DEHRADUN

Morning, 8 a.m.

The educational capital of India, located at the foothills of Himalayas and surrounded by lush sal trees is experiencing the end of spring.

Even though it's late dawn, the whole campus of DIT is quite as all the students are sleeping soundly in their rooms because of the cool weather...except a girl!

In an amber top and white palazo, she's running in the hostel corridors.Her long plaited hair is vigorously oscillating in the air & her legs are not at all stopping,she is searching for an escape.She sees one and smirks.Hiding down the stairs, she waits while a girl gang came there searching for her.They didn't see the stairs and pass through her.

Making sure no one is around, she smiles coming out,"Aha..bach gayi!"

Until she hears another voice, "In your dreams."

Startled, the girl turns around to see that group narrowing their eyes at her making her gulp.

She tries to smile forcibly and waves her hand, "H....h....hii"

Without bothering to reply, the gang circles her making her confused.Why are they surrounding her?

"Aise kyun kar rahe ho?"

"Taki thujhe bhaagne ki mauka na mile!"

Irritated by their answer, the girl closes her eyes and tighten her fists.Calming herself a bit, she opens only to glare at all of them.

"Ok chalo."

The gang smiles, "Very good."

Annoyedly, she follows them to the University ground where a group of boys are present.

Siya from the girl gang speaks, "So, boys let's start.First Charan!"

Rubbing her palms, she looked more than excited while our girl looked more than vexed.

Siya calls again, "Charan comeon!"

He doesn't go, "Nai. Mein nai bandhwaunga!"

His friends have a hopeful look hearing his denial. Maybe the girls could consider their request.

But, boys, they are the girls.

Crossing her hands, Siya scowls, "Bandhwana padega!"

Muttering, she grabs his hand and brings her before the girl,"Bandh lo!"

The girl annoyingly ties rakhi to Charan.

With a wide grin, Siya loudly calls,"Next Vivek...Rohan...arjun..."

It goes on after sometime the girl finishes tieing rakhis to all the boys while all the girls hug boys happily.

Looking at how happy they are, she gets aggravated.

"Yaaaaar, What is this?Why am I tieing Rakhis to your boy friends?"

Siya replies simply, "Because you are their sister."

The boys snap their head at Siya, "You made her our sister"

One gaze from their girl friends and they calm down.

"Taki tere baare mein kuch na soche ye log", another answers her.

"Par wo kyun sochega?", the girl asks not at all understanding their logic.

Meher from the gang replies, "Because you are "Tejasswi Verma...."

Siya continues, "The brilliant student,a graceful dancer,next secretary and most important...the face of the campus"

Tejasswi roll her eyes listening to her.

Meher says with distaste, "Aur aisa koi ek ladka nahi hai jo thumhare peeche na pade"

"And there's no one who asked me out", Tejasswi retorts.

Twinkle shrugs, "Ofcourse, but safety lene mein galath kya hein?"

For which Teja frowns, "Don't you trust me?"

And Siya opines, "We don't trust these boys."

The boys snaps at their girl friends while Teja gets fully irritated.

"Meina revenge lelungi.Jab mera boy friend hogana tab thum log sab usse Rakhi bandhlogi.Yaad rakhna!"

Divya winks wickedly, "Aur ham na bandhu tho?"

Earning a glare from their boyfriends, while Teja thinks for a moment and then smirks,

"Then thumhari boy friends se hi aap sab ko rakhi bandhwalungi.What say boys?"

Boys hoot while girls gets shocked,

"Dekhaa! You girls really deserve it"

Taunting them, she walks away.

Teja reaches her room scolding the girls.She closes the door and sees a girl lying on bed with iPad in her hand & begins her rant,

"Inn ladikiyan hein na bahot smart behave kar rahi hein.wo keh rahi hein ki mera boy friend hi nai hoga arey aise kaise nai hoga? Yeh meri galthi nai hein ki jo mujhe propose kartha hein wo mujhe pasand nai atha hein kyunki wo layak hi nai hein mereliye mein kya karu ab? Jab Mujhe boy friend hogana tab un sab ko dekhlungi.Foxes,eagles,elephants...."

She is rebuking them when she feels the other girl is not listening to her and is busy in her IPad so calls her,"Nandu..."

She doesn't respond so again tries,"Nandu..."

Teja is irritated already now her friend is ignoring her she stomps her leg,goes to her and snatches her iPad.

Nandu who's in another world is surprised seeing her,"Arey thum.....?"

Preetha smiles mockingly,"Hello Miss.Nandana.I am Tejasswi Verma.Nice to meet you!"

She puts her hand forward while Nandu sees her hand & her, confused.

Her friend continues with a taunt,"Ab aise confused expression kyun rakh rahi ho? Mujhe nai janthi hona thum isiliye mein jab se ek important baath bol rahi thi thu mujhe ignore kar rahi thi aur puch rahi thi 'thum?' jaise thum mujhe jaanthe hi nai ho"

Her mock smile flies away bringing back her frustration.

Nandu chuckles, "Thu tho har wakth kuch bhi bolthi rehthi ho mein ab jitna sunu?"

Teja gets offended, "Sunni padegi best friend hotha kisliye?"

"Teri bakwas sunne keliye.Right?", Nandu's reply makes her huff & puff.

Smiling,Nandu makes her way to prepare coffee thinking about her reactions.

Her friend is enjoying her state. Whenever Teja gets angry,Nandu,as a best friend doesn't do anything which she is supposed to do like calming or consoling her. Instead, she riles her up more either by ignoring or igniting her.

It's too funny to look at her angry form, according to Nandu.While pouring hot water, she glances at her way & she's right.

Teja's eyes are aiming bullets & daggers at her,her cheeks became red due to anger, her breathing is quick & hard,fists closed tightly but but but the most funniest & loveliest thing is her pout which is formed without her knowing.

The angry young girl is portrayed as a baby girl.

Not wanting to tease her more, "Achaa theekey.Bolo kya bol rahi thi?"

In a second,Teja is back to herself as she's getting what she wanted...... Her best buddy!

So she starts again, "Thujhe pata hein subah girl gang mujhe leke college ground gaye the"

Sipping her coffee, Nandu frowns, "Kyun?"

"Kyunki unki boy friends ko mujhse rakhi bandhwane keliye"

At once Nandu burst into laughter while she sulks, "Haso haso meine bhi revenge plan kiya hein.Mera boy friend ko unn sab se do do rakhi bandhwalungi"

Controlling her laugh, Nandu states, "Par thuje boy friend hi nai heina?"

For which she recieved an intelligent reply, "Jab hoga tab!"

Keeping her cup aside,Nandu falls on bed laughing.

"Yaar ab thu itni kyu has rahi ho?"

Nandu looks at her who's sulking badly. Wiping her tears, she takes her into her embrace, "Oh my bunny have so many problems.No.1 is to find a boy friend"

And just like that, she laughs again while Teja widens her mouth.

She surely is her best buddy!

Then isn't Teja too?

Smirking, she asks, "Thu batha jab mein room mein aayi tab thu kuch dekh rahi thi....soch rahi thi.Kya hein?"

Teja flops beside her & hugs her pillow, "Actually Kiske baare mein soch rahe ho?"

Nandu's laughter changes into a light smile and forcibly takes her pillow,

"Kisike baare mein nai"

Teja hums and slowly leans towards her for which Nandu frowns. She's about to say something when Teja takes the ipad behind her and sprints shouting,

"I will check your answer then"

Nandu runs behind her to stop her from unlocking it but she's too fast,

"Achaa sab se chupana chahthe ho but bad luck mujhse kuch chupa nai paogi.Wait a second!"

She unlocks the iPad while running itself when she halts abruptly staring at the picture of three.

Nandu reached her & saw that she already opened it.

Teja at once turns to her, "Firse Nandu?"

Nandu lowers her eyes & glances at something kept on the table which she bought yesterday.

Teja now cleary understood what she must be doing.

"Why don't you call him Nandu? Aise betke sochne se karne se kuch nai hoga!"

Nandu sighs, "I call him bunny everytime. But he's ...busy.I am afraid I might disturb him in something important"

Oh! How many times she wished to speak to him but it didn't happen & she doesn't know when it would.

Composing herself, she turns back to Teja, "Ready ho jao.Campus jaake thumhari boy friend ko dundhenge warna agla saal thum pure college ko Rakhi baandhna padega."

Chuckling,Nandu excuses herself and goes to freshen up.

Teja sees the iPad in her hand open with the photo on screen, she takes it and looks at the picture keenly muttering,

"What you are doing isn't right.Yaha thumhareliye wo ro rahi hein aur yeh baath thum jaanthe hi nai ho.Busy? Family keliye bhi koi insaan busy hotha hein kya?"

She keeps it aside & sits in a criss cross position on her bed,

"But I cant see my friend like that.I have to something to make her smile.What is that?"

She is thinking deeply to put a full stop
when the bulb gets lightened in her mind," Idea!"

Excited, she grins widely, "Yes!Idea network ke baare mein pata nai par mera idea jarur thumhara zindagi badal degi Nandu.Just wait"

She never knew that her idea would change her life too.

Smirkingly, she takes a number from Nandu's phone & puts it back before she comes from the washroom.

Nandu,after getting ready looks at her friend,"Why aren't you ready yet?"

"Had some pending project.I will attend the next one.You go!"

"Which project?"

Teja is nervous about what she should tell her & Nandu observes it,

"Thum itni tense kyun ho rahi ho?Are you planning anything crook?"

Teja widen her eyes and decides to divert her quickly otherwise she will find out.

"Shut up yaar I had some paper work outside so I need to go.Dont think much I will be join you in next lecture.Now you go!"

Nandu somehow gets convinced and leaves from there which makes Teja smile, "This time I really have to think crook Nandu.I know what I am going to do is risky but I should do it.Sorry!"

Locking the door, breathing once,she calls a number.

Picture tho abhi baki hein mera dosth......!

Happy Navratri guys!