'Are you ok?' Sneha asked, brimming with concern.

The soldiers of camp four were brought in the seminar hall to provide medical attention. Few of them had harmless bruises but as Vaibhav got out at last, he had to make an abrupt jump and hit a brick. 
He sat on the stage feeling like a kid who bruised his knee while the army doctor did dressing on his wound. He nodded looking at Sneha. 

'You are done,' the doctor said.

'That was very brave of you, you know making everyone leave before yourself.' Sneha complimented him.

'Thank you.' He stood up.

'I think you should take some rest, sit down again.' Sneha insisted.

'I am fine but don't you have a meeting to attend?' He asked.

'Yes, we have to discuss what just happened and what can be done now. But in a minute.' She said thoughtfully.

'Ok, question. Why does that guy, the one with the big frames keep staring me whenever I talk to you?'

Sneha swiveled to see Jai standing on the door across the room. He lowered his gaze and walked out.

'He means well.' Sneha said looking at the vacant door. She felt uneasy.

'Like Manvender?'

She turned amused. 'What? Who?'

Vaibhav chuckled.

'Ok, he was nice. You guys always teased him.' She defended herself.

'Oh come on, he was like a wild elephant. If we looked at him for more than a minute, he would attack.'

'That's exaggeration.' She waved her hand dismissing his accusation.
'
You don't remember, we were in ninth grade in our arts class and Anurag asked him if he could sit next to him. The next thing you know, he broke all his brushes just because he mistakenly poked him with his brush.'

Sneha recollected the incident and chuckled.
'He knew it was a dare. You boys played that all the time and three out of five dares were related to him.'
'Can't believe you are still taking his side.' Vaibhav bantered. 

'He was nice to me.'

'He had to be, you were the only girl who talked to him, lend notes and save him from teachers.'

'You are one to talk. You had the meanest girlfriend.' Sneha accused him. 
'Hey, what was wrong with Pragya?'

'Search your memory lane. She used to butter teachers, spread slanders about everyone in school and that nutcase lied to Principal about the mishap at the tour our class took. She blamed me and my closest friends. She would have had us all suspended if it wasn't for our sports teacher to save us.'

'At least Manu never manipulated.' She added. 

'Well, she was jealous of you and your friends. She didn't like me taking notes from you and admiring you from far.'

They elbowed each other, laughing softly.

'Hey! You rat me out too in chemistry class missy.' He broke the moment randomly picking a point to keep him afloat in the debate.

'Please, I did not. You were eating in the class and mam could sniff your food.'

'Really? He said surprised. 'You didn't signal her?'
'No, why would I do that, I sometimes ate too.'

They both laughed at their school memories.

'Sneha, everyone is ready.' Trisha called her from the center of the hall.
'That's my cue. I better go.' She stepped to leave.

'Hey Mafia, I am not the same jerk I was in school.'

'I can see that.' Sneha said playfully.

He grinned. 'Just wanted you to know.'

They stood in silence.

'I will see you after the meeting. If you stay.' She said. 

'I will. All the best for your thing.'


***

Jai waited for everyone in the guest room, furious and too adamant to accept it. Why should he? He thought to himself. He never expected Sneha to be the one to hurt him. That was one of his problems, expectations.

For months, who is the guy she turns to in need, Jai. But the moment a hunk walks in, she forgets she ever had a friend. 'How selfish is she! That girl used me! He paced up and down the room. His thoughts recalled an advice from his college friend and he couldn't agree more today. 'Never trust girls. Money is girls magnet, earn it and they will come like greedy bees.' Granted his friend spoke when he had a breakup but it was true. He should fight back, punch away girls like Sneha.

As he was going through with his thought, Rajeev sir entered with Dr. Link and Dr. Courtney. 

'What are you doing?' Rajeev sir asked seeing him in a karate position.

'I hope this army stuff is not getting in your head. Don't hurt yourself trying stupid things.' He warned Jai.

'Let me set the projector.' Jai offered, embarrassed and got busy without another word.


Dr. Courtney had requested the deputy to lend her the tape of the acid mission. She watched it again and again, every time with more captivity. Jai re-winded it for the tenth time now. Sneha and Trisha had joined them fifth time, Jai and Sneha had shared a cold stare when she entered. But now everyone was giving one to Dr. Courtney. If only she would notice. She finally told Jai to stop then took a deep breath.

'I think I have an alternative.'

The energy flew back inside the guest room. 

'How?' Dr. Link asked intrigued.

'Remember Link, I was telling you about my current research on microbes found near hot springs?'

'Yes' Dr. Link answered concisely.

'Well, they might work here.'



Dr. Courtney had been prospecting the hot water springs of Deildartunguhuer, Iceland for over a year. She had discovered certain enzymes that are able to digest fat cells in microbes. She extracted these enzymes from a local fern called 'deer fern or 'hard fern', found exclusively in those springs. This could bring significant changes in medical world. It could cure obesity, various heart problems and other related diseases. The problem was, fats destroyed were not yet sublimated. That is, these isolated enzymes degraded all types of fat cells without distinction of necessity. When fats were exhausted, these enzymes would feed on carbohydrates thus causing various deficiencies to the host body.

'I have isolated enzymes in my lab. If we can find a way to inject them directly inside the pitcher's gut region, it may be able to destroy the pitcher by forced consumption.' Dr. Courtney finished her presentation.

Rajeev Sir turned to Sneha. 'Weren't you involved on a similar project?' He asked quietly.

'Yes and now I remember why Dr. Courtney seemed a familiar name.' Sneha said smiling in solemn wonder.

'Why?'

'She is my fan.'


It was 11 o clock at night. Dr. Courtney had informed her assistant to wait with the required samples. Colonel had arranged for a jet to bring them from London. Meanwhile everyone retreated to hall to grab slices of pizza brought by Mukesh.
They hadn't eaten anything since morning. The problem was not solved. The chances of these enzymes to work was not certain. And they still had to figure out how to reach pitcher's gut region escaping its neck. And the most dreadful clause of all, what if this fails too. They were out of options. 
But Sneha could forget all this for a moment. At least enjoy a last moment of accomplishment she had just realized. Swiftly, she made her way to the guest room where Dr. Courtney stood alone, watching the tapes for twentieth time.

'It's an impressive project.' Sneha complimented Dr. Courtney with a blithe smile. 

'Thank you.' Dr. Courtney replied absorbed in the video.

'You know I worked on enzymes found in hot springs too, Yumey Samdong, Sikkim. Most successfully project I have ever done.' Sneha said, candidly tapping her fingers on the table. 

'Huh, good for you.' Dr. Courtney said avoiding eye contact.

'I had discovered enzymes that utilized twenty nine trace elements to benefit health and cure skin diseases. I will never forget the day I published my work. I received so many mails congratulating me.'

Dr. Courtney stood paralyzed in her place as Sneha went on.

'I remember one particular mail. A British scientist Dr. C. Gordon.' Sneha declared.
 'She raved my work and told me that she was delighted when she read my thesis. And Guess what, I was just talking to Dr. Link...' Sneha paused to savor the moment.

'And he told me your full name, Dr. Courtney Gordon.' Sneha couldn't hide her energy as she declared, 'Dr. C. Gordon!'

Silence swirled across the room like winter breeze. Sneha opened her mouth to speak again.

'Not another word.' Dr. Courtney admonished her abruptly.

'Why not? It was you! Why didn't you tell me?'

'I will consecrate you my reasons but you have to avow that you will not advert this incident for parenthetic subroutine.' Dr. Courtney said in a breath.

'Ok. I didn't get a word of that sentence.' Sneha stood befuddled. 

'Don't tell anybody.' Dr. Courtney screamed.

'Calm down, what's the big deal?' Sneha said, freaking out herself.

'Don't patronize me little woman. I don't want a single soul to agnise the conception that I was smitten by a 25 year old scientist.' Dr. Courtney confessed.

'Ah, I was 23 when I..' Sneha stopped seeing Dr. Courtney look at her with kill in her eyes.

'Do you pledge to keep my surreptitious activity an Arcanum?'

Sneha stared her with frustration. She busted, 'Who talks like that? Can you please talk in vernacular language your highness?'

Dr. Courtney felt abashed but she still managed to say, 'I am requesting you. Please.'

Sneha dropped her shoulders. 'Of course.'

She started to walk towards the door then spoke with a delightful air, 'It's not every day that I can grant a wish to my fans.'

Sneha felt a strange sense of victory with that confrontation. Dr. Courtney, world renowned scientist of biotechnology, was enticed by her work. That surely was an accomplishment. Sneha danced her way out the hallway and was about to enter the seminar hall when she saw Jai standing outside the building. She felt bad for him. He did try to apologize, it was time to make peace.

He was lost in stars when she walked to stand behind him. He had always sensed her presence before. Maybe he had.

'You had dinner?' Sneha initiated.

Jai looked back on his shoulder then returned to gauge stars, muttering, 'Yeah.' 

'What are you doing here alone?' Sneha tried to build a conversation.

'I have always been alone Sneha, it is proved again today.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Sneha felt offended.

'You know what I mean.' He turned to face her.
Lights from the campus buildings bounced on their faces.

'Why don't you blame another mishap on me and flee out with your prince charming.' Jai said and took angry short breaths making his heart pound heavily in his chest.

'You are such a player Sneha. You used me. I feel like a pet.'

'You don't mean that, you take that back. Take that back right now!' Sneha choked, her eyes welled with tears.

'Else what? Your boyfriend is going to teach me a lesson!' Jai fired back. 
'What?'

'You heard me. Just because he works in the army and has bulging muscles, you drool over him.'

'Don't drag Vaibhav in this.' She warned him.

'Why? Because he wears a uniform! That's gives him honor.' He said mocking her.

Sneha was hurt but she gathered all her courage to fight back.
'Yes, you are right. I do drool over him. Not only because of his uniform but also because he is not a coward like you.'

Jai turned his back to her saying, 'You are one to say.'

'Yes I am, Vaibhav didn't panic and looked for someone to blame everything. You knew it is our fault. You took those samples out of your own. But you charged me for framing you. How could you?'

Tears started to flow down her cheeks.

'You made me feel more miserable when I was already feeling so guilty of letting you down.'

Jai brought his eyes back to her eyes. He noticed the tears which she wiped with one quick motion of her hand.
'You want to blame everything on me? Fine by me. I will take the heat. But I am not the only one who doesn't deserve to be called a friend. What have you done with your Olympiad winning mind to solve this problem?'
She stressed hard on each word.
 'Oh, I know, all you have said since morning is 'why', 'what will we do now?' and 'how'. You want to be compared to an army man, first learn to take some responsibility then indulge in big talk.'

She drew a breath.
'You want to talk respect Jai?'
She raised her finger pointing at him furious. 'I admired you as you were the guy who never said 'no' to anybody in need. I respected you, you were the genius who still remained down to earth. But you are pathetic.'

Tears brimmed her eyes again. Her shoulders dropped.

'And you are not my friend, otherwise you would have known me better. I would never run away. I thought you would know that I will take the blame because I can't imagine jeopardizing your and Rajeev sir's careers.'
Her hands trembled with anger but her tears kept Jai speechless.

'If you were still that person who I knew, you would have thought of pulling me out of this mess because that would be what my friend would have done. To me, you were the one person I could come and hide. You were my safest place Jai. But you ruined it.'

Sneha ran away and entered a washroom. She cried for some time, swearing she would never forgive Jai for his insensitive remarks, then she cursed herself for being such an idiot to cry over him. Promising herself that she would never make friends ever in her professional life she washed her face with cold water. 'He ruined my perfectly happy moment.' She thought to herself as she walked back to join everyone in the seminar hall.