Aman Mathur - Arjun Bijlani

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Excel College,

Mumbai

It was just a regular day for Arnav Singh Raizada as he arrived at his college, quite early as always. Well, if people think he's too studious, cut it, he wasn't. It's his attribute to arrive early in college to play pranks on people, his friends, professors, watchmen, canteen managers, and basically everyone on his radar. People would doubt how he passed his first year in college.

But he did, he successfully completed his 1st year in B.Tech in the college and managed to grab 65% in the semester, shocking almost the whole college except himself.

"Good Morning, Chachas!" Arnav greets the watchmen, walking into the college, dancing on his way, and singing a weird song in his not-so-beautiful voice.

"Hi, Strawberry!" he heard his best friend Aman call out to him in his direction.

Aman Mathur, his best friend, and the only buddy he could call in the midnight and he'd come without any other thought.

Although Arnav wasn't less in having a group of friends in his circle, Aman is his special buddy. He's totally the opposite of him. While Aman is studious, Arnav is not. While Aman is disciplined, he's not. Aman is the exact opposite version of him in every way. Yet they are best friends and complement each other well.

They call each other buddies! And when Arnav heard his best friend calling him as Strawberry, he checked his own clothes.

"My clothes are not red, no. Neither my face is. Why is he calling me Strawberry?" Arnav looks weirdly at Aman who's now walking towards him.

"Oye! What's with you calling me Strawberry? Huh?" He asked as Aman was just a step away from him, only to realize he wasn't looking at him or calling for him.

Aman trespasses Arnav, shrugging him aside and walks towards the beautiful girl in the blue Anarkali Dress, who was smiling wide at Aman.

Arnav raises his eyebrows as Aman hugs the girl with spectacles.

"Who's this chasmish?" he murmurs looking at her. He hasn't seen her clearly yet. Her spectacles and part of her dress were visible to him due to the hug. Aman was an obstacle in his way and so he walks near them, as they release from the hug, only to stand stupefied looking at the beauty she was.

She was such a beauty!

Her spectacles were really not doing in hiding the beauty of her eyes — a little of green and grey, expressing a lot more than just one emotion. Innocence, love, care, affection, happiness, and what more?

Is there an end to the list?

Her eyes are so expressive and they just did the work to captivate him, bewitched by her hazels, he was mesmerized and stumped into another world, the world of whirlpool emotions he isn't sure of, or is he?

"Hi," he was still dazed, gazing at her, as if he was drinking all of her, his chocolate brown eyes could take.

Aman frowns at him stumping him on the back and Arnav is out of his daze, out of the bewitching moment he was having, a beautiful moment one could feel.

"What?" Arnav glares at him.

"What's with you all over my best friend, huh?" Aman narrows his gaze at him, waiting for his answer.

"Huh? I thought I'm your best friend." Arnav states stupified at what his buddy was saying.

"After my strawberry!" Aman shrugs.

"I didn't know the humans started using fruit's names. Good improvement, aah." Arnav pats Aman's back and continues, "And don't think I'm forgetting the finest of worst betrayal you just gave me! I thought I was the only bestie you have."

Aman smiles nervously at him, "I actually forgot to say about her—" he pauses caressing his hair, and continues turning towards Khushi who was silently looking at the banter, "—Strawberry, he's Arnav Singh Raizada, my best buddy here—" he said pointing towards Arnav and turning towards Arnav, introduces his Strawberry, "—she's Khushi Kumari Gupta, my childhood best friend. And I call her Strawberry!"

Aman completes the introduction part that was put on his head.

"Hi. I'm just so glad to meet you, Ms. Khushi Kumari Gupta," Arnav forwards his hand for a shake, smitten by her beauty again, now of the thoughts, thoughts that included nothing but the betrayal his friend dumped on him, not a moment ago.

"Hi," Khushi takes a minute before shaking his hand, greeting him back with a small hi from her side.

Arnav frowns at her low response.

"So, you're a fresher then?" Arnav throws the frown away, kicking it out. Frown, sadness, wrinkles — everything that doesn't make him look handsome will be kicked out of the league as soon as they make an appearance.

"No. I'm a Lateral Entry." Khushi replies, slightly hesitant. She is an introvert, shy, and takes some time in making relationships.

Be it even friendship.

Khushi Kumari Gupta, a pretty woman with very fair skin, lean and full, with spectacles hovering over her beautifully expressive hazel eyes, and a little fringes on the sides of her cheeks makes her look really divine. If some people think she's a geek, some people think she's rare. As a rare as ruby and as beautiful as a diamond — Khushi Kumari Gupta.

She is disciplined, responsible, and respects all her elders. Silence is in her blood, introverted she is in that she wouldn't like to communicate with anyone, with her own will, it takes some time.

So, talking to a completely new man, who by his looks, appears as a fun and cool guy, is completely out of her character, even if the said person is her best friend — Aman's best friend.

"Lateral Entry?" Arnav was confused at the new word he got to hear in the second year of his college just after a few days.

Aman takes the pain to explain it to his buddy, "Lateral Entry means, she's in the same class as ours. Same department and same section! And L-" Aman was cut off by Arnav as just he was saying the literal meaning of Lateral Entry.

"Oh. So, you shifted to this college after your year? Right? I know. Arnav is always right," he laughs off, raising his collar a little, praising himself only to receive a glare from Aman and a confused gaze from Khushi.

Aman slaps him on the back scolding him, "Puri baat toh sun leta mera!"

(You Should have let me complete my sentence)

"Oh. Tum aur batane vaale the?" he completely forgets cutting his buddy off, lost in the happiness that he — Arnav Singh Raizada was always right.

(Oh. You were to say something more?)

Khushi looks amused at the cartoon character he looked like, everyone is so obvious of that anyway except Khushi and no one can blame her as she was completely a new join here.

Aman slaps his forehead, sighing at the motor mouth of his friend which doesn't shut off even if the power goes off, "Lateral Entries meant someone who completed their Diploma instead of 11th and 12th classes like us. They get direct entry into 2nd year."

"Oh. Achha! This is so bad. In that case, even we should have got into 2nd year after our 11th and 12th. Such an injustice to us poor kids! Pata nahi lawyers kaha mar gaye. (Don't know where these Lawyers have gone) Why don't we protest? Even we should-" Aman slaps him on the mouth before he could produce a speech on the matter.

"Diploma is of 3 years and there's no injustice happening. We studies 11th and 12th and completed our 1st year. She has completed her 3 years in Diploma. So 3 years equals 3 years. Done with justice," he takes his hands off Arnav's mouth, and continues just a nanosecond later, "Actually. There's no point in bringing the word injustice here. Ab mera dimaag mat kha subah subah, please.(Now don't eat my brain in the morning, please.)"

Khushi has a smile on her face listening to the banter.

This guy is a bit... childish!

"Chi. Brains are tasteless!" he twists his lips, disgusted with the thought, and throws the same words he threw at him every time.

Aman nods his head looking at his dramas, "Kuch nahi ho sakta tujhse!"

(Nothing can come out of you!)

Arnav just shrugs giving a damn-if-i-care look and when they look at Khushi, she makes her face into a simple no-emoction!

Isn't a no-emoction an emotion as well? Yes, it is!

"Welcome to our college, Khushi chasmish! Would you like to be my friend now that we're in the same class?" Arnav offers her his palm, putting his proposal for friendship.

Khushi didn't want to say a no on his face, even if he was her bestie's buddy, she know nothing about him. Never to forget she's an introvert, likes to be alone than a friend who jumps around, especially with the way he called her chasmish!

"Only if you can answer my question." Khushi takes a second to form her words.

"Sure. Arnav can answer anything and everything!" He's so proud of himself.

"How do you know the brain is tasteless? Did you taste it?" Khushi asks the question, making an innocent face.

She's intelligent in making that innocent face whenever she needs it.

Arnav who was so confident he would answer anything and everything stood straight, distracted at her question. Aman on the other hand was chuckling a bit.

"No." Arnav was speechless yet mutters his denial.

"Right! So when you didn't taste it, how can you say it's tasteless?" Khushi puts some brain in his head.

"It's obv.." Arnav stops himself from saying further. What if this pretty woman asks more questions?

No, thank you!

"Okay. So, I lose," Arnav agrees, frowning.

It's the first someone didn't come in his oh-so-intoxicatingly-entertaining words.

"I'm going to my class, Aman. You can come later, bye!" She bids him bye walking away not really giving him any response to his proposal.

Arnav frowns, he agrees his answer wasn't exactly justified to the comment he made but does that mean he didn't answer? He did answer her and the pretty woman with spectacles, whom he considered as chashmish asked if he can answer her question, and did he answer? Yes, he did.

As soon as the realization comes running into his brain, he screams at Khushi's back who was already a few meters away, "Oye, chasmish! I did answer your question. What about my proposal?"

Khushi stops in her track and walks away without turning her back to him.

Chipku!

Khushi thinks out loud.

After an hour more, their lecture starts and so, Aman drags his buddy, who was having fun pranking people here and there.

Oh. Before you could sack Arnav for pranking people, let the fact out that they're nothing but harmless and often the one being in the problem is Arnav himself who ends up messing up the so-called prank on his own self and becomes a laughable cartoon character in front of people, making him pout, do more pranks — this time, a successful one.

"You go, Aman Mathur. I need to prank some more people," Arnav moves out thinking of the next plan to prank someone.

Aman sighs at his buddy, he hoped he wouldn't come drenching in water like the day he did when he tried to drench some guys who were ragging someone, badly. And ended up wet from head to toe, and to dry himself he had to get in the class to stand just below the fan, making everyone chuckle at him.

He honestly hoped his buddy doesn't end up like previous ones and so many in the number if one could count.

Arnav Singh Raizada, a disaster in the name of perfection!

Anf two more hours later, it was break time, and Aman and Khushi were sitting beside each other lost in their conversation. Conversation for them is Aman talking and Khushi listening, and maybe kind of monosyllabic answers if one could call it? Yeah, exactly that is.

As they were talking and only some of the students were sitting on the benches murmuring while the rest of the students has gone out to roam around, they saw Arnav walking into the class.

Normally, without any damage?

Never happens with the Great man, Arnav Singh Raizada.

Khushi tried hard not to laugh at the picture Arnav was making, but couldn't so after a few more minutes and burst out laughing. Aman on the other hand has his hands on his head repeating the same dialogue.

"Iska kuch na ho sakta!" The signature line, specially made for Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada.

(Nothing can be done with him!)

A few more students chuckle at Arnav's state and Arnav frowned again, smiling at them sarcastically.

"Arrey, Bey, Arnav, tujhko roti banake khale kya? Thoda pani daal deta toh aur achha hota," one of Arnav's friends laughs at him.

(Arey, Bey, Arnav, should we make a roti out of you and eat? It'd have been better if you poured some water as well.)

"What's this Arnav?" Aman asks Arnav who gets a cloth out of his and dusts himself.

Arnav was fully covered with flour on some parts of his body, clothes, and hair, not literally looking like a Ghost!

"Ye sab us Canteen Manager ki galti hai," Arnav completely pushes the blame on the poor Manager as he dusts himself.

(This is all that Canteen manager's fault!)

"Yup! So true," Aman sounded sarcastic, and just then Khushi coughs, who was sitting on the bench, breathing some of the flour Arnav is dusting with the cloth, his kerchief actually.

Arnav stops himself from doing further and walks nearer to Khushi who now stopped coughing and looks at her, walking towards her and shrugs Aman aside who's on his way.

"What?" Khushi asks looking at him.

Arnav throws a devil laugh at her and jerks his head off near and the little flour on his head has fallen down Khushi's lap and a part of her dress, near her stomach.

Along with being studious, Khushi is known for her neatness and well-organization skills. Completely opposite to what Arnav is.

"Eeww!" Khushi frowns dragging her butt away from him in the same sitting position and Arnav who was well, not literally, cleaned now settles himself beside Khushi and drags Aman to sit beside him.

Finally, he was sitting in the middle of the bench in a four-bench seater and Khushi moves away from the dirty boy frowning at him.

"Don't drag yourself much. You'll fall down," he smiles at her which Khushi gladly ignores.

Khushi opens her books and goes through the syllabus as break gets over and when she was doing that, she heard someone singing horribly, and unfortunately that Donkey was sitting just beside her tearing her ears off.

So what if the lecturer hadn't come yet? How can he sing in class time and that too, like Geon in the Doremon show?

Tranquility — the calm, the peace, the things which she loves and looks like the Tranquility in her life going to fall soon.

And the reason is sitting beside her, singing in his oh-so-not-really-beautiful voice.

Geon was better! She concludes.

No, tranquillity is an important part of her life. She loves it. That should never fall from its place in her life. The reason should be ignored.

And so, she ignored him one ignores a pest!

What is he? Completely opposite of her in everything. Every damn thing!

"By the way, chashmish. Do you know you look like a Blueberry in this dress?" he tries to flirt with her only to get a glare in return.

"Why does Aman call you Strawberry?" he tries to continue in safe mode.

"Ask him only! He's your buddy, isn't he?" she responded clearly irked with the irresponsible kid beside her who was asking question after question during class time.

"Buddy! Why do you call your best friend Strawberry? Doesn't she look more like Blueberry?" Arnav slaps him on the back as he asks Aman who was talking to the girl in front of him.

"Because she does like Strawberries in Winter! You should see her in cold weather, her nose, cheek, ears, feet, and hands turn red. From childhood!" Aman quickly says before he could ask more turning towards the girl who was already concentrating on her books because of his lack of attention for a minute. All because of Arnav. He curses him in his mind. Idiot!

"I know now," he turns towards Khushi who's a little away from him, and grins.

Khushi looks at him and looks back at her books without replying.

"I look more handsome than those books, you know!" he's going into the danger zone again.

"Fine, if you don't want to talk to me. I too won't. I can talk to myself," he huffs sitting in his place, and starts mumbling nonchalant words.

Five minutes later,

"By the way, you know these earrings suit you! They're the best," he comments clinking it with his fingers.

Khushi loves silence and the person sitting beside her never leaves a chance to talk!

She sighs, "Good. I'll buy a pair too if you want."

"Actually, that's a good idea. I'll gift it to my sister." He grins stupidly at her.

Khushi caresses her head, irritated yet amused at the motor mouth he's born with.

And this continued for a month and over and slowly but strongly, Khushi gets to know that he was not really what she thought he was, Chipku, Stupid, Donkey, and every other not-so-bad word she used for him, he'd good and child at heart who often gets into trouble.

As if he was twins with the trouble being his twin brother who gets into his system often.

Irresponsible, indisciplined, and idiotic with a brain in his knees he still is but good at heart, with kindness and not to forget prank-ness all over his body.

And that day, she accepted the proposal of his friends only to be engulfed in a hug as he danced all the way from the class to his home.

And that's the day she knew When Tranquility falls, she'd love it! And she did a year later them being friends with each other, they slowly but surely fell in love and that's the actual day when Khushi's Tranquility fell in true sense.

A lifetime of trouble with a motor mouth has fallen on her head kicking away the tranquility she loves!

The End

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Regards,

polymath_land

-03/01/2023