The next day I found myself texting Vivaan, yes Vivaan, my official frenemy, the stupid bf of my (kind of) bff.

He was on a vacation in Guwahati, Assam. Not because of the beauty of the state but because his grandparents lived there and the place was his annual family holiday destination.

I was talking to him because despite being stupid, he was a brilliant student. The reason behind that sad fact was coaching classes, which he had been attending since ninth grade.

Why was he replying to me? That is an interesting question. I think it was because he was bored. All the other boys were having a sleepover at Karan's place and he was not allowed to talk to them.

Something-something about ditching them last minute; something-something about breaking the bro code.

Pathetic drama queens.

He couldn't risk talking to Radhika either. Her mother had snooped around and had came across her chats with him. My dear friend had forgotten to delete her messages to Vivaan. She was still in the process of explaining the exchange of thousands of kissy faces with him in a five minute conversation.

Is it just me or do everyone have such insanely idiotic friends?

So anyway, due to the result of these dramatic events, poor Vivaan was forced to chat with me, encouraged by the divine force of boredom.

Not that I was complaining.

As much as it pains me to admit it, his input had been really useful. He had given me detailed descriptions of the courses offered by various coaching centres and also shared his opinion regarding the best ones for clearing NEET.

After a while though, both of us got distracted and simply indulged in mindless chatter.

"How hot is it over there?"

"I dont't know exactly, but I've experienced what it feels like to be roasted by the wind."

"That bad huh?"

"Worse than bad."

"Well if there is one good thing about this trip, it is the weather."

"Hmm"

"Come on Ash, I know you can come up with a better response than 'hmm'."

"No I cannot, you're boring"

"Wow I am not even offended anymore."

"That's depressing."

He went offline after that. Thinking that the conversation was over, I checked the websites of all the good coaching centres that Vivaan had recommended. Almost all of them offered a thirty to forty percent discount to students with a perfect ten CGPA in class tenth.

Mine was nine point eight.

The only option left to me was to apply for scholarship tests conducted by them. They would be testing the students on the basis of their class ninth and tenth knowledge.

'That would be easy' I thought. The whole combined syllabus of class ninth and tenth was less than that of class eleventh.

This was not an exaggeration.

If it's not clear yet, I had finally decided that I'll work for something I wanted the most. And the first step towards achieving my goal would be to get a good rank in NEET.

While I was reading the details of the fee structure and test series of a centre of my choice, my phone vibrated in my hands. It was the idiot again.

"Why are you suddenly interested in coaching?"

"I am a science student, it's second nature for me."

"Yeah. Well you're not like normal people."

"Hmm..."

"Oh God please tell me.....please, please, please...."

"I can't explain it over messages,
I'll tell you in school."

"You know perfectly well that I'll forget about it till then."

"No you won't, you're nosy."

"Ok fine don't tell me. Have you talked to Radhika?"

"Yes and don't you dare contact her for the next three weeks."

"The holidays would be over by then."

"Exactly."

"Ok then please warn her that I'll be very, very, very, very, very fat the next time she sees me."

"K"

He didn't need to explain why. He was in his dadi's house after all. Grandmothers throughout the world were famous for stuffing fattening food in the mouths of their grandkids. They did that in the sweetest way possible of course.

"Alright then bye."

"Buh bye."

With that I resumed my research and an hour later I had finally shortlisted three centres, all of which were holding their admission tests the next week.

I decided to choose the best one after talking to my parents. They were the ones paying for it after all.

{[]}

"Are you sure you don't need lunch?" ma asked.

"Yes I am sure."

"Okay good, I spoke to Mrs. Dhawan and Kian is going to attend 'Wings' as well. I'd feel better if you'd travel with him."

"But why ma? I'm perfectly able to go anywhere alone."

"We haven't payed for a cab service beta. It would be safer if both of you are together."

"No more arguments," she added.

Today was the first day of coaching. After much deliberation, my parents and I decided on 'Wings'. I had secured a thirty percent scholarship (that was the most they offered), and had reducad the tution fee from two lakh fifty thousand to one lakh seventy five thousand.

I was aware that Kian was going there too, as he had told me so three days before.

Did I mention that we were really good friends now?

Fuming I stormed out of the house and past Kian who waiting patiently by the elevator. I dashed down the stairs, ignoring his high pitched shrieks.

"Ashiana wait, stop!" he cried, hurring after me.

"Ash we're already late, listen please! You can't descend twenty fucking floors!"

"Watch me"

"Wait please." He finally caught up and gripped my arm.

He was panting, "God I am out of shape."

"Obviously," I said.

He glared at me.

"I'm not a bad company you know. There's no need to overreact."

"It's not about you."

"Then?"

"Nothing. Shut up. Let's go."

{[]}

My brain was buzzing with an overload of information while returning home. Kian was standing in front of me, after having furiously refused the seat beside mine, saying it was for women.

As if there was any other women around apart from me, they had their separate coaches. They had no reason to step inside the smelly, packed general coach.

Unless of course they were travelling with a guy.

Now I had another excuse to give my mother.

Above me, Kian was massaging his head. I guess he also had some shocking realisations after today's class. I had assumed JEE coaching would not have been as bad as medicine.

He told me I was wrong. It was worse.

That is really hard to imagine, if I may be honest, because the realisations I had were pretty depressing.

I used to think biology was my strong subject.

I was proved wrong.

I used to think NCERT covered all the basics in biology.

I was proved wrong again.

I thought I liked physics.

I had never been more wrong.

All in all it was an enriching experience.

We got off the metro at the City Centre and painfully endured the process of negotiating with a crowd of auto-rickshaw drivers.

After reducing the wage fron a hundred bucks to fifty, we squeezed inside an auto.

Kian turned towards me.

"So, did you like it?"

"Yeah I guess I did." After a while I asked,"Why did you take up science? Engineering?"

"Well I don't know exactly. Maybe because that is what Kanishk did, or because my marks were good so that was the obvious choice," he said.

"So you're not interested in engineering?"

"How many people do you think are genuinly interested in engineering?"

"Fair point," I conceded, "but then why waste your parents' money?"

"Look, I like science, I love science even, but I am not sure what to do with science. So, I think I'll do what my brother did, prepare for JEE, try to get into IIT or at least NIT."

He took a deep breath, "As far as money is concerned, I don't care so much."

My eyes widened, "One point five lakhs is a huge amount." Incredulity was evident in my voice.

"To you maybe." He didn't too arrogant when he said that. In fact, his voice was almost bitter.

"Alright, I don't like to judge people but your words indicate that you're a smug, rich asshole."

He laughed, "no I mean your parents have nine to five jobs and are insanely honest. I have a lot of respect for that. Mine, on the other hand...."

"Oh," I said, a bit too knowingly.

His parents were involved in some kind of real estate buisness, guess they weren't so transparent.

"I love them, I really do," he justified himself, "I just can't accept their.....methods. It's not that they're not hardworking, it's just that...."

"They don't work hard enough to claim all the money they have," I finished.

"Exactly. I'm pretty sure it has been five years since they last paid their income tax."

Before I could form a reply, the auto screeched to a halt. We both climbed out and after paying, started walking towards our building.

"Anyway," I continued, "it's not that big a deal. I mean your parents aren't the only ones doing that."

"Yeah well, I just...I don't want to be like them and I also don't want to be a part of the family buisness. I haven't come up with an alternate though."

"Would they force you to join?"

"Nah, they're very supportive, career-wise."

"I'd suggest you work for ISRO, since you're, like, really interested in space and stuff."

"How did you know that?"

"It's hard to miss all those posters," I said, remembering the walls of his room.

We had reached the lobby and were waiting for the lift when Kian wrapped his arms around me. After checking that the lift was still on the twenty third floor, I hesitatingly reciprocated.

His left cheeck was against my left ear and I could feel his light breaths on my shoulder.

"Thank you," came his muffled voice, vibrating inside my pinna.

I didn't know what to do, pull away or remain still? So I patted him on the back, right between his shoulder blades, and barely stopped myself from saying 'there-there'.

I was worried that some aunty or uncle would see us and report to our mothers, even though the hug was totally innocent.

'Hug' I thought, 'I was hugging Kian and I liked it'

Despite the anxiety, I couldn't help but feel all warm and tingly and fuzzy inside. My intestines were doing a weird tango and I'm pretty sure my cheeks were bright red.

He let go after a few seconds and about time too, as the very next moment the lift tinged open and Verma aunty walked out.

She was the biggest gossip of our tower and was responsible for the many curfews that were placed on many of my friends.

She was also a good friend of my mother.

"Namaste aunty," Kian and I choroused, a bit too brightly.

"Namaste."  She smiled and didn't look too suspicious.

The next two minutes were loaded with awkward tension, neither of us dared to break the silence. We quickly rushed to our homes after saying a hurried goodbye.

"So how was your day?" ma asked as soon as she opened the door.

I thought about the class and all my realisations, my conversation with Kian and the hug.

"Fine," I said.

{[]}

Human nature is strange.

Adolescent nature is just plain weird.

As soon as April arrives, marking the begenning of a new and increasingly difficult session, we start craving the summer holidays. A week into the vacations, we start hating the boredom and the daily countdown begins again.

Just like the grass is always greener on the other side, time is always far better in the future.

I, unfortunately, am not an exception when it comes to that mentality. Even though I was desperately waiting for this day, my steps were lethargic, which probably explains my slow reaction to the heavy blow delivered by Aditya.

"Why? Why would you do tha..ah..ah..t?" A yawn punctured my supposedly indignant sentence.

"You look terrible." He grinned.

I couldn't say the same for him. With his usual wild curly hair, toothy grin and perfect young boy stubble, he looked carelessly handsome as always.

Today there were red patches of paint on his un-ironed shirt.

"I feel terrible."

"When was the last time you had a nap?" He zeroed his eyes on my eyebags.

"Ha ha. I guess it was stupid of me to forget that school resumes today when I stayed up till two to prepare for the test tomorrow."

"There is a test tomorrow!" He panicked.

I had two options, to enjoy his misery or to inform him that the test was in 'Wings'.

I chose the former.

Five minutes later, I was sitting with my head resting on my folded arms on the desk, trying hard to tune out the lovey-dovey talks of the love birds.

My God it was as if they hadn't seen each other in months.

Oh wait that's true.

Just my luck.

Thankfully, the bell rang seconds later, forcing them apart. Ma'am started marking our attendence and Radhika faced me.

"So are you planning on spilling anything or do I have to torture you?"

I groaned, "There is nothing to spill Rads. You know more than anyone else does."

"Honey I don't doubt that but I still don't know enough. Besides, it's not everyday that you admit to having a crush on someone. At least not without me forcing you to."

"I never said I had a crush on him!" My voice's amplitude was a tad bit higher than a loud whisper.

For a few seconds it seemed everyone had their eyes trained on me, well almost everyone since the regular procrastinators were busy completing their holiday homework.

My english slash class teacher was giving me a disappionted look, already assuming that one of her favourites had a boyfriend. Vivaan, that stupid gossipmonger, was giddly staring and even Karan looked surprised.

Am I that incapable of nursing non-platonic feelings for someone?

'Sorry to break this to you, but yes,' my subconscious remarked.

After the awkwardness had subsided, ma'am resumed the roll call.

'Radhika has finally closed her trap,' I thought. That was surely a bright side.

"You said your neighbour is hot. Coming from you, that's basically a love declaration."

Or not.

God I hate being wrong.

"Okay fine you're right," I whisper yelled, simultaneously copying down the new time- table that was being passed around the class, "he's hot and I have a crush on him. Happy?"

"Very." She gave me a triumphant look, "What's his name by the way?"

"Kian."

"Unique," she remarked.

"Alright students settle down," ma'am said. Once everyone was silent, she spoke again, "Judging by the excitement in this room, everyone had a lot to share with their friends, but you can do that in the break." She beamed at us all.

"Meanwhile," she continued, "be sure to welcome your new classmate. Right now he is in the reception, meeting the principal. Till then let's check how much do you all remember now shall we?"

For the rest of the period, we revised clauses. Ma'am (bless her soul) gave us the last five minutes to chit-chat.

Radhika and I were in an intense discussion about the relevence of 'Bigg Boss' when our teacher suddenly jumped up from her desk. Smiling sweetly, she ushered a familiar person in.

His eyes scanned the class until they landed on me. Giving me his signature goofy grin, he moved his thick brows in acknowledgement and waved slightly. Radhika, the ever observent person, noticed this and silently gaped.

"Indroduce yourself beta," ma'am said.

"Well my name is Kian Dhawan and I've taken PCM plus economics. I like movies," he said, sounding slightly shy.

Ma'am asked him a few more questions but all I could do was look at Rads, who had smirked and whispered two very fitting words, words that only she can say in a ten feet radius of her boyfriend.

"Good choice."

{[]}

Hello awesome people!!

IIT- Indian Institute(s) of Technology (best engineering colleges in the country)

NIT- National Institute(s) of Technology (one of the best engineering colleges in the country)

ISRO- Indian Space Research Organisation

Dadi- paternal grandmother

The aunty thing- All Indians would understand this but I'm sure that those who aren't would be scratching their heads. I mean, why call an annoying neighbour 'aunty'? Well there is this unspoken rule that all youngsters in India follow, which is to refer to just about any middle aged person (who is not a family member) as aunt/uncle. It is so because we consider it desrespectful to call an older person by their first (or even last) name.

Hope this helped :D

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