Being a student is really hard. If you are Engineering student then you have 4 years of tough life ahead of you. You have to constantly fight with your friends on where to hangout after missing classes, you have to keep track of missed classes or else prepare to beg for attendance towards the end of the semester. If you stay with parents, then come up with colorful stories to hide, late night parties or night outs. If you stay in hostels, then both you and your roommates have to manage to sneak outside in the night or sneak people or things back in the room. Don't even get me started on the dating life. You seem to like unavailable seniors during first 2 years and later on it changes to juniors who will mostly take advantage of you and give nothing in return. Constant fear of being in the 'friend zone' or 'Bro Zone' will be like slow poison. Then of course, trying not to get year backs and hoping to pass exams by sitting near class toppers during exams. Indeed it is really the toughest time of one's life. Then of course there are people like Nishant who are having time of their lives by studying everyday.
AFTER 3 MONTHS
Engineering College Campus
Nishant and his friend walked into their classroom. It was a typical classroom; people were engrossed in their own world. They were were laughing, quarreling with each other within their groups, few were playing games or listening to music. Only the first 2 bench students had their notes and textbook open. Nishant smiled at his fellow 'nerds' and sat down in first bench along with his friend. His friend was looking around and found Shradha who was with the last benchers.
"Look Nishant, there is Shradha. She again managed to get average score in the semester exams. She looks so cool." said Nishant's friend while tapping his shoulders. Nishant answered his friend without looking up from the book he was reading "I told you before also. Stop fancying her. She probably cheated or used some other methods to score better in the exams."
"Are you implying that she could have offered some favor in exchange for good marks?" asked his friend. Nishant looked up from his book and turned so that he could look at Shradha.
Shradha was talking to her friends and one of them was telling them how he had spent most of his time partying and chasing girls. Feeling as though someone was looking at her, Shradha turned and caught nishant looking at her. Both their eyes met and she could see many emotions in his eyes. There was judgment and disgust and maybe hint of pity.
Nishant did not expect to look her in the eye but once he looked into her honey brown eyes he just could not look away. All he could see was pain and loneliness in them. He felt strange, as though she had heard what he said earlier and she was hurt by his accusations. He did not listen to a word coming out of his friend's mouth and kept starting at Shradha, unable to break the eye contact. Shradha gave him a mocking smile which felt as though she meant "You think you are better than me! Go ahead, judge me all you want. I don't care" and she looked away. Glancing at her one last time, Nishant slowly turned towards his friend who was saying something like "I really like her smile and she is really pretty. So do you think she would use her beauty as an advantage?" Nishant replied "Whatever. I don't care. I am just saying that you should admire someone better and not someone who has no hopes of secure future." he went back to his book and completely ignored his surroundings.
Soon after the classes, Shradha's friends were planning to go for a movie. Shradha said she had other plans and quickly left from there. They all knew that she usually doesn't hangout after classes and joined them rarely for parties. So they just went their way while Shradha took her vespa and headed towards the clinic.
She had been going there for almost 2 years now. At first it was just 2 sessions per week. And when they found out that she had been coming there without telling her parents and she could not afford therapy anymore, they offered her a part time job as a receptionist. This way she could continue her therapy without paying. She had to spend 2-3 hours every day in the clinic, but she could rearrange the timing as per her class timing. This was perfect for her as she liked working there.
As soon as she went in, receptionist smiled at her and said, "Doctor Neeta is free. Would you like to finish your session and then take over here ?" Shradha nodded and went inside the room which said "Dr. Neeta".
Neeta was standing near the window with cup of coffee in her hand. She looked at Shradha when she walked in and smiled. "You are early. I thought it was first day of college after semester break". Shradha smiled back and answered while settling herself in the couch. "classes ended early. So I thought of coming and talking to you before the work."
Neeta responded with a smile and waited for Shradha to speak. However when Shradha was silent for a while, Neeta looked at her and said "So? How was your day?" Shradha stayed silent for a moment before answering, "even after 2 years of therapy I still don't know the answer for that question. Should I say normal ? But then again, what is normal for me? Parents reminding me every morning that I am nothing but their responsibility, that they want to get rid off. Or friends who use me for entertainment or for their convenience?, Or the moral policing of just everyone on this bloody planet? All of these are part of my daily life. "