The Masqueraded

2

After the first year exams were over the downward spiral had begun in Ru's life. Her life wasn't a complicated one; a regular family with an Asian father, her mom who had grown up in the neighborhood all her life and her brother and sister. They lived in a modest home in the suburbs close to a small town. She loved going with her friends to the Deli at the entrance of the Town which had amazing milkshakes.

She wasn't a popular girl or anything at College but she had a couple of close friends who had entered the same College with her after graduating from school. She wasn't too comfortable making small talk but she tried nevertheless most of the time in order to fit in. Ru was different and in her small world she found comfort though she often felt like there was something missing from her life.

Walking across the familiar driveway and along the footpath after the last day of her exam Ru was stopped at the threshold of her house in shock as she heard raised voices and commotion inside. She could still remember the day as good as yesterday, freshly painful. Months after, walking across that same path on her way to the first day of her new term at campus she felt a wave of sadness grip her. She was annoyed with herself for being so preoccupied with her own despair.

How am I going to be my normal self and go on with my life if I keep doing this to myself. What happened had happened. She' ll come back. She knows I need her. She told herself this as she shook her head and adjusted her side bag, determined to distract herself from her thoughts and focus on the new term. She took out her mobile phone and rang Mel to check where she was, despite everything she was happy to see her friends. Hopefully life would go back to normal.

Normal. She scoffed internally at the thought.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by her mother's voice,

'Darling, can you wait till I get the car?'

'Sure mom', she said lazily, 'I can take the shuttle if you're busy mom, you don't have to take me to College all the-' as she was about to complete her sentence Mel picked up the phone,

'Hey, I'm at the cafeteria',

'Already? I'll be there in 5 minutes', she said quickly as she slid into the front seat of the SUV and pulled her side bag on to her lap. The drive was silent, except for Mrs. Sen asking her daughter if she was excited to go back and if they would get the College exam results today to which Ru replied with a shrug and a curt 'maybe'.

The car pulled up at the curb and Ru got out and joined the rest of the College kids walking towards the tall white building. Frederique College was a typical College with the signpost at the entrance in big bold letters, the posters and the boards and the students walking about, some in groups and some by themselves. Greetings were passed and the kids were waving their friends over and some of them were clustered at the steps of the entrance talking and laughing. Ru waved at her mother briskly and walked towards the entrance. A group of girls at the steps saw her and two of them gave her small smile, which she could say was out of politeness. She smiled back and started making her way through the throngs of College students who stood around in packs either walking about or out of or into the College building.

She rarely looked up and smiled or spoke with anyone unless they did, out of fear of being left unnoticed. Ru was never a secure sort, always avoiding eye contact unless she felt she was welcome, yet liked the idea of people talking to her and being friendly and accepting her as another regular student. She hated feeling left out but somehow the atmosphere at Frederique intimidated her unless she was with her best friends.

Ru made her way across the hall and entered another corridor and down a flight of stairs into an open, spacious cafeteria. She spotted her friend sitting at the table in the corner of the lunchroom and walked over,

'Hey, good morning', she said as she slid into a seat next to her friend,

'Hey', Mel said, smiling, 'how's everything at home?'

'Don't ask', she said sighing, trying to make it as casual as possible. By now, Mel knew what had happened at the Sen's. Ru fidgeted uncomfortably,

'Do you think everyone knows?' she asked, a little rattled. Mel looked at her sharply,

'No, I don't think so. Don't look so broody it's a new term and everything. Don't start off on an upsetting note', she said, softly but firmly. As she was about to ask the girl if she had had breakfast she noticed someone coming towards them hurriedly, waving at Ru from across the cafeteria.

Ru looked up in surprise as she spotted the stranger she'd met two weeks ago in town coming towards them in a hurry, pulling at the strap of his backpack. He jovially greeted the girls and asked them if he could sit down. Ru nodded mechanically and he sat down next to her. Mel raised an eyebrow at Ru. Seeing his inquisitive expression at her lack of communication, she greeted him with a faint 'Hey'.

He grinned.

Mel looked at him utterly confused, his eyes met Mel's,

'I'm a friend of her's' he introduced himself, 'and you are?' he asked her casually. Mel responded with a skeptical 'hi, I'm Mel'.

Formalities out of his way, he leaned back in his chair and smiled at Ru, 'I'm sorry if I'm terribly impolite to you guys, it's just it's just I'm a little flustered. I thought I'd miss the lecture!'

'Lectures start at 9. It's still 8.30', Mel said, looking briefly at her phone lying on the table,

'Yes, I realized I mixed up the timetables', he answered.

Just then Kira appeared at the table and kept her bag on the chair with a thud. Kira, Ru's best friend and confidante, was a small slim girl, with spectacles, long hair tumbling down her back in waves. She greeted the girls and came and sat next to Ru and hugged her tightly. Responding to her greeting eagerly, Ru pointed at Sam.

'Guys, this is Sam! Sam this is Mel, well you already know that', she pointed at the girl still closely observing Sam with a look of curiosity and then she introduced Kira who smiled politely at him said 'hi'.

'I didn't know you had a friend called Sam', she later told Ru, matter of factly, when Sam went to get a coffee.

'I didn't know either', Mel added, 'Who is this guy?'

She tapped her perfectly manicured nails on the table. Ru had to quickly explain what had happened two weeks ago in town to the two girls.

'I didn't even think he would remember me!' She added.

'He's a bit talkative and he looks flustered but I suppose it's because he's new. What an inconvenience to change Colleges like that!' Mel said.

'Remember Veronica's friend? She came halfway through the year. She pretended to be so nice but she turned out to be terrible. I'm not going to say he's too nice or anything now, we barely know him!' Kira said with a shrug.

'I think he's nice though! I don't think it's nice of you to come into conclusions like that', Ru added defensively. She didn't know why she was so defensive and sour. Before she could rectify her angry tone the other two girls readily showed their disdain.

'Don't you come into conclusions! I'v told you before as well, everyone has their merits and demerits Ru, don't give them too much credit!' Kira warned.

Mel nodded in acquiescence and as she was a straightforward sort of girl added indignantly, 'If you keep verifying on behalf of people like that I'm going to end up disliking them by default'. Ru looked like she was prepared to fervently oppose her but before she could respond she noticed that the new guy was making his way towards the table with a coffee in his hand, grinning. She felt awkward and rattled so she took her bag and got up to her feet.

'Gotta go', she announced to no one in particular and walked away from the table.