chapter 8

Tam – the Ew!Back to College – Year 2003: Semester 2Few weeks into the second semester and the preparations for the fashion show commenced. Ankit and I had real fun sorting out all the girls who wanted their portfolio done. We received almost five hundred applications from all the colleges across Delhi. And given we didn’t have time to do a photo shoot of each and everyone, it was our job to shortlist a hundred. We came up with a grading system where we judged girls on two fronts – ‘Looks’ and ‘Nature & Character’, and ranked them from 1-4. After spending three whole evenings, from six till midnight, we were able to create the final list which comprised of a hundred and twenty girls; they ranked at least 3 in both fronts –it was an arduous task. However, Pratham scolded us for removing some very hot and popular models just because they were epically bitchy. Finally, we re-adjusted our list and had a total count of a hundred and fifty models. And the first shoot that Pratham scheduled was for a model named ‘Tam’.I didn’t know who this Tam was, but apparently, Ankit hated her, even though she was his classmate. She was beautiful, sexy, rude, bitchy, and she was Pratham’s favorite. “I am taking an off today. You manage her,” Ankit remarked a few hours before the shoot.“What is wrong with you? She is just a girl,” I scolded him. But he scoffed and muttered something in the lines of, ‘you will regret the day you met her.’Before we knew it, the photography department was converted into a studio. Within hours the place was unrecognizable. A central stage was built, and big lights were placed around it. This central stage was the ‘shooting area’. Various props were made available to add grace to the shoot. In one corner, some make-up specialists were huddled together discussing which shade would suit Tam’s skin. In another corner, a second group was discussing her dress. Ankit was juggling in between coordinating. He was visibly irritated. And I, well I didn’t know what the hell was expected out of me. So, I just stood there looking utterly out of place.A few minutes passed in all the chaotic muttering when I noticed a girl. She had an oval face, big round eyes, pierced nose, and swollen cheeks. It seemed she had filled the air in her mouth and was unable to release it. By her looks, she seemed okay to me, but to every boy present, she was a Goddess. She wore a thigh-high dress, with a deep cut neckline. Her heels were so high that it seemed she was floating and not walking. Without sparing a glance at her surroundings, she went and placed both her hands on Pratham’s shoulders. My mouth hung open as she hugged him, and he hugged back.“Kill me now!” Ankit muttered. He was now standing next to me and staring at the scene.“Pratham darling,” she spoke in her honey-laced tone, “You got the payment for my shoot today?” “Tam, I didn’t even ask for the payment.” Pratham’s polite tone caught me off-guard. I didn’t know what triggered it, but a laugh escaped my mouth. Everybody stared at me, I composed myself and hid behind Ankit.“Who is she?” Tam demanded with raised eyebrows.“Nobody,” Pratham caressed her arm rather affectionately. I don’t know what pinched me more, his flattery, his caressing her arm, or calling me a ‘nobody,’ but I felt a flood of envy envelop me. I wondered what I was feeling. I was in no way attracted to this arrogant man so I couldn’t be jealous. Maybe I disliked this Tam, hence I was feeling irritable. “Join the club,” Ankit mumbled in my ears, and I laughed –silently this time! “Now you know why I hate her. And just wait and watch, you would know more soon…”The photo shoot commenced at 7:30 pm, and with all the tantrums Tam had to throw at us, it went until 2 am. She made everybody’s life miserable, except for Pratham’s, of course. She changed her clothes and make-up at least twenty times because ‘the color just didn’t suit her’. She made me fetch water thrice and made Ankit hold her belongings more often than he had bargained for. Pratham tolerated her tantrums coolly. Maybe like-minds act alike…! I thought sarcastically.In one of the much-needed breaks, Ankit filled me on her. She was Tamanna Agarwal from Agra. She was a model since her high-school and was pretty popular. She changed her boyfriends by weeks. She liked to show off her body because, as per her, if you have the goods, you should. And her biggest target was Pratham because he was her first step to the big fashion industry. All night long, Pratham clicked her pictures, and all night long, Ankit and I clicked our tongues with abuses. Finally, at 2 am when Pratham announced ‘Pack-Up’, everybody cheered. And Tam, well, she did something unexpected. She grabbed his arm, pulled him to a corner, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him on his lips. I was not spying, but given I was waiting for some instructions from Pratham, my gaze had followed them. And the sight had literally punched me in the guts. Their lips touched, Pratham pushed her and turned. Coincidentally our eyes met for a second, and he seemed apologetic –or maybe I was imagining it. I turned away. The sight had bothered me to my core. It was none of my business who kissed whom. I didn’t like or adored Pratham at all, but it seemed wrong. Suddenly my exhaustion had vanished, and the scene with their lips meeting repeated in front of my eyes on an endless loop.What was happening to me!Ankit dropped me home, he was too tired to abuse Tam anymore. As I stepped in, I saw Sarv and Shiva were waiting for me. I was surprised to see Sarv sitting with Shiva. Off-late he had drifted apart. I guessed seeing your long-term crush fall in love with someone else could change a person.I slouched on the couch and narrated my day to them; they both were way too interested in a photo shoot. They declared that they would join me tomorrow. “Be my guest, it is epically boring,” I yawned. And then I told them about that wretched kiss. And Shiva’s reaction clarified why I was feeling so weird. “Ew! Ew! Ew!” Shiva imitated puking. “How could she?” “And he stopped it?” Sarv exclaimed. “Even though she is so hot and sexy. And would sleep with anybody?”“Why? You want to sleep with her?” Shiva was annoyed.“Well, have you seen her? I won’t say no if she kissed me,” Sarv shrugged. A hint of jealousy appeared on Shiva’s face, but she didn’t say anything. She turned to me and spoke, “You must have felt so uncomfortable seeing them kiss like that.”“It was just for a second, and I honestly don’t know what I felt. But it was not pleasant,” I tried to define my feelings.“Can imagine. Seeing people kiss on TV is one thing. But like this in real life is well, ew!” she screwed up her face, and I relaxed. I finally realized what was bothering me. It was not because Pratham was at the receiving end of her kiss. It was the cultural difference. Hailing from a small town, we had never seen such a public display of affection before.“Delhi!” I rolled my eyes, and she acknowledged. Feeling relieved, I was able to sleep in peace.