AneStory

                  Hera used to attend college sparingly before result, in mental sense. What i mean to say is that, he used to attend college physically, sit or rather slump in the last seat, sleepily and draw some doodle, which would have been his dream bike. Had not noticed anyone, so had no idea, who was part of class and more importantly who was not. But now, there was altogether a new Hera in class, who used to sit next to most sincere student Anth, in first two rows and directly in front of board. Taking down notes and paying attention to faculty.

                  Fellow pupil had to give proxy on behalf of Hera but, now for the first time in his life he had got the opportunity to pay back some of his friends. Hence, Hera learned how to give proxy attendance, in fact he did it quite well, it came naturally to him. He took to it like fish to water. So one day it was time for him to give proxy for two of his friends, and his own, all the roll calls were were well paced, in fact formed a series, including Anth's roll number too. But something else was in store for Hera.

                   Bell rang, Hera was noticing things, watched everyone take there seat and then she walked in. Hera asked Anth who was she? She is beautiful. Anth was answering, she is Miss Meteorite. but Hera was not listening. He was already in a trance. He was just staring at her when roll call started. 1 2 3 4.....no change in Hera's trance, 9 10 11 12.............still staring.........19 18 20........not a mussel moved, 23 24 25............ mouth open in aw .... 29 29....Anth looks at Hera, shuts his mouth 29 yes ma'am, says Hera. Ma'am looks at him and continues to take roll call 30 31 32......... Trance broken, ....39, yes ma'am. Ma'am does not look up and she continues roll call.....40 41 42.... that was close call, Hera thought, now only his attendance remains. 49 and yes ma'am goes Hera. Ma'am looks up and Hera is caught.  

                    Hera, is back in trance, nearly, she is standing so close, so beautiful, she is scolding me why? Out of trance, oh! she is Ma'am!

                      To her: Sorry ma'am, no ma'am, the 1st two were proxies,.

                    Oh shit, she did not know about 29, she did not need to know about 29.

                      To her: Sorry ma'am, I am really sorry.

                    Oh, i should stop smiling, it is not convincing, but she is standing so close, so beautiful! How can i let her know? No, this is not the right time, no she is this close.

                      To her: Sorry ma'am.

                     Oh she is so close to sun, so heated up, so angry, she is clearly showing all her red colors. At top of her voice, so beautiful, so sweet! 

                     Oh she is so close to me, lets see should i kiss her. All i have do is stoop a bit, i am on higher ground and I can reach her. No, that would be wrong, no girl would like it, but that would shut her up. No, it might get me rusticated. So what else can i do? Oh! yes i can whistle, she would understand by it right away! Heck, i do not know how too. What can i do? yes i can wink at her.

                     To her, he winked and said sorry ma'am, she continued her scolding, and he winked again. This time she was visibly embarrassed and other than her and Hera, only Anth knew what happened and so he nudged him. But, Hera winked at her again and said sorry ma'am, this time she cooled down a bit and decided to drop the subject. However, Hera tried to continue with it, and got a big nudge from Anth, this time it hurt and he stopped.

                      Well, she continued with attendance and on 59, she heard voice from same corner, looked up and this time it was and Anth in all defensive way, thats my first roll call and thats my real number too! Hera is all smiles.

                      From that day, Hera did not miss her single lecture, not even the one where she scheduled one at 7:30 in morning.  Where much to embarrassment of miss meteorite and amazement of Hera, he was the only one to turn up. She taught Cathode ray tube and swear-ed, she would not teach others. But she did, Hera was disappointed.

                      Later, at end of the semester, sadly for Hera, Miss Meteorite resigned and went on to get a permanent position in another college. However, when all this was going on, Hera got a surprise......

          Since last day of exam, Hera with most impatience, waited for result. Even if there was no announcement, he would end up in student section, demanding one, for most of the time. Most people thought they would score 60%, easily, and Hera thought distinction was no where to go. And why not, he had not missed any temple, nor missed a single day's prayer. But seniors warned them of how hearts are shattered, and people do not pass a single subject. Its the real initiation into graduation race. 

          But Hera was confident, he would get his CBZ for sure and if he stood first his father might become generous, as much as he may get a car too. He had done all the homework, how to declare result to his father. He was going to give all the stats, how the lesser mortals had performed and perished in the first battle, preparing his father for worst and then out of blue, he would say i got distinction! His father would pop the question, "what do you want my son?" and he would say a vehicle. And he would get a car! Easy!

           Hera was so much engrossed in his dreams that he had not noticed anything around him, how some of his friends been bunking classes, were out in pairs or assignments were to be submitted. Rack and Monc would update him about ongoings and Hera would submits write ups for experiments that were performed by either of them. His roll number was always answered by some one else, though he was still sitting in class, for he would be dreaming. 

             Then the D-day arrived, results were out! All 1st year pupils had to make five lines outside each of the two gates, of student section, a student would go in collect mark-sheet and go out from the back door, so at a time 10 student entered and invariably 10 left. Still for a student capacity of about 500 odd students it was going to be a slow process and people like Hera were going to break some lines or bones. Well Hera managed to do 1st thing and got ahead.

               As Hera reached last step, he played the same trick and just got ahead to get caught by a pair of professors, trying to set rule on unruly students. Prof. Jall & Prof. Goan took him aside, gave him some very nasty sound bites as Hera lost all the gained ground. But through corner of his eyes, Hera saw only few students go by, and most were smiling. So on release, he eagerly went to counter and to get his result.

               And then and there he was devastated, he nearly fell to ground, but slowly steadily moved out of room, astonished, see his dream washed away in tears. There was not going to be a bicycle, let alone car/CBZ, his father may cut his allowance, was what mattered to Hera. He did not care to even ask his friends how they had done. 

               After, all results had been distributed and most pupil had left, Navcap, Monc and Tih found Hera sitting very sad and lonely in garden at his bench. They joined in with Hera, and started consoling each other. Tih had 4 backlogs, while Monc had 2 and Navcap had 1 each. All were talkig about how to improve there knowledge and how soon we should start studying, when Crack, Rack and Suun also joined. Crack had been bowled out on all 5 count while Rack had 3. But Suun had cleared all papers. But on borders, all 40/100, all 5 of them. There were rumors that university is going to present him a loona if he manages to get all 40's again. But Hera had not heard a word nor had spoken one.

                 Looking at Hera's expression less, dream less face, Monc started consoling him, talked about how he should have concentrated on studies and how he should forget all about Ruby, and make passing all 10 subject in next semester as ones aim. Thats when Rack just lifted the crumpled mark-sheet from ground and said Hera has cleared all subjects with 54% marks! He was highest among them all. Though far behind university topper(nearly 70%).

                 The only thing Hera said was, no girl is going to go out with me, as my father is not going to get me a CBZ. No one said anything after this emotional out burst.

                  From next day onwards Hera became most punctual, regular and observant student. He would ware only formals, not speak in class and took down notes. This continued till third day, forth lecture since results.In that lecture, charm of bad results was broken, as Miss Meteorite had walked in to the class, not for the first time, but Hera was noticing her for first time!

                   And as she came in and sat down, Hera's eyes followed her.............................  

               After returning from Laxmi, Hera had not said a word. Monc knew something had snapped, for it was not Hera's nature to held his thoughts back from friends. And now here was Hera not saying a word and studying like there is no tomorrow, and then Monc had realized something! There is no tomorrow! 10 hours to completely read the subject and appear for the first paper of bachelors in morning. Heck Hera was serious of studies, at last, but there was not enough time. next five days, five subjects to tackle.

               From  that day onwards, a bizarre timetable ensued, after the days exam paper, have lunch, sleep for an hour or two and then wakeup, have breakfast, study in garden, have dinner, study in passage, have cold coffee at Laxmi, study in girls college veranda. As sun came up go to room, cleanup and come sit in exam. yes they both slept for only an hour or so, as both had lot to catch up. 

                While Hera was the one leading on Monc in this ungodly ways of life. He was not going unnoticed. After all, he did not seemed to be a normal person in garden. He would lay down on bench while reading, would lay down on ground, would put his leg up on bench and head down on ground and replace the sky with book. No one had seen Hera study like that, half of the friends were happy for him, that he has finally come to senses, while others were just plain embarrassed. On one occasion he shared the bench with a filthy, smelly black dog, while other three sat around him and he did not look up from book. 

                Well before the last exam paper, which was by far said to be easiest, and so neglected by Hera and Monc till last moment, decided to study without taking there afternoon nap, but did not make any other change to their timetable. Hence did not sleep for 48hrs straight. And went to exam without even caring to brush there teeth. But instead of studying in passage which was mysteriously more chilly, they sat studying in class rooms and pulled down curtains to use as shawls. 

                 After paper, a conversation took place between Monc, Hera and his room partners, Rack, Crack and Suun. It went like this-

           Rack: Where have you been for last 6 days? It was like we were the only ones living here.

           Crack: Hows Ruby; got to talk with her or what?

           Monc: Shhhh.

           Crack: huhh

           Suun: Nah, he must have stayed at Monc's room.

           Monc: No yaar, he was studying like a book worm, he is going to clear all his papers. If you do not believe me, most know him as "The one who will top!"

           Hera: (Breaking silence after a long time) Rack, how much does a CBZ cost? 

           Rack: Why do you need a bike for?

           Hera: Well thats what i plan to ask dad, if i clear all my papers. a Metallic Blue CBZ!

           Monc: He asked you why you need it?

           Hera: To ask out a girl; it would not look nice if I take her out in Bus! I need to at least have a bike.  

           Monc: And I thought you had to come to your senses! And become serious of your life. Guess I and whole lot of others were wrong!

           Hera's and others result is........

            Well, i could not continue any further without names, so i here introduce the names of characters so far, being the gems they are, the names are "Hera" is the central Boy, while "Ruby" is the girl. I have tried and would continue to keep names as anonymous as possible, any resemblance, will be coincidental. Now continuing with the AneStory.

            Everyday Hera use to wake up early, get ready do pooja holding essence stick, have breakfast and pray she would be there. While he did all this, he always imagined her doing same things. Wearing beautiful salwar suit, the ones she had worn in garden when she used to come, with her hair neatly tied in long tail reaching her waist. Enthusiastic, about seeing her again, worried she might be ill, all sort of thoughts crossed his mind. But used to be swapped out of all energy when she was not there. And dully stare at the empty bench in front or same page for quite a while. All his friends were getting worried about Hera.  

            One day Hera's best friend, Monc persuaded him to change first time table and then place of study so as to change settings around as exam approached. From early hours to late hours, transition could not have been smoother. Woke up late, late, for them sun rose at 12:00, instead of 5:00 as earlier. Quick lunch was replaced by lengthy and heavy brunch. And a pleasant walk to college with bag. Said hi hello and bye to friends at garden and head to hunt for a quite place to study. But they were not able to be comfortable at any place. On one such day, in there hunt for new place, they ended up in a passage linking coed college and girls college. Well the passage was as such not discovered by many and was an easy way in to girls college, after college hours as then there would not be many girls around.  

           Well, i know what you people might be thinking, but this time they were serious about studies. That place was so quite, the passage and was even perfect for night reading as the cold winter breeze was completely blocked. Yes night, the two Monc and Hera studied for long hours there without being disturbed even by the army of sepahies, well there were at least 10 of them at night time. With night studies came late night snacking, enter Laxmi. 

           No she is no aunt, rather a coffee house where if you reached at 23:30 hours for cold coffee and a plate of scrambled eggs, will be served till 12:00 or the police vehicle arrives. On one such occasion Hera saw Ruby again, her hair let down, flowing in breeze along with smoke from a white burning stick in hand! Yes she smoked. That was not all, around her waist, was the heart shattering truth of all, hand of a man, holding her as she giggled and smoked. Then Hera saw Ruby walk hand in hand, arm in arm with the college hunk, a senior walk into his car and drive away.

            That night Monc kept a special watch on Hera, who did seem to have lost it. was behaving very unusual..... 

        This is a small love story of two newly adult people discovering love for first few times. Well there are too many first look attractions, but then they are all true loves at first moment. This is a story of one such couple.

        In there starting days of college, students were busy studying for exams and were grabbing every available nook and corner to gets some silence so as to concentrate. But our characters choose to study in college garden. No nothing wrong in doing so, its cool in shade of trees and cool too, but it was far from quite. Hence, when ever something happened the boy had to watch whats happening. On one such occasion his eyes felt on girls having a laugh, on far side of the garden. And love struck!

        Next whole week went in staring at her from opposite side. She gave casual glances and used to continue studding. Had set cycle, come at 8:00, study till 10;00 and go to canteen, again study till lunch, each break lasted for half an hour, and each stretch of study for two hours. Boy modeled his time table as per her. Hence ended up following her, his friends supported him and they also adopted the same time table. However, also warned him about his loss of study. 

        Perplexed by undue attention from this guy on opposite bench, her friends got conscious, while the center of attention remained unaware. But they were curious to know whom was the boy interested in. So one by one each girl would bunk on a day and others would keep a discrete watch. his friends noticed this, as such boy already had some friends of other gender and were quick to make out the plan. 

        No it was this girls turn to stay home. Boy, after been informed by his friends was anticipating this move. But some thing else happened. That day, the girl and her friends decided not to study at college, and they did not turn up in college garden there after. 

        Boy continued to study in garden. But kept an eye open for a glimpse of her, soon needed counseling from friends, who pushed him on to study for fast approaching exams. But nothing worked until....