"Muskuraiye! Aap Lucknow mein hain. "- clicked in my mind instantly when I caught a look on her application form which had Lucknow mentioned as her hometown. My eyes travelled above to look for her name and "MEERA", my eyes paused. She was standing before me in the queue and was on a phone call talking frantically and sounding overwhelmed. I was amazed to find someone so happy even after realising that they could not make to one of the best colleges, some IIT or NIT. My eyes could not stop following her as she was more vibrant than the neon painting on the wall of that dull counselling room. She was fair, fat and had beautiful, expressive eyes, her hairs were tied in a small ponytail with short hairlocks falling on her face which she subconsciously plucked behind her ears while talking to her mom which by now I had figured out. With whatever I overheard I could figure out how simultaneously she could be mature and yet childish when she asked her mother to take care of her sisters and not worry about her and seconds later she was persuading her to come to see her in the hostel with a surprise present before the first winter break. There was something in this girl, the way of talking or her confidence in her own skin which made me crave for a chat with her. But introverts you know, we just cannot make the first move. So with hope of seeing her in the college next day and stepping ahead as the length of the queue got reduced, I lost her sight after my eyes followed her till the exit door of the room.
I moved to the allotted room and my roommates had not dropped in by now. Thoughts of how will I greet them, will they approach me first or should I take the first step, Will I ever be successful now as I could not make to a good college even after dropping, Shit! I must have worked harder, the thoughts were getting me nuts and Suddenly, the vibration of phone led my attention towards the bed, spanning and scrolling all the clothes, make up pouch , box of sweet my mother had forcefully fitted in the trolley and beneath the book, phew! There was my phone ringing.
"Yes Maa, All is good. I was just arranging. No, there is nobody in my room yet. "
"That box of sweet, did you eat any? I have made it in pure ghee."
"Maa, I am not that fond of sweets"
And the line went off. The clouds of anxiety, excitement, and stress had started shadowing me as I was covering the shelf of my wardrobe with an old sheet of newspaper and again to my rescue there was a knock on my door. To my surprise there was Meera on the door, with a wide friendly smile such that I noticed her white teeth. I invited her inside and she looked around.
"Ah! There is no place on your bed to sit. So messy around, Wait let me help you! Oh by the way I am Meera."
'I know that already. You were in front of me in the morning queue. Sorry for the mess."
"Oh! Never mind buddy. I anyways love cleaning and decorating, so how about a company, you won't get bored, I can assure you that."
"It is so nice of you. I am Naina. "
She stayed back with me, Springing her hands here and there, talking all the while. My room looked clearer now and my mind was happier as It got someone to occupy me and relief me from the guilt of not doing well in past years and landing to this college. Some hope perhaps!