An eye for an eye

Chapter Three: Imaginary friends

Chapter Three: Imaginary friends

“Hey Mom, I applied for economic honors in DU.” I muttered with my mouth full of veggies, hoping she would ignore it like always. She doesn’t like us talking during dinner.

“What is the use? With that percentage, there is no way they will even let you sweep the floor there.”Anku, my pest of a brother whispers in my ears. Then he proceeded to giggle like a little girl on sugar at his own joke until I kicked his leg under the table subtly.

My mother narrowed her eyes at me in question. And that is the moment when I began weaving my dirty quilt of lies.

“Well you remember Mohit?” I said innocently.

“That guy you hang out with? I bet he will get in DU. He has sports as an excuse for his low marks, what is your excuse? Laziness?” The lecture commenced.

I phased out of the lecture and ate my food with a remorseful expression in my face as a reality show consisting of good-for-nothings played on the TV.

Maybe that is what I should do? What is the use of studying, I just have to do two-three reality shows, create havoc hera and there and bam, next I’ll be a film star, shopping with Katrina, dating Shahid Kapoor. Living the life.

“What about Mohit?” I finally snap out of my daydream on hearing Mohit’s name.

“His father’s friend Dr. Singh is head of the economics department in one of the DU colleges. He talked to him and he said he could get me into the college through staff quota albeit I perform well in the first semester.” I was completely winging it.

She looked at me disbelievingly “Really? But isn’t staff quota only for wards of the teaching staff?”

Was that how staff quota worked? I advanced to another addition to the quilt. 

“There is a way around it, he said he could definitely help me. Please Mom, I really want to go to college, taking a year drop will be a waste for me you know that.”

“Okay. But first I will have to talk to him. When are the admissions anyway?”

I quickly scanned the calendar behind me, I had to give a date when my mom couldn’t take days off to accompany me to Delhi or at least not stay there with me.

“17th of July, it is a Tuesday.” I stated with my really great poker face.

“Tuesday? Oh well, I guess I will just have to make it a one day trip. They should have scheduled it on a Monday or a Saturday.”

Now the big question was, how in the world was I creating Dr, Singh the economics professor?

Two minutes later.

“Hey Mohit?”

“Yes Ma’am. What misery have you brought upon your coerced partner in crime now?”

“See, you are already getting used to being my partner in crime. So umm.”

“What?” he sounded pretty defeated, I had no idea whether that was a good thing or bad.

“You remember your father’s friend Dr. Singh who is head of economics department in DU?”

“Who are- Oh my God, you just didn’t do that.”I cringed at his girlish shrieks.

“Well, my mom wants to talk to him.” I mentioned casually.

“You. Are. Insane.” The phone clicked off.

I couldn’t believe he hung up on me. After all I had done for him, that is what I get?

I texted him, “Who introduced to your beloved Avantika? Who set up all of your dates with the aforementioned? Who? I ask you who?”

He replied back, “u suck drama quen. K. TTYL”

Text language aka txt lingo is lyk d wrst human invension eva.

I could already see my grey matter disappearing into the oblivion. Anyways, I hoped he came up with something or I was royally screwed.

It was time for my appointment with the opthalmo something. I walked out of my house, singing my heart out until the street dog glared at me. I stuck out my tongue and then proceeded towards the bus stand.

As soon as the bus arrived, I ran towards it preparing myself for the third battle of Panipat. Several shoves and glares later, I was sitting on a window seat, smiling my face off.

Mohit met up with me looking anything but welcoming. As we started walking towards the corrupt opthalmo, he grumbled,

“You are going to get us in jail.” I just laughed out loud at the words unaware that they were going to be prophetic for me.