Walking in the class laughing over the silly and funny talks and questions of the students, Sidharth had his attention drawn outside a few times as anyone crossed. Thinking it to be just in his head, he shrugged the illusion of seeing Sana in the college, in the corridor walking past in a white top and plain blue jeans. He looked again, but there was no one and he knew it was his mind playing tricks with him.
The echo of the laughter from just one class, grabbed Tanya's interest and the curiosity to know the fantastic teacher, who has managed to take care of students and lighten up their sullen mood, that is common till the weekends. Halting midway, she pulled Sana and turning around to take the way back to the same path.
"Chal na please. I need to see the teacher, who teaches with so much fun....tujhe bhi dekhna chahiye and pray ki yeh humare teacher ban jaaye...kitna maja aayega if this happens anyhow", saying so Tanya dragged her.
"Acha nahi lagta hai yaar aise baar baar dekhna...feels so bad", Sana tried to put up a resistance but it went in vain, as Tanya had her ways around.
"Yaar chal na or waise bhi ab time ho gaya hai, we have to go back anyways toh idhar se hi chlate hai, and we will, chal I will see the teacher, tujhe nahi dekhna toh mat dekh", she chided and pulled her. Rolling her eyes, she followed her. Crossing the class, she heard his voice again but didnt let it overpower and built hopes, when she clearly knew he was not in town, and was with some random friend in a wedding. Hearing the footsteps, Sidharth had his attention drawn back to the corridor and he was met with his surprise. The most beautiful surprise, standing in front of him in her white top and blue jeans, kohl eyes, blushing cheeks, plump lips and the long tress braided with perfection. The moment stayed for only a moment as she crossed, with her eyes wide open and mouth hung in surprise. Sana while crossing, peeped in the classroom too, only to be met with his eyes looking at her, and his lips playing the best smile of him. She loved that smile, that reached his eyes and resonated in her being. The surprise was for both, where Sidharth was happy while she grumpy and grouchy like a kid, being lied about an outing and was deliberately kept at home.
The students too saw the momentary flutter of his eyes and his wide playing smile, but dare not to say a word. He might be a friendly teacher, yet he had his boundaries set not to be crossed by any student.
"Sidharthhh!", Tanya gasped loud enough in silent corridor. A few heads of the students of his class turned at that, but Sana pulled her soon away from those peering eyes.
"Shh...pagal ho gayi hai kya....college main hum, metro mein nahi, jo Sidharth chilla rahi hai. Sir, sir bol...or chal ab warna tu pakka kuch toh kaand karegi", Sana admonished her. Tanya bit her tongue knowing well she was right and she should have been careful.
"Sorry sorry, main excited ho gayi thi.itne dino se dekha nahi tha...or kuch naya suna bhi nahi isliye waise yeh excitement tujhe honi chahiye thi....kyun nahi hui..yaar main hoti na teri jagah I would barged in the classroom, giving the students a chance to witness the part of their teachers personal, or say love life.", she giggled and Sana for a fact knew that it was very much possible for her to do.
"Shutup. Yahan tu bhi studenthi hai or main bhi. We dont him outside this college"
"We dont him inside this college too kyunki hum toh yahan padhte nahi hai", she chipped in between getting a smack on her head.
"Whatever but behave"
"Han woh sab toh thik hai, but mujhe bol phele tune koi acha reaction kyu nahi diya yar"
"Acha reaction means.."
"Like, so happy, thats smile sticks to your lips, and so happy that you might get emotional and start crying or mujhe tujhe chup karane pade aise type wala or like you should have waited here for him to finish his lecture and when he comes out, you go running to him and into his arms kind of...smajhi..", she narrated the few of the scenes she has been used to of the two people meeting after a long time.
"Chi yaar.....tu kitna cringy type sochti hai...waise toh main naraz hun so isliye aisa reaction but agar naraz nahi bhi hoti toh bhi I wouldnt have had any such reaction.", Sana stated, debunking her myth of the reunion of two people, after a long time.
"Bahut hi boring hai yaar....jab tak ek do kaand na karo....log tunhari or tumhare unki baatien na kare, auntiyan taane na maare, ladkiyan jal bhun ke raakh na ho tab tak us love story ka koi maja hi nahi hai" Tanya stated her description of the perfect love story with the every element in it, from drama to action.
"Main ek baat bolun...." Sana said building up the anticipation. Tanya nodded all ears to her. "Shutup" was all Sana said, leaving her with mouth open and eyes wide in astonishment.
"Sanaaaa Yaar!!" she whined following her downstairs.
The hall was clamoring with the chitter chatter of students and also some teachers. Sana, although ingnored him in the corridor, she had her eyes glued to the entrance, hoping him to come and join the teachers, but just be around. She has missed his very presence, the mere presence that had in it the capbilty to boost her up with the courage she holds but remains aloof to. His presence holds in it the warmth of home. His presence had the string of her heart strung to the perfect symphony. The angers, it was just a façade to spice up the bond, and keep up the liveliness of it, as the heart since the day has been aware of its other part have forgotten to be angry over it. The longing of the heart to finds it mate took away the part that knew anger. All it knew now was love, just love.
"Take in your place, mark your boxes, remember it should not exceed the four boxes. Keep it beautiful, keep it meaningful and keep it simple....All the best" their was an announcement, by the coordinators of the comptetion. The squares on the floor marked thier area to be drawn, and Sana and Tanya, just after the announcement rushed to get a hold in the corner, away from the crowd and a better place to align the Rangoli. With the sound of a gong, the competition began, they were given an hour for the same, and left free to play with their creativity.
Once done with the lecture, Sidharth paced, downstairs, running to the venue of the competition. He guessed she was here for the same. Since he was free from the classes, he got the charge to look on to the students. He was glad that he returned, else he would have missed her work.
"Red?"
"Yellow"
"Red!"
"Yellow.....it would look good here" Sana reasoned as they sat to make the Rangoli. It was just the beginning of it and they were not able to decide the color they want to put in as the base. Tanya pitched for red while Sana chose to go with yellow.
"Go with black!" Tanya snapped at the voice, while Sana whose eyes flickered, on recognising the voice stayed glued to the floor.
"Hello!" Tanya waved at him showing her teeth. He waved back, smiling at her, and waited for Sana to turn. She didn't.
"Waise black will be perfect!" she agreed to Sidharth and raised her hand for a high five. Sidharth obliged, chuckling at her.
"Tu yahan dhyan degi?" Sana said, to no one in particular.
"Idhar hi hai dhyan.....but atleast say a Hi to him" she whispered, as Sidharth stood there looking at her keenly. The ignorance to him was not bearable and the smile he has started fading too. Sana rolled her eyes at her and turned to Sidharth.
"Good morning sir! Thank-you for the suggestion" she said not looking at him, and continued to work. Sidharth didn't understand what just occured. Being in the premises of the institution he could nothing but just smile and nod his head to what she said. Had he been somewhere else he might have hugged her and hold her until the warmth seeped in him.
"You're welcome!" saying so he left from there, not wanting to garner attention.
"Sana yaar!!" Tanya exclaimed after being a quiet spectator of the silent tussle.
"Kaam kar yaar...." the base was taken black, as Sidharth said, and it did work well with how it enhanced the other colors. They were at the middle of their work, when she heard her phone vibrate for long.
Wiping her hands on a tissue she took out her phone from a bag only to find a string of message from him. She rolled her eyes and kept the phone, but it vibrated soon. She took it and saw it to be his message again, but keeping it unseen she put the mobile back but it didn't stop buzzing. She looked around to see if he was around, and he was, leaning on the door looking at her direction. Her face had a break of a small smile but it soon was covered up. She twisted her lips at him, who was pleading her to look at the phone once, however she looked at it.
"Oye kya hua?"
"You ignored me😞"
"What happened?"
"Naraz hai...."
"Oye sweetheart...bol na yaar"
"Aise phone ko dekh kar undekha kiya, I am hurt"
"Sweetheart, please look at me once, on your right."
"Sana, baby say something" and many more messages were read.
"I am busy" was all she typed back and kept the phone away.
"Okay, sath mein wapas chalnege....wait for me if you are done early" he texted back. Reading the message she smiled and typed away a whatever.
"😘😘" he sent again, and walked away to let her make the Rangoli. As they were done with it, they looked all colourful and so did their clothes.
"Aisa lag raha hai holi khel kar aaye hain hum dono" Tanya commented, seeing themselves. They sat the way they were add leaving the Rangoli unattended wasn't a good option.
With the time ticking, the one hour felt short, but was fun. The judges for the same came around and looked at all Rangolis, asking the makers as to why they chose the particular design. It being a free art, without any theme, had a rainbow of if. Colourful and varied every Rangoli looked beautiful. Each was assigned with a number that helped them mark it.
After an hour of waiting they both sat anticipating and manifesting their victory....
"And the winner is...."
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
Thank you for Reading. Do vote and comment.