PART 22

The internship period was for 3 months. The students were placed in the top companies of India. Sanyukta had gone home. Her life had become disciplined. Her day started with getting up at 5 AM, analysing and understanding her company's financial statements with her Dad's help, its products and services, its operations, reading notes and manuals that her Dad provided her etc. After having breakfast, she used to go to the office and sometimes even the factory. She even used to have lunch with the factory staff at the factory itself. She shared a good rapport with all the employees including the factory staff, no matter what their designation was. She knew each and every worker of the office and the factory by his/ her name and also had some idea about their respective families. The employees loved her too. Within no time, she had garnered full support of the most important stakeholder of any company - its employees. They were ready to invest their time and talent into the ideas created by Sanyukta. The investors gained trust in her company, because she was representing it. She carried the FITE tag after all. She had changed the business model of the company completely. Slowly and steadily her company was standing on its legs.

Three month time was not enough. But, she explained the new business model and the even minute nuances of her new ideas, to her father and her brother. They understood everything. Her internship time was over and she had to reach the campus soon. She bid good bye to her family and reached the campus at around 8 PM. She was on the way to her hostel when she saw Jiggi and Kaustuki hugging each other in a secluded place. She smiled looking at them. Kaustuki saw Sanyukta looking at them and smiling. She broke the hug.

Sanyukta: (Teasingly) "Ohh ho...kya ho raha hai yaha pe? Kaustuki, kabhi mujhe aise hug nahi kiya. And Jiggy, itna bhi control nahi kar paaye apne aap ko? Aisi bhi kya aag lagi thi?"

Saying this he started giggling like a child. Kaustuki playfully hit her shoulder and Sanyukta ran from there. Kaustuki went behind her. Sanyukta was running throughout the campus. She looked behind and saw that Kaustuki was running for her with equal speed. She didn't see who was coming from the front. She collided with somebody and was about to fall. The person held her waist at the nick of the time. She had closed her eyes in fear. She knew who had held her. She started blushing.

Sanyukta: (Thinking) "Main jaanti thi, ke mujhe sambhaalne aap zaroor aaenge. Main toh khud aapse milna chaahthi thi. Par aise milenge, yeh kabhi socha nahi tha."

She slowly stood up on her legs and opened her eyes. She was surprised hearing,

Voice: "Are you OK?"

Sanyukta raised her head and had a good look at the person. She was stunned and disappointed realizing that the person was not Vardaan. He was some boy; she hadn't seen him in campus till now.

Sanyukta: (Breathing heavily) "Huhh...ya, I am fine. Thank you."

Kaustuki came near her.

Kaustuki: "Are you OK. Kitna tez bhaagti ho yar?"

The boy was confused looking at the two girls. He extended his hand for a handshake, when Sanyukta just left from there. She reached her room and started unpacking her stuff. Kaustuki reached after her. They went to the canteen to have the usual tasteless dinner. After dinner, the students retreated to their respective rooms. They gossiped for some more time when the warden screamed at them to switch off the lights. They were sleeping on their respective beds. It was 12 AM. Sleep just evaded both the love struck girls. Slowly Sanyukta asked Kaustuki,

Sanyukta: "Kaustuki? So gayi ho kya?"

Kaustuki: "Hmm...nahi neend hi nahi aa rahi."

Sanyukta: "Accha..aisa kya soch rahi ho? Ya fir kis ke baare mein soch rahi ho?"

Kaustuki: "Jiggy, aur kaun?"

Sanyukta smiled at her honest reply.

Sanyukta: "Yaar, I am sorry to interrupt you people today. Tum dono shayad kiss karne waale the?"

Kaustuki threw a pillow on Sanyukta. Sanyukta rolled on her bed and started laughing.

Sanyukta: "Sach bataa...have you ever kissed Jiggy?"

Kaustuki: "Umm...yes! Twice."

Sanyukta was startled hearing her reply. Now it was her turn to throw a pillow at Kaustuki. Still in a sleeping position, she turned to Kaustuki's side, lifted her head and rested it on her palm.

Sanyukta: (Angrily) "You have kissed him twice and you are telling me now. And that too, twice. Jhoothi! I am your best friend. I thought you would share with me. Tumne mujhse chupaya?"

Kaustuki: "Really? Really Sanyukta? Are you sure that only I have hidden stuff from you? You have not?"

Sanyukta was surprised hearing that. She switched on the table lamp, which was on the table between both the beds. She sat on her bed.

Sanyukta: "What do you mean? Saaf saaf bolo."

Kaustuki too sat on her bed facing Sanyukta and took a deep breathe.

Kaustuki: "OK. Toh saaf saaf suno...what is going on between you and Vardaan Sir?"

Sanyukta was astonished hearing that question from Kaustuki. She was speechless. Her throat went dry. She got a lump in her throat.

Sanyukta: "Kaustuki, who ab...bb..."

Kaustuki: "Kya hua? Come on, bolo. Uss din, jis pen ki baat Vidhushi kar rahi thi, who pen Vardaan Sir ki hai na? VS - Vardaan Suryavanshi. Tumhare paas kaise aaya? Aur tum iss pen ko Vidhushi ko kyun nahi de rahi thi? And you just drool over him the entire lecture. Uss din class mein tum dono ishaaro mein baat kar rahe the. I saw that. At times, you are even unable to meet his gaze. Initially, I used to think that all the incidents in which you and Vardaan Sir were framed, were nothing but a co incidence. But after those incidents, I am seeing a new Sanyukta every day. Why are you so damn obsessed with scoring the highest only in his subject? He calls you up and your knees go weak. You take extra time dressing up when you are going to meet him. (Speaking in a low voice) And how can I forget, you guys hugged each other on the terrace. I witnessed it through my own eyes. And you know what that day the guard was on his way to come and lock the terrace. Woh toh accha hua, that I called you and informed you to come to the hostel quickly. Otherwise, you would have been rusticated. Abhi bataaogi ya phir aur examples dene padenge?"

Sanyukta was totally mum; for the first time in her life. She was worried; not because her best friend was doubting her, but because her best friend had raised some serious relevant questions to her. He gaze was fixed to the ground.

Kaustuki: "Do you like him? And he too? Have you guys kissed?"

Sanyukta was in tears now. She just did not have the answers to Kaustuki's answers.

Sanyukta: "Kaustuki, please don't do this. Please, don't question me like this. I can understand that you are angry that I've hidden stuff from you. But, not on purpose. OK. See, it all started like this."

She blurted out the entire story of how because of the riots, she had stayed at his home. How like a good host he really took good care of her. How, he had taught her some chapters of Cost Management and how his pen came into her bag. And with a lump in her throat, she slowly said that he had kissed her in his balcony.

Kaustuki: (dropping her jaw) "What!! He kissed you...on the lips!"

Sanyukta: "Yes. Mujhe kuch samajh mein nahi aaya, ke unhone aisa kyun kiya."

Kaustuki: (With her palm on her mouth)"Did he force you?"

Sanyukta: "No. Not at all. Main chaahthi toh unhe thappad maar sakti thi. Par maine aisa nahi kiya. Pata nahi kyun? I don't know what was stopping me? I just stood there motionless, with sealed lips. He understood it and broke the kiss. He did not force me. I could have informed the authorities. But, I did not. Not because, I was scared. But, I didn't want to. I don't know why? And that hug that you're talking about, I was the first to hug him. I still don't know why? I just felt like it was the right thing to do."

She cried for a few more minutes. Kaustuki just sat motionless. All this was too much for her to grasp. She thought that Jiggy and her relation didn't have even 1% of the passion, of that between Sanyukta and Vardaan Sir's relation. She shrugged herself thinking, "Are they even in a relationship?" She passed some tissues to Sanyukta.

Kaustuki: "Are you guys in a relationship?"

Sanyukta immediately answered, "No. Never. I mean I don't know. I am confused. (Breathing heavily) It's complicated. I don't know if it's love or just attraction. I need some time to figure out."

Kaustuki got up from her bed and hugged Sanyukta.

Kaustuki: "I know you are super confused now. Some people have to pass through this stage where they have to find out answers for a few questions for their own sake. I trust you. Don't worry, everything will be alright."

Sanyukta cried some more hugging her best friend.

Sanyukta: "Thank you Kaustuki. Thank you so much for everything. I am sorry for hiding things from you. I thought, you would start judging me. But, I was wrong. And thank you for confronting me tonight. Else, I would have lived in the denial stage. I now know that I am responsible for myself."

They broke the hug and smiled.

Kaustuki: "And one more thing, please stay careful of Vidhushi. She has doubts on you. Agar usko iss sabke baare mein pata chala, toh bohot gadbad ho jaaegi. Waise, use sambhaalne ke liye toh main akeli hi kaafi hu, par phir bhi."

Sanyukta: "Hmm...I will."

After that both of them went to sleep. Next morning, a new semester was going to begin. New challenges. First they went to check the timetable for the semester. She quickly scanned it through her eyes and was disheartened seeing that they did not have even a single subject that Vardaan would teach. They went to their class. And again began the gossiping and the giggling session. Prof PKC entered the class. Everyone went to their respective seats.

Prof PKC: "Good morning everyone. Welcome, to the new semester. So, how was your internship programme?"

Everyone started saying something or the other in chaos. PKC was confused.

Prof PKC: "Shaanth ho jaao. Eke k karke bolo."

One by one, everyone started sharing their experiences. A boy knocked the door of the class and asked PKC's permission to enter the class. Sanyukta and Kaustuki looked at the boy and then at each other in surprise.

Prof PKC: "Oh yes, yes. Please come inside. I totally forgot about you."

The boy came and stood next to PKC.

Prof PKC: "So students, meet your new class mate, Mr Randhir Singh Shekhwat. He is a new admission to the college. Born and brought up in London, he recently shifted to India. And he's an Economics honours from the London University."

He smiled looking at the class. All the girls were drooling over him. Sanyukta did not find anything good about him. "He is just average", she thought. The boy went and sat next to Sanyukta. Vidhushi was boiling with anger and so was Sanyukta, for the opposite reason of course. He smiled at Sanyukta. She smiled backed lamely at him. In the lecture, he tried to talk to her, but she just kept quiet. Already, she was upset, thinking that Vardaan won't be entering her class this semester. After the lecture got over,

Randhir: (Smiling) "Hey, I am Randhir. And you?"

Sanyukta: (with a serious look) "Sanyukta Agarwal."

She tried to leave from there.

Randhir: "If you remember, we had met yesterday. You were about to fall and I saved you."

Vidhushi was listening to their conversation.

Sanyukta: "Well, thank you!"

Randhir: "It's OK. No need of saying thank you. There's this coffee shop adjacent to the campus. Can we meet there in the evening?"

Sanyukta felt like pulling his eyeballs out of his sockets. Vidhushi was boiling with anger.

Sanyukta: "Nope. I don't like coffee. I don't like tea too."

She moved from there. Randhir smirked looking at her retreating figure.

Few weeks passed by. Sanyukta was paired with that irritating Randir for all the assignments of all the subjects. Earlier, she was paired with Kaustuki and she liked it. But, things had changed. Kaustuki wanted to spend as much as time possible with Jiggy. So she asked for Sanyukta's permission and paired herself with Jiggy. Randhir was the only person left. She had no option left, but to pair with him. Even then, all attempts made by Randhir of befriending Sanyukta were thrown in the drain by Sanyukta herself. She found him and his London accent irritating; all day he would just brag about London. He was handsome at the same time annoying to the core. One day, she was sitting in the canteen and having a burger, when Randhir came to her.

Randhir: "Can I sit here?"

Sanyukta: "Tumne iss college ki fees nahi bhari hai?"

Randhir: "Fees toh main kab ka bhar chukka hu."

Sanyukta: "Toh baitho. College ki property hai, tum bhi use kar sakte ho."

Randhir: (Lauging) "Nice joke."

Sanyukta: (with a serious look) "Yeh joke nahi tha."

Randhir sat on the chair.

Randhir: "Tumhe mujshe problem kya hai? Pehle din se dekh raha hu, you don't seem to like me much. If I've committed some mistake, please tell me. At least I can apologize."

Sanyukta stopped eating her burger. She was speechless. She had no specific answer to his question.

Sanyukta: "Good that you've finally asked me. I don't like the fact that you keep bragging about yourself and your London University. If you loved it so much, why the hell did you come here then? I think, you are too self-centred. And I hate such people."

Randhir was taken aback by her blunt reply. Nobody had ever spoken to him like this. This girl was different. May be, that's why he liked her. She wore her heart on her sleeve.

Randhir: "OK. First of all, that was a real honest reply. Thank you for showing me the mirror. Nobody has ever spoken to me like that. But, now I know the reason why I always had one or two friends only."

Sanyuka felt bad hearing that.

Sanyukta: "Look, I am sorry. I was very rude..."

Randhir: "It's OK. At least you told the truth."

Sanyukta knew that she had to fix this soon. She wiped her hands from the paper napkins. She put forward her hand for a handshake,

Sanyukta: "OK. Will you be my friend?"

Randhir accepted her friendship and shook hands with her, both of them smiling at each other. Vardaan was passing by the canteen, when he saw Sanyukta shaking hands with another boy. Not just any random boy, a handsome boy. Something just rose inside him. His palms automatically fisted looking at the sight. He twitched his eyebrows and left from the sight.

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No Vardaan - Sanyukta scene in this part everyone. Sorry for that. But, you will get it in the next part. Also, I have introduced Randhir in this part. Lemme tell you, this character of Randhir is very different than the MCP Randhir, we all know. He is indeed a sweet person.