E 11 : Ethics Gone Wrong

PREVIOUSLY on TCOE....

Rudra, a handsome and talented young boy aged 18, gives up his almost set dream career in Dance to do a course in Engineering. Meanwhile, Miraya, a girl who seems to be affected by something in her past, chooses her engineering college in such a way so that she doesn’t have to live in the same house and the same town -Panvel. But even when they wer already destined to their dream colleges, their fates make both them end up in the same college – SCOE. Since the first day itself, Miraya is unnaturally rude towards Rudra, who would in turn make it a point to irritate and bring out her rude nature even more. But Miraya on the other hand is gentle with all her other friends- Ishaani the Tomboy girl, Hari Sadu the comedian who is pitied and Aryan the computer geek. On observing Miraya, Rudra finds out that she is not what she seems, and promises to himself that he’ll make her ‘really’ smile. So he somehow manages to get a stubborn Miraya to participate in ‘Mr. And Ms. Freshers’, and they both win. Miraya is starting to enjoy her new life at SCOE , but something doesn’t allow her to really live up to it.

Meanwhile many incidences happen, the haunted story of Hari Sadu and the hostel drama, Miraya falling off the stairs and Rudra meeting her fierce brother Rajesh, INFRA meet announcement where Ishaani swears smoothly before 50 guys, Kashish entering the story yet again on Marine Drive, Navya starting to like Aryan, Miraya's relation with her dad and her feelings for Arya Tech, Aryan getting a new taste for football and he along with Rudra bunking lectures everyday to play football, and..... lastly, Eeshwar Subramanium being caught by his sister while surfing the internet...

"Hey Eesh! What's up bro?" Ishaani called out. Eeshwar Subramanium was sitting alone on a table in the crowded canteen, sipping soda and seemed lost in his own world.

"Hi", his voice was hollow.

"All okay?" Ishaani sat down on the bench, facing him. Miraya sat beside her. Rudra sat beside Eeshwar.

"Of course!" Eesh said in the same hollow tone.

"You are lying dude!" Rudra said.

"No Rudra...just leave me alone."

"Tell na.. I sense something wrong." Miraya said in her sweet voice.

Eeshwar’s face brightened up, traces of life visible and surfacing again. "Ohh Miraaa... what to say... my sister caught me yesterday night while I was surfing the internet." He said regretfully.

"Really... for what?" Miraya was curious.

"How should I tell you, especially YOU this... it's... it’s embarrassing... leave it..." Eeshwar lowered his eyes and went on sipping soda again.

"Wait! You were busted for...THAT?" Ishaani’s eyes popped out and her jaw dropped.

"No, not only that! My parents came to know!" Eeshwar confessed.

"Fu** man!!", Ishaani gasped.

“Yeah I swear!” Rudra added.

"Hey hey little fella! It is okay, you know. Shit happens. And, I mean, most of the young adults do it! So chill." Ishaani pitied and consoled him.

"No, not everyone. And those who aren’t mature do it in really wrong ways. While on the other hand, I was trying to learn it ethically, that too only for knowledge. And my parents thought I was doing it unethically! I don’t know how to explain them the dilemma.”

“What... it can be done ethically too??” Rudra raised an eyebrow, really interested now.

Eeshwar gestured them to close in. Everybody closed in and listened carefully, it seemed like a secret was being let out.

“Yes, very much. There are many sources on internet that teach you to do it ethically. In fact everybody should do it! I can teach even you if you want,” he said looking straight towards Ishaani, “It seems difficult at first; anybody would want to avert their eyes. But with time you want to know more and more about it. And then a point arrives where you just want to indulge into it and do nothing else!” Eeshwar’s expression was ecstatic and his eyes twinkled as if they were drowned in lust.

Ishaani lost her mind then. She took the soda bottle off Eeshwar's hands and banged it on table and stood up, mumbled in the air and sat down again ,“Listen Eeshwar Subramanium! Now, you are crossing limits! First you say that porn can be watched ethically and then you want me to learn it.... yikes... from you!?? Sick!”

"Sheee!" Miraya finally understood the conversation.

"How dare you talk like that to a girl!" Rudra too got up.

“Aiyo Ishaani... I wasn’t talking about that dirty vulgarity that starts with ‘p’. I was talking about HACKING!” He looked at them with an ‘unbelievable’ expression and all the three of them threw the same look back at him.

“How on the earth... would you expect a normal person like me to think about hacking, when you tell that you were embarrassed when your sister caught you red-handed while surfing internet?! Jeez.” Ishaani was feeling irritated.

“Well, a 'normal' engineer who knows me, my ethics and my cultural background would have come across the ‘h’ word in her mind instantly!” Eeshwar defended as if his point was invincible!

She let out a helpless sigh, “My god! Well" she paused for a moment. "Damn, it was just hacking! You ruined the conversation. Anyways your fantasies are just...just perfect for you bro. Way to go! Bye!”

Miraya and Rudra laughed. “We’re so sorry for Eeshwar. Bye!” And then, adding more to his misery, the three of them left him alone.

“Hey, why don’t you come with us via Kurla?” Rudra asked Miraya .

“No way! I hate that station. And it would cost me more half hour. Reaching Panvel anyways takes my 50 minutes in train from Tilaknagar. I don't want to make the travel time one and half hour” Miraya shrugged.

“Well okay! See ya on Monday! Happy Weekend!”

“Happy Weekend!” She smiled and waved and they parted ways.

________________________________________________________________________

 Rudra reached home around 11 pm that day. His dad received him at the door.

“You’re late.”

“Yeah, I had dance class in the evening and then was out for a friend’s birthday dinner. Man, I’m tired.” He threw his bag over sofa first and then threw himself on it and relaxed, closing his eyes.

“You are a scientist’s son, do you realize that Rudra?” His dad got angrier.

Rudra opened his eyes and went about to keep his belongings on proper place, “Yes, I am made realized of that fact everyday!”

“Why can’t you inculcate some rules and habits in your life? Follow a definite routine? In my opinion you aren’t disciplined.” His dad went back to reading newspaper, putting is glasses on.

“But in my opinion, I exercise in form of dance, I do my studies in college itself, I play football almost everyday, I give a good amount of time to my family and friends. I think I am quite balanced.”

“That is not discipline. In my opinion, those are your sheer selfish deeds.” His dad looked at him from the space above his glasses.

“Dad, every opinion has an equal and opposite opinion. Just like...that law! Every action has an equal and opposite reaction!” Rudra smiled, he was proud of his awesomely framed statement.

“There you go wrong again...” Mr. Agnihotri nodded his head

“I thought that was a wonderful statement!” his shoulder’s dropped.

“You bring shame to both Mr. Newton and me! The Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that ‘For....” he stressed again on the word 'for' gain, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction! Not the terrible statement that you just made!”

“But, it means the same...”

And then his dad went about explaining and digging in every precise detail of every word stated in Newton’s Third Law of Motion. Whom am I arguing with? Rudra thought and chuckled in his mind.

So, meet Rudra’s dad. A stringent follower of Hinduism and a preacher of Science; respected and feared by everybody in BARC. Respect and fear is the rarest and the most powerful combination that a man can possess. His colleagues respected him for his ideologies and his work, but they feared the way he made them work with his discipline and his set of rules. The kids playing in his building compound would run away and hide if they saw him approaching. Every kid carried a whistle and signalled 3 times if ‘Betaal Uncle’ was spotted in the arena, alarming others to run away. If any unlucky ‘Vikram’ was caught by this 'Betaal Uncle', that kid would be then questioned like a criminal based on his school grade and, of course, his dad’s post!

Mr. Agnihotri was ashamed to know that his son had got a scholarship for learning DANCE in a reputed academy!!  He was just so furious over the fact that he had warned him not to tell anybody in BARC Township, or else his reputation would be at stake! He had performed a secret puja devoted to Goddess Saraswati to bring his son back to the path of knowledge. And he belived that it was fruit of that puja due to which Rudra was doing Engineering. Such is Rudra’s dad...

________________________________________________________________________

The weekend’s last day found Miraya in Bandra. She always wanted to visit the Mount Mary Church there, so when she found out that her school friends Mercy and Joyce were visiting, she decided to join them.

After visiting the church, the girls went for shopping on Hill Road- the Fashion Street of Bandra. Instead of going for shopping, Miraya thought to surprise her dad. She just called him to check whether he was in his office or not and so pretended that she was calling from home.

Miraya - “Hey dad!”

Dad -“Hi beta. Everything okay?”

M -“Yeah! Mom wanted to ask where her ATM card is.”

D -“Tell her it is in the second wardrobe’s drawer.”

M -“Okay cool... Where are you? I mean there is no meeting?”

D -“No dear... Today I am just in my office cabin, reviewing the projects.”

M -“Okay, had lunch?”

D -“Not yet, I’ll order in a while.”

M -“Okay. Byee!”

Confirmed! I can surprise him at office!

“Listen you both! I’m leaving for my dad’s office for lunch. It is just around the corner.” Miraya announced her friends.

“Cool! See ya!”

Miraya hugged them both and waved goodbye, “Enjoy!”

She then purchased Chinese from a famous restaurant and left for the tall glass building of Arya Tech. She walked through the familiar lobby to the reception counter. Even after all these years the feel of it was fresh in her veins.

“Good Afternoon! How may I help you?” the beautiful receptionist asked with a corporate smile.

“I’m here to see my dad, Mr Sanjay Acharya.” Miraya smiled back.

“You’re... Miraya! OMG? You’ve grown up to become a beautiful girl! Last time I met you, you were too young!” Jennifer was so happy to see her.

“Thanks. Yeah, I was in 5^th grade the last time I visited here. And yeah, you still look the same.”

“Thank you dear. But your dad is not in the office. Did you call him before coming here?”

But he told me that he was in office only. Miraya paused for a moment and gave a thoughtful reply, “Uh, no... I was just passing by...uh, so I thought to drop by. You know, revive old memories.”

“Oh darling, good you came. But he did not come to office today. He is away for a few meetings in South Mumbai and Suburbs. He would return home directly, I don’t think he is coming here today.”

“Ah... that’s... that's okay. No problem.” Miraya forced a smile.

“You want to talk to him over phone ?” Jennifer was almost ready to dial him up.

“Wait. No no, I’ll call him later. Got to go. Friends are waiting. ”She winked.

“Okay! It was nice to see you after such a long time!” Jennifer smiled heartily.

“The pleasure was all mine! Bye.”

A confused and upset Miraya walked out of the familiar lobby, out into the sunlight. The bag of their packed lunch swaying in her hand.Why would he lie? Should I call him back or not?  Something's wrong...

(To Be Continued...)

E 10 : Welcome to Engineering!

“Gentleman is this you call-forget a neat diagram- is this what a diagram looks like?” Prof Samuel repelled after seeing Aryan’s diagram in his ‘Mechanics Practical’ journal. Aryan had presented his journal for the very first time for correction, that 

too during the last practical turn. Prof Samuel was bound to be furious at him.

“I tried my best sir.”Aryan gave an honest reply.

“My humble apologies to you, but if this is the best you can draw, it is beyond my engineered imagination to think of a drawing worse than this. God save you in the next semester child.” Professor Samuel’s voice, expressions and hands spoke in awe coordination, always.

“Uh...Why so sir?” asked a confused Aryan.

“Well there is a subject ‘Engineering Drawing’ in your syllabus in next semester. As the name suggests, you’ve got to draw different views of engineering tools with ‘geometrical’ perfection,” he stressed a lot on the word geometrical, rest all 20 students in the lab were drawn to this ‘prof-stu’ talk. “Hmm. I’m afraid you’ll score disappointingly. Drawing is not your good cup of tea.”

 “But sir, if I am not wrong, Engineering Drawing is a subject of Mechanical engineering... Then, why....we...?”

“Tell me...uh, what’s your name?”

“Aryan.”

“AARYA! .....Tell me Aarya, why did you study History and Geography and Literature in school, when you just knew you were going to study Science in future.”

“I had no choice sir.”

“Oh poor Aarya,” he paused and framed the sentence, “The school and university curriculums includes these subjects for your holistic development. And in the next 3 years you’ll understand how these ‘sided’ subjects will help you. Just so that you all know,” he addressed to the class now, “Telecom industry is really down and you all would be surely placed in IT or Instrumentation or electrical sector. There, all these 

engineering basics will be required. Convinced Aarya?”

“I’m sorry sir. And. I’ll improve.”

“Well, try. You have all my well wishes.”Prof  Samuel went about correcting his experiments, giving him a low BB grade in most of them.

“Tell him, to increase your grade.”Navya hissed; she was standing just behind Aryan to get her journal corrected.

“But sir, atleast give me AB grade. You can ask me any post lab question, I’ll answer it. ”Aryan urged him.

“Knowledge is power Aarya, but what is the real power worth if it is not showcased properly? I know you've scored 30 on 30 in Midterms, your professor told me. I saw your answer sheet too. Even though all the answers were correct, oh it was thoroughly shabby and creepily written... Next time I’m going to assess the papers, and I am a stringent believer of perfection and neatness. So my child, better improve as early as you can.”

“Yes sir.” Aryan could not argue, not because he did not wish to, but simply because he did not know how to.

“These idiot professors, do they want us to become architects or engineers!?”

“Calm down Navya, I have this handwriting problem since I was a child.” Aryan said to her after she strode angrily and sat next to him once her journal got graded.

“Well nobody is perfect.”She shrugged.

“But I don’t even try to improve them.”Aryan was feeling low, because his handwriting was bad; because he did not know how to argue.

“Why?”

“Because I hate to do the things that I don’t like.”Aryan faked his half curled smile.

Does that mean he loves the things that he likes ? Navya thought. “ I think so”. She bit her tongue for saying her thoughts aloud.

“What?”

“Nothing... I think so you should’ve told him that you are the original writer of all the SPA codes for journals and how every SPA professor loves you and gives you AA grade for your knowledge. ” Navya made it up.

“Yea, but Prof Samuel is one of his kinds. What else, I’ll try to improve.” Aryan genuinely smiled now.

After the Practical....

“AARYA!!! How are you doing, my child?” Hari said mockingly. Miraya laughed. They were walking back to their class O104.

“Shut up Hari... I mean this is pathetic. We are studying shit subjects like Chemistry and Engg Drawing that won’t be of any use to us in future!?”

“Finally, welcome to engineering Aarya.” Miraya winked at him and teased. “You know my brother always warned me against pursuing engineering and specially our field, saying that ‘Nothing you study here will work out for you and that all your efforts will be wasted.’ ” She said mimicking in Sanjeet’s voice. “But I want to badly prove bhai wrong. And I will. Huh...So just... ”

“Just cheer up baby!” Rudra completed Miraya’s statement. She frowned back. He put a hand on Aryan’s shoulder and walked ahead speedily leaving Miraya and Hari behind. Rudra turned back and winked at Miraya; she frowned harder and looked away.

“Aarya, I will never like that word, no matter what.”, she laughed and said.

“Oh why?” Hari asked.

“Because my dad works for Arya Tech.”

“You don’t like your dad?” Hari asked innocently.

“Haha, no Hari. I love my dad! It is Arya Tech that don’t like. My dad is always busy with its work. He sort of is out for company’s business tours most of the times. When I was younger, he worked hard to become the company’s MD. And now he says he is the next predicted CEO, and so he is bound to work harder.”

“Woww! You should be happy then.” Hari’s face was happier than Miraya’s.

“Yes I am, it’s just that I wanted him to be more like other dads. When I was small, I used to see my friends play with their fathers in gardens. Oh how I envied them.”

 Miraya was distant, she continued, “When my grandfather died in village, I was in class 3 then. Dad dropped me, mom and bhai at Bandra Terminus. But I refused to leave the car. I quarreled shouting that I wanted to stay with daddy, because I was thinking that he would give me all his time then, he’ll be forced to take care of me. My stubbornness won, I stayed back with him. But the purpose was lost. Dad did not take leaves. So I refused to stay alone at home after school, a car would take me to his office and I used to sit in the reception late till evening until dad would drive us back home. He was not even allowed to cancel his business tour; I was left to sleep alone at home with tai, our maid, for 3 nights. So...that is why I hate Arya Tech and the word Arya.”

“I... It’s okay Miraya... chill. We won’t call Aryan Aarya from now on.”

She nodded her head and smiled.

Later in the evening....

“Ma is calling for dinner, come fast now!”

Eeshwar Subramanium was startled to find his sister in their room. He closed his Google Chrome tab hurriedly and flipped close his laptop.

“When did you return home Saraswati?” Eeshwar smiled sheepishly.

“Just now. What are you doing, anna?”Saraswati eyed him suspiciously.

“Ohh, no, just nothing...Some research on internet.”

“Really? What kind of research? Let me see.” She walked to him, never leaving his tensed and guilty look. She just knew that she had caught him red handed. Finally, I’ll be able to blackmail him now. Though Saraswati was only in 10^th class, she dominated her brother like nobody else.

“It’s my personal research, you cannot interfere Saraswati.” Eeshwar pulled the laptop close to his chest.

“Oh I definitely can and I will.”

She snatched the laptop from him with both her hands and sat on her bed, flipped it open and waited for the screen to come to life. All she found was the desktop screen with not a single file or application open. She still looked at him with narrowed eyes and saw a bead of sweat roll down his forehead, “Let’s go fast, mom dad are waiting.”, she said, “Or else she will kill me.”

As soon as Eeshwar Subramanium stepped out of their room, Saraswati, who was standing just behind him, closed the door and locked it. Eeshwar started banging it from the other side.

She ran to her bed again, switched on the laptop, and went to Google Chrome History. “Let me in!” She could hear her brother’s shouts along with his banging.

Her eyes popped out when she saw the History. It was much more than anything she had expected. She scrolled it down and down and down and down and down and down and then up again. After spending 5 minutes analyzing all the links, she found that the era of those similar searches had begun a month ago. And a smile lit her face, an evil one.

‘So... you’re learning HACKING Anna...’

(To Be Continued...)

E09 : Best Friends

Suddenly from behind, a hand came curling tight around Rudra’s neck and gripped it. He could also feel two finger tips pressed like a gun near his left temple.

“GOTCH YA !!!”

Rudra escaped easily from the grasp of the hand and turned around to find a too familiar face that was smiling too brightly.

 “Kashish!!!”

She jumped and hugged him, and from somewhere not very far, a little bit curious, 

little bit suspicious pair of eyes was staring intensely at them.

“Where were you these days Rudra? No replies, even on group! No time to talk!” Kashish punched him hard on his stomach, twice and ran.

“Ouch! You!!!!!” He ran after her, and caught her soon in the same way, “Gotchya!”And they laughed.

 “Huh!! Engineering has happened baby. Engineering. We had midterm exams...like unit tests. So was busy studying yaar.”

“Don’t tell me you are actually liking engineering?!” her eyebrows rose too high and lips turned into a smile.

 “Do you think I can LOVE studying? No babes. I’m just putting efforts for my parents. I don’t want to disappoint them, not so soon.” He winked.

Kashish searched his eyes for truth, but instead, she caught a lie.

“No worries, you can tell me the real reason later. I know you can’t keep any secret from me. At the end of the day, you’ll come to me.” She grinned with laughing eyes.

“Oh Kash... how I miss you! Anyways, how are Aayush and Rachel?”

“Well uh,” her eyes lowered to the ground, “they broke up, just yesterday.”

“Shit mahn!!!!... The same reason?” Rudra was broken to hear the news.

“Yes...the very same.”Kash bit her lips.

“And you guys did not even tell me!” He wanted to be furious.

“We need to talk with them Rudra.” She urged.

But her friend called out disrupting them, “Kashish! Come on yaa. We’re getting late.”

“Yeah! Coming! So... let’s meet tomorrow then, at our regular place?” she proposed.

“I’ll... I’ll text you tonight. Chal bye, take care.”

 “See ya soon Rudra.”

The evening had met its dusk and the queen’s necklace was lit by bright yellow lights. Rudra started walking ahead, watching the sea, trying to find comfort in the breeze.

“Who was she? Your girlfriend?” Nihaal asked, still looking at the fading Kashish crossing the traffic. 

“No. She is my best friend and was my best neighbour. But now she stays in Andheri.”

“Why?” Rudra heard a curious Miraya. He did not realise that she had been walking by his side all the time.

“Uh...”, said a bewildered Rudra , “Actually, her parents divorced two years ago; she and her mother moved to Andheri then.”

“That must be really sad.” Miraya felt sorry, imagining herself in Kashish’s shoes.

“It must be sad, but it isn’t. That is what Kash is like. You know, she is the most confident and amazing girl I’ve ever met. Too brave for her age. A smart, crazily matured fun loving girl. We both were in the same school and grew up together.”

Rudra continued, “During our 10^th board exams, while the problems in her family were nerving even us- her neighbours, Kashish never let them affect her studies. When her parents finally decided that divorce was the only solution, this is what she said, ‘It’s okay Rudra, at least I am lucky to have mom and dad in this world. Some children don’t even have a complete family in their fate.’  I was left... speechless... Miraya are you listening?” Rudra came back to present and found Miraya distant.

“I am all ears, and as speechless as you”, still her eyes were grave, but she managed a smile.

“During tough times, even though I rarely allow them to happen to me,” He said proudly with attitude, “I remember Kash and then I kick the butt of the problem!” He jumped perfectly and kicked the air.

And then, Rudra went about telling stories to Miraya- of his dance academy, Kash, the heights of their fun times, about Rachel and Aayush, and so on.

“Miraya, your ladies coach, we’re here.” Rudra had a playful look in his eyes.

“What?” She looked around and found herself before the ladies coach on platform no. 1 of CST. She never realised that they had already said goodbye to the rest of the gang who were going for dinner at the famous Sukh Sagar, that she and Rudra had taken a cab to CST. She was so engrossed in Rudra’s stories and in the way he told them. They all seemed live before her eyes.

“Yeah. Bye!” Miraya smiled, Rudra held out his hand. Miraya’s hand met his for a firm shake.

“Take care of your hand okay? And text me when you reach. Ok?”

Mira blinked her eyes in agreement. Rudra waved and ran to catch his coach. Rest of the time in the train, her thoughts were occupied by Kashish and her story. And then she asked herself, Am I strong enough, to let go of my past?

_____________________________________________________________

 5 Days later, in college, SPA lecture...

The Midterm papers were checked and shown to the students. Aryan had scored the highest marks in the subjects of Physics, Maths, SPA(C coding language) and Mechanics. But he had barely passed in Chemistry, that too due to the grace of copied answers. Eeshwar was the highest scorer in the rest subjects: Chemistry and Basic Electronic and Electrical Engineering (BEE). He had missed Aryan hardly by 1-3 marks in other papers.

And yes, he was very, very jealous of him.

“Hey”, Mayank passed a sheet from behind.

“What’s this?” Rudra asked, scanning the paper. It had three columns to be filled- Name, Roll no., Email id.

“Just fill it re.” Mayank replied in a glum tone, he was already half asleep like half of the class.

“Class Representative (CR) needs our email ids so that he can send important notes and ppts.” Eeshwar Subramanium clarified Rudra’s doubt, who was sitting beside him.

“Ohh.” Rudra finished writing his details, wrote Eeshwar’s name and passed it over to him to fill other details.

“What have you done, moron?” Eeshwar made a disgusting face.

“What’s the problem?” Rudra was confused.

“You’ve written my name as Ishwar Subramanium.” He cancelled it, several times, as if to protect some secret words written bymistakely on a notebook. He then wrote the correct spelling. “Idiot, moron, remember my spelling the next time.”

“Dude, relax okay, it was just a spelling error.” His disgusted look only adds more tragedy to his face.

“What if I spell your name Rudre instead of Rudra, tell me? No, tell me if I am wrong.”

“Eeshwar and Ishwar are close enough.” Rudra argued.

“When written in Devnagri script and Hindi language, it makes a hell lot of difference. If you would have studied Hindi properly in school, you would’ve known it. Grammatically, Ishwar is incorrect; it has chhoti ‘e’ ki maatra, while ‘Eeshwar’ has badi ‘e’ ki maatra. See, I’ll explain you what the difference will be.” He started writing his name in Hindi.

“Woah woah man, it’s okay. My mistake, I sincerely apologise.” Rudra got up from their bench, “And I promise to never write or spell any body’s name again, especially yours.”

He picked his book and pen, shook his head and walked to the first bench where Miraya was sitting alone. He sat down beside her with force. “What?!” Miraya whisphered.

“You know, there are only two people in this class, wait, forget this class. Only two people in this world I have pledged never to argue with. One is that bloody Eeshwar and other is YOU!” Rudra whispered back, feeling like a loser.

He expected the short tempered Miraya to burst madly at him, but instead she giggled. “You don’t know how happy I am to hear that. Ah it feels amazing, for a girl like me to beat a person like you, that too in arguments.”

“Yeah yeah, go on, laugh. But don’t challenge me. It’s very difficult for me to lose a challenge.” He said confidently.

“Don’t be over confident. You see, that is the problem with you. You think you are so cool and easy-to-go-with guy, but people see it as arrogance.”

“Are you jealous of my coolness? Because, only jealous people find coolness to be arrogance.”

“This exactly is arrogance Mr.” Miraya bowled him for a moment, and smiled with pride.

“What’s going on you two, on the first bench?” Professor Bakshi raised his voice. “Leave the class right now!”

Miraya stood up, “Sorry, sir.” she apologized, but Rudra was still sitting on the bench in a carefree way.

“Leave I said, or I’ll leave. Out. Now!” Mr. Bakshi, the usually calm one, was unusually too angry all of a sudden. Miraya put her book in the bag and left the classroom. Rudra followed. Professor closed the class’s door. “This is the first time I’m thrown out of a class. All because of you!”

“Me? Don’t blame me” but Rudra was cut by his ringing phone. “Say Aryan... Yea... hmm... I’ll be in half, sorry 5 minutes.” He told looking at Miraya, “Anyways Bakshi threw us out of the class... because of Miraya yaar...Exactly... haha... Yea I’ll be there. See ya.”

Miraya was scowling at him, “You’re unbelievable!!”

“Listen, we’ll continue this later, but I’ve to go.” Rudra said and started walking 

away fast.

“But where?” She called out.

Rudra stopped for a reply, “Football ground! Aryan has found a new hobby; he loves it like a new girlfriend! That is why we are bunking 3 lectures everyday!”And then he paced ahead speedily again.

“Can I come?” Miraya shouted.

“I don’t want you or your hand to get hurt baby! See ya tomorrow! Bye!” He waved and disappeared.

Miraya kicked the wall she was leaning on with her foot, but got hurt instead. 

Ugghh, I hate him.

(To Be Continued....)

E08 : The Story of Three Tenses

DATE : 13TH SEPTEMBER, 2012
     
 Past, he is an undefeated enemy from a very ancient war, a war that Present had waged against him to protect Future. Sometimes, this old war turns into a never ending one. Present wins, always, most of the times. Present fights, fights hard against Past, with valor and strength, and pushes his enemy back to his undefined territory. Present even kills Past sometimes.

      

 But then suddenly he is left in a trance moment to find out in Future that Past is not dead. After the shocking perception, Present curses his inability to defeat Past and shakes his head after realizing that Past is still alive, very much ‘alive’!Present breaks down; this is a hard time for him.

       

Looking at such a weak Present, Past grabs the opportunity and laughs evilly at him, questions him his existence, too loudly he goes about to challenge Present’s pride and courage. But Present knows, no matter what, he has to stand up and win for the sake of a merrier Future. And so he rises and steps into the battleground with a scarred body and fights until he kills the Past, yet again.

Miraya’s Past and Present battled every time when she was left alone with her thoughts. Hers too was an endless war. But for now, another war was on the priority list: MIDTERM EXAMS.

The stitches on her left elbow were still working along with the medicines to seal the deep wound. Focusing on studies was difficult, but she had no choice other than preparing for exams. After all, internal exams carried quite a lot of weightage in the overall grading system.

Miraya was going to see the college after a stretch of 5 long days which included the weekend too. Her dad was going to drop her to college and drive further to his office in Bandra.

Miraya’s dad was like one of those men whose work had taken toll over his personal and family life. And just like those men, he regretted, a lot; but for the sake of his family, he had to choose work over the latter. Being a Deputy Manager at Arya Tech, life was not simple. He worked hard and smart and for long hours. Meetings, conferences, Project leading, auditing, they sometimes took toll on his weekends too. But of all the engagements, he made a point to take his family for a vacation twice a year by hook or crook.  That was the time when Miraya would be the happiest. 

Dad, my dad is going to spend all the time with me, with mom and bhai. She used to pre-plan and dreamt everything about the vacations, what games to play, what mischief to do along with her brother, which stories to tell her dad - about her school life, her friends and teachers; which songs to sing. And like Miraya, her dad too would have the best time in the whole year, with his wife and both dearly kids.

“When are we going out dad?” Miraya asked.

“Uh, November mostly, I’ve applied for the leave. They should get sanctioned,” Her dad smiled on the steering.

“Hmm.”

Rest of the time Miraya was dreaming, thinking, studying, revising. She met Hari while walking to the college in the lush green campus of SCOE. It had rained in the morning; fog had taken place of the transparent air.

Hari Sadu told everything that had happened in the last few days, about the INFRA council class-breaking in the lunch break, Ishaani entering the room like a typhoon and creating a spectacular scene. He told that Rudra had invited him and Aryan for a football match in his colony on Friday, but how he couldn’t accompany them because he had to visit his cousins. He told that how Aryan and Rudra bunked yesterday to study for Midterms, and that Ishaani did not turn up in the college.

“I’m scared yaar, I haven’t touched half the portion.” Hari’s round face was clearly showing pre-exam terror. They were climbing up the stairs then, Miraya being careful with every step. Steady. Steady.

A slim but firm hand hit Hari’s back, making him wince, “Chill yaar Sadu, if you haven’t studied, you can always study from someone else’s answersheet in exam. Always!” Ishaani delivered the dialogue perfectly and laughed. “Hey Mira, how’s you?”

“Can’t be better Ish, at least falling and getting stitches excused me from studying.”She winked.

Exam started. The guts of some students were rolling due to nervousness, because it was their very first exam in engineering. Others chilled out and got done with them casually.

After the second paper that day, Rudra walked to Miraya when she was discussing paper with Ishaani, “ Hi... How’s your hand? You are looking better.”

“Quite better. I slept a lot over the weekend, hardly studied anything.”, she rolled 

her smiling eyes.

“Well good, so how are you returning home?”

“Dad is sending his car and driver.”

“Cool then.” Rudra was expecting a lift till Mankhurd Highway in her car but that offer never came in any of the three consecutive days of Midterm exams.

After the last paper, Rudra and his friends were sitting in the Amphi Theatre, talking, switching topics and having a relaxed after-exam-time. Ishaani and Miraya walked to the troop.

“Yo people!!!” Ishaani ‘yo-ed’ at everyone.

“Ah, come here where were you both? We were planning to go to Marine Drive.” 

Hari said grinning.

“Now!?” Miraya asked.

“Obviously now Madam, it is 3.45 now. We’ll reach by 5.” Rudra replied.

“But my hand, I don’t think me coming is a good idea.” Miraya shrugged.

“Come on Mira, your doc said yesterday right, not to worry and that you can now travel in train?” Ishaani tried to convince her.

“Come na.” Rudra too insisted.

“Okay, but we’ll reach on time and leave as early as possible. Wait I’ll inform mom.”

Then Rudra, Miraya, Ishaani, Rashika, Hari, Aryan, Nihaal, Rafeeq and Mayank left for Vidyavihar station to catch train to the most beautiful station in all of 

Mumbai, formerly known as Victoria Terminus.

After getting down at the dignified Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus the group reached Nariman Point via taxi.

Marine Drive can be called as the second home of every Mumbaikar. The open sky, the Sun, the skyscrapers and the sea make every evening a perfect one; this is what pulls uncountable number of tourists and locals for a perfect date with the enchanting sunset.

The sea here is always in an endless talk with the tetrahedron shaped rocks that line the Marine Drive. The wind overhears and whispers the talks back to the jealous land above that cannot touch the sea. The same wind was now playing with Miraya’s open hair. She was unsure whether she was liking it or hating it. She was sitting on one of the rocks and staring at the sea, looking at the sun rays dance rhythmically on sea waters. Others continued their fun talks, teasing each other.

Rudra came near Miraya’s rock. “Help me out.” Rudra gave her his hand, but Miraya pretended not to see it and her eyes continued to stare at the sea. Somehow, Rudra managed to sit on her rock beside her.

“Have you ever been here after midnight?” Rudra asked.

“Nah, never.” Miraya wanted to be alone.

“It is much more peaceful at night here, just you and your thoughts. A kind of solitary time that even ever-talkative people like Rashika would love. You’ll toh will definitely love it. It is a natural way to get high.”

Miraya looked at him finally, nodded her head in agreement and smiled.

“What is it Miraya? Is everything okay? I mean are you okay?” Rudra couldn’t pretend anymore that all was fine with her. Somewhere he saw that something was wrong. Only if I could know.

“Yes I am.” Miraya forced a smile while trying to make it seem natural.

“Listen, if you’ve got literally any trouble, you can share it with Ish or me or Aryan. OK?”

“Um hm.” She nodded again and smiled.

“I’ll help you with every trouble, promise, only if it does not have any connection with your brother. God! That man scares me.”

Miraya had to laugh heartily at this one.

“Take your time.” Rudra gently patted her back and joined the ‘group discussion’ back.

Later after the sun had set, they climbed back to the uniform platform above the rocks, and started searching for a cab. Rudra observed that Miraya was much more comfortable and at least seemed happier in company of Hari and Ishaani than his. They both made her laugh much more easily in their unique ways. Rashika was bitching to him about another girl from IT branch but Rudra plainly nodded and laughed and ‘tsk-ed’ at crucial points, never really listening to what she was saying.

Suddenly from behind, a hand came curling tight around Rudra’s neck and gripped it. He could feel also feel fingers pressed like a gun near his left temple.

“GOTCH YA !!!”

Rudra escaped easily from the grasp of the hand and turned around to find a too familiar face that was smiling too brightly.

 “Kashish!!!”

She jumped and hugged him, and from somewhere not very far, a little bit curious, little bit suspicious pair of eyes was staring intensely at them.

(To Be Continued...)