FF:First Love~LAST PART~ page 81 12/9/11 - Page 2

Part 2

That was first of many meetings that Gopi and Ahem would have on campus. They ran in to each other many places on the campus, at first Ahem would see her and wave at her, but Gopi would shy away and turn pretending not to see him.

Ahem could always spot her in her in her traditional clothes, she would always dress simple, no artifacts on her, always with minimum make up, hair pulled back, minimum jewelry.

The more he saw her, the more he became curious about her, he didn't know what was happening to him, he wanted to get to know her better, her likes and dislikes, what made her tick. He tried to approach her a couple of times, but she was always with her friend, who always glared at him, when he tried to approach, and dragged Gopi away before he could reach them.

Then one day he spotted Gopi in the library sitting by herself, her books all spread out in front of her.

He approached her quietly and whispered, "Hi, remember me?"

Gopi was startled out of her thoughts by someone whispering near her ear and jumped almost overturning her chair to see Ahem standing besides her grinning like a fool.

Gopi eyed him nervously, looked around and whispered back "Hi, how are you?"

Ahem pulled the chair across from her and sat down, "I am fine, how is the college life treating you, any problems since the first day?"

Gopi didn't want to tell him, how his friends, especially the girls in the group always gave her an evil look when ever he waved at her on the campus, and that's why she never responded and turned away from him.

Ahem waved his hand in front of her face. "Hello, anyone there?" Teasing her because she didn't respond.

Gopi gave him a weak smile and looked around to make sure his friends were not with him, "What are you doing here?"

Ahem frowned because she didn't answer his original question, "I have a big exam tomorrow so I thought I would come to the library to study, how about you?"

Gopi smiled and replied "Same as you."

"So, Gopiji, do you mind if I seat with you and study?"

Gopi gave back as good as she got and said, "No, Ahemji, I don't mind if you seat with me, as long as you stay quiet." And went back to studying.

Ahem was surprised at her response and chuckled and opened his books to study.

***

Gopi sighed and leaned her head against the window and wiped the few tears that had fallen on her cheeks.

Some times those days, spent as Ahemji's friend, seemed like they were all a dream. She should have realized that his friends had resented her friendship with him.

Most of his friends had hidden their animosity towards her when Ahemji was around, but all bets were off when he wasn't around, especially his friend Nick and Anita.

She knew what Anita's problem had been, she was in love with Ahem, but he hadn't returned her feelings and she had felt threatened by Gopi.

She hadn't known what Nick's problem had been with her, but she hadn't liked the way he had looked at her, always undressing her with his eyes, she had tried her best to stay away from him. She hadn't found out till much later what Nick's problem had been with her and who had asked him to keep an eye on her.

Not that there had been anything between Gopi and Ahemji, he had never indicated anything of that nature; he had simply been her friend, her first best friend. No one had understood her and Ahem's friendship, even her friend Shruti.

Not all of his friends had disliked her, there were couple of his friends who actually liked and supported her, but in the end even they couldn't help Gopi and Ahem's friendship.

Gopi was brought out of her musings into the past by the sound of car horn pulling into Modi Bhavan gates, and realized it was late, and her husband is home, smiling bitterly.

She started go down to open the door for him, and thought better, these days he is always mad about something or the other, and tonight she didn't feel like being his scapegoat, let him take his temper out on something else or someone else.

He is so different from the Ahem she met in college, it was as if he had gone through complete personality change from five years before, and she has yet to figure out why he is so bitter and cynical these days.

Had their break up affected him to this extreme? Yeah right, like he ever cared for you like that, and what break up? In order for there to be a break up, there had to be a relationship, or some kind of emotions, and it was obvious he had never felt anything for you.

Gopi ignored her inner thoughts and made her way to the bed and laid down, she didn't want Ahemji to think she was waiting up for him, she closed her eyes pretending to sleep just as he walked into their room.