#15---THE FIRST RIDE...

Arjun: What ?? Idiot, I was in the middle of a very good conversation and here you come, to disrupt the tempo.

Nihal: Never mind, Arjun. Today I'm going to propose Neeraja about my wish to get into a relationship with her.

Arjun: But you guys are meeting for the first time, right?

Nihal: NO, I already met her twice and we talked about you guys as a couple.

Arjun: OH! c'mon !!! Why do you keep including me in your itinerary all the time?
 Fine then, whatever has happened, has already happened. So let's leave that behind. So are you going to propose her???

Nihal: Yes, we both are going out for a ride on my bike and it may be late when I return back. So.... I guess you should ask Aashritha to drop you home on her vehicle.

Arjun: THIS HAS GONE TOO FAR  DUDE. ANOTHER WORD YOU SPEAK ABOUT THIS NOW, I'M GONNA BREAK YOUR NOSE RIGHT AWAY.

[ARJUN FURIOUSLY WALKED TO AND FRO TO CALM HIS SENSES..THEN...]

Arjun: Look Nihal, everything until now is acceptable but this is insane, ok. You talk or propose or whatever to Neeraja after that you are coming along with me home.

Nihal: Look Arjun, this is not a place where someone proposes or a place which inspires someone to accept a proposal, so I need to take her out no matter what. And, moreover, why are you insisting to go home along with me when you have your beautiful crush who can drop you there?

Arjun: No, that's not good. How can I ask her? We just started talking and if I ask her about dropping me at home, she might feel bad about me.

Nihal: Don't worry about that. I'll take her permission. Today, you will enjoy the real essence of sitting as a PILLION rider. Have fun and talk lot.

[THERE WASN'T MUCH THESE DAYS THAT ARJUN COULD DECIDE ON HIS OWN. ALL HIS DECISIONS ARE BEING MANIPULATED BY NIHAL AND HIS ACTIONS. SO HE RELUCTANTLY ACCEPTED THE OFFER HAPPILY AS THIS WAS THE SAME THING THAT WAS AT THE BACK OF HIS MIND]

Nihal: Hey, Aashritha, would you mind dropping Arjun at his place, as I  and Neeraja have to go elsewhere?

Aashritha: ahaa.... you are taking her out... already? Fine, I'll drop him off. You guys have fun.

[AASHRITHA WAS EQUALLY DELIGHTED AS ARJUN ON THE IDEA OF A RIDE. SHE  THANKED NIHAL AGAIN IN HER THOUGHTS.]

Nihal: OK then fine. We'll leave. Bye Arjun and Aashritha. Take good care of my friend Aashritha.

Aashritha: Ok..... Fine ,Arjun. Shall we start?

Arjun: Sure. Whenever you are convenient to go.If you insist, we'll leave right away.

Aashritha: Then, let's start.Its getting dark.

[BOTH GET ON THE SCOOTER...ARJUN IN THE MEANWHILE CHECKS OUT THE OTHER GIRLS IN THE PARKING LOT AND GETS CAUGHT BY AASHRITHA WHO REMAINS SILENT.]

The ignition starts...

Aashritha: So, yeah Arjun, You've got any girlfriends?

Arjun: Ya, I have friends who are girls. Not many, but yeah enough.

Aashritha: ohh.!! that's good. But my question was about a girlfriend.

Arjun: Girlfriend!! No, actually.

Aashritha: I can't hear you clearly. Don't mind to sit a bit closer.

Arjun: No , that's fine. I'll sit here.

Aashritha: Now, I understand why you have less friends in girls. You are very shy and reserved right?

Arjun: It's not that Aashritha. I'm a bit different to all the other guys. I know my limits and I don't intend to exceed them. 
I'm not trying to be different from others and be unique. I just try to be myself and I love it that way.

Aashritha: That's a very good description of you, Arjun. I'm impressed once again.

Arjun: Hey, I wanted to ask you something back there in the college, can I now?

[AASHRITHA WANTED TO TEASE ARJUN A BIT AT THIS POINT...]

Aashritha: Sure, Arjun. Don't ask me about my boyfriends' list huh? It's a big one.

Arjun: That's fine, Aashritha, never mind about that. Everybody has their own pros and cons. It's not about that thing, I'm sure that you are single now. It's something very personal.

Aashritha: What's that? Ask? Don't make me wait.

Arjun: I would love to have your mobile number, your email id and your facebook profile name. Please don't get angry if you don't want to share them with me.

Aashritha: Now, I understand why ?

Arjun: What? Did you understand?

Aashritha: Nothing leave it. I'll give when I drop you at your house.

Arjun: No need of that Aashu. I'll get down on the main road near your house.

Aashritha: That's not a problem, Arjun. I'll drop you off at your place.

Arjun: That's fine buddy. I'll get down here. My place is not too far either. never mind. I'll get off.

Aashritha: fine then. Here we go. This is my house. 
Don't think that I'm not calling you inside when you come here the first time. I guess,... you understand.

Arjun: Wow, this looks like a pretty good place to live. Don't mention, I understand. 
Don't think that I'm rude for declining your offer to drop me at my place. I was just concerned about how you come home alone on the way back. So, I thought it would be wise if I get down here.
OK then, I'll leave. Thanks for a wonderful ride, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Aashritha: Me too. liked it to the core. I feel like I'm around good eyes and good 
heart and a fantastic guy when I'm with you, Arjun. Thanks for talking to me on that day. My life would have been something else right now if it were not for you. 

Arjun: That's the best compliment I've ever got. Thankyou for the ride and the impression you have upon me.

[ARJUN STARTED HOME FROM AASHRITHA'S PLACE, HAPPILY AND SATISFYINGLY EVEN THOUGH HIS PLACE WAS TOO FAR FROM WHERE HE WAS. HE TOOK ALL THE DETAILS HE REQUIRED FROM AASHRITHA AND WAS EAGER TO GET BACK HOME...]

{JUST THEN HE GOT A MESSAGE TO HIS PHONE SAYING...

{TO BE CONTINUED...}

#14---ARJUN EXPOSES HIS OTHER SIDE...

[SATURDAY @ AASHRITHA'S CAMPUS; TIME: 3:55 PM]
[ARJUN AND NIHAL ARRIVED AT THE SAID PLACE A BIT EARLIER THAN THE SAID TIME.THEY WERE GREETED BY THE GIRLS AS THEY ENTERED INTO THE PREMISES OF THE CAMPUS...]

Aashritha: Hey Nihal, you guys are very punctual isn't it?

Nihal: hi Aashritha. Yeah we are, right from our childhood, especially when meeting girls.

Neeraja: Hai Arjun, How are you?

Arjun: yeah I'm good buddy. What about you?

Neeraja: Me too, feeling good. I wonder what Nihal wants to talk to me?

Nihal: I'm going to take you somewhere and I am gonna disclose the matter to you over there.

[SAYING THIS, NIHAL TOOK NEERAJA ASIDE TO A PLACE, THROUGH THE BUSHES IN THE CAMPUS GARDEN, A PLACE WHICH WAS EARLIER DISCUSSED ALONG WITH AASHRITHA.
THIS ACTION FROM NIHAL TOOK BOTH ARJUN AND NEERAJA BY SURPRISE. ARJUN WAS SHELL SHOCKED UPON NIHAL'S BEHAVIOR AS IF IT WERE A PREVIOUSLY WELL REHEARSED THEATRE ACT.
 HE COULDN'T AND DID NOT WANT TO RUIN NIHAL'S PLAN , SO HE LET IT BE WITHOUT INTERRUPTING HIS ACTIONS.]

Arjun: What's happening??? And where is he taking her through the bushes?

Aashritha: Don't worry. He's taking her to a classroom .

Arjun: CLASSROOM??? HO... That's fine. I thought he took her somewhere else.
 Idiot, he could have told me that he was planning all this.

Aashritha: Never mind, Arjun. It was all pre-planned and he didn't want you to know about that. 
Fine, leave it.
This way, let's sit in this room and chat while they complete their first major meeting.

[BOTH TAKE THEIR SEATS ACROSS A TABLE IN THE ROOM, TRYING TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE SURROUNDINGS.] 

Arjun: OK.Fine. So, Hii Aashritha!

Aashritha: Hai Arjun!. I'm really pleased to meet you after a gap. 
Special thanks to Nihal for bringing you along with him.

Arjun: No need to thank him. You helped him and he's doing his best to rectify his mistake.

Aashritha: Mistake? What mistake?

Arjun: Nothing important, Aashritha. Let's talk something else.

BOOOOM!!!!! BHAAA MM!!!!!!

[ A TRANSFORMER GOT BLASTED AND THERE WAS A POWER-CUT IN THE CAMPUS. ALL THE LIGHTS AND FANS IN THE ROOM THEY WERE WENT NUMB AND LOST THEIR LIVES.]

Arjun: Oh! my god!. what has happened?

Aashritha: Don't worry. It's just a power cut. Everything will be fine.

Arjun: Do you believe in ghosts and demons??

Aashritha: No, why are you even taking up that topic. do you believe them and their stories?

Arjun: No, I don't like them either, they are damn creepy creatures.

Aashritha: Then why are you even discussing about them with me?

Arjun: It's just that when I enter into old, large,  scary and dark buildings, I get a weird feeling in my heart which people call "fear".

Aashritha: It's " large , old , dark and scary building"

Arjun: Yeah, that was what I said.

Aashritha: No, the order of the adjectives was different when you told.

Arjun: Wow, that's very interesting to hear that someone at least cares about the grammar spoken by a person. HATS OFF madam...

Aashritha: Stop it, Arjun. Enough.

Arjun: I never thought someone could be as attentive as you are, Aashritha.

Aashritha: Come on ,Arjun. Stop flirting with me.

Arjun: I don't know if I am. But me and flirting don't get along well.

[SUDDENLY THE INCHARGE OF THE ROOM CAME CLOSER TO THEM , LIGHTED A CANDLE AND WAS TERRIFIED ON SEEING BOTH OF THEM SITTING ACROSS A TABLE IN THE PITCH-BLACK ROOM]

Arjun: I've heard many stories about 'candle light dinners and stuff like that', but, I have never even imagined about something like this, a candle light study with a beautiful girl.

Aashritha: What are you studying in the candle light's brightness?

Arjun: Your "eyes". Those are the most beautiful pair of eyes  I've seen, of course, after my mother's eyes. But seriously, they are the ones that grab attention of the people to have a glance at you.

[AASHRITHA BLUSHED AND LOOKED TOWARDS THE GROUND...]

Aashritha: That was the best I've heard from someone and I appreciate your try to impress me.

Arjun: So are you impressed? There's nothing I did, just copied the last line from the ROM-COM book I was reading last night.

Aashritha: I guess, you haven't heard me saying "try" to impress me.  

Yeah, Arjun, I'm impressed a  lot. This is the first time in many days that I've felt so happy . Special thanks to you.

Arjun:Can I ask you something very personal?

Aashritha: Yeah sure, Arjun.

Nihal: Hey Arjun, one second man. Sorry Aashritha, please excuse us for a moment.

[ARJUN'S QUESTION WAS INTERRUPTED BY NIHAL'S INTERVENTION]

{TO BE CONTINUED...} 

#13---LIFE OF NAZEEMA BEGUM...

[ARJUN DISCONNECTED THE CALL HE RECEIVED AND HIMSELF CALLED THE PERSON]

"Idiot, Why did you cut the call? What the hell are you doing anyway? It's been a week since I came here and you still haven't met me again", an angry Nazeema blurted out.

"woohoo hoo ho.... cool madam...cool... I was just about to call you whether you were free to meet me or not. Here you are going all guns blazing without listening to me", said Arjun very coolly.

"What happened to the other 5 days of the week? Anyways, I called you to let you know that I am leaving to Mumbai this Saturday. So is there any chance that I could get an appointment to 
meet you, sir?"

"I'm sorry. I did not call you, just got a bit busy. I need to discuss an important matter with you. So we meet tomorrow i.e., Friday at 5:30 PM at CAFE COFFEE DAY. You fine with that?", asked Arjun.

"yeah, its fine. What's the matter about?", quizzed Nazeema.

Arjun irritatedly said,"That's the problem with you girls."

"You can't wait for the suspense and You can't hold the secret disclosed to you. You want to know it earlier than it should have been said and You share the secret even before the whole thing is completely known to you."

"OK fine baba.Tell it tomorrow itself. BYE for now.

"bye, Nazeema"

[FRIDAY@CAFE COFFEE DAY; TIME:5:25 PM.BOTH ARJUN AND NAZEEMA ARRIVE AT THE MEETING SPOT AT THE SAME TIME WITH BEAMING SMILES ON THEIR FACES BECAUSE OF THE COINCIDENCE]

Nazeema: Hey dude, thanks you came early. I need to go quickly, I'm leaving today to Mumbai.

Arjun: Hi, But you told you would be leaving tomorrow.What happened?

Nazeema: It's my husband. He wants me to get back home. So, yeah I need to go today. You said you wanna talk about something to me, what's that?

Arjun:ya, its about a girl I've been crushing on. It's been around 3 months that started and I still can't get beyond my fear to tell her about my feelings. I thought, you could be of some help thats the reason why I wanted to discuss it with you.

Nazeema: Look Arjun, LOVE is a very sensitive issue. Once you get into it- its never gonna leave you. You may succeed or fail in love it will haunt you back with great happiness or utmost sadness. Whatever decision you take about this crush of yours make sure you'll never regret about it later.

Arjun: Yeah I'm sure its her. How do I approach her?

Nazeema: Its quite simple dude. Don't get tensed up, your tension kills your creativity. 
Don't prepare the speech you're gonna talk to her on the previous night. Just go there , be calm and speak your heart without any fuss.

Arjun: That's it. I've heard some thousands of advice such as this. But your's is something that I can easily try and work out. Thank You.

Nazeema: And one more thing, dress up in a very decent manner. Don't get funky, just a bit of styling thats it.

Arjun: OK madam. So how's your marriage life going?

Nazeema: Don't ask me about that. Its horrendous. Life in love is very sweet at the start but then it gets bitter as you go along the journey. I made a mistake, got committed a bit early to my age and here I am suffering now.

Arjun: What's wrong Nazeema? Is there anything I could be of any help to you?

Nazeema:No, Arjun. You don't get into all of this. That's how life in love and marriage is, one wrong step ,everything you achieved till then goes flying into the garbage bin. I fought my parents to marry a Hindu  guy who's 3 older to me.Now I pity myself for making such a blunder.

It started out well and its still going good. He earns around 8lakh per annum and I earn around !0 lakh per annum. There's no problem with the financial thing and all. It's just the ego created due to the fact that I earn 200000 bucks more than him. He now wants me to carry a child and look after the family putting aside my dreams and aspirations.

There's a lot of things going on in the house right now. I'm still happy being with him and that is the same with him too. It's just that we're not saying that to each other. This is what I said, Once you get in, there's no turning back. You either suffer alone or start arguing with each other, the main thing over here is you can't just leave the person and live your own life, its near to impossible doing that.

Arjun: Try taking a break from all of this work and stuff. Why don't you both go on a trip around the world. If you need any help regarding where you wanna go and what you want to see over there, I will help you with that.

Nazeema: Thanks for your concern, Arjun. I would love to try that sometime after I reach home.

Arjun: OK then. I think you should leave, else you may get late to the airport.Thanks for your help Nazeema and do take care of yourself.

Nazeema : Thankyou Arjun. I'll leave then

{TO BE CONTINUED...}

#12---MAHESH AND HIS ANTIQUES . . .

[AFTER THE CALL FROM AASHRITHA GOT DISCONNECTED:NIHAL SIGHTED ARJUN AT A FAR OFF DISTANCE IN THE CLASSROOM'S OTHER CORNER ; SMILED AT HIM AND GAVE HIM A SIGNAL TO MEET HIM OUTSIDE THE CLASS; WITHOUT GETTING NOTICED BY THE PROFESSOR.] 

{ARJUN UNDERSTOOD THE SIGN LANGUAGE; EVERY STUDENT IS HIMSELF A MASTER IN THIS ART. SMILED BACK AT NIHAL; BUT HAD A PUZZLED LOOK ON HIS FACE UPON WHY NIHAL WAS SMILING CONSTANTLY TO HIMSELF}

(AFTER THE CLASS@ CANTEEN)

Nihal: I need your help on Saturday. I have got some work to do and I require your services.

Arjun: Sure. We'll do that. But what's the matter?

Nihal: I got a date arranged with Neeraja on Saturday. Thanks to Aashritha for her altruistic nature.

MAHESH: Wow! That's a great NEWS. Do good.Take Arjun also along with you.

SWAPNA: Why? What's the need for Arjun to go over there? What's he going to do while Nihal would be busy talking to his 'date'?

[ARJUN'S FACE FROWNED WHEN THE QUESTIONS WERE RAISED AGAINST HIS MEETING with AASHRITHA...]

Mahesh: That's what the plan is Ms. SWAPNA. While Nihal's away talking to Neeraja, Arjun would get a chance to talk to Aashritha during that time.

[ARJUN'S USUAL SMILE AGAIN RETURNED BACK TO HIS FACE, WHEN HE HEARD THE COMFORTING WORDS OF MAHESH.]

Nihal: yeah. That's what it is. Good deduction Mahesh. 
Arjun, I want to make up for the incident that happened the previous time.So you're coming along with me on Saturday.

"Fine then. If everybody says so, then I have to abide by it", said Arjun reluctantly.

[ SWAPNA, THE LATEST ENTRY IN THE STORY IS ONE OF THE FEW BEST FRIENDS ARJUN HAS, AND IS ALSO A VERY GOOD FRIEND TO HIS GANG OF FRIENDS IN THE CLASS.   SWAPNA, A VERY SIMPLE-GOING  ATTRACTIVE LADY, WHO HAS A HUGE SECRET CRUSH ON OUR 'HANDSOME GUY-MAHESH'. BUT PRESERVED THE NEWS WITHOUT REVEALING IT TO ANYBODY ELSE.SHE FELT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO CONTINUE THEIR FRIENDSHIP RATHER THAN TELLING HIM ABOUT HER FEELINGS WHICH IN TURN MAY RESULT IN THE RUINING OF THEIR PRESENT RELATIONSHIP.]

SWAPNA: How did you guess that Mahesh? How in hell did you go that ahead into the matter?

Arjun: You're still not aware of his antiques. He was a huge rock-star during the Intermediate days.

Nihal: Arjun, tell her about the Mahalakshmi's incident in the college.

Mahesh: Guys you are taking this too far. Enough about me. You have an important meeting with your girls in 3 days time, go and get prepared for that.

Arjun: Thanks for your concern.We're gonna take care of ourselves. If you don't wish to relive the story again, then please get the hell out from the canteen.

[MAHESH LEFT THE CANTEEN INFURIATINGLY, LEAVING ARJUN SWAPNA AND NIHAL IN A HILARIOUS MOOD]

Swapna: Hey Arjun, what was that matter? Why is he so angry about that incident?

Arjun: During the intermediate phase, we were in the BOYS-ONLY campus, which made life for us even the more horrible, when combined with the extensive pressure upon studies from the college. 
We wanted a break from the hectic schedule, which was achieved with the help of FACEBOOK. Everybody was interested to talk to girls, some of them even strangers. Mahesh being the most handsome in our gang, was the first to get a chance to talk to a girl and he made it count.

Nihal: Mahesh found an account of a girl called Mahalakshmi which had an interesting quote in the favorite quote's column stating "NOBODY IS PERFECT. I AM NOBODY".

Mahesh was his usual witty self. He sent a message to Mahalakshmi which eventually became the cause for her to accept his request.
He said,"SOMEBODY WANTS TO TALK TO NOBODY. I AM SOMEBODY". Everyone of our friends along with Mahalakshmi were totally surprised by the answer. Mahalakshmi started talking to him and slowly their usual Facebook chat was the go-to topic for us in the classroom.

Arjun: We never got bored of their conversations, that was how he used to talk to people back then. One day both of them decided to meet each other, Nihal and I were also invited to the meeting. It turned out to be a wonderful and a memorable day for the both of them as they fell in love during their first meeting itself.

 From that day started their epic love story, roaming on the roads hand-in-hand, getting wet in the rain together, corner seats in the theaters, lunch and treats every other week. It had gone just like a movie without any hiccups except for a single incident in the college.

Nihal: This is the best thing of all. One day both of them were strolling near our college road early in the morning before the college started, both their shoulders brushing each other. Suddenly, Mahalakshmi wanted to tease Mahesh and started running away from him. He too started hopping towards her and in the process got a glimpse of a familiar face staring angrily at him. It was our college principal Mr.SHARMA. He was on his bike and did not bother to stop him; he noticed that Mahesh had his bag around his shoulders which made him conclude that he was going to come to the college anyways. 
But Mahesh had other plans, he got back to his house immediately after dropping Maha at her college campus.He made everyone to believe that he had a severe stomach ache which was the reason for his return.

Arjun: In the college that day, Both of us got repeated scoldings for his extra ordinary behavior earlier that morning.He ridiculed Mahesh about his hairstyle, walking style and his attire in such a manner that we tried a lot to hide our smiles.  Mr. Sharma always had something for the guys in our gang, that incident added the necessary oxygen to the existing flame which makes it to burn even more ferociously.Everything with Mahesh and Sharma sir became normal within a few days.

 Life again became normal for Mahesh. 

Our intermediate got completed and we had a huge number of holidays before our Engineering classes started. One day, I was called to meet Nihal and Mahesh at Nihal's place. When I reached, I found Mahesh at the corner of the terrace with his head buried into his knees. Nihal was standing with a gloomy look on his face suggesting that something was wrong. I sat beside Mahesh, patted him on his shoulder and asked him what the matter was.

Nihal came to me and said that Maha's parents had forcibly conducted her marriage to some NRI software engineer. Me, being the friend, for a second gasped for air on listening to the news. 
Then I understood the pain of a love failure  when I saw the love blossom and maintained right in front of my eyes and suddenly it felt like a plane crash into the World Trade Center where no one would have expected that to happen at that time. I struggled for words. I did not know what to say to Mahesh. I give whole credit to Nihal for looking after Mahesh at that time and it is because of Nihal only that we could see Mahesh as he is right now.

Nihal: Fine, enough of praising me for what I haven't done. It's because of Mahesh himself for what he has become now. OK, stop this sad part of the story. I need to go to the class or I'm afraid that I might get detained due to attendance shortage. 

Swapna: I want to tell you both about something you might have an interest in. As of now, I just want to say THANK YOU. We'll talk about it later. Bye Nihal. Meet you again on Monday then.

[BOTH ARJUN AND NIHAL COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE ESSENCE OF THE WORDS UTTERED BY SWAPNA.NIHAL GOT BACK TO THE CLASS WHILE ARJUN WANDERED IN THE CAMPUS, PLAYING WITH HIS MOBILE PHONE.]
(ARJUN WANTED TO MAKE A CALL BUT GOT SURPRISED WHEN HE WAS CALLED BY SOMEONE WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A CALL)

{TO BE CONTINUED...}