INTRODUCTION
The sun rays seeped through the curtains whilst he tried to cover himself from it with his blanket. Soon as if realization had just hit him, he sat up with a jerk. He slowly glanced at the clock hoping that he wasn't late. His eyes widened as he saw the clock read as 6 o'clock. He never woke up this late! He was normally ready by this time. He frantically grabbed hold of the alarm clock which sat on his bedside table. He tapped it several times as if telling it off for not working properly. He was sure that he had set the alarm - he had even checked in the middle of the night when he had woken up to go to the loo. He finally arrived at the conclusion that the small device was indeed broken. And with that he chucked it in the bin and got out of bed to get ready for the first day back.
It was the first day of college and he was now in his last year. After this year he will no longer have to cope with all those girls who chase him like dogs even after the countless rejections. He was one of the most sought after guys in the whole college owing to his good looks and charm. Yet, he didn't budge. He was never interested in girls or relationships. For him it was just his books and his guitar. He was a studious guy; he loved to study whilst the other guys including his best friend enjoyed to party. It's not that he hated to party, it's just that he preferred not to.
He picked up his bag and guitar and rushed out of home heading towards his destination without even listening to his mother's shouts to eat his breakfast before he goes. He took out his bike and headed straight for the park. Arriving there, he parked the bike nearby and walked towards his favourite spot under the big tree and plonked himself, his bag and the guitar on the ground. He unzipped the bag and emptied out all its contents. Out came his iPod, his phone, a couple of books, snacks and his black leather diary with the name Mayank Sharma scribbled with tipex on the front cover.
***
She lied on the bed lazily until she heard a loud voice in the distance. She knew it was her stepmother who knew nothing else other than to bother her by talking about her in bad light to the neighbours. She got out from bed and hurriedly got changed into her clothes. She grabbed a pile of books and chucked it into her bag. She never really cared about her studies. Studies and college were just an excuse to get away from the hell that unfortunately she has to call her home. It was her last year of college and she was sure after this year she will move out of her home and follow her dreams.
She walked downstairs only to hear her stepmother's taunts even more loudly. She knew that her stepmother hated her so much that she wanted to throw her out and put her in some orphanage the day she had got married to her father. But obviously her father didn't let that happen. But then again, he was never really there for her when she needed him. She might as well have been brought up in an orphanage. But then she thought about her half sister and the neighbourhood children whom she loved dearly and whom loved her too. She knew that when she moved out the next year, she would miss them a lot.
She brought herself out of her thoughts and glanced at her stepmother. She saw her stepmother eyeing her from head to toe. She rolled her eyes. She was wearing jeans and a top. That was her style of dressing up. But her stepmother always manages to find at least one fault in it like it's too short or it's too baggy each time. But those criticisms fell on deaf ears. She knew that her stepmother only did that to annoy her and make her upset her. But it in the least affected her. But she wasn't in the mood for those taunts today so she rushed out of home without uttering a single word.
"Nupur!"
She heard her stepmother calling her but she paid no heed to it.
***
She sat on her bed playing with her fingers nervously. She was nervous because she was joining a new college. It was her final year but her father got a transfer in his job so they had to move house and their new house was too far from college so she had to change college too. She didn't want to switch college especially seeing that it was her last year. She was already missing her friends. She was also afraid about fitting in. By now, everyone would have formed their own friendship groups and she will just be sitting on her own in a corner. Lines of worry were etched on her forehead as she thought through the possible scenarios that could happen in her life at this new college. And they were not positive at all.
Sighing to herself, she glanced at the clock. It read 7am. She decided to go and get ready before her father told her off. Her father was one strict father. He was a ruthless businessman and brought up his daughter as a single parent in a stern manner. Of course, he loved his daughter but at the same time he didn't want his daughter to go off track with things like love. He wanted her to study well and join the business world with him.
Soon after she got ready, she went downstairs to be greeted by her father.
"Good morning, Riddhima. Eat your breakfast quick and we will leave for college. You don't want to be late on your first day do you?" He said excitedly as if it were his first day.
"No, Papa. You go, I'll come."
***
The ring of the alarm clock went off at 7am as it always did. And like always he ignored it. Why did his mother have to set the alarm even in the holidays? She says it is to get used to getting up early but he says that it is a nuisance! In fact, more than getting used to getting up early, he has become immune to the sound of the alarm. He returned to his dreamland again in which he was romancing with Katrina when suddenly it started raining.
"I love you, Katrina!" he declared after a song in the rain.
"What?!"A loud voice came as his reply. This isn't Katrina's voice, he thought. Confused, he opened his eyes only to see his mother towering over him. He almost screamed in shock.
"Mom! Why are you waking me up now? There's not even college today!" With that he pulled his blanket over his head which was only to be yanked down again by his mother.
"Armaan! Today's the first day back in case you have forgotten!"
"Oh bum! Why didn't you tell me before?!" And with that he rushed to get ready without even giving his mother a chance to reply. He came out of the bathroom and was hurriedly running out of the door when his mum goes...
"Armaan, eat your breakfast and go"
"No Mum, it's getting late"
Late? There was still time until college, his mother wondered.
He drove on his car to college. He parked the car in the car park and sat on the fence in front of the school listening to his music. After a while, he glanced at his watch and looked across the road as if searching for someone. There was no one in sight. He sighed and continued waiting. It was only on the first day of college that Armaan had the habit of getting to college early and sitting on the front fence. Why? Armaan will answer, "First day of college means new batch of girls!"
Armaan was a complete flirt. He changed girlfriends like changing pens. He was never serious in life. All he knew was to flirt. He was one of the hottest guys in the whole college and girls died to go out with him. However, inside he was a complete gentlemen and softie which only people close to him knew about. He loved his parents but didn't really want to get serious with life. He only agreed to do business after his college because he didn't want to upset his family.
He was brought out of his thoughts as he saw the college bus approaching.
***
Edited by HoneyLimeUsha - 14 years ago
Hollywood
Udne Ki Aasha
14