"Is everything alright?" Rashi asked for the third time as they entered the mess.
"Yes Rashi. Everything's good",Payal said ,emphasising each word.
They picked a plate each and stood in the line.
"It's just that you are not yourself ",Rashi voiced her concern, looking at Payal worriedly.
Payal smiled lightly and replied,"Can anyone be fine after knowing something like that?"
" Or is it anything your mother said?"Payal stilled and looked at Rashi .
Had Rashi heard her talking to her mother?
Payal cleared her throat and replied smiling nervously,"she was just telling me to be careful here, you know , how I'm far from them and all , just mom stuff. Anyway ,did you see Naveen ?"
Payal changed the subject quickly and looked around. Her purpose was served as Rashi forgot what they were talking about and let out a groan.
"Do we have to sit with him? Can't we just eat in peace? That guy doesn't know when to shut up".
Payal playfully glared at Rashi and gave up on searching for the boy. As much as she liked him, she didn't want to hear him rant about how much he missed his PlayStation back home right now.
They filled their plates and found a place to sit. They sat facing one another. Payal eased herself and looked up behind Rashi and caught sight of furious eyes glaring at her. He was just sitting there ,alone , giving her those eyes. He looked at her like she had snatched something from him and like he hated her guts. She looked at him questioningly only for him to glare harder.
The hell was wrong with him....
Unlike the other times he didn't have that triumphant and condescending smirk on his face . He just scowled at her as he stood up and stomped away . Payal frowned and looked at Rashi to see her looking back at his retreating figure.
"Wasn't he the one from last night? The one who threatened us?"Rashi said when she looked back at Payal.
"Yup. That's him, Sagar. And Rashi ,you don't have to be scared, okay? He didn't threaten you",Payal replied, smiling reassuringly.
"I know he threatened you ,but I was with you when he did that,"Rashi argued.
Payal sighed,"Rashi, like I said yesterday, I won't let him do anything to you. Don't fret anymore."
Rashi looked down and nodded slowly causing Payal to smile.
"Let's eat?"
Rashi smiled and they both continued eating their food.
************
It had been four days since the the first day and nothing worse had happened. Payal would see Siddharth everyday with only Naman ,Milind and Rishab . They would just look at her when she would walk past them in the hallways. When Payal had felt their stares on her the first of the three days ,she had smiled their way but had ignored them the next day. Then ,at night in the mess ,she would find Sagar glaring at her as usual. She didn't know what she had done to offend him so much. And to think that he was never around Siddharth's group anymore ! She wondered if they had a fight.
On the other hand, Naveen had been a sweetheart and had never left her side when they were in the college, but she would never see him in the mess at dinner. Rashi had warmed up to Naveen to say the least. She would give him a smile now and then . At that rate, Payal wouldn't be surprised if they actually became best friends by the end of the month. But something about Naveen made Payal wonder. He was so sweet and friendly , almost unlike any boy she had known before. Other than the first time when he had hit on Rashi, he never said anything to make them uncomfortable. But in the end ,Payal was happy to have such good friends.
".... idea of this "decayed system" however originated from a teleological construction of India's past. The early image of India in the West was that of past glory accompanied by an idea of degeneration. There was an urge to know Indian culture and tradition, as reflected in the endeavours of scholars like Sir William Jones, who studied the Indian languages to restore to the Indians their own forgotten culture and legal system-monopolised only by the learned pandits and maulvis (Hindu and Islamic learned men). By establishing a linguistic connection between Sanskrit, Greek and Latin -all supposedly belonging to the same lndo-European family of languages-Jones privileged India with an antiquity equal to that of classical West."
Payal nodded as the history professor explained about the British imperial ideology . It was the period before lunch and all the students were eagerly waiting for the bell to ring and hardly paid attention to the professor. However ,the professor didn't seem to mind their indifference to her. She ignored the boring looks she got from all over the class and explained just looking at Payal, as if she were the only student in the class.
Payal ,however , was a different case. She enjoyed the class and did not bother to ever glance at Naveen, who was at the verge of falling asleep right beside her. She made notes simultaneously while listening to the professor like the hard working girl she was. But soon to her dismay and to other's joy, the bell rang indicating lunch break. In a minute , the whole class was empty leaving only her and Naveen in the class. Payal packed her bag and looked at Naveen to find him already at the door waiting for her with jumpy feet.
"Come fast, yaar(dude, friend). I'm hungry as hell. We have an hour off after, I can get back to my room and sleep", Naveen said dreamily.
Payal reached him and shook her head at her friend,"I don't know why you are hungry . All you have done today is sleep in all the three classes. You better start paying attention from the now,Naveen. It will save you so much time while studying for exams."
Naveen stomped his foot and whined,"Seriously? It's only been five days and you have already started talking about exams. Cut me some slack, mom".
Payal shook her head smiling and said,"Drama queen!"
In return , Naveen gave her a cheeky smile and walked beside her.
"Wait, where are you going?"Naveen yelled in panic as he saw Payal going upstairs instead. "The mess is in the other building".
Payal laughed at his panic stricken face and replied,"I know , dumbo. I'm going to the library to get the book mam told us about".
Naveen scratched his head with a confused look on his face,"which book are you talking about? I mean which mam and which book?".
"For Bronte's sake ,Naveen! The book "Plassey to partition" ,which our history mam told us to refer not even 20 minutes ago! Were you sleeping? Of course you had to be sleeping. I'm telling you again ,Naveen. Be serious about studies",Payal said exasperatedly . Half way through her rant , Naveen had closed his ears and eyes tightly . Payal huffed at him and continued to climb up the stairs. Naveen quickly followed behind her without a word, knowing better than to irk her more.
There was no one in the hallways as it was lunch time. They reached the library and soon Payal checkout the book she needed and looked at Naveen . He smiled nervously at her as his stomach growled loudly making his face go red. Payal felt bad .
The poor boy must've been really hungry and there she was searching for a book.
She smiled apologetic at him and took his hand in hers and dragged him down the stairs.
When they reached the first floor , Naveen tripped and fell forward before Payal could hold him. She quickly rushed to his side and helped him stand up. She was about to ask him if he was okay when a familiar voice cut in.
"Tsk tsk tsk ...How pathetic! Are you hurt ? Should I bring a wheelchair for you?"
Sagar stood there with his hands on his hips and the stupid smirk on his face.
Payal rolled her eyes at him and looked over his shoulder to see two other guys she had never seen before, standing with arms across their chests. All the three were in kurtas and Payal took it that they were from Siddharth's political party.
"Y-you tr-tripped m-me,"Naveen stammered with his head low. Payal's blood boiled hearing that but she decided not to talk yet.
"Haw! I did?" Sagar gasped dramatically with his hands against his cheeks. His friends laughed as he continued,"Did you hear it guys? The boy says I tripped him. Tell him I did not", and his pout slowly morphed back into an evil smirk.
"Wait ,brother! Are you sure about the 'boy' part though? " One of his friends snickered from behind as the other simply laughed evily.
Sagar's eyes widened as he looked at Naveen ,"Oh ! How could I forget? Now tell me , what should I call you? A girl? Or better yet , a fag?"