1 *01*

"Excuse me, where is this interview . . ."

"Aage se jaake left phir straight phir right room number 09." A very angry voice said.

"Okay . . .thanks." I turned to get to the room no 09 . Yikes! What did he say?! Yes aage see jaake . . . great I forgot again. For the umpteenth time I complained to God, couldn't he be more careful while making me.

Why can't I remember directions.

"Sorry kya aap dobara bata sakte ho?" I returned to my previous angry man who seemed to be more angry, you could see steam coming out of his ears.

"Aage. se. jaake. left. phir. straight. phir. right. room no 09." He stomped away.

"Thank you . . . sorry . . ." I mumbled.

Managing to get to that particular room, which I thought a room appeared to be a sitting hall. Many of others who had come for the interview was sitting there with stern faces.

I sighed.

One of the India's best Engineering colleges. It wasn't easy to get through this interview round.

I moved towards a corner, an only chair as if was empty for me.

***

"Stop doing that."

"Um what?"

"Stop tapping your feet and eating chocolate here. It's quite irritating."

A boy who was sitting beside me, was so irritated that he didn't even look at me. Me being me, started the quota of asking stupidest questions of that day, "You don't like chocolates?"

He fumed, "No, I don't. And will you please stop that." He pointed at my feet. "Idiocy at its peak." He gritted his teeth.

Wait a second! Did he call me an idiot?!

"I am nervous okay? I eat chocolate and I tap my feet when I am. And this is my feet I can do whatever I want. Not that I am tapping your feet."

"What? Are you even listening to yourself?" He looked straight into my eyes.

"Of course I am. What do you think I am deaf?"

"Listen . . .you . . ."

"I am not talking to you." I turned my face. I already knew that the harm had been done. I was pretty much sure, people around me were definitely thinking about what kind of an idiot I was.

"Infant."

And I almost managed to be seated there, not opening my dumb mouth again.

Focus Suman, fucus!

"Princess?" A light tap on my shoulder.

Princess! Yewww!

"Sorry?" I startled.

"Are you here to sleep?" He smirked.

"What's it to you?" This time I didn't dare to open my smart mouth to say that I sleep when I am tensed.

"Nothing, bahut der se so rahi ho toh socha jaga doon. All the best. And yes mera ho gaya, now you can carry on with your tap dancing and munching chocolates. " He smiled politely before leaving me there, most probably seeing the chagrin in my eyes.

~^~

"To jane k liye taiyaar Suman beta?" I looked at nanu, he actually came all along the stairs to my room. But I knew he only wanted to see, whether I was okay or not.

"Ji nanu, almost done."

"Manju ki baaton ka bura mat mana kar. Pata haina tujhe woh aisi hi hai." His wrinkled face contorted into a sheepish grin, "Maine bhi aaj khub daraya, keh diya, pura ghar main tere naam kar doonga. Aur uski chehre se jo hawa udhi na!"

"Nanu!" I laughed, this old patriarch of this house, had always gone against everyone for me. Be it either taking me to his house, or fighting with all odds for me. His son, Sameer and daughter in-law, Manju never really accepted me the way he had. For them I was always a burden, a burden which should be gotten rid of as soon as possible.

I took his hands into mine, then only I realised, mine had become completely cold.

"Main thik rahunga, Bachche. Mere liye soch k tu apni zindegi kharab mat kar. Yeh char saal bahut kimti hai. Tujhe kuch banke dikhana hai. Yeh mat bhulna, tu jitni achchi karegi, teri iss buddhe ka sar utna hi uncha hoga."

~^~

Hostel life, they say everyone should have this experience. New people, new way of living, doing everything on your own. Though the last part wasn't that scary for me. I started to unpack then only I realised, a pair of eyes looking at me.

"Sorry I was a bit . . ." I smiled.

"I can see that." She smirked. "For an engineering student, you are abnormally unobservant."

"No actually I was . . ." This time I looked at her properly.

Scary.

The very first word came into my mind. A girl with so curly hair that could put noodles into shame. Pierced eyebrows, multiple rings on fingers, ripped jeans and a cropped top.

"What? Loved the look?"

"Not really. You actually look scary." I blurted out.

"What?!"

Here I did it again.

"No I didn't mean it that way, I actually . . ."

"Aree I liked it. Yes I look scary. And I love you for telling me that." She laughed, "By the way, I am Sameera khan."

"Suman Tiwari."

~^~

Friends, you always need friends. Sameera, who preferred to be called as Sam was a life saver. Girl, she had one sharp memory. She actually led me to my class, that too holding my hand. I didn't object though, at least holding hands and following was better than getting lost in this magnificent campus.

"Ragging k liye get ready." Sam sighed.

"Ragging?!"

"Haan aur kya! Tujhe kya laga, papers mein Jo aate Hai sab sach hai? So it's better to be prepared. Darr mat pehele jitna nahin hota."

Of course.

As Sam said, a pride of seniors entered the classroom. Yes pride, they actually looked like hungry lions to me.

Some of them sat on teachers' desk and some came in front of us.

To my surprise, it was fun. They actually told us, not to be scared it was all in good humor. To some they ordered to sing/dance. To some they asked weird questions. I was happily enjoying when one of them asked me to stand up.

"Name."

"Suman Tiwari."

"Hmm. Boy friend hai?"

"No."

"Achcha! Good! Toh soch, agar ek ladke ko propose karna ho to kaise karegi?"

"Main?" It had to be me. Why didn't they told me to sing or dance.

"Nahin to Kya main? Chal shuru ho ja." She pointed at one of the senior boys, "iss Shekhar ko kar propose."

Shekhar came forward but menacingly, there was something in his eyes that I wanted to crawl back into my seat.

Kar le Suman, once and for all sab khatam ho jayega.

"I . . .I . . ."

"We don't have all day sweetheart. . ."

I tried to look at this Shekhar, but suddenly a wall blocked my view.

"She won't." A booming voice said, silencing the whole class.

Wait a minute, it's that interview boy. And what's with his height, this isn't normal! He is actually a foot taller than me.

"What?" Shekhar's voice was stern.

"I said she won't."

"And who are you? Her father?"

"No. But haan if you want I can be yours."

"Chal ab Shekhar, professor is almost here." Seniors dragged that Shekhar out, but the way Shekhar was looking at me, I could easily say, boy I am in trouble.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Not really, but I am sure you are." He gritted his teeth.

"It was just a . . ."

"No it wasn't. That Shekhar is not a good boy." He massaged his temples, "Durr raho usse."

"Par woh sab phirse ayenge. Tab? Ek hi baar mein khatam ho jata."

"You don't need to worry, koi kuch nahin kar payega. I'll be there with you."

"But why? I don't understand . . ."

"You don't need to. Just trust me on this."

A certain emotion, a certain relief, his sincere voice jolted through my brain and I nodded without even thinking.

"That was something." Sam whispered, while professor was all going through how physics is related to our lives.

"Weird right?"

"Very. But I guess he likes you."

"Sam . . . kuch bhi!"

"What! Sabne dekha, I am telling you he is being protective of you. And it's okay, have you watched him properly? With that height, and that intense look, he is perfect."

All I wanted to argue, but Sam seemed not in that mood.

He is being protective of you kept ringing in my ears.

************************************