Even before I had walked out of the JEE exam centre after giving my exam, my life had decided that it was going to dupe me everyday.

Lakhs of Indian students give the exam, every year in hopes of pursuing their preferred courses. Majority out of need, some out of passion. I didn't know where I stood. Passion, or need. I was lacking both at that point.

It's not my fault either. You see. When you fight with your life for your passion, because it's a need as well as your passion, the passion tends to fizzle out, replaced by monotonous hours of studying, revising, doing everything over and over, till you either drop, or find your purpose.

I knew mine. I wanted to do a masters in organic chemistry. Shocking.

I met my best friend. Ajatshatru. Or AJ. That's what I called him. I can't take such a big name. The day I do, he knows he's in deep soup. I understand. You must be thinking, this is the twenty first century. Who keeps such long names for their child?

His parents did. It suits him. He has no enemies. Aside from those who are bitten by the green bug. But that's not his fault now is it?

Going home was not easy. It is very annoying, to go back to a place which is home in all but your mind. A place where your relatives live is not a home.

My sister and I lost our parents when I was in tenth. Boards were hard that year. It's incredibly stressful, to look after an eight year old. To console them when you are supposed to study for an exam. But, that's life with an elder sibling. You sacrifice, you surrender, but inevitably, you are the one most affected.

It was when I met AJ. He stood outside the exam centre, looking for his parents. The dumbo couldn't remember where they told him to come. So I helped him look. Eventually, we became friends, had to considering we went to the same school, different classes, different streams. We had the running joke of making fun of each other's streams. He would call me at 3 in the night to tell me that his hand would fall off, writing history projects since the morning.
I'd call him at 2 to cry about how boring physics was.

It was easy with him. But that's what we were. Best friends. Nothing more was necessary and nothing less acceptable. When our Dada and Dadi took us in, it was nice. We felt good, but it is hard to establish any memories with someone when you are in grief and then 11th took it's toll.

Anyways. I didn't introduce myself did I? Hi. I'm Sagarika. I'm a newly turned 18 year old kid who's tired of looking after everyone, but I'm also used to it and can't imagine a day without looking after my own sister.

See, life's mysterious. You don't know what will happen. I definitely did not expect to have a young man, around 20 years of age fall in front of me while I was looking for a cab back home. He was bruised. The most interesting thing is, he didn't look like he was from this century. Now I'm pretty average height, around 5'7, but even I know 6'3 is exceptional height, at least in India. . He wore a red and blue dupatta sort of thing on his hand. A navy blue dhoti. He donned a ridiculous amount of necklaces and other jewelry. It felt as if he had dropped out of the mahabharat era. He had shoulder length hair, which were haphazard due to the fall. Most of all, he had the calmest face I had seen. But that's probably because he was either dead or had fainted. I would prefer the latter. Seeing a dead man was the last thing on my mind that day. Plus. He would attract too much attention. So, putting the best crying face I could, I shouted, " Someone! Please help me out! My friend here is an actor? Yes. Yes. He's an actor! He suffered an accident! Help me take him to the hospital. Please! "

Apparently, my crying worked, cause I was surrounded by people willing to help a young girl out.

Now, I know, that there are about seven people in the world who look exactly like you. I thought it was a myth. A story cooked up to help people relate to their faceclaims. What I was not ready to accept, was that the man I just saved looked exactly, like the carbon copy of AJ.

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Sitting outside the hospital, I realized I hadn't called home. Borrowing a phone from the reception, I called Dadi.
" Dadi! I will be he late. I -I have gone to meet AJ. Aa jaongi time se. Khana kha lena.. Bye. " She said, cutting it off. I had no time for her scoldings. I needed to contact AJ right now.

I rang. Thrice. Thrice. T H R I C E. Ok. I think you got it. Anyways. I rang. The idiot chose tody to  not pick up my phone.

" Come on you idiot. Pick up won't you? "

As I was about to ring for the seventh time, the doctor called out my name.

" How's my friend doctor? Will he be alright? " I asked, mustering the most worried voice I could manage.

" Ma'am. It's astonishing how fine he will be. After suffering such grave injuries, anyone would have atleast a concussion. I presume I'll just have to send him away with a painkiller or analgesic. " He said, furrowed brows indicating his absolute confusion.

" So... May I meet him? "

" Oh yes. Sure. I think he doesn't know hindi or English. What he spoke sounded South Indian. "

" Don't worry. I'll manage. "

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As I walked in, the man, or boy. I doesn't know at this point startled awake. He stared at me with quiet alertness, one of a soldier.

I signed water, he looked at me as if I was a monkey doing a dance for him.

I said pani? He looked as if I wanted to kill him. Not scared, wary.

When I signalled him to speak first. The first word that came out of his mouth was, " जलम्? "

You had got to be kidding me. The guy was speaking in sanskrit. Tenth grade me would be jumping in joy to have someone converse with her in sanskrit. At this point I was just done.

Offering him a glass of water, I piched myself, each time it just hurt. Which he apparently registered considering I hissed out each time I pinched myself.
He raised a shaky hand, to stop me.

Alright. If he talks in sanskrit, I'll try sanskrit.

" तव नाम किम् अस्ति? " ( what's your name.)

His face lit up as if I had given him double pizzas in one day. I know my sister's would. The similarity in their reactions was uncanny, even though his face was like AJ's.

What I was not prepared for, was a long train which began when he spoke sanskrit. He just went on and on. Even the world's fastest shlok was in competition with what he said. I had to tell him. Slowly. Hands trying to explain. He supposedly understood, because now he said, "मम नाम युधिष्ठिरः अस्ति। तव नाम किम् ?" ( My name is Yudhishthir. What's yours?)

Alright. Now I was surely dreaming. Yudhishthir? Now? The guy was long dead.... Right? Right? Right?
Anyways. His expectant face made me guilty so I answered.

" अहं सगारिका अस्मि। अहम् अष्टादश वर्षायाः अस्मि।" ( I am Sagarika. I am 18 years old. )

"अहम् विंशतिः वर्षे अस्मि। आवां कुत्र अस्ति?"
( I am 20 years old. Where are we?)

" आवां दिल्ली नगरे अस्ति।" ( We are in Delhi. )

"किम् एतत् आर्यवर्ते भवति?" ( Is that in Aryavart {then India and neighbouring countries})

"आम। दिल्ली आर्यवर्ते पाटनगरं भवति।" ( Yes. It's the capital of Aryavart.)

I assumed exhaution took over him, because before he could form more words, he fell asleep yet again. So I left. I'll come back tomorrow. With AJ. He'd know what to do.

Well.....

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Well, that's the Prologue. How's it? Share your opinions in the comments and votes.

Give this one just as much love you've given Karunika.
Radhekrishn❤