Chapter 2

23-5-16

Morning

Shobhit – "you are seriously not thinking to take architecture, I still my sister regretting it Ved. They don't even earn that much."

Jay – "and above all, you are thinking of a private university, do you think your dad is gonna pay for it."

Ved – "he has plenty to spent since my brother ran away."

Jay – "are you sure you are not doing it to piss him off"

Shobhit – "he didn't run away, he left home. There is a difference kid."

Ved – "whatever. All the same to me, good for me, more money for me"

Shobhit – "listen, just pick a good college as a backup, you have given those entrance exams"

Ved – "actually..."

Shobhit – "the results will come out sooner or later if you clear any of them…"

Ved – "I don't think..."

Shobhit – "You will have a good bargain even with private colleges."

Ved – "I AM GOINT TO CLEAR THEM SHOB"

Jay – "He wasn't studying for the exams."

Shobhit – "Why? Why were you not studying…?"

Jay – "Netflix and Chill."

Shobhit – "LOL…. I am pretty sure he was more like Netflix and Tensed."

Even though it's only a phone call, Jay doesn't hesitate from a sneak attack. The only good thing is that I know, someone knows what I have been through and the bad thing is, it is Jay. He will keep poking me about it.

Ved – "I never thought in the first place I am going to clear them. You already know how many people give entrance exams in India and how many actually clear it, and I wasn't watching Netflix"

Shobhit – "but still…"

Jay – "he was watching Netflix the whole time."

Ved – "I wasn't."

Jay – "yes you were."

Shobhit – "what are you gonna do?"

Ved – "no, I wasn't"

Shobhit – "oh, common"

Ved – "there is no still. Average students like me just end up in a private University." It is true after all. I am gonna spent a lot of dad's money just to study in a college which has good lawns.

Jay – "stop speaking like a looser, all is not lost, at least your virginity is intact."

Shobhit – "LOL, he is already fucked by drama"

Ved – "yes all is not lost, just help me choose a good architecture college. And please refrain yourself from commenting on my virginity, you holy virgins" Only if they knew.

Shobhit – "Mmm"

Jay – "who said we are virgins"

Shobhit – "Yes, drama child"

Ved – "please, spare me today, I beg of you both." I can hear them both giggling on the phone like little girls, uh kids.

Jay – "Architecture isn't that bad Shobhit, you just happen to know one person who is you sister, who regrets taking architecture."

Shobhit – "maybe I am wrong, I hope I am wrong. But if you really want to do architecture KIIT is good, as far as I have heard."

Jay – "yes, thank you."

Ved – "but seriously, I wasn't watching Netflix."

Jay – "as far as I can see Ved, just apply for anything you like for now, if you don't like it in future, decide in future for it"

Shobhit – "Yes. I believe you Jay; he was watching Netflix."

Ved – "h…it's enough for one day guys."

Jay – "Aww" when will this guy stop flirting with me? When I get married, when I have kids, when I die.

Shobhit – "just fill the form now Ved, and don't fall for Jay."

Ved – "how can I, Humans don't fall for donkeys"

Shobhit – "Perfect comeback"

Jay – "Don't forget none of you have driving license, before saying anything"

Shobhit – "ha-ha, LOL, JUST A DRIVER."

Jay – "children should not talk back to their parents."

Ved – "Let me concentrate, please."

Shobhit – "I am gonna go now, come to my place in evening. The badminton court will be free."

Jay – "yes."

Ved – "Finally. I hate those little children of your locality, always buzzing around all the time."

Shobhit – "Yes, good thing they are down with flu. Happens to one, happens to all of them. Anyway bye, see Ya!"

Jay – "yes, I am gonna go now too, I am hungry."

Ved – "me too."

Jay- "yes, let me go now. we have been on call for more than an hour and I hate phone calls."

Ved – "very much."

Jay – 'bye!"

Ved – "Bubye!"

That was actually a pretty long and exhausting call, but now that it is done and I have some mind space. I must find a way to talk my dad into it and convince myself that it is going to be okay. I know, I shouldn't have run away from my exams. I should have just tried, opened the book and gave it a shot. To be honest I am tired of struggling and failing miserably again and again. I have tried my hands at show many things but just none seems to work. At least in architecture I will not have to put up with numbers.

Dad will be home for lunch. Oh, if it would have been five years ago on a weekend, I would have been so excited for it. But it is not, nothing is the same, every day is changing something here or there in everyone. I only need to say it to him, convincing him won't work. I will only come across as a weak unenthusiastic person.

"what do you think about architects, dad?", I just blurted it out of the blue, didn't even looked up from my plate. I am pretty sure mom is looking at me, confused. My dad after a while replies, "do I need to think about them". It makes one thing clear; he is not up for idle chit chat; I just have to say it. "no, but I am informing you that your son is going to be one", I am trying not to sound harsh, but it is just, everything always comes out wrong from my mouth when he is around. "hmm", he replies hmm. What should I make of it, he doesn't care now? he is not interested anymore? "let's talk about it when I am home Ved."

My mom doesn't say a thing to me since my brother left. We rarely talk now a days, just a bare of words here and there. If someone tells me now that a parent doesn't have a favourite child, I will punch them in the face. Now I don't think my dad also cares much, after all brother was the shine of his eyes. He had such great plans for him. he probably thinks I will never be good as him, why doesn't he understand I don't want to be good as him, I just want to be me, I just want to be a person who is not ashamed all the time. I agree, they miss him a lot but I am still here. I always was, waiting for them. To be honest when brother ran away, I was relieved that they will notice me, that I am also part of this family. after it they grew more distant, more lost, further away from me.

When he was here at least things were normal, they used to talk about colleges and stuff, how my dad wanted my brother to give entrance exams of and get in, like he did, have a comfortable life. But none of the stuff worked out between them, not that I care a lot. I have my own plans and I will be okay.

Evening

"hey, let me play too.", I was shouting from outside the court. "you win every time, no fun playing with you", Jay shouted back. They both are sore losers, not my fault I took badminton classes. I even invited them to join me. Shouldn't have made fun of me then losers.

"but I want to play too", I said in an innocent voice. Jay snapped back, "you are stupidly competitive", "you suck the fun out of playing, you can play the next round with Jay"

Jay looked towards me with pitiful eyes, Shobhit doesn't let go of the racket easily. If there was a fourth person here, we could have played doubles, like that one time with Amir. He wasn't that good of a player though but it was fun. Shobhit invited him to play after school and that day I thrashed both Jay and Shobhit with my skills. Amir was pissed of a little because I apparently was being a one-man team.

"Ved, do you still want to play? Shobhit is tired." Jay was asking me with a sheepish smile. "Of course, I want to play".

We played till Jay was exhausted of losing and I was bored of winning. When I am gonna meet a challenge that I will enjoy. Our battle will be legendary.

"Anyone wants to go to CCD; I Am craving some coffee?" Shobhit shouted from across the court.

"Meeeeeeee, take me with you. I don't know how long will I be able to tolerate him" Jay shouted back making weird faces. I hate them.

"Should I take out the car?"

"I am in no mood to drive and this one doesn't know how to drive", I threw my racket towards that bastard. "you missed boy", Jay said with a smirk.

"you will be on your knees when I am done with you", I ran from the other side of the court and tackled him down. Now I was on top of him, my left hand pressing down on his neck and he gasping for air and my other hand was tickling him.

"Acha wait ... wait. hahaha.", he was struggling to speak and laughing out his tongue.

"No, this is a lesson for all the teasing", I said laughing myself.

He kicked me by his knee and locked my hands behind my back in a swoop. Now my face was literally on the ground and he is very heavy, I am unable to move now.

"Guess who is on his knees now, bitch". I tapped the ground repeatedly so that he let me go.

"You are a buffalo Jay"

"and all you think of is boys on knees", he said in a serious tone. I really don't understand why he keeps teasing me, did I offend him someway or what. I don't really know; he doesn't seem angry or upset. I think I will ask him.

"Hey Jay, can I ask you something", I said with a straight face.

"No", the jerk replied with a straighter face. I hate him.

"honnkkkkk".

Shobhit was driving, Jay is in the front seat, looking out of the window and I am in the back, staring lasers in him through rear view mirror. I know he is ignoring me and Shobhit has already sensed something is off but he will not dare utter anything to tick me off, poor fellow. I hope everything to be fine when we reach.

The café is crowded. Its annoyingly crowded and I hate crowds. We sat in the 1st floor, near the balcony. We can see almost half of the ground floor from here.

"Who is excited to leave?", Jay asked looking at Shobhit.

"I think I will be Fine", Shobhit replied"

"I will be very excited to leave both of you"

"You will be crying, curled up like a ball in your bed at night", Jay said pointing fingers at me. "I hope not, I don't want to listen him crying on phone at night at 2 a.m.", Shobhit said with a worried look.

"Jerks"

"Don't turn back Ved", Jay said and I see Shobhit waving is hand to someone behind me.

The next thing I hear his Amir's laugh a few feet away from me. Now Jay, is also waving at him and his eyes met mine for a second and all I understood was if he comes here it will be very awkward for you. Now Amir was seating across the room with that little nephew of his. Jay stood up from his seat, I guess that was our cue to leave. Except me, both of them had finished their cold coffee. The exit from that place was awkward for me, embarrassing for Jay and confusing for Shobhit, poor fellow. Shobhit dropped both of us home.