Shh , Benji motioned with his fingers on his lips as the "something" or rather the someone passed by, ominously close. Ash and Rohan looked at Benji curiously, as he let out a sigh of relief. Why are we hiding from Nupur di? Rohan couldn't stop himself.
Benji , who by now had regained his composure and gone back to his senior status, pulled the 2 first years to the cafeteria where he hoped he could finally put an end to their endless questions.
He pulled up a chair majestically and put his feet on it as he sat comfortably on the table top. Ash and Rohan eagerly pulling out chairs in anticipation.
Their curiosity had been triggered by Nupur di, their super senior, she was in the final year and the most bindaas person in the college, they sort of looked upto her. Her younger sister Gunjan was a bit of a subdued type actually, nice and all, but a bit of a bore really. However her boyfriend (well everyone thinks he is her boyfriend anyway ) Samrat is cool though, except that he seems to have not so great taste in girlfriends . Oh no, not talking about Gunjan di, she is sweet , but he hasn't realized he likes her apparently, boys can be quite thick sometimes! Benji was their favourite senior after Nupur di ofcourse, he had a sense of humour that could only be put to test by the innocent Uday Bhaiyya and he had a quick tongue too, that could be put to rest by one look by Dia, she is the college Diva actually. Unbelievably the sweet Uday bhaiyya and spicy Dia are twins ! Not so unbelievable, considering the nautanki Nupur and Seedhi saadhi Gunjan are sisters!! Ok that takes us to the question, why does Nupur di s life revolve around a phone call she gets from someone called Mayank?
Well, it started in their first year, Benji tried to make it brief. What started in the first year ? It was out of his mouth, before Rohan could stop himself.
Benji sighed! Oh well, ok, it was like this, When we were in the first year, mid year actually, Dia (and Uday actually, but he doesn't count) got this news that her cousins from the village were joining Excel college, we plotted to rag them so much that they left the college and city within a week if not less.
Benji shifted uncomfortably, while Rohan and Ash exchanged dark looks.
So we tried to be mean to them, as a consequence of some of our actions, Nupur got herself locked into the men's loo. Ash gasped. You must understand we were just following Dia's instructions, Benji said guiltily as he looked down at his hand as he spoke, ofcourse, now we are all great friends, you know that, he added brightly.
So what happened to Nupur di? Rohan was relentless today, Ash observed.
Ya! so she was screaming for help, Benji squirmed uncomfortably remembering how he had ignored her pleas and looked on gleefully.
Enter Mayank Sharma, Benji paused dramatically. Ash felt Rohan hold his breath and suppressed a giggle. Mayank Sharma ' The Mayank Sharma, the cool dude who was the college toper and whose life revolved around the library and classrooms no matter how many girls swooned over him as he crossed the corridors to reach his destinations. Its popularly said that the number of people going to the library increased just because Mayank Sharma went to the library. The female population because they adored him while the male population tried to imitate him. He, however dint care about either .
Basically Mayank saved Nupur from the men's loo, Benji ended in a single line. Pausing, almost expecting questions. He was right ofcourse.
Oh so Nupur di fell in love with him? Rohan asked
While Ash wanted to know if they became best friends after that!
Benji smirked.. Neither!! This is Nupur Bhushan and Mayank Sharma we are talking about, they are not your typical couple, TV serial types, or filmy types or anything. They were something else these 2. Only they knew what they were thinking , sometimes I doubt even they knew, he added as an afterthought.
Then? Ashwini and Rohan couldn't stop themselves!
Well, they just went their different ways, just like that, only to meet again in the class where she tripped or something I'm not sure, but he promptly caught her.
Ooh How romantic, Ash squealed.
Umm, maybe, but not to them, he simply asked Girna no 2, aur kitni baar giregi aap?
She replied with a dekhiye tameez se baat keejiye.
So you see, contrary to your expectations they behaved like themselves. In typical Mayank and Nupur style.
From there it went downhill, he hated her nonstop chatter, she hated his attitude. I dint mention that did I, Mayank could never tolerate anyone who was not serious about things in life. Basically he dint care a damn about people like me Uday and Dia, this was before the Earthquake called Nupur Bhushan happened to him. Shook him up, she did, Benji smiled to himself reminiscing something. Ash and Rohan exchanged meaningful looks.
And?
As life often plays its game, it pitched Mayank Sharma and Nupur Bhushan together in a project report. To be honest Deodar sir did, but that's not the point, The point is, they were together trying to work on a project, Mayank loving the project hating to work with Nupur and Nupur? Hating to be with Mayank in anything, especially the project. So she took help from Gunjan and lied to Mayank.
She did not! Ash exclaimed sounding scandalized, while Rohan looked at her wondering what the fuss was about!
Later she felt guilty and started working on the project herself. In the meanwhile, Mayank agreed to partner her in the annual day dance, they did this wonderful impromptu dance at the audition, I remember that I had forgotten to close my mouth for a while (in shock that is!) Dia was really pissed off though Samrat was really impressed. Unfortunately for her, Mayank found out she had lied and assumed she had lied all along while she had infact already apologized to him 'through a letter I think, Benji bit his lip trying to remember the exact sequence of events.
Ok anyway, he probably screamed at her and she got really upset as she had apologized quite a few time by then, then they tried to outdo each other in academics. Nobody thought Nupur would do that you know, she is very bright and all, but she would not really go out of the way to study and top, she just wasn't the type. Challenge she did and how! She nearly beat Mayank Sharma, I think she was behind by only 2 marks. Just imagine! I think he had a bit of a heart attack knowing how close she had gotten to beating him, Benji laughed out loud.
Well as they were the top 2 students of the college, they were sent off to Ahmedabad , I think, for an academic meet or something to represent Excel. Mind you, they hated each other then! On the way, due to Nupur, they missed the bus.
Wow, Dil hai ki manta nahi! Ash gushed.
Ha ha, sorry to disappoint you, but it was nothing like that, they got lost in the jungle ..Benji continued
Oh QSQT Rohan said quickly!!
Can you guys come off it, this is not a movie, this is Mayank and Nupur's story! REAL story. Benji said quite vehemently. So no dances, songs, barns and rains and love and stuff ok?? There were loads of fights but..
Nupur smiled when she heard this, they hadn't noticed but she was sitting behind the pillar. She had also heard almost the entire conversation they had about her and Mayank. Like they were some real couple or better they were some movie characters like Raj and Rashmi (of QSQT silly!) She shook her head, Benji really dint know did he ? They hadn't really told anybody the finer details of their Ahmedabad trip, all people knew was that they went as enemies and returned as friends, that they lost their way somewhere in between and fought even more but somehow it had alleviated the tension between them.
They won the competition, she heard Benji saying.
This made Nupur smile some more. That was some trip, they had gotten lost in the jungle, gotten holed up in a third class lodge, she had gotten drunk and danced to Khajrare (she would've loved to remember more clearly that!) and then Mayank had taken care of her. Very good care of her, even though she was his enemy and he hated her. That was him, always so caring and always hiding that side to him. She tried to recollect a bit more about that day in the barn, when she was drunk , she knew something really sweet her happened, or maybe she dint really know considering she had woken up paranoid the next day sure that she had forced herself on Mayank in her drunken state. She did have an over active imagination. She now wondered why even then she suspected herself, but dint mistrust him for even a second? Ofcourse, he had never given her any reason to! He had always been there. He came to do the dance auditions, even though he dint have to, he came to the final dance, even though he hated her by then and he got out of the bus for her when she missed the bus. He saved her from goons too. Ok, stop Nupur, you don't need to do this! You are already head over heels in love with him, this entire character analysis on Mayank won't help! He is your best friend, he doesn't love you, get over him Nupur!! Get over him!!
Part 2 - Page 4
Edited by myownarea - 12 years ago
