The Heart Wants What It Wants

I_9

Eat. Work. Sleep. Repeat. Has been the cycle of our lives since we returned to college after Pongal holidays.

Almost every afternoon, we spend navigating between our laptops, helping each other's modules in our project. As days rolled by, we keep ticking more boxes and I secretly relish in the thrill of counting down the number of days left to finish college.

So I can finally have Vamsi all to myself.

As soon as the thought pops into my mind, my discomfort about Vamsi and Nisha's friendship eases a bit. 

My cricket team mates have been trying to hide from me and are successful too. As I thought about what happened that day, I realized one thing.

As much as Johnny was a jerk, I wasn't exactly a shining example when I put my team on spot. Irrespective of who's right and who's wrong, the fact remains that we will be leaving college in a couple of months.

They are the only people I'm close to, apart from Vamsi and Neha; which means I have to make up with my team.

Every time I pass our grounds, the familiar twinge of melancholy touches my heart.

I will not be playing here again.

Four years of memories pass in a blur. All the efforts, arguments, learning techniques, injuries and discussions happened while playing here.

So caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice Vineet staring at me until he spoke "Miss playing?"

Trying to smile, I said "A little bit"

"Wanna go?"

Giving a quick shake of my head, I added "That's not why we came to college on a holiday"

It's 30th of January. No one from our class came today but my team agreed with my decision to utilize the usually busy computer lab to run tests.

Nisha and Vamsi stayed back in the lab while Vineet and I ventured out to get a snack and have a walk around to bring back life to our dead legs.

The cafeteria is half a kilometer away from our department and though I have gotten along with my team member, I still don't think we are friends.

"I love your dance" he mumbled into the awkward silence.

"Thanks"

"I'm really looking forward to seeing it one last time this year. Have you guys decided?"

"Not yet" I said coolly, maintaining a steady pace with him "Vamsi and I were so busy with that match first and now with the project that we forgot about it"

"How do you do it?"

"What?"

"Your performance. Your stamina is unbelievable!"

I laughed "There are things that I am terrible at: singing, cooking"

"Everyone can't be good at everything" he informed with a smile.

I let that into my head and nodded in understanding "True"

"Why MJ?"

That made me laugh "Cause he's the best!"

"Come on" His voice held a tinge of tease as he said "Who's the fan?"

"Me" I confessed.

Our performances have always been a mash up of popular songs of the year but we always ended it with a Michael Jackson song.

MJ is the king of pop and the king of my heart.

We ordered, paid and took our seats in the mess but what surprised me beyond belief is finding Neha sitting by herself at one corner, lost in thoughts.