Posted:
ZOYA'S POV
I ran through the college corridor like someone has set a fire on my back. Well the situation was quite a lot like that. I was late for my class for the fourth time in a week and if I didn't enter before mam, I was sure that mam will eat me alive. I shivered at the mental image it produced. So grabbed my bag more tightly and ran for my dear life. My hair was flying as I ran and my face was red due to this early morning exercise. I reached the class-room door, panting and gasping for air. I took a deep breath to calm down my erratic breathing and after looking up at the ceiling , giving my allah miyan my best puppy face to save me this time , I peeked through the open door to see if the battle field was safe to enter. I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw my classmates chatting and giggling freely ,after scanning the whole class-room like James Bond. It was a clear indication that mam wasn't there yet. So I smiled victoriously and relaxed my stiff body while entering the class. I directly went to my signature seat which was the last bench and settled down comfortably. Hey! Don't take me wrong. I am not someone who is very bad at studies or dumb, in fact I am one the best students of the class and in favorite list of almost all teachers. But still I didn't like sitting in the front as I felt it grabbed a little too much attention which I didn't like , being the hugely shy and introvert girl I am. So I preferred sitting here, without much attention. I didn't have many friends. There were only two girls who are my good friends here and with whom I talked in this whole college. When we are together , we talk a lot but it is limited till college only as I never really go out of my home other than study purpose. I am very homesick. So I never really like hanging outside, instead of that I would love to read a book, lying on my bed. And I am very much happy with just the way I am. I didn't have any enemy, I have a good relation with all my classmates, I have a loving family and best of all, I have the bestest mother in this whole wide world. I know, everyone says it about their mothers but trust me , she is the coolest personality I have ever met. She is my best friend, buddy and my support system. Because of her I never feel bad about not having many friends as she is better than even 100 best friends summed together. I can trust her blindly as I know she will never give me the wrong advice. So you can just see, I am the perfect example of being extremely boring, shy, introvert, under-confident, quiet and not to forget, an absolute book lover(novels of course!). So isn't it simply the world's most interesting and amazing package ? well, there is also a crazy and bubbly side of me which is only known to my family and it is a side which is still waiting to be discovered by someone special.
My Noble award winning mental autobiography came to an abrupt halt as our English literature teacher, Mrs. Sharma, entered our class and we all stand up to greet her. We sat down after she greeted us back and that was then when I heard a loud May I come in mam', coming from the door. Along with other occupants of the room, I also looked towards the door , though knowing the voice very well, only to find HIM standing there, panting heavily like he has just come from running a marathon and unknowingly I smile softly seeing him , only to sober up almost immediately. He was in the same state I was before few minutes but still he looked as cute and handsome as ever. I was wondering how come he reached later than me today as mostly I am the one to enter the class last. Mrs. Sharma seemed to share the same thoughts as mine, as she asked him sternly-
- Mr. Asad Ahmad Khan, can you please tell me why are you so late today when I have strictly told everyone to reach the class before I enter?
- Woh...actually mam..I overslept today. Asad replied speepishly.
- And exactly why did you overslept today? Mam asked, not quite convinced.
- Woh mam actually I was studying late till yesterday.
- What were you studying? Mam wasn't in a mood to end her interrogating session.
- Romeo and Juliet mam. You only told us na that you are going to take a test on that next week. So I was just preparing for that. He replied confidently and I almost chocked on the air I had just taken. I was very well aware about how much Asad Ahmad Khan loved literature( please note the sarcasm!) and knowing about his undying love for football along with having the knowledge that yesterday night was FIFA quarter finals, I had a fair idea about how his Romeo and Juliet must be chasing behind a ball on his TV screen whole night.
Well, on this point, let me tell you all how I know all this about him. We know each other since 8th standard and from the moment we have known each other, we have been each other's biggest competitors. There has always been this race between us to somehow get the better marks than the other and become the best. All our teachers and friends knew about this rivalry of us and also teased us regarding this but what no one knew was that , amidst of all this I fell for him really hard. It would be the greatest shock for anyone who know us and it was shocking for me too as the biggest point of this story is we have never ever talked with each other. Let alone talking, we haven't even greeted each other ever. So it was really hard to digest and understand when, how and why I fell for him but I guess his silly antics, infectious laugh, care-free nature and expressive eyes are behind all this. So now I am in love with this stupid, idiotic fool , instead of knowing the fact very well that these feelings are never going to be reciprocated.
I sighed and came back to the present to find mam giving him the permission to enter but he stopped and looked at the class confused and I suddenly realized that the whole class was full and the only available seat was beside me. I remembered that once he was having problem with his seat and then also the seat beside me was empty. He wanted to exchange his seats but no one was willing to do so. So mam told him to seat beside me and that simple statement did the magic. For the whole period, he never complained about his seat. But what shocked me now was that, when mam told him to sit beside me, he just nodded obediently and came and sat beside me. While my heart did a crazy happy dance, my mind banged her head on some imaginary wall and I sat there with the most serious, expressionless face, not sparing him even a single glance. Teacher started her class and for the next 40 minutes my text book got more attention than the queen of England. It was five minutes before the class ends , when teacher said-
- Can anyone tell me which Indian movie was based on Othelo? Asad, you tell me.
Teacher asked him while he fumbled for the right answer but not finding it just said that he didn't know. So then mam asked me and I just quietly stood up and told the name of the movie softly. Well, don't think that I am not confident about my answer. I was more than confident but I guess I am a little attention fobic. Can I just be more weird?
As soon as I gave my answer, I heard an instant reply from my left side.
- Actually mam I don't get time to watch movies. Asad said cheekily and my blood boiled. What the hell do he think that I have plenty time to go watching all the movies. It is called general knowledge you idiot! But somehow I controlled myself and glared at my poor book instead.
Mam just smiled and said to us-
- Students, this thing is called Indianization. In this, you take a story which is set outside of India at least 100 years ago and re-create it thinking how it would have been if it was in India, at this time. And this is your next project which you have to submit on next Friday.
I was attentively listening to her when my pen fell on the floor by mistake. I bent down to pick it up but as I did so, I banged my head with a hard one. I yelped and looked up, only to get lost in the most expressive chocolate brown orbs I have ever seen. I was seeing him from so close for the first time and he looked more handsome like that. Our breaths were colliding with each other while our eyes locked. My heart hammered wildly in my ribcage and cheeks colored slightly. I was brought out of my dazed state by our teacher's next statement.
- You all have to work in pairs and each two students who are sitting together now would be in one group.
As soon as my mind registered those words, we turned away from each other. My eyes were bigger than headlights and my jaw was about to touch the floor. This was the craziest thing ever for me. While I sat there motionless, my mind and heart screamed internally for two completely different reasons.
- Can today get any more better? I mumbled to myself, almost crying.
- Oh! And whatever story you choose, it have to be a love story. With that mam exited the class as the bell rang and I almost fell from my seat due to the level of shock.
- Thanks for answering. I angrily glared at the ceiling.
I took a deep breath to calm down my heart. As crazy as this situation was, I had to face it. So after giving myself a quick pep-talk, I turned towards his side , only to find him already gone. My mouth formed a perfect O' at his audacity and my head fell on my hands, already depressed.
I was walking through the corridor towards the exit. The whole day I didn't saw him for once after the class as we didn't have class together after that. Time is really short and we have to start working soon , if we want to finish but here I didn't even know how to start the conversation, let alone start the project. The situation was absolutely frustrating and I felt like pulling out me hair. I was walking mindlessly , when I suddenly tripped over something but somehow steadied myself. I smiled victoriously and thought sarcastically how those heroines of those daily soaps keep falling now and then and can't prevent their fall themselves, only to trip over something again and this time I closed my eyes shut due to the fear of breaking my back. But I was pleasantly surprised when I felt that instead of landing on the floor, I was dangling in the air, safely secured in someone's arms. I slowly opened my eyes to find those same orbs gazing tenderly at mine with care and concern. Those eyes were so captivating that I just got lost in them. I don't know, for how long I stayed in that position but at a moment, he broke the eye-lock and steadied me. Me quietly but quickly made some safe distance between us. My heart was beating so fast from this encounter that it was paining my chest. And then, the unexpected happen. HE TALKED TO ME!
- Ummm...woh...actually I had a important work , so I rushed earlier like that. Hope you didn't mind. He asked apologetically but my mind registered nothing. After so many years, this was the first time he talked to me and it was making me dizzier than I thought. I came out of my thoughts when he waved his hands in front of me.
- Zoya, are you ok? He asked looking genuinely concerned.
- No..yeah I mean I am ok. I replied with great self-control to not get lost in how beautiful my name sounded from his lips.
- Well, the college is going to be close for the next two days. So I was thinking if we could meet somewhere, you know ..for the project. We can't waste time. So if it is ok with you, maybe your house or mine.. He stuttered while I nibbled my lower lip. My heart was thumping really hard.
- I guess we can divide. One day at your house and one day at mine. I said quietly and he smiled.
- Great then. I will reach your place tomorrow.
I just nodded and gave him my address. He left after taking it and I released the breath I was holding. Today was really the most strange day of my life and my sixth sense was screaming at me that this project is going to turn my life upside down.
------------------------------
Hey guys. I know this was extremely boring and crap but thank you for reading this. This was just the result of my absolute boredom. There is second part of this which is the last. If you want, I will give it tomorrow. Leave your likes and comments behind and happy durga puja to you all🤗
part 2 - page 14
I ran through the college corridor like someone has set a fire on my back. Well the situation was quite a lot like that. I was late for my class for the fourth time in a week and if I didn't enter before mam, I was sure that mam will eat me alive. I shivered at the mental image it produced. So grabbed my bag more tightly and ran for my dear life. My hair was flying as I ran and my face was red due to this early morning exercise. I reached the class-room door, panting and gasping for air. I took a deep breath to calm down my erratic breathing and after looking up at the ceiling , giving my allah miyan my best puppy face to save me this time , I peeked through the open door to see if the battle field was safe to enter. I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw my classmates chatting and giggling freely ,after scanning the whole class-room like James Bond. It was a clear indication that mam wasn't there yet. So I smiled victoriously and relaxed my stiff body while entering the class. I directly went to my signature seat which was the last bench and settled down comfortably. Hey! Don't take me wrong. I am not someone who is very bad at studies or dumb, in fact I am one the best students of the class and in favorite list of almost all teachers. But still I didn't like sitting in the front as I felt it grabbed a little too much attention which I didn't like , being the hugely shy and introvert girl I am. So I preferred sitting here, without much attention. I didn't have many friends. There were only two girls who are my good friends here and with whom I talked in this whole college. When we are together , we talk a lot but it is limited till college only as I never really go out of my home other than study purpose. I am very homesick. So I never really like hanging outside, instead of that I would love to read a book, lying on my bed. And I am very much happy with just the way I am. I didn't have any enemy, I have a good relation with all my classmates, I have a loving family and best of all, I have the bestest mother in this whole wide world. I know, everyone says it about their mothers but trust me , she is the coolest personality I have ever met. She is my best friend, buddy and my support system. Because of her I never feel bad about not having many friends as she is better than even 100 best friends summed together. I can trust her blindly as I know she will never give me the wrong advice. So you can just see, I am the perfect example of being extremely boring, shy, introvert, under-confident, quiet and not to forget, an absolute book lover(novels of course!). So isn't it simply the world's most interesting and amazing package ? well, there is also a crazy and bubbly side of me which is only known to my family and it is a side which is still waiting to be discovered by someone special.
My Noble award winning mental autobiography came to an abrupt halt as our English literature teacher, Mrs. Sharma, entered our class and we all stand up to greet her. We sat down after she greeted us back and that was then when I heard a loud May I come in mam', coming from the door. Along with other occupants of the room, I also looked towards the door , though knowing the voice very well, only to find HIM standing there, panting heavily like he has just come from running a marathon and unknowingly I smile softly seeing him , only to sober up almost immediately. He was in the same state I was before few minutes but still he looked as cute and handsome as ever. I was wondering how come he reached later than me today as mostly I am the one to enter the class last. Mrs. Sharma seemed to share the same thoughts as mine, as she asked him sternly-
- Mr. Asad Ahmad Khan, can you please tell me why are you so late today when I have strictly told everyone to reach the class before I enter?
- Woh...actually mam..I overslept today. Asad replied speepishly.
- And exactly why did you overslept today? Mam asked, not quite convinced.
- Woh mam actually I was studying late till yesterday.
- What were you studying? Mam wasn't in a mood to end her interrogating session.
- Romeo and Juliet mam. You only told us na that you are going to take a test on that next week. So I was just preparing for that. He replied confidently and I almost chocked on the air I had just taken. I was very well aware about how much Asad Ahmad Khan loved literature( please note the sarcasm!) and knowing about his undying love for football along with having the knowledge that yesterday night was FIFA quarter finals, I had a fair idea about how his Romeo and Juliet must be chasing behind a ball on his TV screen whole night.
Well, on this point, let me tell you all how I know all this about him. We know each other since 8th standard and from the moment we have known each other, we have been each other's biggest competitors. There has always been this race between us to somehow get the better marks than the other and become the best. All our teachers and friends knew about this rivalry of us and also teased us regarding this but what no one knew was that , amidst of all this I fell for him really hard. It would be the greatest shock for anyone who know us and it was shocking for me too as the biggest point of this story is we have never ever talked with each other. Let alone talking, we haven't even greeted each other ever. So it was really hard to digest and understand when, how and why I fell for him but I guess his silly antics, infectious laugh, care-free nature and expressive eyes are behind all this. So now I am in love with this stupid, idiotic fool , instead of knowing the fact very well that these feelings are never going to be reciprocated.
I sighed and came back to the present to find mam giving him the permission to enter but he stopped and looked at the class confused and I suddenly realized that the whole class was full and the only available seat was beside me. I remembered that once he was having problem with his seat and then also the seat beside me was empty. He wanted to exchange his seats but no one was willing to do so. So mam told him to seat beside me and that simple statement did the magic. For the whole period, he never complained about his seat. But what shocked me now was that, when mam told him to sit beside me, he just nodded obediently and came and sat beside me. While my heart did a crazy happy dance, my mind banged her head on some imaginary wall and I sat there with the most serious, expressionless face, not sparing him even a single glance. Teacher started her class and for the next 40 minutes my text book got more attention than the queen of England. It was five minutes before the class ends , when teacher said-
- Can anyone tell me which Indian movie was based on Othelo? Asad, you tell me.
Teacher asked him while he fumbled for the right answer but not finding it just said that he didn't know. So then mam asked me and I just quietly stood up and told the name of the movie softly. Well, don't think that I am not confident about my answer. I was more than confident but I guess I am a little attention fobic. Can I just be more weird?
As soon as I gave my answer, I heard an instant reply from my left side.
- Actually mam I don't get time to watch movies. Asad said cheekily and my blood boiled. What the hell do he think that I have plenty time to go watching all the movies. It is called general knowledge you idiot! But somehow I controlled myself and glared at my poor book instead.
Mam just smiled and said to us-
- Students, this thing is called Indianization. In this, you take a story which is set outside of India at least 100 years ago and re-create it thinking how it would have been if it was in India, at this time. And this is your next project which you have to submit on next Friday.
I was attentively listening to her when my pen fell on the floor by mistake. I bent down to pick it up but as I did so, I banged my head with a hard one. I yelped and looked up, only to get lost in the most expressive chocolate brown orbs I have ever seen. I was seeing him from so close for the first time and he looked more handsome like that. Our breaths were colliding with each other while our eyes locked. My heart hammered wildly in my ribcage and cheeks colored slightly. I was brought out of my dazed state by our teacher's next statement.
- You all have to work in pairs and each two students who are sitting together now would be in one group.
As soon as my mind registered those words, we turned away from each other. My eyes were bigger than headlights and my jaw was about to touch the floor. This was the craziest thing ever for me. While I sat there motionless, my mind and heart screamed internally for two completely different reasons.
- Can today get any more better? I mumbled to myself, almost crying.
- Oh! And whatever story you choose, it have to be a love story. With that mam exited the class as the bell rang and I almost fell from my seat due to the level of shock.
- Thanks for answering. I angrily glared at the ceiling.
I took a deep breath to calm down my heart. As crazy as this situation was, I had to face it. So after giving myself a quick pep-talk, I turned towards his side , only to find him already gone. My mouth formed a perfect O' at his audacity and my head fell on my hands, already depressed.
I was walking through the corridor towards the exit. The whole day I didn't saw him for once after the class as we didn't have class together after that. Time is really short and we have to start working soon , if we want to finish but here I didn't even know how to start the conversation, let alone start the project. The situation was absolutely frustrating and I felt like pulling out me hair. I was walking mindlessly , when I suddenly tripped over something but somehow steadied myself. I smiled victoriously and thought sarcastically how those heroines of those daily soaps keep falling now and then and can't prevent their fall themselves, only to trip over something again and this time I closed my eyes shut due to the fear of breaking my back. But I was pleasantly surprised when I felt that instead of landing on the floor, I was dangling in the air, safely secured in someone's arms. I slowly opened my eyes to find those same orbs gazing tenderly at mine with care and concern. Those eyes were so captivating that I just got lost in them. I don't know, for how long I stayed in that position but at a moment, he broke the eye-lock and steadied me. Me quietly but quickly made some safe distance between us. My heart was beating so fast from this encounter that it was paining my chest. And then, the unexpected happen. HE TALKED TO ME!
- Ummm...woh...actually I had a important work , so I rushed earlier like that. Hope you didn't mind. He asked apologetically but my mind registered nothing. After so many years, this was the first time he talked to me and it was making me dizzier than I thought. I came out of my thoughts when he waved his hands in front of me.
- Zoya, are you ok? He asked looking genuinely concerned.
- No..yeah I mean I am ok. I replied with great self-control to not get lost in how beautiful my name sounded from his lips.
- Well, the college is going to be close for the next two days. So I was thinking if we could meet somewhere, you know ..for the project. We can't waste time. So if it is ok with you, maybe your house or mine.. He stuttered while I nibbled my lower lip. My heart was thumping really hard.
- I guess we can divide. One day at your house and one day at mine. I said quietly and he smiled.
- Great then. I will reach your place tomorrow.
I just nodded and gave him my address. He left after taking it and I released the breath I was holding. Today was really the most strange day of my life and my sixth sense was screaming at me that this project is going to turn my life upside down.
------------------------------
Hey guys. I know this was extremely boring and crap but thank you for reading this. This was just the result of my absolute boredom. There is second part of this which is the last. If you want, I will give it tomorrow. Leave your likes and comments behind and happy durga puja to you all🤗
part 2 - page 14
Anupamaa
126