Ek choti si love story (part-2)

"Well, the movie was sort of dumb, actually", Trisha said, carelessly tossing around her fried rice. "But later..."

"Don't stop, Trish!", Ankita harrumphed."You shouldn't be getting into your 'Dreamer Poetess Literatti' mood at lunch, especially not when you're telling me how a date went off!"

"Okay, okay," said Trisha, an amused grin creeping up her face."Well, we went to this super-cool place, Anki.Not our regular pizza haunts, or even those smoky little dens with enough chweet mush to give anyone diabetes."

"We went to this terrace-garden place, on the ninth floor, South Park, it's called," Trisha went on, despite Ankita's moue of protest.She loved the shmaltz places.

  "And it sure looked exclusive.Everything was so refined and put-together.And most refined and put-together of all was Aryan, babe.God, he was so dreamy..."
"Ekdum cultured, with impeccable taste.You know, he..."

                            "Do I interrupt a serious heart-to-heart?"

Sarang covered the little distance between him and their table, with his usual brisk, to-the-purpose stride.Into literature and the masters in a huge way, Trisha had never been so surprised in her entire life, when she'd heard that he was Ankita's latest beau.It was a mismatch made in heaven.But somehow, Sarang had fallen head over heels for Ankita, and for her, his light eyes, wavy hair caressing his forehead, and ever-present stubble sufficed.They had made it upto three months now, far surpassing every expectation of Trisha's, and she'd now even began to hope for her Bollywood-obsessed friend to transform into something more serious.

                "Well, you do, but since it's you, I'll grant a pardon," Ankita said."Well, what was sooo important, Mr. Shakespeare?"

         Sarang dumped a whole sheaf of papers on the table."Fest in Cottons in two days, remember, Trish?", he asked, with a slight, raised-eyebrow look.

              And of course, Trisha didn't.In the flurry of meeting Aryan, being asked out by him,a relationship being on the bloom, and lab practical reports, she'd completely forgotten."Actually, no," she confessed, slightly flustered.That sure wasn't mature, responsible Trisha Sharma.

                  "Well, the principal sure remembered", Sarang replied, leaning back onto a chair."The usual team-Arundhati, Mayank,Jose... and yes, the two of us.It's Cottons and back for us until next Monday.We're in for the whole hog-mad ads, poetry, essays, Aircrash... We're meeting at 108 now, and I, madame, am your special messenger.", Sarang bowed, to complete his faux European act.

"Now?", pouted Ankita."But Trish was telling me..."

"I'll tell you later," Trisha said, hurriedly rising.Sarang winked."Yup, duty calls.See ya later, sweetie."He dropped a quick peck on Ankita's cheek, and followed Trisha out of the canteen.

              
                          The afternoon followed the usual whirlwind pattern of readying for an inter-college fest, and Trisha saw Ankita only at the college gate, when the last bell had rung.Ankita had barely had time to grab Trisha's hand, and murmur an "At last", when the news that Trisha was staying back for some more brain-storming was broken to her.Ankita had, therefore, to wait a while longer for all the details of Trisha's date.

              And it was much loner than she thought, or could possibly endure.Trisha was extremely busy, rehearsing, taking down notes she'd missed out on, clearing her attendance records, and confabulating with her lit. club mates.She was starved time for a "Hi", so detailed explainations were out of the realm.

                 They met for a few minutes on Monday evening, a day before the fest was due to start."Won't be in college for a week, Anki," Trisha said breathlessly."I'll call if it isn't too late.Watch the notes, won't you?" "Okay, okay, what are friends for?Though I'd rather be bunking Bio...", Ankita replied."Just one week," Trisha said elbowing her.Ankita elbowed her back."Okay then, a loooonngg bye.Take good care of Sarang."Trisha laughed."I'll see, if you take care of Aryan, perhaps..."

               Someone yelled for Trisha in the background.
"Okay then, see you babes", Trisha said, hurriedly  pulling Ankita into a quick hug."Wish me luck.We gotta show 'em..."

"Good luck", said Ankita.                            

Trisha smiled, and rushed back into the campus, with Ankita waving a good-bye.

TBC