The night was still too young to get on the bed to welcome the dreams of skyscrapers and spiderman, Arvika's favorite movie. It was just seven in the evening, two hours still left for their dinner time, and forgetting the fact, a few minutes ago only they had their snacks already down their guts.
Both the girls were busy doing the homework which was given by their strict professor Mr. Krishnamurthy Reddy, their one and only Calculus professor, a subject whose name was spooking enough to make the non-engineering students run away as fast as Usain Bolt.
"Arvika, would you mind if I suggest you something?" disrupting the concentration of her wholly focussed friend, Kavya posited, tenderly.
A little uncertainty surfaced Arvika at her friend's sudden solemn question for advice out of the blue but still, she nodded her head at her, encouraging her to go on.
"Don't interrupt me, please, just listen to me of whatever I have to say, promise you won't interrupt?" precaution is better than cure, that's what Kavya was doing now, subjecting & manipulating her friend to the risks of breaking a promise. Arvika held the little finger of Kavya, pinky-promising her.
"Forget whatever happened in the past, don't lose your present to your past, it'll pain more. I know whatever he did was not acceptable but it's already over, it has been five years since that incident. You both are mature now, also he's our college's president now, so I don't think it'd be okay to hold grudges against him," Kavya knew Arvika was getting angrier and angrier with her words but she really needed her friend to get out the bog of past, which would drown her friend again if not attended with proper guidance and advice.
"Please don't misunderstand me, boo, I just want a peaceful college life with you, not an infamous goons-friendly life, we've come here to study and not to indulge in useless fights and grudge-competitions against our seniors or anyone. And moreover, five years have already passed, maybe he's mature now".
"Try to perceive from a political side of view too, Boo, other than your emotional and mental point of view. We're in the same college, we've to face him every day, he's our senior and I've heard how gruesome it can lead to if you've dared to make your seniors your foe, so please, at least not a friendship but an amiable junior-senior relationship with him won't be that hard, right?" like a true friend who sounded more like a caring mother right now, Kavya explained her silly friend who still was too naive and immature to hold the past whose fifth birthday they'd be celebrating this year or was it already celebrated?
"I saw how every senior were glaring at you when you had questioned Dev sir's warning, out of all the students present over there. This can turn really nasty, boo, we two have only each other's support in this college as all others are still strangers for us, so please for our sake, don't do anything that can harm and deteriorate us. And for your own mental peace, forget the past and focus on your present, all this gloominess and things from the past would only make you suffer more and more with its excruciating, undesirable effects," Kavya rubbed Arvika's palms that had turned too cold suddenly. She noticed how dilated Arvika's pupils were now, she was probably prudently pondering over her words, Kavya sighed in a little happiness.
"I think you're right," thinking with a rational mind, even Arvika too had come to a conclusion, better to end this 'Game Of Past' rather than lifting up the heavy load of the unhealthy past on her sleek, young shoulders. She too knew how ugly and nasty it could get if any senior would hold grudge against her, who would help her then? Every time she couldn't be brave and loud, this was her reality, not a fictional novel where she was the lead of it, fighting against every other person with ease. Real-life had problems far worse than depicted in any novels out there!
"A junior-senior relation won't harm, but not beyond that. I'll make sure of that," Arvika was determined but fear was still instigated within her, what if he'd do something like that again in the future.
"Don't stress yourself, take deep breaths and help me solving these sums, man, I cannot understand a single thing in the morning lecture because of my foul mood," they both got completely immersed in solving their complex sums of engineering when a shrill ringtone disturbed their concentration again! Why wouldn't anyone want to let them study peacefully, why? Arvika and Kavya both sighed irritatingly.
With an unwanted desire to stand, Arvika finally perched up from the bed and faltered towards the table on which her phone was placed which flashed back an unknown number on the screen, who the hell was calling her this late at night with a new number, Arvika contemplated, biting the inside of her cheeks. If it were to be another 'Tapu ke papa' she'd kill him definitely.
"Hello," she tested her voice, was she being too sweet or her normal self, don't know why but she was always paranoid about her voice over calls.
"Hello, Arvika," with a husky yet a smooth voice, Dev greeted his girl, scratching his beard with his thumb while Arvika was all flabbergasted, she felt like someone dropped a bombshell straight on her ear. She could recognize his voice even amongst hundreds of people, that wasn't rocket science to crack, it was Dev-the daredevil on the call, calling her at eight in the night for god knows why!
Just a few minutes ago, she along with her best friend had discussed about this devil and he was already over the call, greeting her gleefully. Sau saal jiyega ye shaitaan, Arvika deduced in distaste. (He'd live for hundred years)
"P...ig?" involuntarily the word left her mouth coinciding with her stuttering voice and a palpitating heart, leaving Dev to jump out of his skin with her startling and unforeseen reply that he had never even expected in his dreams.
Dev was startled would be an understatement, his all drowsiness was flown away in thin air.
"Sorry, what?" Dev was taken aback by the word she had just used against him. A pig, really? Or, was someone else troubling her whom she called using the 'pig' endearment?
"Who's this?" just to reconfirm the already known voice and to hide her unpredictable, sharp tongue, Arvika choked out, signaling Kavya with her hands to come near her as she was still busy in doing some sums of the 'Complex Calculus', the mathematical foundation of the core of their electronics & communication engineering.
"Who's there?" Kavya whispered to Arvika in a hushed tone, eyeing the number skeptically.
"I think its D.E.V," Arvika had muted the call and spelled out the spelling of Dev's name, not wanting to take his name out of her tongue.
Whereas Dev was getting impatient as he couldn't hear any voice coming from the other end, did she cut the call? He was voicing out 'hello and hello' gingerly but no reply was coming from the other end. After hearing the word 'pig' from her mouth he was taken aback, but what perturbed him more was her silence that she was oh-so grandly endeavoring to him.
"Arvika, man," Kavya sighed out in a little annoyance. "Talk with him then, just now I had lectured you about the same, girl! Why are you so worried? Don't forget he's our president too, Arvika maybe he has some other important work to discuss with you. Don't bring the past in this now. Attend the call already"
"Okay, as you say," Arvika nodded at her friend's logical yet scolding thesis, pursing her lips in a little fear and of course, a teaspoon of hesitation. Taking a deep breath and exhaling even a bigger whiff of air, she finally unmuted the call and put the phone on her red, hot ears.
"Hello, sir," she breathed out frantically, fanning herself with her left hand, suddenly feeling hotness and pepperiness all across her body even in the chilled AC. He seriously made her feel feverish all of a sudden, one of the effects of the daredevil that he had on other girls too. But Arvika's feverishness was because of other reasons. Abiding by the seniors and juniors policy, Arvika had intentionally endeared Dev with sir, throwing a little smile towards the anticipating Kavya who was biting her lips in tension.
"Arvika," Dev closed his eyes, relishing the soft, melody-like voice of his girl. How much he had prayed for her to be in his life again only he knew! She was here, too close to him but still so far and aloof of him. But he needed to be patient, he needed to be composed otherwise she'd fret again to come near him and he didn't want that, never again!
"How you got my number, sir?" with a very solemn and formal tone, Arvika was talking with Dev although her heart was still busy in galloping on the imaginary horses of her wild predictions of the reason why he had called her. She'd kick his ass if he'd do something similar to that of the past, she mentally pledged to herself, sitting down on her bed in Indian style.
"I have my own sources, Miss Arvika, by the way, when are you free tomorrow? I need to discuss something important with you," by the curt tone of Arvika, Dev had deftly inferred that she was talking with him just because of the designation he held in their college, calling him formally with the 'sir' word, that's why even he too talked like a professional president that he was but didn't want to be for Arvika, his lady love, but sometimes the situation demands some really unwanted and unanticipated things.
"Important? But regarding what, sir? I didn't get you?" Arvika's reply was faster than expected, Dev chuckled mildly.
"Regarding the orientation, Arvika, as I found you to be the most daring personality of your classroom," throwing a wink at a little tipsy Rohan, Dev chortled back his laughter, keeping his hand on the phone.
"What does my daring personality has to do with the orientation program, sir?" Arvika was too confused at the illogical blabbering whatever Dev was doing, already getting a little irked at his idiotic ways of talking with her.
"You'd know tomorrow, as the orientation starts at eleven, meet me at nine for discussing it," taking a sip from the glass of champagne, Dev voiced out a little impatiently although not losing his fake formal demeanor.
Arvika didn't know what to discern from all these talks she was having with Mr. Pig-lipped, think of a better name than this, please, she mentally smacked herself for the disgusting name she had given to him. Was he again trying to get her? Or, he wanted to embarrass & humiliate her again in this new place, new college? What were his real intentions behind this sudden meeting that he wanted so urgently with her, she contemplated, predicting the worst.
"Can I b..." Arvika was just going to ask about bringing Kavya along with her when Dev had already answered for her obvious question, "You can bring your friend too along with you".
How did he know she was going to ask that? Arvika cerebrated, stressing her cerebrum over the trivial thing.
"Okay," while nodding her head and licking her dry lips, she somehow gathered her courage and after bidding him a very curt 'good night' finally their call ended.
Their first phonic conversation!
"What did he say? Something important?" Kavya threw the questions at Arvika the moment the latter had put the phone down, staring at it like a lost soul.
"I think he wants me to do something related to the orientation program that'd be taking place tomorrow, I don't know much. He wants me to meet him along with you at nine, god knows what so important he wants to discuss with me," with confusion and a little fret lacing her voice, Arvika expressed her state of mind.
"Okay, maybe something really important has come up. Now, will you please help me in doing these equations, I am already fatigued," both of them again got immersed in their mathematical analysis which seemed more serious to them than the forthcoming meeting with Mr. President.
Whereas, on the other hand, Rohan was busy laughing his guts out the way Arvika had spoken to his best friend today. The call was on speaker mode, that's why he heard all the talks that his friend and his future sister-in-law shared!
Dev was gobbling down another glass of champagne, smiling at the little accomplishment that he had achieved today. The accomplishment of talking with his girl and that too a normal conversation without any fights. He'd win her, definitely. The incident was encouraging enough to ignite the slept lion in him who would tame his tigress very soon. Yeah, lion and tigress, the unmatched and the most unique pair just like them!
"Why are you laughing like a hyena, man?" Dev asked his friend who was nevertheless laughing at something which he still was unaware of.
"Did you notice she had addressed you using the word pig in the starting after hearing your 'hello Arvika'?" Rohan mimicked his best friend at the end, chuckling more in the process.
"What? Are you nuts? She might have thought someone else was there on the call, after all, I have called her for the first time, how would she recognize my voice, man. And moreover, why would she address me a pig? I am anything but a nasty pig, no way," Dev scrunched his nose at the mention of the pig, the animal whose house was gutter and just gutter, eww.
"Yeah, yeah, by the way, did she agree for meeting you?" Rohan got all serious, deaccelerating his snorty laugh.
"Yeah, she had agreed, hopefully, everything goes fine, fingers crossed," Dev stood up from the barstool, wanting nothing but to sleep on his comfy bed to engulf the dreams of him and his lady love, so freaking beautiful.
"Hey man, where are you going? You are drunk, don't drive now, sleep at my apartment, no need to rush," giving support to Dev's wobbling steps as the champagne had started to show its effects although not much, Rohan stated out.
"Hey, I am fine, man, let me go, tomorrow I have to meet my sweetheart, I have to arrange my clothes for that," Dev voiced out, putting his phone inside his pant pockets.
"Okay, let me book a cab for you, your car is still parked there in our college," Rohan immediately grabbed his phone from the counter where he had put it earlier and started looking for a nearby cab while Dev was busy in smiling with no particular reason.
"Thank you so much for this session, Ronnie! I really needed the motivation to win my love back to my life," after giving the last manly hug of the night, both the grown-up man separated, and finally, the cab driver drove towards Dev's apartment.
All the gloominess had vanished into thin air, with a constant twinkle and smile adorning his already handsome face.
****
"Good morning sir," both Arvika and Kavya greeted Dev the moment he got out of his Toyota, marking his grand entry at quarter past nine, fifteen minutes late of the discussed time of their meeting which they had discussed last night! They were waiting for him in the parking area which had fortunately a good amount of trees present, making the environment serene and cool even in the blistering heat of July!
"Good morning," Dev smiled slightly, nodding at both the girls, while Kavya was beaming at him Arvika had a very awkward and uncomfortable smile on her lips like she was forced to smile at him. He stared at his love with admiration and fondness, his eyes disguised under his polaroid shades, giving him the right to gaze at his Arvika who was looking beguilingly beautiful in her peach-colored sundress combining with beige leggings on her slender legs. He had noticed how uncomfortable she was looking like he wasn't a human but a vampire who'd suck her blood.
"Kavya, can you please excuse us for a few minutes?" Dev was brave enough to say this as Arvika's penetrating glare was already fixed on his face. If looks could kill, he'd have already taken five births.
"Okay, I'll.." Kavya was cut-off by Arvika, holding her right arm tightly, not wanting her to go.
"My friend won't go anywhere, tell me whatever you want to say in her presence," puffing out her mounds-amalgamated chest, she pointed her eyes at him. She should've known he'd do something like this, once a pig always a pig.
"Arvika, I think I must go, I am just there, please, talk with him, maybe he would apologize for his past mistakes," Kavya somehow pulled away her hand from Arvika's grasp, looking at her pleadingly. She had deliberately whisper-hissed in Arvika's ears, flashing an awkward smile towards their president who was looking completely amused at the antics of his adorable Arvika.
"Kavya, yaar (dude)," Arvika sighed heavily looking at the retreating form of her friend. Traitor, her broken heart immediately pinged!
"Arvika," Dev called her name, gently now getting her all attention on him and him only.
"What do you want to talk about?" with a little anger and frustration, she vocalized out looking at his shades which were oh-so-perfectly hiding his honey-brown eyes. Although a little part of her was still scared of him she had collected her worries together, maintaining her calm composure in front to face the devil.
"I am sorry for whatever happened in the past, I know I was a jerk to do what I shouldn't have, can you forgive me please?" with a heavy heart and a pleading voice, Dev finally let out all his apology and guilt of five years in front of his Arvika who was busy in giving him uninterested looks.
"Sir, first of all, I don't know who you are, I just have this much knowledge that you're our senior and also our president, other than that I don't know anything about you," her heart ached unknowingly when she said that, realizing how bitter she sounded. Her nails dug into her palm, almost drawing blood as tears clouded her vision, the scandalous and humiliating past flashing back as a reflection on her mind.
But more than her, Dev was affected, his heart sank like bullets were pulled straight at his heart, piercing him deeply. His lips were automatically thinned and eyes woefully glossy, hearing such spiteful words from the girl whom he loved more than himself.
"I hope your important work is done, bye," having drops of traitorous tears in her eyes, she turned away from him and in a blur, ran away from the parking lot towards where even she didn't know.
Dev was left with a bleeding heart, for the first time he tasted the bitterness of the girl whom he loved to the moon and back.
****
The orientation program had already started, commencing with the candle-lighting ceremony, an auspicious piece of thing for any program to start in Indian culture. The gigantic auditorium accommodated all the students of IIET, Delhi, ranging from the first year to the fourth year too comprising of all the branches. Students, professors, staff everyone was excited for the most-awaited programs that students of IIET were ready to flaunt in front of all, from feet-thumping dance forms to the daring drama club, and the list was endless.
With the charismatic Saraswati Vandana ( A dance performance dedicated to Hindu Goddess of Knowledge and Art) presented by the senior girls of CSE and Civil, the audience was already exhilarated and energy-pumped, waiting impatiently for the next eye-catching and lip-smacking program to start.
Arvika too was sitting on the cushioned seats alongside Kavya but unlike other students, she wasn't enjoying a single bit of this program. Her mind was still stuck at the words she had thrown at Dev, she too was aware of how resentful and grudge-bearing she sounded that time! She wasn't this better, never, in fact, she was the most optimistic soul ever but experiences are a bitch. They make you the person you never even dreamt to be.
After many dazzling dance performances, sizzling singing sensations, dramatic and thought-provoking dramas, and many more, finally, the program came to an end, leaving the whole public wanting more, their hearts pumping wildly seeing the energetic performances of these young engineers who were multi-talented in different fields.
All the clubs had been exceptionally introduced to the first-year students and many had already planned to join these clubs, be it literary, dance, drama, singing, and many more. Who would miss a chance of exploring oneself at such a great platform they were getting!
"Now, I'd like to call the student-body president of our institute, please give a huge round of applause for none other than our very favorite, multi-talented Dev Kapoor," the anchor cheerily announced, making the whole auditorium vibrate and resonate with thunderous claps and hooting.
Finally, after all the performances as well as the boring speeches by the director as well as a few of the Head-of-departments of various branches, Dev-the president was ultimately called upon the stage to conclude the program and to also deliver the speech on the most important thing a first-year student should listen to, ragging, and of course, 75 % mandatory attendance, a thing which couldn't be missed in any engineering college.
The moment he had taken the mic from one of his juniors on the stage, all the eyes followed him like a spy, gazing at his every move, how exquisitely handsome he was, attracting at least thousand of girls whose mouths were open, taking his mighty yet attractive form in, except for a single girl who got intentionally busy playing 'candy crush saga' on her phone the moment she saw him on the stage. She didn't want to see him, he was a manipulating man and a liar.
"Good afternoon, respected director sir, knowledgeable professors, and my dear friends. I, Dev Kapoor welcome you all once again, wholeheartedly at the Indian Institute of Engineering and Technology, Delhi. So, you all must have got a gist of the memories that you'd be creating at this institute, right?" the crowd hooted in the chorus in excitement and glee, completely bewitched by this astounding and prodigious personality which was a masterpiece of its own.
His director as well his professors were already having a proud smile on their face as this boy was representing how good they were at their teaching, producing such an impeccable and extraordinary student who was the inspiration of many, be it in terms of intelligence, looks or talent! A god-gifted prodigy of their institute who had time-to-time made them proud of his outstanding achievements and accomplishments in various fields.
"So, the program has already ended, but an important thing is yet to be discussed which we missed. Yes, I'm talking about the rules of this institute which should be abided by all of you, failing which you'd be punished severely. Don't worry, we'd be taking just a few of them today as the time limit of this program has already exceeded. So, the first rule is of 75% attendance which you've to maintain otherwise you'd be debarred and that's for sure. So, don't bunk your classes and be a regular student. Secondly, about ragging. If you think that you're being ragged or mistreated by some senior, there's a ragging cell especially made for that wherein you can complain against the perpetrator but I can assure you that we as a senior, would never try to harm you or rag you. But if you face any problem, you can come to me directly. That's all I wanted to convey. Good luck to all the freshers," Dev completed his short yet powerful speech in his authoritative and manly voice, impressing many of the girls, as well as the boys, who were meeting him for the first time. How beautiful his voice was, how outstanding his way of speaking was, everything about him was just so stupendous. The whole auditorium roared with applause, pumping up his confidence and smile more.
But not for once did he search for his girl, his Arvika, he was too hurt by her words, he didn't want to face her.
Before he could've left the stage, he remembered something very important.
"Akash Chaudhary and Sameer Yadav, ECE first year, we'd like to hear vote of thanks from you, guys, please welcome these freshers with a huge round of applause," Dev called the two random boys out of the blue, surprising everyone. What's this now?
Arvika along with other first-year ECE peers were dumbstruck when they saw the same two boys who had played the 'dog prank' on Dev, on the stage with their faces as white as the dead bodies with their legs trembling in sheer fear and anxiety! They had not expected this, not even a minuscule expectation.
~**•°•**~
4200 words! A long update as good as a double update, yeah?
I'd update the next chapter very soon, maybe till midnight, you'd get it, I will try!
Please vote, comment and follow, at least you can do this much! :(