chapter 22

Ok , no problem’, I replied, ‘Take your own time.’ Sameep she said in a low voice , ‘Shall I leave now … I am feeling tired … I need some rest…’ ‘Sure , no problem’, I said … though I was feeling , she should stay for some more time … or she shouldn’t leave at all… I added , ‘ I will tell Mayank , he will leave you …’ ‘My driver is waiting outside … ‘, Sanyogita said … My mother arrived at that moment and handed me the pills and glass of water … she said … Sanyogita, you must be tired , please come with me and have some rest in my room… Sanyogita couldn’t deny and went with her … I was happy that she agreed to stay … I also went to my room and decided to read something … I opened the book shelf, when I was taking the novel , I saw a diary behind it … It was my diary, I recognised, the old one when I was in college in Indore … I pulled the chair near the table and opened the first page of the diary … It mentioned the incident I first saw Sanyogita and the punishment , Chandraya and his group… while reading, I found myself once again in the college campus … then how I met Sanyogita in the library and we went to Bhandari mam to decide about the note making skills , how we started exchanging notes near lake Vihangam everyday … how our friendship developed … how we started group study … but we were only two in the group … Me and Sanyogita … because she thought smaller the group , better the study … so we used to discuss about what we have studied on that day , in our everyday evening visit near lake Vihangam … we studied together our literature papers as well our preparation for UPSC … she was of the opinion that self-study is better rather than joining any class … so in the beginning I was eager to join some class but later I changed my mind and opted for self-study… I was weak in logic and reasoning and she thought she was weak in mathematical ability so everyday we solved few problems together after our regular lectures near the library , sitting under that huge Banyan tree … as reading room for girls and boys were different … and a part of college garden was reserved only for girls so I couldn’t enter there … in the beginning our group study became very popular among the college students … all of them watched us passing by … some did as they were going towards library but remaining did purposely … but we knew very well that we are focused and determined about our studies so we ignored these passers – by … But there was one exception my roommate Sumangal … while passing by or while he visited library … he used to halt near us … now Sanyogita also knew him … after my illness … my admission in the hospital … both of them they were there with me … So, Sanyogita also had no objection while he visited us … rather she was happy to meet him because he was specializing in mathematics and she was weak in that so the thought , he can help her to improve her mathematical ability … After few days, when Sumangal had free time , he came and helped us in solving questions related to mathematics … Basically , I had no issues regarding mathematics … So, I suggested them it was my waste of time when he taught her maths … therefore I will rather use that time to improve my weaker section … So, I decided to sit in the library while he gave tuition to her. I felt no harm in that. And taking into consideration my background , I had to put in lot of efforts to clear the exam in first attempt … if I could pass the exam , that was the only way to impress Sanyogita and achieve her love , I had decided it after I came to know her very well… she was very ambitious and her dreams about her partner were also very crystal clear … once , she has told him while they were on their way from lake Vihangam to college bus stop … he should be talented and successful , he should be considerate enough to help her to achieve her dreams … that’s all .. he asked … and she replied … what else a girl needs … I was surprised by her views … what about the love , care and affection , I uttered with myself … ‘What are you reading , which novel… ?’, Sanyogita questioned … I was startled to hear her voice … she was standing in the door … with two cups of coffee … May I come in ?... she asked I turned back … and said … what’s this ? Why are you asking for permission ? And why did you prepare coffee? I said , I will prepare it for you … No, I haven’t … she said , Aunty has prepared … Ok, then  I said , tomorrow , I will prepare … (then , I thought , I am assuming , as if she will come everyday to meet me .) While sipping the coffee … she said … let me see … what are you reading … I closed the diary immediately and placed in the shelf … What’ s it … why didn’t you show me …she asked? It’s my diary , personal one , I replied … Oh!... I must read it then … she said teasing me … No… I denied … I will, she insisted … My mother entered and I noticed , she was very happy to see us together … I could see it in her eyes full of affection and appreciation… Sameep , my mother said , I was insisting Sanyogita to have dinner with us today … then Mayank will drop her home… but she is denying … she will listen to you … so tell her not to go … and she is alone in Pune … So , you convince her in your own way … I hummed and Ma went out of the room … I saw , Sanyogita was avoiding my gaze… Dr. Archana Pandit