suitcase after suitcase filled with clothes, shoes, toiletries and everything one can possibly need and start to stack them neatly into Pia’s cupboard. The cupboard seems to have expanded, as it swallows everything that is in those fifteen suitcases. Pia actively directs them and rejects stuff that she doesn’t think is important any more. Time and again, she looks at me and asks if she would need a certain piece of clothing or a set of bedsheets and takes my suggestions seriously.
Finally, after an hour, all the suitcases are empty (or filled, with whatever we thought was not needed). Pia hugs the old woman—who is in tears now—and bids both of them goodbye. The old woman just doesn’t want to let her go. Pia assures her that she will be back soon and asks her to take care of herself and her mom and dad. She closes the door behind them and drops flat on the bed with her face down on her pillow.
‘So,’ she says as she looks up, ‘how do you find the college?’
‘It has just been one day and half the classes got cancelled. So, there was nothing much to do.’
‘And how is the crowd?’ she asks me, her eyes filled with curiosity.
‘It’s okay. Though, ragging is still quite prevalent in this college. Tanmay and I ran into some trouble this morning,’ I say.
‘Tanmay?’ she asks and I narrate the whole morning incident and also tell her all about Tanmay and how we met. She lets out a few shocked gasps and some radiant smiles every few minutes. She has a really expressive face and it gives me a feeling that she doesn’t really do a good job at hiding what she is feeling. She tells me that she is from Delhi, and has passed out from Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram. She also tells me that her dad is in some kind of business that she herself doesn’t understand. She asks me about my background and as I tell her, she listens intently and bobs her head. The minute I tell her that my sister studies in Delhi, she freaks out and announces that we have to go on a girls’ night-out there soon.
I feel a little strange, seeing her here. She is a rich, pretty brat from Delhi. Well, she does not actually come across as a brat, and if I go by first impressions, she is really sweet, but it really doesn’t look like she belongs here. She belongs toher big castle back in Delhi, with all her expensive clothes and a line of servants; she is too pampered to be here and to be pursuing engineering. Why would someone so happy and cheerful come to destroy her life in engineering? I ask her exactly that.
She says, ‘I know why you are asking this. A lot of people think I am good for nothing—’
‘I didn’t mean that.’
‘No, I didn’t take offence. I know I spend a lot of my dad’s money on clothes and shoes, but I have always been good at studies too. Actually, I wanted to do fashion designing, because I love clothes! And shoes too.’ Her eyes light up. ‘But I realized when I took the entrance examination that you need to be really talented to get there. I did way better in my engineering entrance examinations, so I came here. People were shocked, but that was fun too!’
I laugh. ‘But then—were your parents okay with sending you here?’
‘Actually, my parents were the most shocked. They never cared about my marks. When I told them, they had no idea what I was saying. Now, they are proud,’ she says with a huge smile on her face. ‘Oh! And I love your top.’
‘Thank you,’ I say and blush. I have to take her word seriously—she almost became a fashion designer.
And then, it strikes me! A little late, but better late than tomorrow.
Tanmay and Pia!
They would make an amazing pair. The cute kindergarten couple. Harry Potter and the little fairy. How perfect was that?
‘Where are we going?’ Pia asks, as I hold her hand and pull her to the common mess. ‘Let’s go outside and eat today? Mom said hostel food is really bad,’ she chirps.
‘I want you to meet Tanmay,’ I say. I can’t be
Finally, after an hour, all the suitcases are empty (or filled, with whatever we thought was not needed). Pia hugs the old woman—who is in tears now—and bids both of them goodbye. The old woman just doesn’t want to let her go. Pia assures her that she will be back soon and asks her to take care of herself and her mom and dad. She closes the door behind them and drops flat on the bed with her face down on her pillow.
‘So,’ she says as she looks up, ‘how do you find the college?’
‘It has just been one day and half the classes got cancelled. So, there was nothing much to do.’
‘And how is the crowd?’ she asks me, her eyes filled with curiosity.
‘It’s okay. Though, ragging is still quite prevalent in this college. Tanmay and I ran into some trouble this morning,’ I say.
‘Tanmay?’ she asks and I narrate the whole morning incident and also tell her all about Tanmay and how we met. She lets out a few shocked gasps and some radiant smiles every few minutes. She has a really expressive face and it gives me a feeling that she doesn’t really do a good job at hiding what she is feeling. She tells me that she is from Delhi, and has passed out from Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram. She also tells me that her dad is in some kind of business that she herself doesn’t understand. She asks me about my background and as I tell her, she listens intently and bobs her head. The minute I tell her that my sister studies in Delhi, she freaks out and announces that we have to go on a girls’ night-out there soon.
I feel a little strange, seeing her here. She is a rich, pretty brat from Delhi. Well, she does not actually come across as a brat, and if I go by first impressions, she is really sweet, but it really doesn’t look like she belongs here. She belongs toher big castle back in Delhi, with all her expensive clothes and a line of servants; she is too pampered to be here and to be pursuing engineering. Why would someone so happy and cheerful come to destroy her life in engineering? I ask her exactly that.
She says, ‘I know why you are asking this. A lot of people think I am good for nothing—’
‘I didn’t mean that.’
‘No, I didn’t take offence. I know I spend a lot of my dad’s money on clothes and shoes, but I have always been good at studies too. Actually, I wanted to do fashion designing, because I love clothes! And shoes too.’ Her eyes light up. ‘But I realized when I took the entrance examination that you need to be really talented to get there. I did way better in my engineering entrance examinations, so I came here. People were shocked, but that was fun too!’
I laugh. ‘But then—were your parents okay with sending you here?’
‘Actually, my parents were the most shocked. They never cared about my marks. When I told them, they had no idea what I was saying. Now, they are proud,’ she says with a huge smile on her face. ‘Oh! And I love your top.’
‘Thank you,’ I say and blush. I have to take her word seriously—she almost became a fashion designer.
And then, it strikes me! A little late, but better late than tomorrow.
Tanmay and Pia!
They would make an amazing pair. The cute kindergarten couple. Harry Potter and the little fairy. How perfect was that?
‘Where are we going?’ Pia asks, as I hold her hand and pull her to the common mess. ‘Let’s go outside and eat today? Mom said hostel food is really bad,’ she chirps.
‘I want you to meet Tanmay,’ I say. I can’t be
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