Halmer University is one of the best universities of our country, only someone with an exceptional resume or strong financial background gets to attend it.
So it was natural for May's parents to get so excited when she got accepted in it that they enrolled her in right away. Seeing their happy faces, May couldn't bring herself to tell them that 'she doesn't want to go so far away from home.'
Shinla station is quite a sight today, over twenty people are gathered here to see Mayra off, which includes her parents, her friends, her old age house buddies and some neighbours, something one can only see in a small town like this.
Maybe thats why May is so attached to this town, these people, she has got so much love and affection from them, they all are like her own big family.
She waved them goodbye with a bright smile.
It was the most extraordinary moment of her ordinary life. She boarded the train with a hope that when she comes back, she can find everything just the same as now, everyone as happy and healthy as they are now. Though she knows that its not possible, that change is inevitable and that, whatever happens life goes on.
But no matter how many times we remind ourselves of the truth, our heart will always linger for the moments it once loved.
"Miss Mayra Sen from Shinla!" a lady with an emerald blazzer and high updo said with her eyes fixed on the desktop.
'Is it that hard to attend someone properly?' May thought as she nodded slightly, waiting for her to look up.
It was 6 in the morning when she arrived, just to find nobody around the office.
She thought she would have to wait till office hours begin but thankfully she found a receptionist. Though this receptionist looks too cold for her profession.
"You are also from Sebastian High School" she stood up after a while and smiled wryly, "Welcome dear."
"Is there anyone else from there?" May asked casually.
That lady raised her brow and looked at her, when a big black car stopped outside the glass enterance door. She signed someone in it to wait while saying, "so your dorm no. is 7 and room no.18. The directions and general instructions are given in this booklet. Give it a careful read" and handed her the rulebook.
Mayra took the book and thanked her before leaving.
Only when she reached her room that she let out a sigh of relief, 'Atleast this room looks warm and cozy' she whispered to herself and placed her belongings on an empty bed.
'Looks like my roommates have already arrived' she thought after seeing unpacked boxes all over the floor.
There was a big window by her bedside, one can see a long lane lined with trees and a big football ground in the front.
'This campus sure is big' she sighed looking out of the window.
"Isn't it wonderful? We can see a beautiful sunset from here" a voice came from behind.
May turned around to see a petite girl with pixie cut walking towards her, followed by a tall blonde girl.
"Hi I'm Reha Singh and this is Sophie Joseph, your new roommates" she said with a warm smile.
"Hi I'm Mayra Sen" May smiled back.
"So you are from a city named Shinla" Reha chirped to which May nodded.
"Never heard there exists a city like this" she chuckled, "and you are here on some scholarship, right?" she sat on her bed and asked.
'Has she researched everything about me?'
May found her unnervingly frank, "Yes I am" she stated looking straight in her eyes.
"Great then we can depend on you a little, you won't mind helping us, right scholar?"she smiled.
May couldn't figure out what she was getting at.
"Come on I'm kidding, you don't have to pull that serious expression." Reha quipped and got up after hearing no response from her.
"By the way do you want to join us? We are planning to decorate this room a little. I mean if you like doing such stuff, if you can't then its ok."
"Reha!", Sophie placed her hand on her shoulder and turned towards May, "Please don't mind her, she doesn't believe in thinking before talking."
"We are school friends actually" Reha put her arm around Sophie and giggled.
May wasn't sure if its going to be a good experience, but she was sure of one thing, she won't get bored with them around.
Pointing towards a wall she said with a spark in her eyes, "I'd like to paint something on this."
"Cool! Then we'll hang some lamps on it after that" Reha squealed.
By the night time they almost finished their work and lay down all exhausted on their beds.
May took the rulebook to go through before sleeping. And after reading a few intructions, "Guys!" she yelped, scanning their faces she said "Did you see this rule?"
"What? Which rule?" Sophie asked while chatting on her phone.
"It says painting the walls is not allowed" May replied with tensed brows.
"Relax Mayra, rules are meant to be broken" Reha winked choking on a mouthful of snacks.
Sophie flashed a sly grin, putting her phone aside she said, "We haven't even started yet."
'These girls are a bad call' May predicted, 'its going to be a trouble for sure' and kept on reading the book.
Reha and Sophie were also in the same department as May, so it didn't took them long to get along. They kindof had become an inseparable trio, from attending the lectures to chilling out in cafeteria, they were always together.
They also attended their first ice breaking ceremony together, which was held by their dorm seniors.
'It is intended to bully us' May realized when she was asked to strip down, which she refused to comply right away. This resulted in some serious friction between May and those seniors, neither of the sides were ready to give in. In the end, May left the ceremony, and Reha and Sophie tried to smooth everything out behind.
Then there was another ice breaking ceremony by their department seniors where Reha warned May not to utter a word if she find anything 'morally wrong' beforehand.
But tonight they would be attending this ceremony separately. Reha and Sophie would attend the one held by HS seniors who call themselves elite's group.
And May would attend the one held by SS seniors who call themselves scholars' group. Even though no one has put it into words but there is always a silent rivalry going between these two groups, which could be seen by the spirit they compete against each other, at every possible opportunity in college.
Before leaving the room with Sophie, Reha turned around to repeat her words, "And May don't"...
"argue with them if you can't agree with them. I got it" May completed her sentence and handed her the purse saying, "I know how to deal with people you know."
"Call me if you can't find the right place" Sophie said while putting on her heels.
"I've got navigation app in my phone." May raised her brows and said.
"Yeah right" they smiled foolishly.
"Seriously! Why are you acting like this?", May demanded narrowing her eyes but they didn't said anything.
"Alright I don't need to know." She waved her hands, and then pushed them out saying, "Just leave now."
Its strange how in just one month they became accustomed to each other like that.
May was surprised by seeing what they think of her, how those two became so overprotective of her.
'ZN's heaven' as the sign reads May didn't find anything heavenlike when she walked in. There was dim light and high volume music playing at one side and a band performing at the other side. 'Scholars' gathering' she had no clue what sort of gathering it would be, it took her half an hour to decide what to wear at such meet, especially when she was told 'its going to be a gathering of high intellects'. At the end she opted for a white knee length skirt with dusty pink top, but to her surprise everyone was dressed casually.
'Nothing is worse than feeling out of place like this', she mumbled but at the same time, she was glad she didn't wore anything flasy like Reha and Sophie suggested.
"Mayra! you can sit here" Arichit senior (4th year student and SS president) pointed towards a chair beside him.
Mayra met him on her first day to college when she was called for the SS meet.
While introducing herself when she told them where she was from, he jumped to her side with sparkling eyes and said, "Shinla!! I've been there once."
"Really! Its a small world" May said, but he couldn't catch on to her sarcasm, and kept on sharing his experience. Soon she realized how simple-minded he really is, and from then on, they gelled on pretty well.
After seeing everyone around, one of the soph(2nd year student) began, "Now that everyone has arrived. Lets start the ritual.."
"Wait for a second, one more frosh has to come" Arichit interrupted.
"Oh that new guy." Siza smiled at Arichit "your childhood friend right. Isn't he a latewalker."
Before Arichit can respond, someone shouted, "Here he is."
Everyone turned around to see him while May was busy texting her roomies. 'What! You are at ZN's heaven!' 'Why haven't you told us before?' 'Lucky bitch! Here we are getting bored in a resteraunt.' Her phone was on fire.
'Lucky? Are you serious?' May replied.
'What!! ZN is heaven!' Sophie typed, 'Its the best place to hook up' Reha added.
"Eric! come sit here." Arichit shouted pointing towards an empty chair at the other side.
May stopped typing the moment she heard the name. 'Noway thats not possible' she told herself, but still to calm her anxious heart she looked up.
'What in this world is Eric Wron doing here?' her brows furrowed, 'Is my luck that tough!' the only person she was glad of leaving behind, was standing right in front of her.
He took the seat and greeted everyone, avoiding her gaze.
Siza began, "Now lets just start the game." placing a big bowl full of paper chits on the centre of the table, she said, "You have to choose a chit from this bowl and have to perform the challenge mentioned in it."
"And if someone backs out then he will have to drink this" Arichit pointed towards a bitter gaurd tonic placed near the bowl.
Everybody got engaged in the game except May and Eric. May was scowling at him and he was glaring back now and then, Arichit noticed the gloomy atmosphere around them.
"So you guys know each other" he tried to fill in that awkward silence.
"No", "Kindof", May and Eric replied together, she gave him a scornful smile, he shrugged his shoulder and averted his gaze.
"Come on, you are from same highschool." Arichit scratched his forehead and said, "Are you having a lovers' tiff?" he chuckled as his phone rang, "Excuse me for a minute" he got up to attend the call.
"What are you doing here?" May snapped at Eric, "You knew I'll be attending Halmer university right? then why are you here?" she uttered in a single breath.
"Wow, Can you sound any more absurd?" he replied in the shock of her question. "Wait!" he paused, pursing his lips he said, "You are not thinking I followed you here? Are you?"
May's brows raised "What? You followed me here?"
"Are you insane?" Eric hissed, punching the table.
"Then why senior was talking like that?" May looked at him suspiciously.
"Ask yourself!" he snapped back, "Can't you make your face less obvious. I'm not happy to see you here as well, you know."
"Sorry for that, so what were we talking about?" Arichit said while taking his seat.
Eric unlocked his phone and gestured him to wait.
While May pretended to be totally into the game, and chirped "Siza senior! Who are you going to choose?"
"Arichit ofcourse!" Siza flashed a sly grin and sprang to his side.
"Wait! What is it?" Arichit looked at everyone's amused faces while she was dragging him out.
"How can you leave me now? Even after knowing I'm pregnant!" She jerked his hand away and shouted when they reached the most crowded side of the room.
Arichit was dumbstruck, a silence spread in the room despite the music.
He sensed everyone's eyes, filled with disgust, scanning him, as he hugged her, "I'm sorry, I was wrong. Lets just go back and talk."
"You are no fun" Siza whispered, Arichit clenched his teeths saying, "You took your challenge way too seriously."
"May!" Ross stood beside May while she was cheering for them, and said, "I heard you haven't registered for freshers' yet."
"Senior!" May smiled and stood up, " Actually...I volunteered to be a coordinator instead."
"Thats such a waste" Ross sighed, "I was looking forward to see you with the title."
"What a joke!" Eric murmured, sipping on his drink. May rolled her eyes and turned to face him, when Arichit stumbled, and Ross poured his drink on May while trying to help him.
'This is it' May took her purse and rushed to the washroom before anyone can catch a glimpse of the situation.
"Oh! My drink!" Ross said looking at his empty glass, oblivious to everything that happened around.
'It has to happen' May thought while trying to remove the stain.
'Mayra Sen won't face any trouble even when Eric Wron is around!' she laughed at herself, 'Thats beyond the bounds of possibility.'
"May you alright?" Siza walked in to check on her.
"I can't come out in this state" May sighed pointing towards the stain on her skirt.
"I expected that" Siza gave her a jacket and said, "Wear it for the time being."
May looked at it with puzzled face, "Isn't it Eric's.." and shooked her head saying, "I'm not going to wear something like this."
"Come on party is almost over" Siza squeezed her hand and said "Its still better than missing out on fun." She smiled and patted on her arm, "I'll leave now, you hurry up!"
May tried on the jacket, it covered the stain completely, 'Its not that weird, just a leather jacket' she told herself looking in the mirror and walked out. But the moment she entered the room, she felt an uneasiness growing inside, 'I think I should leave' she turned towards the door, then paused for a second and decided to join everyone anyway.
While she was hoping for noone to notice, Eric stood up abruptly after seeing her like that.
'Why is he looking so shocked! Haven't Siza senior told him Why she was borrowing his jacket' May paused again, examining the situation.
He strode up to her, May stepped back a little, 'Why is he coming here?' she looked at him alarmingly.
"Come with me" he stood in front of her and said looking straight in her eyes.
"Why should I? I won't" She started walking away from him. She knew if she followed him, he might will ask for his jacket back and she is in no position to give it.
He grabbed her hand and forced her to move, "I said come with me."
She pulled her hand back while being dragged and snapped, "I said I won't."
He scowled at her but she was not ready to budge an inch.
Ross came to them, confused by seeing their squabble he asked, "What happened?"
May's eyes brightened when she heard his voice from behind, and when she was about to turn around, Eric swiftly pulled her close and kissed her lips.