Nandini 

"Nandini ,it's ok, there is nothing to worry about, you can do this" I did a prep talk for myself as I walked through the corridors of my new college "So, what, it is my first day? I can do this; I can make new friends obviously, no need to be nervous Nandini ! You can do this!".

It's all me, for myself, I have to comfort myself daily, whenever I feel anxious, there is no one I can trust with my anxiety and nervousness, but myself.

So, I continue with my blabbering-to-me-session throughout my walk towards the Head of the Department's cabin. Feeling everyone's eyes on me, who watched my lame gestures with frowns and giggles? But like a wise girl.

I chose to ignore them.

I joined the college late because I was trying at another college which was number one in this city, but to my dismay, I was not selected, so at last my father chose to admit me to a private college. And here I am, in a private college, surrounded by spoiled rich brats, and because of that one mark, I failed the entrance exam, i am stuck between these Richie rich egoistic hooligans. 

Stopping in front of the HOD cabin, I read his name aloud to confirm whether I am at the correct place or not.

Dr M. Chatterjee (Head of the Computer Science Department).

I am at the right place "It is going to be alright, Krishna ji please be with me" I said taking a deep breath and knocking at the door before pushing it open.

"Sir, may I come in?" I peeped in and said in a low voice. The grey-haired, fifty years old HOD, who had his nose in the documents looked up at me and nodded slightly, the stoic expressions not leaving his face he took his attention back to the documents. Giving a nervous smile to no one or can say, his too-busy-in-reading-figure, I walked in.

"Sir it's my first day of college, can you please tell me my class-"my words stopped coming out of my mouth, when he showed me his hand, asking me to stop.

Rude! 

Mean! 

I closed my half-opened mouth and pouted angrily, it's all because Papa is standing here. I could've asked some peon about my class whereabouts, etc. but no! He wanted me to meet the HOD before starting, and here I am getting insulted.

"Have you brought the receipt?" he asked, keeping his files aside after about five minutes. I bobbed my head, unzipped my bag, and withdrew a paper from it.

"Here," I said, handing him over the letter, the HOD nodded looking at it and pressed the bell on his desk and within seconds there was a knock on the door.

"Sir?"

"Come here Malhotra" the guy peeping from the door opened it and stepped in  revealing himself, and Oh.my.god. Did I tell you I am attracted to men; I mean guys way older than me?

I looked at him from up to down. He was a guy in his mid-twenties. He wore a white shirt and black trousers, all formal. Is he a professor, I don't care even if he is one! All I care about is that he is hot! No, I shouldn't think of such things but me.

NO STOP IT Nandini !

After a long debate, with my over excited dramatic self, I maintained my I-am-a-good-student image by taking my eyes on my heels, oh my God.

 Wow! black colour.

Yay! It is so shiny- beautiful and-

"Here's this girl who was admitted recently, allot her a group ...." he said as he handed him over the slip.

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

"What's your name?" the hot professor asked me, as I followed him, through the corridor.

Oh god Nandini  stop drooling over him.

 Nandini ," I said slowly, all my it's-going-to-be-alright confidence went into the dustbin, as I lost my voice- along with my heart. I got a crush!

He nodded and walked into his chamber in the staff room with the nameplate Dr Abhimanyu Raichand(Assistant Professor), while I stood outside, tapping my foot on the ground anxiously.

"Come in"

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

"No Nandini ...don't be nervous, it will be ok, deep breath," I said to myself numerous times, standing out of the partly open classroom and peeping in, eyeing the professor teaching.

Do you know? If you are at a school/college/ or any other sort of seminar just learn to come before time! Otherwise, you will be the centre of attention, as soon as you walk in! And it is not a good thing for an introvert like me.

But as we all know my luck is in the trash.

"Sir, may I come in? “I asked, pushing the door open, and bringing everyone's attention to me.

As expected 

"Come in," said the professor, after eyeing at me from up to down,  i nodded and stepped in.

"Newcomer?" he asked as soon as I took two-step towards the bunch of eyes staring at me, searching for an empty seat.

"Yes sir" I nodded, whispering meekly.

"Close the door and sit," he said, I complied.

I sat on the second row, with some girls, closed my eyes in fear and nervousness and let out a breath of relief. Being an introvert is a tough job!

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

"Hey" as soon as the professor left, the girl sitting beside me whispered audibly. I looked at her, and the first thing that came to my mind was 'Wow' she was like - snow white. Fair skin, black thick hair braided, she was beautiful and cute.

 Like every other girl would have, I envied her aka THE ANGEL, that’s what she looked like.

"Hi" I smiled at her.

"Sana," she said as she stretched out her hand for a handshake.

"Nandini ," I said, holding my hand in front of her.

"Friends?" she asked, I nodded "sure". Huh!

A smile crept on my face, I thought it would be tough to make a friend, but it was too easy. I - well - I was honestly stunned to speak because I just made a friend. I don't remember how I made friends in school but right now, making one is an achievement for me, and I am glad.

"Good morning class "the voice gained our attention, as we looked at the professor, who walked in.

"Okay class, so what were we studying?" the professor asked as she leaned against the desk, after keeping the books on the table that were in her hand.

The class went silent as she scanned her eyes all over the class and stopped at me, I froze at my place, as my anxiety kicked in, my feet tapped against the floor and I stared at her back, confidently, she smiled at me and my foot tapping on the ground relaxed as she looked away towards other students.

"FIGURE OF SPEECH," she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Now what is a figure of speech?" she asked.

"Ma'am" the frontbencher raised his hand in the air; she nodded at him and gestured to him to speak.

"A figure of speech or rhetorical figure is a word or phrase that entails an intentional deviation from ordinary language use to produce a rhetorical effect," he said like a parrot, and it doesn't require a genius to tell that he is the nerd who memorises even maths solutions.

"Good" she praised him who smiled at her.

"Simile.

Metaphor ...

Hyperbole. ...

Personification. ...

Synecdoche. ...

Onomatopoeia." the students answered om choir, while i sat there with blank expressions of i-don’t-know-what-is-going-on.

"Now who is going to tell me what a metaphor is?" hands were raised in class as she asked this question.

I didn’t cared to take my attention away from the professor’ until she called out  "Manik" 

"I was absent in the last class” just one sentence and voice dripping with cockiness yet it broke all my sanity and as his deep voice hit my ears, I turned and looked up at him, the owner of the voice, who was sitting at the third bench on the other row opposite to mine.

And as I looked up at him, I lost myself- he was handsome enough like a prince in fairy tales, with a good dressing sense but the thing that attracted me was his voice and tone. More people were surrounding him- maybe more handsome than him but he is the one my eyes locked at.

For the first time, I felt something other than 'wow he is hot' as I looked at the boy, I traced his physical features, perfect jawline, cute nose, and perfect lips.

"And why were you absent yesterday....'' the professor asked, snapping me out of my trance.

I looked down immediately.

I was gawking at him. And this isn't right!!!!

"Coz I was not feeling well......" he said.

"I was having a fever...." he added, I took my eyes back at him- the conversation.

"And it's gone now?" the professor asked sarcastically. Manik bobbed his head, grinning, while everyone laughed.

The professor shook her head in disbelief and asked the other student "What is a metaphor?"

"CAN I SIT MA’AM? Manik asked gaining everyone's attention once again, even mine-

"NO"she warned

"But why? He whined

"Coz I am saying. No...."she shrugged

"Ok ma'am ...." he admired.

"Anything for you" he whispered audibly making everyone burst into laughter while I and the professor stared at him with eyes widened. Did he just flirt with the professor? In front of the whole class?

"Manik," the professor warned.

"Sorry ma'am," he said, as he looked down mischievously, a smile crept on my face. Cute.

"Sit down"

"Thank you, ma'am," he said energetically and loudly, while everyone laughed even more, including me.

He is definitely the joker of the class.

He looked around as he sat back, my eyes were still glued to him, and when his eyes caught me staring at him, zillions of emotions ran through my body, as soon as our eyes meet, my tapping foot stopped, and I clutched my dress, I felt something unknown in my throat and stomach, ticklish & cold as if my heart skipped a beat, I looked away instantly while feeling his eyes still on me.

After a few seconds, I finally looked back at him only to find him staring at me only and felt a connection as he stared into my eyes without blinking, adrenaline rushed through my body, and I looked away again.

WHY THE FUCK AM I FEELING SUCH THINGS!!!!!!!!!!!

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

"Where are we going? “I asked as I and Sana walked out of our block.

"Library" Sana said, keeping her phone in her bag and looking at me with a smile, I nodded, and walked with her towards the library.

"YOU CAN MEET Dhruv AND Manik TOO… THEY MUST BE WAITING"I stopped on my path as soon as his name hit my ears.

"WHAT!!!"