Part-1 Two classmates silently like each other without expressing their love ...
Silent Love
That day I was extremely happy . My whole family, myself, my younger brother and my parents were all very happy . I had competed for admission in the BIT, a prestigious Engineering college at Mesra , Ranchi . I got a good ranking and was expecting to possibly get Computer science or in the worst scenario Electronics and Electrical was sure . This success had eroded the sadness we all felt when I failed to qualify for admission to IITs. I was supposed to join this college early next month .
My parents started shopping for my dresses and other needful items required by me in college . They bought four sets of jeans , tee shirts and tops besides some salwar and kurta sets . My grandma was furious at jeans and tops and said “ Is it a proper dress for Soni ? Why can’t she wear our family dress for women -Sarees ? “
My dad tried hard and succeeded in convincing her that for engineering students such dresses were needed . We used to live in Patna . I came to Ranchi with my parents and younger brother Sonu for my admission to BIT . From Ranchi station we had to hire a cab for Mesra - some 7 km from the railway station . On the way to Mesra we saw heavy traffic on the roads . My dad said “ Ranchi used to be a hill station and the summer capital of Bihar . But nowadays Ranchi is the capital of newly formed state Jharkhand . Moreover it’s no longer a hill station , it’s crowded like any other civil town .”
Anyway, within half an hour we were at Mesra . We stayed in the guest house for two days. After that my parents returned and I moved to my hostel. My mom taught me a few things in private about safety and how to keep myself safe amidst boys. But before they left I was lucky to get the Computer Science branch and they returned happily . My dad was extremely happy and impressed to see my campus. He said to my younger brother Sonu “ This is a great institution. You should also try to get admission here .”
I told him “ No , Sonu should dream high for a better institute, at one of the IITs. Isn’t it Sonu ?”
“ I will try my best Di . “ Sonu replied
On the first day in college I introduced myself as Soniya Verma and subsequently I told my nickname Soni to two of my close friends . In fact one of them, Sarita , was from Patna and she already knew about it. Though Sarita was one year senior to me, she was close to me because we belonged to the same city and also because of being from the same school . In fact Sarita was a shield to protect mei against my ragging by seniors . Even though ragging was officially banned and attracted severe punishment including expulsion for a year , it was happening covertly .
Our classes started from the very first day but it became serious from the next day . The college management had made some recent changes in the syllabus of Computer Sc. for which books were not available in the market and only a couple of reference books were available in the library . There was a heavy demand to get this book for reading in the library itself as it was not meant for issue . I failed to get it on two previous occasions and was expecting it on that day when I met Sarita and Manish in the Library . Both were in the Electronics branch and were close friends too . I saw the book I needed with Manish .
After saying Hi to both I sat close to them on the next chair . When Sarita asked me the reason for coming there I said about the book I was looking for pointing towards Manish’s book.
She smiled and said to Manish “ She is my friend Soniya , we are both from the same city and the same school. Why are you having this book which is none of your subjects ? “
“ I have kept it for Sood , he is in the first year of CS . He might come any moment . “ Manish replied
Then looking at me she said “ You should have told me . I came here earlier than this man , I could have got it for you . But your lecturer must have distributed some printouts on this subject . “
“ Yes he did but only a few of them and asked to get it photocopied . Unfortunately it hasn’t reached me so far and the semester test is coming up shortly . “
“ Anyway , Manish, you give the book to Soniya till Sood comes . “ Sarita told Manish
Manish pushed the book towards me and I thanked him . I started reading the relevant pages . In the meantime I heard Manish talking to Sood . Sood told him to get scanned photos of some pages from his cell phone and forward it to him so that he would get them printed .
Manish told me “ You can read the book as long as you are here . Sood isn’t coming. He has ordered me to take photos of some of the pages and forward them .”
I nodded my head . After a few minutes Manish asked me “ What’s your mobile number ? “
Hearing this Sarita reacted instantly “ Are you crazy ? You are meeting a girl for the first time and asking her cell number . “
“ Oh , so sorry . I should have been more careful . But it was not with any malafide intention . I just wanted to help her . If I have her number I can forward the photos of pages to her . I can tell Sood to get an extra copy of prints for her . “
“ I am extremely sorry , Manish," said Sarita . Then looking at me she said “ You can safely give your number to him . You can rest assured that your relevant printed pages will reach you sooner. I stand guarantee , you can give your number to Manish . In the meantime you can go and prepare other topics .”
After a few minutes I returned the book to Manish and asked Sarita to give him my mobile number . I also texted her the page numbers I wanted . “
By the time I was back in my room I got Manish’s Whatsapp text with scanned photos of the pages I needed with a foot note that the printout will arrive before I go to bed .
In fact, soon after dinner I got the printouts delivered by Sarita . Sarita said “ Manish has personally brought them here and asked me to give them to you . “
“ But he could have directly given me . “ I said
“ Sure , he could have but he was hesitant to meet you at night . That may be due to my fault also when I scolded him for asking for your mobile number . You know actually he is a very simple and honest guy , always ready to help any of us . He is an introvert also , he talks very less and that too to just a few of us . You can trust him blindly . You know one thing which I am sharing with you only . “
“ What ? ”
I have been trying to get close to him or rather flirted on a couple of occasions but he is deaf and dumb guy , at least in matters of love . So now we are just friends . “
I took the papers and thanked her and texted a thank you message to Manish also .
After a couple of weeks my semester was over and college was closed for two weeks . I got good marks with the help of Sarita and Manish for which I thanked them . We all reached Ranchi station in the same cab and then boarded the train for our home station. Sarita and I were going to Patna while Manish had to change trains at Patna for going to his home in north Bihar . We had tea at Patna Jn. and waited for Manish’s train . Both Sarita and I bid goodbye to Manish as he boarded his train. We had already planned for our return trip together .
We were back on the college campus after two weeks . All were seriously busy preparing for their second semester . But after two weeks Manish had to go to his village. This happened suddenly and no student wants to leave studies in mid semester . None of us knew the exact reason but Sarita told me “ While Manish was talking with someone at his village I heard some crying voice of a baby . “
After a few days Manish returned .Both I and Sarita talked to Manish and asked if everything was okay . He kept silent for a while and then said in a feeble voice “ No , I will have to go back again . He left again within three days . We wanted to know the reason from him but he didn’t say anything except “ I will be back soon when things are normal .”
Contd.
