I did not like days like this, in fact, I hated these days. Going on for a day without food is absolute torture. I mean, okay, these days help 'cleanse' your system and all, but did it HAVE to be abstaining from food. I couldn't even have my every morning cup of tea, and that meant one hell of a weary and sleepy day. My mother had called me up, at 3 a.m in the morning, scratch that, 3 a.m midnight, telling me that I needed to fast. I didn't ask why, and she didn't bother to tell. I suppose after the first hundred times she tried explaining why fasting was done and me not listening at all, she was forced to drop it. I knew the scientific reason why, and that was enough. But it still didn't stop me from moaning about it every two seconds.

Drearily, I walked to class with Krishi and Viha in tow. Viha didn't care for fasts and Krishi knew how to put her brave face on. So I was the only one who looked half-alive. If I said that my face didn't brighten when I saw a certain somebody, I would totally be lying. "The sleepy monster awakes." Viha drawled, looking at me with an amused expression. Krishi merely looked away and I couldn't help but feel awkward. She'd made it pretty clear with her actions and lack of words that she didn't like the fact that I had a... dare I say it... Boyfriend. Viha constantly gave me 'just ignore it' expressions whenever it happened, which was often, because Viha thrived on embarrassing the hell out of me.

"Oye." the devil said, poking her elbow into the side of my stomach. I looked at her with an annoyed expression, and poked her in her side. It made her squeal, and made me grin. Viha had a soft spot, as I had discovered a few weeks ago. It was something of a college thing. One of the first things my college mates and I did was look for someone who squeals or laughs when we poke their sides. Then we poke them during class. Evil, and hilarious. And so began my reign of terror.

It was quite unfortunate that it didn't work on Aryan, but it did on Abhi. Damnit.

"Hey." I said smiling to my project partners. We were super happy because of the HUGE break we'd got. I'd told my parents about it, and they were happy too. Except I wasn't all that thrilled. It was a sad time because the tournament didn't go too well. And it was almost the end of this year.

The tournament. Well, let's just say that there were far better bands participating. We were amongst them, at least that's what we felt, but it just didn't happen. I finally spoke to my parents about the tournament and the reply was, "Well, it was just a side thing anyway. Focus on your studies." Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was more disappointed with the results or with my parents' reply. The whole tournament had made me think that I may have a shot at becoming a musician. Basically that if I could prove to my parents that I could make it big over there, they would probably let me do my own thing for once. I always thought that life was all about engineering, colleges, jobs, further studies, working abroad, or at least that's how its shown to us. In India, you do engineering first, and then you think about what you really want to do. Or else you do medical and become a doctor. But looking at the people here, how passionately they pursue what they want to, it's made me think. Maybe there's something I want to do with my life. And right now, it's music.

I guess that one of things I respect about Aryan is that he's studying because he loves programming. Such a nerd.

A nerd who was wearing thick framed glasses again. Maybe I should steal his contacts and dump them somewhere where he'd never find them. Unfortunately, before I could speak a word, the professor came in and Viha dragged me to my seat, which was right next to hers. We were 'backbenchers' through and through. Once you've spent years together sitting in the last row, you can never get back to the front row. Ever. The last bench claims you as its own.

In India, the 'backbenchers' are always the coolest people, and we're also the troublemakers. We're the people who do all sorts of shenanigans in class, rarely get caught, and score well. So, basically, all we do is annoy the teachers, but they can't say anything because we score well. Okay, if they catch you, then they can confiscate your cell phone, and scold you, but that's the most they can do. I think the worst I've seen is a teacher who dumped a student's cell phone in water. Of course the benches in the first few rows, excluding the first, were safer to sit in, but the last bench is just addictive.

Aryan, on the other hand, was a first to fourth bencher, apparently. The first thing Viha said after listening to that gem was, "You're going out with a first bencher?" She gave him the stink-eye after that. It resulted in Aryan sitting in our row for the next two weeks after which I managed to make him understand that Viha was being an ass. He got back to his front row. Viha grudgingly apologized because she got annoyed when he kept shushing her during class.

I was quiet throughout the day, Viha knew to keep quiet because no food equals cranky Ana. I waited outside the canteen when she grabbed her food. She was going to eat outside because I didn't want to sit and drool at others eating food. And also because she wanted to rub it in my face.

"Why are you singing that?" Asked an amused voice. "Hm?" "That song." "What song?" He burst out laughing, "You were singing 'food, glorious food, marvelous food' under your breath." I laughed too, "Seriously?"

It did kind of fit the occasion.

"Ugh. So parched." I muttered. "Water?" He asked, handing the bottle to me. I drank a bit, but stopped immediately when I realized I wasn't supposed to. Pushing the bottle back into his hands, I ran to the nearest wash basin and spat it out.

Viha was already back, standing with a grave-looking Aryan. She was giving me a grin, one that I didn't particularly like. It gave me the impression that she was up to something.

Both of them began their feast, and I ignored them, instead opting to take out my laptop and do something that could take my mind off my growling stomach. I always did hate fasting, but my mother was pretty adamant.

"Are you pissed?" I looked up to see if the question was directed at me, "What?" "Are you pissed? Angry? What's up?" I shook my head simply. "Viha told me you haven't eaten at all." I shrugged, "I haven't." "Wow." He breathed. I stared at him in confusion. "This is extremely childish. You can't just not tell me what's going on and stop eating like this. I honestly don't get why you're so closed off to me. I mean, you can tell Viha everything, but not me...."

It went on for what seemed like an hour. He was worse than my mother.

Until I got annoyed. "Stop. Why on earth would I stop eating because I was pissed?"

He blinked.

I hit my head against the table, "I am pissed, but that's because I'm hungry." I must really like the guy, considering I was patiently explaining.

"Then why don't you eat?" "Because I'm fasting." "Why?" "I don't know." "You don't know why you're fasting!?" "Some fasting day back in India or something." "Fasting day?" He asked, with an are-you-kidding-me-right-now tone.

I lost it.

"It-It's some goddamn day when you fast okay! Stop asking so many questions! I have to fast and so I am! It's pissing me off further when you keeeeep asking questions! So, STOP."

I was about to say more, when he stuffed some of his food into my open mouth. I squealed loudly, about to spit it out, but he forced my mouth close by pressing the top of my head and my chin together, knowing full well I wouldn't hesitate to spit the food out.

"Chew." He said sternly. Giving him a death glare, one that was silenced by his stern look, I began chewing.

"Ushyo! Someone ate food during a fast!" Viha came prancing over. I looked at her like I'd never seen her before. "You didn't realize I wasn't there, did you?" I looked down, feeling guilty. "I shall blame it on the lack of food." She said cheerfully and she sat down.

"What did you feed her, by the way?"

"Chicken."

I hit my head against the table again, as Viha burst out laughing.

"What? What happened?"

"I'm a brahman." I murmured in a low voice.

"You're batman?"

"No, a BRAHMAN. A vegetarian."

"Oh..." It took some time, "Ohh! You always did order veggie pizzas and stuff. Well, at least now you'll know how awesome being omnivorous is."

I looked up at him menacingly.

He began laughing awkwardly. If he wasn't so damn cute, I chase him all over the campus with my chappal in hand.

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I'm back!

The title said 'Under extreme reconstruction' because I had faith that I would edit, however, I am way too lazy for that.

Anyhoo, enjoy, vote, follow, and comment.

- QuirkyKatana :-P