Later that night, after having gobbled up a plate full of pasta, I was exhausted. In pregnancy, it was true women felt tired all of a sudden and I was one among them?but sometimes those women's husbands failed to understand them and urged them to do the household chores, to even have intercourse with them. I was lucky. Indeed lucky for Angad was an angel sent for me from heaven. Well maybe his soul was a resident of heaven and god had at last had mercy on me.
I still remember the first day I met Angad. I was new to high school and Angad was already a part of the school, a very integral and vital part. His father was the college's trustee and even donated the school with large amounts of money. Not only this reason did account for angad's importance but his personality, traits, mannerisms and hardwork.
Angad was the most brilliant student at school, college. He scored above 98 % in all his subjects and was the head of the student's union. He was good at sports and captain of soccer team. He was a topper in everything. Girls would go gaga over him, would drool on him but he would careless. He was strikingly handsome but he never boasted of any of his qualities that one would die to have.
He was rich, powerful, mature, smart, handsome, kind, generous and a great singer.
The day I came to college, curious and analytical glances had to be endured by me. I was a very reserved kind of person and I didn't talk to anybody. I never had any friends in my life. I never talked with strangers and was afraid to be surrounded by people. Their glances were like thorns piercing my skin, but here it was my restless mind. I was not an independent girl and was not a good interactionist. People would find me odd and eccentric but no one knew what my life was like. My silence and shyness, introvert being , was all a planned strategy over years which had immortalized itself into permanent existence into my routine life.
That day, Angad had proposed Mona, a new comer like me at school. Her father had just gotten a transfer at the bank and she was here with all her assets ready to be exploited to gain some or all attention.
I clearly recall Angad was very straightforward with his proposal and diplomatic. If one would avoided the words he had used and focused onchis tone, one would think he was fialising a business deal.
"we both know each other for 4 years now. We both like each other and u love me too. Lets make this work between us and hand out more often. I'd like u to be my girlfriend. It will depend on u only. The choice is urs. I clearly don't lose anything in it but I would feep pain to be rejected but nothing can be done about this. Life goes on.'
I wasn't expecting love but if someone would have proposed me like that, I would have said a big NO on his face. He's mad this guy, was what I used to think.
Just then I was pushed by a girl apparently someone and fell on Angad. I still don't recall how exactly I fell on him but I clearly remember the insult that followed.
'you blind cant u see? U don't have a brain? U just spoiled everything so good going on here. U new here, I have too see that u get to know by heart all the rules here. U don't respect ur seniors and how dare u? '
I was dumbfounded. I looked at him expressionlessly and stared into the void?.thinking something but I was not able to think.
My mouth articulated automatically" was it something good or almost feigned?"
He looked up at me then the victory was all his.
That girl tia who had pushed me added venomously that "she is such a mean girl. She's eccentric, odd, strange, got no friends, her siblings loathe her because she's so delinquent. She is a cold-hearted girl and is studying here by living on charity that her aunt had agreed to give her to make her study. But this isn't because she loves her but in return she gets to do all the chores and I think she works in the bar owned by her aunt. They are so not good and sociable people.'
People comments flung in the air"she's a slut?, "she's money-minded, "she's a b****, she's a ????."
What had I done? Everyone despised me from the very first day itself. Angad who was the most kind guy acted so rascally with me.
Tears threatened to flow like an overflooded pool but I didn't let them pass the restricted area of my eyes?.they were private??.
I looked at Tia and shot her a disgusting look. Some pitied me some loathed me some teased me some ignored me but there was onlynone guy who had supported me that day.
He was a handsome guy, very tall and was all diplomatic type. He had stepped in and added few missed or modified details that Tia had let herself expressed earlier.
"first of all, she isn't a delinquent. She doesn't work at a bar though she half-owns the bar. She isn't living on charity but had obtained a scholarship to be here amongst you. She isn't loathed by her siblings because she hasn't any and she isn't a slut as uve just called her but the one who distorted information about her is rather one.'
Everyone stared back at that bold guy and then at Tia who shamed-faced fled from th canteen and disappeared.
While, Mona came forward and patted my shoulder reassuring me.
Angad was feeling ashamed of his behaviour but ego was coming in the way?ego was alien to him but with me all different feelings alienated in him was coming to surface.
'hi, I am shabd sareen and im mona's paying guest as well as the English literature teacher hope u have opted for it.'
'hello sir, thanks for saving me and yes I'll be looking forward to having classes with you but u seem too young.'
'well yes due to the fact that I had skipped 3 classes and been promoted to the next class until I graduated with a degree in eng lit, im here ur professor but rest assured im only 5 yrs elder than u.' and winking at me he went outside the canteen.
Angad and mona resumed their activity?proposing activity and I went to my class to have myself seated besides prithvi bose.
Edited by AK-Karansha - 15 years ago
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