow between all these things I almost forgot Shantanu.

More than a month of hols have past. Bhagya called me one day, “Hey how are you?”

“Fine da, how do ya do? Call, all of a sudden?”

“Not without a reason. I have something important”

“Will you please tell me that?”

“Ya ya cool, I heard about an internship in a Bangalore based MNC, a real good opportunity, if you are looking for something to add to your Microsoft dreams”

I had almost forgotten Microsoft for a couple of months now. Thank God that others haven’t. “Oh good, but what’s the selection criteria? How many weeks? “

“Hey hey hold on. I will mail you the specs, get back to me ASAP”

I had to be there in Bangalore by that weekend, but not without Anu. I feared Anu may not get selected. I killed myself training her. Not just because I want my friend to get this opportunity but loneliness will built a mastabh around me. I badly wanted Anu.

Monday morning, we are now waiting for the interview results.

"I am not staying here without you"

"Hey don't talk like a kid. This is one big thing that will take you to your dream"

The HR person announced the names. “Ramakrishnan, Vignesh, … Elvia… Bagya Lakshmi..”