Chapter 8

Shivangi

Two weeks, that's how much I waited for a call or message from the college administration regarding the commencement classes. Two weeks is also the amount of time I waited hoping to meet Krish again. It was also the time I tried to figure out what was happening to me. Finally the two weeks are over and here I am in the college.

I stand outside for a while, admiring the beauty of college, like I have never done before. It's huge black gates with golden work on it was the highlight as one observed the college.

Anticipation coursing through my veins, I finally step inside and walk towards the department. "Will he even remember me?" I thought to myself. Maybe not, I mean why would he ? I was a mess that day, all fidgety and nervous. With his personality he must meet girls much more beautiful than me. Maybe even have a girlfriend. At that, I felt a pain in my heart.

"Oh my god! What if he does have a girlfriend? What if I am the only one to have these weird feelings?" I exclaimed to myself out loud in a rush and then I stamp a hand on my mouth realising what I just did. I quickly look around and let out a sigh of relief as I see I am walking alone on the road to the department. The rest of the way I kept my mouth shut as my thoughts toiled around in my head.

In few minutes, I reach the department and head straight to the office of head of the department (HOD). Father had asked me to go to his office before I went to class as he is an acquaintance. I gently knock on the door and go inside.

"Shivangi Sharma?" the spectacled and narrow-framed middle aged man asked me as soon as I entered. I was taken aback by the fact that he already knows me.

"Yes, sir" I answer politely. Before I can ask him how he knows me, he interrupts me with, "Your father sent me your picture and told me you were coming to see me now."

Great! so now I have a spy to be vary of in this college, I think to myself but respond to him with a polite smile.

Few minutes later, I exit his office and head upstairs to where the HOD said my class is. The more I walk towards the class, the faster my heart beats. Will I meet him today? Wait, he is not in your class, Shivangi! I scold myself mentally and was so absorbed in it that I almost crash into someone. But before I could, strong and huge hands steady me. I look up to see who it was and see a chest first before I tilt my head backwards to see the face.

He had dark brown hair that were almost covering his brown eyes. He gave off a sense of comfort and familiarity even though he was a stranger to me. "Hey there, pay attention to where you're going, okay?" his deep voice tells me gently. I nod. He the lets go of my shoulder and takes a step back, giving me space to walk away.

I turn as I walk and see that we were standing right outside the class I was supposed to go to. I quickly enter the class, fearing I might be late. As I enter, I feel many stares and look up to see atleast 20 guys sitting. Awesome! Are there no girls left in the planet? I thought to myself "Urgh! now I will be ogled at the entire time!" I mutter to myself in a low voice as I sit on a chair in the front.

Since my middle school, I am used to being ogled at but it still makes me a little uncomfortable at first before I start ignoring it. I take out a book out of my bag and start reading it but in few moments I feel a stare, unlike the others in the classroom, I can't ignore it. I felt my heart beat faster, making this feeling even more intense and baffling. I had never experienced anything like this before and didn't know what was going on. After what felt like minutes, I could still feel the stare and I decide to look up when someone taps on my shoulder.

I turn my head to look at the person and see a swarthy, medium built boy with curly hair smiling at me. "Hi, my name is Sanjeev." he says. I politely smile and greet him, while I feel uncomfortable under that stare, which now seemed to have intensified on its own suddenly. "uh...what's your name?" he asks a little shy.

"My name is Shivangi" I tell him while trying to sneak a glance to my side but before I could succeed, Sanjeev talks. "That's a beautiful name." he says while smiling shyly. Really? First day and you're trying to flirt with me. I think to myself as I face palm in my mind. But on my face I paste a polite smile. I was about to respond to him when I felt the pressure and stare I had felt suddenly vanish. Unable to stop myself, I turn to my side to look the culprit and see no one.

Relieved and oddly disappointed, I turn in my seat to face the board like before. Amidst all this I had forgotten that Sanjeev was expecting a reply. When I did remember a few moments later, I decided not to, might as well give him the clue that I wasn't interested.

Soon it was ten minutes since I had entered class and not one girl was there. I was told there will be 6 girls and yet I was the only one here. Just as I was about to get back to my book, a girl comes in. She had long straight hair that was tied into a pony tail. She was wearing a green colour churidar and had a handbag on her shoulder. As she walked in, she was waving at a few guys behind me and then sat on the seat to my right side. She soon turned towards me with a bright smile and I smile back at her as I was equally happy there was another girl. It wasn't like I was one of those girls who didn't talk to boys or was shy. Far from it, I was a little reserved despite my outgoing nature. It took me time to warm up to people, especially boys, who only ogle at me. Comparatively, girls initiate conversation and it's easier for me to be friendly with them.

"Hi, my name is Swathi" her bright voice brings me out of my reverie. I quickly introduce myself and shake her hand. I thought, now I can socialize a little but in few minutes I realised I was wrong. She was a tamilian and knew only little English, whereas I was a North Indian and didn't know Tamil much. So while I tried to make sense of her broken English, she tried to understand my moderately good English. Amongst communication issues, we finally stopped talking and I went back to reading.

A few minutes later, another girl walks in and though excited I was also worried. She was a little plumpy and has her straight silky hair in a braid to her side. She was wearing a salwar kurta, like me, with a sling bag on her shoulders. She sees me and her eyes light up and comes to me quickly. "Hey, I'm Aarti" she says brightly before she takes the seat to my left. "You are new, I looove your hair" she says in Tamil and touches my hair slightly. Though I understood what she said, her liveliness took me aback a little but then I smiled. "Thanks, though I really wish I had hair like yours. It's so silky!! and straight!!" I say, admiring her hair. I had always wanted straight hair and her hair was the premium amongst them. So soft, you will know just looking at it. "Oh, btw, I am Shivangi' I tell her and extend my hand to shake. She takes my hand, "Yeah I have straight hair but curly hair looks beautiful without having to do anything" she says in good English. Hearing that I felt all the worries dissolve. Finally there was someone who knew English. In the next five minutes, Aarti introduces me to a bunch of seven guys who looked relieved to have been introduced to me.

"This is Zola, he is a tam-bram*" she says pointing at a wheat-ish complexioned boy with thick name of hair framing a round face. She went on to point at another suave guy, "This is Shaun, he is a chennaite* but has the attitude of a Banglorean*" as she introduced him, I noticed her eyes sparkle a little extra and a dazed looked on her face. Hmmm, looks like someone is crushing on their classmate, I think to myself. Probably to cover up, she quickly turns to a thin fellow, "This is Tintin, his parents loved the comic and named him after it." I stifled a laugh as I see a sour expression on the poor guy. "This is Anand, half-mallu* and son of a director." she said pointing at a scruffy looking guy whose hair was a mess and had smirk on his lips as he checked me out. I averted my gaze from him and turned my attention to the girl next to me. "This is Suresh, he is the joker of the group and amongst us he lives closest to college in a rented space." she says while stifling a laugh and pointing at a dusky guy with thick brows and square face. "Hey! why de? How can you call this handsome face a joker?" Suresh exclaims dramatically. He turns to me and says, "Don't listen to her Shivangi, in reality I am the handsome one in the group. She is just jealous." I fight the laughter in me again as they start bickering. "Jealous? Ha! of what? Your stupidity? And no way are you the handsome one, not with that brows of yours." She turns to me and motions as if to say forget about him, Let me introduce you to the rest, "This is Hari, he is another joker and has the attitude of a know-it-all." pointing at a thin fellow with a long face. From the Snickers from the others, this seemed to be a common joke amongst the group. Aarti quickly pauses and looks around, as if searching for someone.

"Who are you looking for?" I ask her.

"I'm looking for my favourite of these idiots." she says as she looks at the door. She was about to turn when a deep voice calls out her name, "Looking for me, Aarti?". At that moment, her face lights up, not as much as it did with Shaun but close. So this must be her bestie. I turn to look at the guy in the entrance and see the same guy who steadied me earlier. He turns to looks at me and I see a light of recognition in his eyes. He quickly walks towards us and while he messes Aarti's hair and received a slap on the hand for it, he looks at me and extends his hand, "Hi, I'm Leonard, I'm her favourite amongst these idiots" he says cheekily, his head titling towards her.