Chapter 5

Chapter 2: Foreign exchange student

It was early morning, time for Devgarh princesses to leave. Manyata and Jai bid eveyone goodbye. At the airport, they headed towards their own gates.

In London Jaigrah Mansion

Uday was excercising and deep in thought.

Kush - bhai... bhai (uday thought was broken and he says yes) aapki ticket aa gayi hai

Luv - house ka confirmation bhi aa gaya. Aapko airport se pickup karne aur aapki car dene Mr. Kaur aa jayenge.

Uday: great! Kush aapki school ka ho gaya?

Kush - ji bhai. Thank you for everything

Uday - Luv when will you come?"

Luv: Uday banna hume India jana hai, Giriraj uncle ne kuch kaam diya hai. Hum 3 4 weeks baad aa jayenge aapke paas. Unless you need me there early.

Uday: nai dad ka kaam ache se karke aao.

After breakfast, Uday got ready and goes to office. His phone rings and it says Sid.

Uday - hi Sid how are you?

Sid - great as always, kaise hai aap yuvraji

Uday - baas office aaya hoon. Tum batao

Sid - university ka vacation hai aur tum office mein. Kitne boring ho

Uday - Yuvraj hai hum, no vacation for me. Waise dad se milne aaye hai aur kuch nai

Sid - acha lets party tonight? Next three nights you are mine before you leave.

Uday - theeke hai. See you at our usual place

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After almost 22 hour journey, Manyata reaches Boston. She heads home from the airport. Her home was a beautiful colonial architect. The house had long driveway that was surrounded by trees. It was in an elite neighborhood. Dadishaheb had rented a whole house for Manyata close to campus. She did not want to stay alone so she invited her friends, Isha and Jen to stay with her. Not to be caught, she told them it was her relatives house, who live in Canada now. Manyata had declined any servant help.

Few hours later, Isha arrives at the house.

Mansi - aa gayi tu

Isha - finally yaar (as he lays on sofa)

Mansi - how was your flight

Isha - mat puch yaar, delays delays delays!

*******************************************

The next day, Jen joined them.

Mansi- Jen i missed you

Jen - me too. How was india?

Mansi - it was great to be with my family

Jen - Isha, married yet?

Isha - ha ha, funny! nooo dodged a bullet

Jen - great, let me change and then we go out? Lets go to NYC for dinner. We can stay there for the weekend?

Mansi and Isha- sure

******************************************

It was finally Monday. Uday had to report to main building for his orientation. Once there he sees a sign: new student to the right & foreign exchange studen to the left.

Uday was waiting for his turn.

Isha: Hi, you can step forward.

Uday: Hi, i am here from Oxford through exchange program.

Isha: Sure, your name please.

Uday: Udayveer Singh, but you can call me UV

Isha: sure UV. Just wait here while i get some documents for you to fill.

Uday nods his head. A girl comes from behind room behind the reception. Uday couldnt help but stare at her. She was beautiful. She could sense someone staring at her. She gives him a dirty look and goes back to talking to the student in front of her. Uday looks away. Isha gives Uday a form and he completes it. After all students are checked in.

Isha: Mansi lets go for the campus tour

UV to himself as he smiles: Mansi

Mansi: lets go

After the tour, mentors take students for lunch and then some other activities.

Isha: its 5pm. Alright guys we are done for day. We will see you tomorrow again at main building at 8.

Uday comes up to isha: thanks see you tomorrow (he winks at her and she blushed. Mansi see this)

Mansi: what a flirt

Isha: what a hottie! OMG

Mansi: he is not to be trusted Isha.

Isha: you dont trust any guy especially hot ones.

Mansi: kamini chal ab

Day 2:

Isha and mansi were standing waiting for everyone

Uday - good morning

Mansi: (in dull tone) Hi

Isha: hi UV. How was your night (as she touches his arm)

UV: just great.

Isha: how do you like Cambridge so far

UV: seems like a beautiful city. I havent been out much tho. Any recommendations?

Isha: sure, we can take you say this weekend?

Mansi gives Isha a stern look

UV: I am going to New York this thrusday for the weekend. After?

Isha - Done!

All students had gathered. The group heads up the stairs to an auditorium. Isha and Manyata were walking together.

Mansi - kya zarrorat thi Tour guide banneki aur mujhe kyu volunteer kiya

Isha - tu mat aana meri maa. mujhe toh jaane de uske saath. Haan nai toh

Mansi- shut up. Dont mock me kamini kahi..

As she was fuming at Isha she missed a step and was about to fall forward when someone held her arm and pulled her back.

At that instant, there was a electric current that ran through her body. Her heart was beating faster. She looked back to see.. it was UV. She stood up straight, he lets go.

UV- are you okay?

Mansi - ya thanks (she takes deep breaths to lower her heartbeats. To herself: why is my heart so fast? Maybe it is from shock of falling...ya thats it...)

Day quickly ended with all the activity planned.

Day 3- last day of orientation ended as well. Mansi kept her distance from UV whereas Isha and other girls in the group didnt leave a opportunity to be near him.

At home that night

Mansi - kitna chipenge uske saath, sharam nai aati

Isha - nai, yehi toh umar hai flirting ki

Mansi- chii, dekha nai kaise sab ladkiyo se flirt kar raha tha?

Isha - tu kyu jal rahi hai

Mansi: mein jalti valti nai. I am just looking out for you. He seems like a big flirt.

Isha - theeke hai mujhe kaha usse shaadi karni hai. Waise tu kafi notice kar rahi hai usko?

Mansi - NAI.. woh mein bass.. mein woh

Isha's phone vibrates Isha - tu idar bakri ki tarah mein mein kar, ill be back mother india calling!

Isha comes back frustrated and angry

Mansi - whats his name?

Isha - lucky Gupta

Mansi - lucky... for who?

They both laugh.

Isha - they want me to talk to him. I am not ready yaar. Parents!!

Mansi - relax just talk to him you never know you may like him. And anyways it not like they are forcing you to marry him

Isha - hmmm i hate it when you say sensible things. Whose side are you on?

Mansi - lucky's side haan nai toh

******************************************

Over next few days, Rehan, Rohan and Chris came back as well. The group got together at Mansi's place practically everyday

Saturday Night at Mansi's house, everyone was watching movie, in their usual spots: Chris, isha and rohan on the big sofa, Jen in the armchair next to it. Rehan on the other sofa and Manyata on the floor, her fav spot , with her back against Rehan's sofa. Sometimes someone, usually Rehan, would join her on floor.

Rohan and Isha start fighting as usual. Isha pushed Rohan's legs to side

Rohan - how much space do you need moti!

Isha - oh utla chor kotval ko daate...you stop manspreading your legs

Rohan - i am not you ...

Chris - ok you two stop it.

Rohan- she started it

Isha- such a liar

Rehan - i dont care who did. I am stopping it

Mansi - thank you Rehan bhai. I was about to put tape on their mouth

Isha fell asleep on Rohan's sholder. He was tempted to scare her but seeing how peaceful she was, he lets her be.

Just like that another weekend came to an end.

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Monday morning - UV has a 9am class. A guy comes and says: is this seat taken?

UV- nope go ahead

Thanks, (extending his hand forward) my name is Rehan.

UV - (shaking hand) UV

Rehan - UV?

UV- its short for Udayveer

Rehan - ah got it. So UV are you new? havent seen you before

UV - yes i am here on foreign exchange student program from Oxford

Rehan- oh wow! How do like it here?

UV- so far its good, still exploring

Rehan - you can join my friends and i for lunch today if you want. We can take you to some well known places to eat.

UV - sure

After a stop at the library, UV and Rehan head to the Clover Lab Restaurent.

Rehan - they should be here any minute

UV - sure no worries. So this is you guys handout place?

Rehan - somewhat but we usually hangout at one of my friends house. She lives close to campus. You will met her today

UV - friend or girlfriend?

Rehan - friend!! She is like a little sister to me. When she first came here, she missed her brothers a lot so since then i have taken over that role

UV - thats sweet

Just than everyone enter. Mansi and Isha were behind the three.

Rehan - guys meet my new friend (Mansi and Isha peak from behind)

Isha - oh my god UV!!!

Rehan - you know him.

Isha - ya he was in orientation group we led.

Rehan - great then

UV - hey Isha... hi Mansi (with a smirk)

Mansi - hi (to herself: yeh halkat veda idar bhi aa gaya)

UV meets everyone else.

Rohan - lets order I am starving and i am sure Mansi is as well. We all know what happens if she is not fed

Mansi - (wacks his arm) shut up...

After everyone eats, they leave for their next class.

Mansi was sitting in class daydreaming suddenly she hears a voice that soothes her

"Mansi .. Mansi"

Mansi : ( breaks her thought and looks at UV) oh hi. Tum idar?

UV: haan tumhara picha karte karte aagaya

Mansi - wwhat (in an angry tone)

UV: relax jansi ki rani, I am in this class

Mansi - (sadly) ohh

UV - you dont seem to happy about it (smirks)

Mansi - hmmm waise tum yaha, as in harvard, mein kyu. Oxford bura hai kya

UV - nai woh humhe kissi pandit ne bataya tha ki humhe humari sapno ki rani harvard k finance class mein milengi ... in a pink top toh

Mansi - (realizing she was wearing pink) tumse toh baat karna hi bekhar hai

UV - relax hum toh mazak kar rahe hai. Actually hum baas bore ho gaye the udar wanted a change is liye

Mansi - acha

They talk for a while about classes...

UV - waise ek baat puchu (Mansi nods yes)

Tumhara naam sahi mein Mansi hai?

Mansi - (shocked, stammering she says) haan... kyu

UV- tumhe suit nai karta

Mansi - naam hai koi dress nai

UV - funny, humara matlab tha woh Mansi wali feel nai aati tumse.

Mansi - toh kya feel aati hai

He leans closer to her ear "Princess"

Mansi to herself: oh shit knows he knows who I am, great this is what I needed

UV- (snapping in front of her) kaha kho gayi?

Mansi - hum koi princess hai nai

UV - maine kab kaha tum ho. Par ab tumhare naam toh change nai kar sakte is liye princess - pet name

Mansi - Mansi hi theek hai, i dont need petname

UV - humhe pasand hai toh hum aapko princess hi bulange

Mansi - nai.. kuch aur socho

UV: okay (pauses) how about honey?

Mansi - (shocked) nooo

UV : darling?

Mansi - nai

UV - alright pick one then: honey, darling, sweetheart, princess?

Mansi - ugh (head down on the table)

UV smiles - so princess... (teacher walks in and the class starts)