#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...}