INFATUATED

Chapter-19 : Cast Down

Shayba's P.O.V.

The morning light illuminating my room woke me up at dawn with a very bitter feeling. I am so ashamed of myself right now that no one can imagine. Yesterday evening was a disaster! No doubt that we are going home soon in bare hands.

The event from yesterday grieved my soul to the apex. The challenge we were given to fulfill in an hour was completely dependent on Zawad bhai's knowledge because it required data from the most senior level maybe including topics from Master's level or something even higher than that of which we yet didn't study about. I had no idea about all the structural mechanisms and designs Zawad bhai was writing on his paper yesterday. All the teams tried to solve the given problems altogether with their mates where in our team, only the leader worked by himself while a fellow member, Medha assisted him as much as she could and the other two kept sitting on their chairs with almost crying faces praying for their success all the time.

Literally I lost all my hopes when I saw the Japanese team beside our table bursting into laughter now and then while solving the so called EASY question. That challenge was only a matter of minutes to them as we saw them gossiping and writing altogether. Finding no way to help my team, I thought I would rather start crying in despair. I have no competence to be here right now! It's not a cup of tea to a first year student.

When the time was finished and we were walking out of the room, Zawad bhai didn't utter a single word. We all knew that we couldn't complete our paper in time. It was evident that we need many more points to be qualified for the finale and there is no chance for that. We have to go back to the pavilion without gaining any trophy or medals.

Rafsan bhai glanced at me hopelessly and indicated Zawad bhai with his eyes, asking if we should say anything or not to console him but I rather thought it would be better to keep quiet. We are of no help to him right now.

Ascending to the third floor by the lift, he walked straight to his room. "Zawad bhai, Isha's sal...."he slammed the door on my face before I could finish. I was stunned. I looked at Rafsan bhai and Medha apu being lamented, knowing that nothing could make him happy than our collaboration in the semi final. We were aware that our dreams and aspirations are probably already shattered into pieces because of our asininity though our leader tried the best he could have done by himself.

"He'll be fine guys. Just give him some time." Medha apu tapped my shoulder.

"Yeah right."

At 9, we went downstairs to have our dinner but our hearts sank again when we found Rafsan bhai coming down alone. "He said he isn't hungry. So I decided not to disturb him."he said making a mortified face.

"Oh!"we both answered.

"Guys should we apologize to him altogether?"Rafsan bhai proposed.

"I don't know. What's our fault? We tried our best, right?"said Medha apu.

"YOU did. Not us."I replied guiltily. His silence is being intolerable to each one of us. "Let's take his dinner upstairs. At least he should eat something, right? He hasn't eaten anything since noon."

"Yeah right." And then we did our job accordingly as planned but that guy didn't even bother to open the door, let alone eat.

"Bhaiya we are sorry." Medha apu pleaded from outside while we two joined her. "Please open the door and eat something Bhaiya. You haven't eaten anything since noon!"I requested this time.

Oh come on! How much are you going to mourn for one competition? What though we don't get any medals? Are you going to starve to death for this? What's good in locking yourself up, huh? I wanted to shout all these being tired of his drama but couldn't do so, rather came back to the dinner table unsurmounted.