A Desire to Win Her | Ongoing

Chapter 14

"You don't know him, you don't know that he exists, just act like you don't care that he's here, his presence shouldn't affect you, calm down," Arvika was busy in chanting it like a mantra since the last five minutes while Kavya could only gape at her friend's paranoid behavior. Dev wasn't even here and her chanting had already started, with her shivering hands which were just so uncertain along with the goosebumps on her arms, what was it? A special feeling because of the doubt of the presence of someone? Or, the dread and dismay of the Dev, the daredevil's presence?

Yesterday, she was being all sturdy and strong but now she was behaving like a meek and weak mouse who was just wheezing in fear bereft of the presence of the special someone.

"Arvika, relax, he's not here," Kavya put her hand on Arvika's, pressing it in assurance, not liking the way her friend was hyperventilating over this pointless thing.

Both of them were stubborn yet inseparable that had compelled to break their ice-like silence and their all anger had melted away. They had patched up in the middle of their second lecture only as Arvika too had felt guilty of what she had spoken so venomously against Kavya yesterday night in her anger and frustration. After an apology filled with sincerity and guilt, they were together again.

"I just wish he's not here," Arvika muffled, peering at the solemn-looking seniors from yesterday.

After four back-to-back lectures of the duration of one hour each, finally, they had their break time now for which most of the students were impatiently waiting for. But what they didn't know was that they'd be greeted by the very seniors who had ragged Arvika yesterday, in an indirect way. The very seniors of the ECE department, from the second, third, and fourth year, exclusively.

"These guys have literally nothing to do, kitne velle bande hain yaar ye (How useless and free these people are)," Vinay grunted out in a heavy voice in his native Punjabi tone apprehending the presence of the same president who was so much interested and piqued by the girl whom he too had started to like. The president still hadn't come, Vinay sighed and looked at Arvika who was busy in murmuring with her friend, god knows what.

"Now, they'll be consuming our 'lunchtime' too, how lucky and fortunate of us," Vinay's another friend too whined after seeing the invasion of their seniors in their classroom and that too in their lunch period of one-hour duration after their hectic, non-stop lectures of four-hours!

Like these two, other students too had such expressions and thoughts when they saw their seniors, again and that too in their lunch break. Even boring lectures could be tolerated but not hunger.

"Guys, silence please, I know you are too impatient for your lunch break after those never-ending lectures, but there's just a piece of news for you all. The orientation program has been scheduled for tomorrow and, after your lunch break, we guys are going to have an official interaction session as yesterday we couldn't finish what we have started. Your labs are canceled, but not your day ahead, so kindly come for the interaction session sharp at 2:15 pm. Enjoy your lunch break," Prateek, the same senior guy announced on the mike, cheering up the disheartened hearts and famished tummies of the freshers who answered back with a 'yay'. Thank god, the freshers whispered among themselves.

"Kavya, let's go," Arvika along with Kavya too left for their mess, not wanting to hold on their hunger anymore, with Arvika inwardly thanking her God for not showing the pig-lipped Dev.

****

"Wow, he's looking so handsome in his sky blue denim and those rolled-up sleeves, god, I am already in heaven," a fangirl of Mr. President aka Dev Kapoor awed at the man who had finally entered the room for whom everyone was waiting so longingly. Eyes were set at him, some with adore, some with lust, and some with dreams and goals. But his eyes only longed for one who was already busy in muttering colorful words against him.