At the Engineering Faculty

Lakshman entered the Lab with a drenched umberella and started walking towards his desk. He found a creature moaning like a dog with his head down.

"Why are you so early today?No wonder it's raining like cats and dogs." said Lakshman hanging his purple umbrella.

"Shut up" Mark lifted his head up to see the mocking face of his deskmate.

Lakshman looked up and down and couldn't help but sigh.

"When will you stop engaging in fights? Look at your face it's all black and blue"

"Ohm is beaten up yesterday"said Mark

"Well I know" their eyes met.

"They ganged up on him"

"And why did they do that?" asked Lakshman sitting beside Mark.

Mark didn't answer. So Lakshman continued

"Isn't it because he's hitting on Phani's girlfriend?"

Mark averted his gaze "So what? He's just chatting with her. Not like he tried to steal her."

"Mark!" His voice intensified. "Approaching someone with a boyfriend is not right."

Mark hung his face low "But they shouldn't have beaten up Ohm like that too. A warning would've have been suffice." said Lakshman.

"Right! That's why our seniors called for a fight" said Mark proudly.

Lakshman smacked his head

"You listen to seniors when it's about fighting how come you disappear when it's about studies. Seniors told me this semester Digital Communications is very tough. If you're not prepared enough you're gonna end up with backlogs"

Mark said while rubbing his head "Don't curse me with backlogs."

"Even without him cursing you'd end up resitting anyway." said a girl with bold eyeliner.

Mark is glaring at her trying to intimidate her. She scoffed and turned to Lakshman

"How about we do combined studies at your house? I can't understand those pulse codes and response curves"

"You should try spending time for studying instead of smearing that charcoal on your eyes" shouted Mark with a smirk.

The girl's beautiful eyes donned with dark kajal are now glaring but she said nothing.

"Mark! Shut up already and stop teasing Vidya." said Nag, Vidya's deskmate unable to concentrate on his assignment.

"Why don't you ask her to shut up. Why should I always be the one to shut up?" Mark shouted.

"no 625 what's your problem?" Mark turned his head towards the entrance

Everyone in the lab started giggling.

"Nothing sir" Mark stood up politely.

"Okay Okay don't shout in lab" Professor started adjusting his lab instruments

Vidya turned to Mark and whispered "Because you are the stupid one among us"

Mark sat down and mouthed "You are stupid your whole family is stupid" Vidya didn't see it but Lakshman did.

"Why are you always fighting with everyone. Calm down else one day you'll end up in a place having no return" Mark was warned.

Mark connected probe to Oscilloscope and said in low voice "Did we ever fight?"

Lakshman was stunned and thought "yeah right we never fought. With his temper he should be quarrelling with me all day long but in these 10 years of our friendship he never initiated a fight with me"

Mark turned his gaze to Lakshman with a gentle smile he said "Don't worry I'll never fight with you"

Lakshman is stunned at his words.

Mark smirked and then said "Because I don't wanna have a backlog"

Lakshman rolled his eyes and thought "What did I expect from this stupid"

"Then join us tomorrow to study. My house. Don't you dare bring any girls we are not partying" Mark was warned again

"I know I know I know. Even if I did bring girls they'll end up falling for your brother anyway. I don't take risks" Said Mark matter-of-factly

"Come on man! Have some confidence on that handsome face of yours"

"You think I'm handsome" Mark's eyes are sparkling

"eww! No! Definitely not with that blue mess on your face. Before you were a handsome stupid but now you're just a stupid" Lakshman trampled on Mark's pride

Mark admitted defeat and they concentrated on the experiment, noting down responses diligently.