Hello!
All the characters here belong to middle-class family. So, the hostel room, Aarav and his friend's house, etc. mentioned in this book are thought from the point of view of most of the students who come to the new city for studies.
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The Sun today is blessing us by not being hot as it was before. The view of the fields slowly changes to the buildings, while the noise of vehicles becomes more advanced as our Bus merges with the city's traffic.
The noise is not unpleasant, and I welcome it wholeheartedly. This city has been my dream. Though it is new, it isn't strange.
"Net Banking kaam nahi kar rahi behen," My best friend Ishita mutters to me while closing and opening the app as if it would magically start working again. (Net Banking isn't working, sister)
Ishita and I have been classmates since fifth. And then, in the tenth standard, when our class teacher told us to help her with something, we started sitting together. And much to our family's amusement, we became close from that particular day as if we knew everything about each other from childhood. And we both still regret not talking with each other earlier. If we had then, we would have had so many more moments to cherish.
"Maine kaha tha change kar le bank," I said, opening my phone to see the time before giving her, "Try to pay from my Paytm." (I told you to change your bank)
It is something new we both are processing. We weren't allowed to use online banking for payments. Desi Parents and their trust in online banking doesn't go well.
But now that they allowed us to go to a new city where only Ishita's brother Aarav knows us, they allow us.
Convincing both parents was another matter altogether. It took one whole month for both of us. Good thing we both were in this together. And, of course, Aarav talked with our parents assuring them about the city.
More than us, our parents stayed in contact with him regarding our accommodations and other things.
But good thing they finally allowed us to go.
We will stay in a hostel. It is near both Aarav's house and our college. There are some restrictions there, but we both are ok with it.
"I am so excited, Aadhii," Beside me, Ishu jumps after the screen shows 'Transaction Successful', giving back my phone.
"Me too, Ishu," I reply, looking at her with a big smile.
There will be so many new peoples we are going to meet. And no one knows us till now.
Well, Aarav does, but we can ignore that.
Aarav is studying in his third year of college and lives in a rented house with his two friends, as Ishu had told me.
Aarav had been around for some time when I was in the tenth before he moved to this city. And that time had its charm for many reasons.
I haven't met him in person in the last two years though I have stalked his Instagram account. A lot of time, actually.
To see how this city is, of course.
"We will go to the hostel directly. Bhai is in classes right now," I nod as Ishu says, chatting on her phone with her brother. "I am going to punch him when I meet him," I laugh at her while she makes a face.
We both mess around with each other for a while till we finally stop at the bus stop.
Taking a cab (as we have come for the first time to this city), we both move to the hostel.
There was two option for us. One was four people sharing a room, and the second was two people sharing a room.
The second one was slightly more costly than the first one. But still, we both have chosen that. Because we would be more comfortable with each other and we can study better with just two of us. And we stay together a lot of time, so we will not face any difficulty.
"Aadhya Shah," I say to the warden as she looks up from her register.
"Ishita Patel," Ishu says when the warden looks at her.
Finally, she nods and replies, "Room 120."
"Thank you," we both tell her and walk inside the compound.
As the classes have not started yet for the first-year students and classes are going on for the second and third years, there is no one around except maybe one or two girls. They were also with their bags.
I had thought before that I was taking too many bags with me, but seeing them, I know Ishu and I can't compare them.
We both give a sneaky smile to each other and directly move to our allocated room.
The room is decent.
It is not the best. It is just ok. Two beds are set up on each corner while a window is on one of the walls. There is a cupboard, a study table, and a small bookshelf. And a small bathroom.
The room is painted beige. Looking at the room, we both know we have a lot of things to decorate.
There is a lot of excitement inside me to start our studies in our dream college and live in the hostel though I know I would miss my mom and Dad.
We both call our parents, informing them about our whereabouts.
And I close my eyes to relax but soon wake up when Ishu shouts, "Aadhii, Pagal, so mat jaa. We have to go to Bhai's home." (Idiot, Don't sleep)
"Yeah, I am awake, girl. And I was not sleeping," I say, glaring as she uses her loud voice again.
She shouts too loud.
"Ishu, I am sure the whole building might have listened," she sheepishly smiles at me.
"So, it is not my fault," she slyly replies, putting her hair in a bun while going to fresh and up.
And I get one idea.
I get ready with my mobile as I hear the tap shut off. As she enters the room, I take a photo of her. She looks at me for a split second and then shouts.
"Oh, don't take my photos like this. Nooo," Ishu runs behind while I laugh and make her chase me around the room.
"I would delete it," I say, jumping on the bed.
She glares at me and puts her hand on her hips, "When?"
"Soon," I reply and directly move to the bathroom without waiting for her response.
This photo will help me to blackmail her when I want her to clean the room. Knowing her, she wouldn't clean it for a long time. It is one of a difference between us, along with many others. Aarav and I, when he was around, used to tell her often to clean her room back home. At that time, she only had one thing to say: 'I like my room this way'. She is just too proud to admit she is lazy and nothing else. And nothing had changed since then.
But being with her almost every day for the last three years, I have many ways to blackmail a person. Sometimes I'm so evil. I love it.
"Can we go now? Bhai has arrived," Ishu asks, taking her bag.
I quickly get ready, looking at my appearance before getting out. "Taking a lot of time, I see," Ishu says, raising her eyebrows suggestively.
I roll my eyes, "Don't you want to go now?"
We both move out of the hostel after informing the warden that we'll be back before time.
The warden seems like a good lady but still with a strict posture.
We both took a Rickshaw to Aarav's house.
"Hello, Bhai, we are here," Ishu talks on the phone as Rickshaw stops out of the society.
"Come," She grabs my arms excitedly, moving towards the first medium-looking house.
A guy whom I have seen on Aarav's insta opened the door.
He is tall, around 6', which seems too tall in front for our 5'4.
"Hello, Darsh," Ishu waves while he smacks her forehead.
"Ishuuu, how are you, Idiot?" He asks.
"I am good," she beams at him and moves inside, of course, knowing the way as she had visited last year.
"Come," Darsh says, smiling at me.
I return his smile and move inside. The first thing that comes to my mind looking at the house is that 'their house is fabulous'. It is not big, but it is enough for three people.
As we enter, there is a sitting area. There is two couch placed there, along with a small glass table.
There are a TV and a home theatre right opposite it on the wall.
Some photo frames, along with paintings, are hanging on the wall.
Ishu has already disappeared upstairs, telling me she will come with her brother.
"Hello, I am the most famous Darsh," Darsh says, grinning at me.
I beam, relaxed, "I am the superior Aadhya."
He laughs, surprised, and motions to sit on the sofa where a guy rests, whom I have also seen at Aarav's insta.
"He is Ishaan. Don't mind him. He is an idiot," Darsh whispers to me, but of course, the guy, Ishaan, hears it as he glares at Darsh.
Ishaan's eyes are different from our usual black and brown. His eyes are hazel, which suits perfectly on his chiselled face.
"Hello," I wave at him, sitting on the couch.
He nods at me and goes back on his phone, ignoring me. Ok then.
Darsh glares at him and then embarrassingly looks at me, "Told you, he is an idiot."
Darsh settles beside me and asks me about myself, to which I answer.
"So you finally made them agree," He hi-fi me as I finish telling him how I made my parents agree to come here.
"You are clever. Chalak Lomdi," He says, laughing, making me glare at him. (Clever fox)
Talking with Darsh, I can say he is a fun-loving guy who always jokes around, which could make you laugh if he jokes about something else. Or make you glare at him if he jokes about you.
"And what are you doing?" I ask.
"Same as Aarav, third year," He replies.
"And him?" I motion to Ishan, who looks up at me and glares before he again looks at his phone.
I roll my eyes at him while Darsh elbows him, saying, "Same as us."
"Come Bhai, Aadhi is there," we hear Ishu, making us look at the stairs where Ishu is dragging Aarav.
And after two very long years, my eyes relaxed on the familiar face. I smile at the person I saw for a year every day two years ago, be it in school, his home, or even at the park.
And believe me, Insta doesn't do justice to this.
Ishu comes beside me as Aarav stands in front of me.
I smile at him, trying to behave casually. As if I don't feel the calming heart again start beating a little fast.
"Hello, Aarav," I say to him, waving slightly.
"Hello," He replies, smiling at me mischievously, and then calls me sweetly as if he will not irritate me, "Aadhii." Aadhii is the nickname Ishu gave me, which I hate with a passion if it comes from someone other than her.
I narrow my eyes at him, though I'm sure my face betrayed it because it is still sporting that smile that had unknowingly made its way, remembering the time he called me that.
"Call me Aadhya, not Aadhii," I say, making Darsh looks at me amused while Aarav smiles, knowing I would say that.
Aadhii means 'Half' in Hindi, and the sound is embarrassing too.
"How are you?" I ask before getting up as he comes close to me, making me look up at him.
He opens his arms and side-hugs me, keeping his head on mine before saying, "I am great," He pulls back and asks, "How are you? I'm seeing you after two years."
"I'm awesome," I say, smiling.
Aarav and I are not close, but we aren't strangers either. We know about each other though we don't talk. And we haven't in these two years. Not that we had much before. It was always a distance between us. It had started with being his sister's best friend, and it continued with him always being around us, which made us interact. But other than him teasing me with that nickname, we had pretty much stayed on our side.
"I will call you Aadhii from now on," Darsh states, pulling me out of my thought.
I glare at him while beside me, Aarav snickers, knowing what I will do.
He is gone now, Darshu parsu.
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Hello!!
Hope you all are fine and healthy.
So, this was the first chapter. I had done minor changes with the starting and major in the middle. I didn't like some things in the book and it was becoming a hindrance to continue it. But now, I solved it.
What do you think of it?
Random Thought:-
There is beauty in simplicity.
See you soon.
Stay Safe.
Stay Healthy.
Love,
Mahek.