"The very essence of romance is uncertainty."
Sometimes its better to push your pride back and face the situation.
This was the encouragement I gave myself to enter the classroom ignoring everything else, lecture is more important than the mocking faces of students. I nod to myself.
I softly knock the door gently pushing it inside as I squeezed myself in as if the entire class with twenty nine students and professor wouldn't notice me. Apparently he did, very loudly.
"Why we're not surprised to see Ms. Mathur gracefully entering the class precisely fifty five minutes late..." the professor, Mr. Shukla commented looking at his watch.
The students definitely finding it funny chuckled loudly. I stood there giving him a weak smile hesitantly moving to my seat. Ayesha removed her bag as she reserved the seat for me glaring at others to shut their laughter. It worked on few, I shook my head telling her not bother.
Students were allowed to join or leave the class or even campus gates whenever they wanted. According to set rules we were not anymore bunch of teenagers but adults who should be taking responsibility for our discipline. But the professors would painfully remember such students or latecomers and point it out in any given chance.
Not to forget seventy percentage of attendance is a compulsion to write the finals. We would be marked absent if we were late even by five minutes. So my attendance was already gone for the day, many students if they were late, they would miss the rest of the class. But I never did.
Even if to catch up with rest of the lecture was difficult, I always attended the class trying my best to be at least be less late. Did it make sense?
I was trying to control my breathing as I was mostly jogging over one km path to the department then taking steps for three floors for what facing these taunts and exaggerated laughter. My thighs were starting to shake due to uncalled exercise. It was nothing new to me, no one was aware of my situations.
So it was better for me to learn not to get effected by them. I hardly took a sip of water after Ayesha offered it to me before professor called out my name.
"So, Ms. Mathur what are stem cells?"
I discreetly sighed quickly sharing a look with Ayesha who was biting her lip not to grin openly,
"Stem cells are regenerative body's raw material, the cells which under right conditions can generate other cells with specialized functions."
"State an example of stem cells in our body." He raised a challenging brow.
"Blood, bone marrow, skin, umbilical cord..."
He gave a thoughtful look then shook his head before waving his hands at me to sit down. Ayesha muffled her chuckle, I shushed her trying to hide my own smile. The other students were gaping at me much like professor feeling shocked that I answered the questions to the point from the syllables that was hardly started.
What they all don't know is I and Ayesha had done a project on this topic in high school and stood second place in the competition. Also I can't help coming late for the classes but it doesn't mean I lag behind in my studies. Last moment preparation had never been my cup of tea I get too anxious, so I always be prepared well in advance.
I sighed loudly slumping down in my seat as the class ended, the second, professor stepped outside all the students stood loudly scraping their chairs, groaning stretching their backs. It is seriously a task to sit with straight backs continuously for hours together.
It was finally lunch break most favorite hour of the day though for me it would be the last hour of the class. I can't wait to get away from this department. The department was well spaced but after spending two year it'd be nothing except same brick walls.
I raised my eyes hearing muffled commotion in front, the students were huddled chuckling playfully bantering themselves. I couldn't bother to know the specifics of it.
Ayesha came rushing to me with her usual giddiness, seriously this girl's smile is contagious. Her smile simply radiant her features, it is extremely rare not to see her smile. I silently wished god to maintain her happiness forever.
"Guess what." She exclaims. I didn't bother asking her, she'd say it anyways.
"Distribution of tasks for the upcoming fresher's party are being randomly picked up from chits and I can't wait for the party."
The news made me slump deeper into chair almost losing my balance. This was about us seniors giving fresher's party to juniors which should have been actually arranged in one year back. If not for the misunderstanding between them. And what annoying argument was that!
The same filmy shitty thing that one girl from junior section was claimed between two senior boys from our class. The said girl was completely unaware of it.
Seriously what is this with boys or girls claiming someone behind their backs without directly approaching them?
Much to Aman and Josh embarrassment the girl priyanka outwardly declined both of them, it was hilarious as both idiots dramatically asked in front of entire batch. Our class boys according to me are most annoyingly flirtatious in entire department so it was entertaining to pour cold water on their ego. At least they had the decency not to approach her again.
Ayesha waved her hands bringing me back from my thoughts. I gave her a smile standing from my seat we both started walking to the front desk.
"I'm going to much needed freshen up, you can pick up the chit. I trust you." I patted her arm with a reassurance smile.
"Fineee" she drawled her response.
I'm least interested in these campus parties let alone feel excited to organize them. We were only giving the party so they could return the favor by throwing farewell party for us. I internally dreaded to the thought of attending two parties in the short period of time. This last semester of the third year seemed to be testing my nerves already and it was only beginning.
The washrooms were the first part I and Ayesha had run to check them because maybe it was girly thing but it was impossible to survive three years if bathrooms were not comfortable. Though surprising not only washrooms but everything in this department was way better than one could ask for.
I was splashing cool water on my sweaty face in basin section when the door was opened. From the mirror I saw Ayesha looking anywhere but me.
I raised a brow as she started giggling herself. Now this weird behavior especially her reasonless giggles only screamed trouble. Snatching tissues from the roll beside the mirrors I tapped my face waiting for her spill out the news. I'm sure I wouldn't like it.
She gave me her big toothy grin as if to lessen my expected response. "Everything is fine, she starts showing me a pink chit, "so we are assigned with decoration duty what I exactly wanted it to be."
"But..."
I fully turn folding my arms, narrowing my eyes asking her to continue.
She took a long breath spilling out the remaining words "we have to coordinate with kavya and Jo. I was so excited with the news so without thinking I called kavya and she asked us to meet them in their department canteen for further discussions. And today we are going to meet them after classes."
"You did what..." I nearly screamed.
She exhaled loudly rushing to shush me, ignoring her I started pacing in anxiousness. She started rambling reasons as it is better to get started earlier, they were event presidents of the campus. I zoned her out as my mind kept repeating entirely different reasons.
Meeting 'B5' meant reliving those embarrassing moments from that year. Maybe they would have forgotten, anyhow I was not some important personality or they would make of me as I had run away from the situation or worse what if he was to be there. I cannot face him.
Abruptly I stopped feeling knots in my stomach at the thought itself.
I slightly jumped when Ayesha placed her hand on my shoulder, she gave me knowing look understanding exactly my nervousness.
"He might not even be there, mer..."
I glanced at her trying to accept her words. She might be right but what if she is wrong.
"What if I meet him, again?"
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