E06 : After Effects

DATE: September 8, 2012

“Wot are you doing?”, the carpentry workshop incharge  spit the words out in an insulting tone, addressing them to Rashika. He took her ‘carpentry job’ - a wooden block, in his hands; and observed it carefully. “Areey!!!! how many times I’ve told you! First, fix the job properly in the clamp, like this”, he placed the job in ‘his-proper-way’, “And now, move the handsaw, that way. God knows how you peoples are going to become engineers.” He literally banged the handsaw on Rashika’s table and left for inspecting other wooden blocks. “And, aye Ishaani! Help that girl after you are done with your job.” he ordered.

“Okay sir”, Ish replied edgily.

Ishaani had become a ‘dude’ in the carpentry and welding workshops. She would first complete her quota effortlessly and quickly before the rest of the class, and then would go about helping her batch-mates.

But no matter what, she would never help Rashika, not even in the situations like today. Ishaani loathed her. To her, Rashika was ‘A Perfect Bitch’ in every sense.

“Um, Ishaani... can you help me with my job?”, Rashika asked her in a cheeky and cheesy manner.

“Um, no Rashika I am busy completing mine.” Ishaani mimicked her style, just garnishing it with a little bit of rudeness.

Rashika made an annoying face and walked to Rudra. He too was on the same table, busy cutting his wooden block. “Hey Rudra... I am sure you won’t deny helping me.” She said sharply while eyeing Ishaani from the corner of her eyes.

“Yea, sure, just gimme 5 minutes.” Rudra replied.

“No problem. And by the way... Congratulations... Mr. Fresher huh! I knew you would win!” Rashika said in a captivating way.

“Hmhm...Thanks”, Rudra smiled politely.

“But Miraya did not deserve it as much as you did.”, Rashika continued, “ I was so badly wishing that the hosts would come and choose me as a contestant. If they would’ve chosen me, then it would be me who would’ve been crowned as ‘Ms. Fresher’!!.”

Ishaani couldn’t control her temper anymore then, “Your problem actually. If you were so confident about yourself, you should have volunteered like Rudra.”

“Well, Nevermind Ish. Listen...Rudra; can you sit next to me in the Maths lecture? I am kinda weak in that subject actually. And I know you can help.”  Helplessness was pouring out of Rashika’s voice.

“Sure, my pleasure. Okay, gimme your job now, I’m done with mine.” And Rudra was left with no choice but to listen to Rashika’s radio for the next half an hour.

Meanwhile in Electrical Workshop:

A1 batch was having some free-lecture time – they were done with their experiment within half hour. Hence, they had no work to do, except chit chatting.  

“...that is how got my admission in our college on 27^th August. I then said goodbye to Lodhana. Since 28th I’m here. Huh. So...... that was my story!” Miraya was surrounded by Aryan, Hari and Navya. "Woah! Quite Filmy.", Aryan complimented. Miraya simply shrugged.

“We don’t know much about you Aryan, tell us your story na.” Hari asked anxiously.

“Yea exactly, you are sucha brilliant boy... I mean sucha brilliant student, always answering in Maths, Physics, BEE and Mechanics lectures. Then... why are you in SCOE? And not in some IIT or a government college?” Navya was curious.

“Well uh... Simple. That is because I suck in Chemistry.”

Navya agreed, “Yea I’ve never noticed you questioning or answering in chemistry lecture.” Both Hari and Miraya took a notice of Navya’s notice and giggled.

“Well, you are right”, Aryan smiled his half curled smile.”I scored 150 in EET: full in maths section, 42 in physics, and just 8 on 50 in chemistry section. So you see, something similar happened with me in IITJEE. My rank went down to 7000s because I did not attempt much in chemistry. And frankly, I neither was nor am fond of chemistry at all. So I invested that time in learning computer languages like C, C++, Java and app development.”

“Amazing!! Too good!” Navya’s eyes shimmered.

“Ooooo I see. Don’t worry, we are your friends, we’ll teach you ‘chemistry’. Not the bookish one ofcourse.”, Hari winked and started laughing loudly on his lame joke.

“But hey, wait a second! Then you should be in Comps or IT branch, what are you doing in EXTC??”Miraya asked, she thought that was a point to ponder.

“Because I don’t want to waste time learning the things that I already know or the things that are not required. Instead, I want to learn this interface of communication and coding, and develop something reeeaaaaaaally...uh... mind-blowing.”

“Dude you are Aryan, Dude you are!” Navya chirruped.

“Ha-ha... No yaar. I knew, that if I would’ve given a try to chemistry I would’ve definitely been in some IIT, but then I just did not devote my time to it. And I’ve no regrets for that. After all, SCOE is the 4^th best Engineering College in Mumbai.” Aryan smiled and said.

“Yeah true”, Miraya did not sound true. There was something else to whatever he said, she sensed that, but then she resisted to interrogate further.

Later that day, in the second floor corridors after the last lecture...

“Heyyyyyy! You’re Miraya right?” out of nowhere, a girl suddenly stood before Miraya and asked.

“Uh, yeah, I am”, Miraya forced a smile.

“Congratulations!! You were fabulous last night!! Enjoyed watching you dance, really”, the girl said heartily.

“Yo! You dance beautifully!” a guy beside that girl agreed.

“Oh... Thankyou guys!”, Miraya said gracefully. She had a smile on her face when she had started walking ahead.

“Someone is getting famous.” Miraya heard the whisper of a familiar voice near her ears.

“Ha-ha-ha. Look who’s talking.” Miraya replied, even without looking at the face of the whisperer. “So what? ... Are you jealous of my dance?”

“Nah. Never. Dance is my loyal lady, so why should I be jealous? But I was atleast expecting a ‘thanks’ from you, you know. If I wouldn’t have chosen you as a contestant, you wouldn’t have won. So the point is, that you are getting famous only because of ‘me’.” Rudra teased her.

“You are either a forgetful person or someone who always likes to take credits” Miraya declared, “because as far as I remember, I had already thanked you once yesterday.” she said in a taunting, yet a sweet way.

“And, you are so mean, you can’t even thank twice?! Tell me frankly, is arrogance your nature or something that is reserved specially for me?” Rudra too played with words.

“Umm, the truth be told, my arrogance is reserved only for you! Now don't ask me why, coz even I don't know!” Miraya laughed a confused laugh.

They were climbing down the stairs...

"Well that makes me special."

"Stop thinking that you are so spe....AAAAaaaaa...aa!”

Something happened that shouldn’t have.

“Noooo...” Rudra screamed. He held out his right hand, but that did not help, he was a bit too late. Miraya’s foot slipped and she came dangerously rolling down the stairs. 

(To Be Continued...) 

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