Friends!

Chapter 1: 'Mars, Venus and Jupiter?'
Chapter 2: 'A Date?'
Chapter 3: 'Football'

Chapter 4: Friends!

4th May 2009, 8:42 PM
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Friends, the best part of student life, a major chunk of life as some would put it. Within a university campus, you can't exactly separate lives. There aren't usually individual people existing in campus; either there are couples or there are friends. Among the passing out batch this year, three students -- 2 girls and a boy -- were chatting at the coffee corner in the campus. We don't yet know if they were 'just' friends or something deeper lies within their inter-relationships.

Meanwhile two other frustrated research students, Rahul & Vinayak (both MS by Research brand of 2k6 batch), both from different departments were variously frustrated. They had their own horrifying "research" stories to tell but none of the two willing to cut loose. They both had come back tired from a satisfying dinner eating 4 parathas each and had decided to go on to fetch at least 2 cups of mango juice each. They took a long calm walk through the campus towards the coffee corner, both casually reminiscing good old days when they had a batch of PG2k6. The first thing that strikes both of them is the unlimited fun each one in the gang had in room number 40 of the boys hostel.

Back in reality, both of them headed to the coffee corner, bought the juice they were waiting for and sat down at a table adjacent to the trio that was already there. Both gulped the first sip and looked at each other and smiled, and then went on to enjoy the drink. Few moments later Rahul was gazing at the charm of the moon, that was unbelievably smart tonight, and was wondering whether moon should be masculine or feminine. Vinayak had a different feeling for he was still wondering about the good old days and how he would face the days that are yet to come, without friends and possibly one enemy to live with. Vinayak was doing exactly what Rahul didn't want to do!

Each group could over hear each other's voices, none might actually know the other group's context. While this was possible, the minority group wasn't in any mood to talk, they were here to have a life outside everything else they have been doing through the day. They wanted to fill the void created by the emptiness of their daily routine with food and fruits for tonight.

The majority group, on the contrary, were here just to talk. That was their business for tonight. The group consisted of the girls Prashanti and Megha, and the guy Janardhan (Janni) was a stranger to most people; but not to these two girls, both of them were very close to him. Typical of a passing out batch. Rahul & Vinayak meanwhile are struck in awe at the awesomeness of the mango juice that has yet again been prepared with utmost care and given the magical touch. It was a flawlessly wonderful drink and they didn't want to think of anything else other than to be immersed in the joy of the juice. But, just then they overhear Prashanti scream.

Prashanti: "Noooo..... Not like that!" (screams!)
Prashanti: "He has been always like that, never listens to anything I say. You can try if you want."
Megha: "Why do you criticize him all the time ? He is not that irresponsible, I know."
Janni stares at both of them taking turns, shies away from both and hides his face.

Rahul winks at Vinayak; signaling there is going to be an interesting scene developing here.

Megha: "How long do you know him ?". Megha asks.
Prashanti: "4 years are long enough, madam!", Prashanti claims.
Megha: "I know him since my childhood and I would bet my life on his character." Megha said sincerely.
Janni was surprised. But he hardly uttered a word.
Rahul double winks at Vinayak!
Prashanti: "I am not saying he is bad. I just like him the way he is but he must change a little."
Megha fires back: "If changes he wouldn't be the same again!"
At last Janni speaks out : "Ladies, if I could buy your attention for a while, do I have my say in this issue? I think you both are talking about me."
Prashanti & Megha unanimously: "No!"
Janni : "No to what ? Not about me ?"
Prashanti : "No, you don't have a say in this. Just shut up!"
Megha clarifies: "Why don't you keep quite for a while, meanwhile we both decide how to punish you for what you have done ? Didn't you like the soft drink tonight, why don't you finish it while we settle this ?"
Janni: "hmmm... Ok!". And he reluctantly takes another sip, throwing away the straw that he half ate.