What happens when love happens to you when you are just meant to think straight and as they say that your life is dependent on that one single year. Yes, as they say love has no proper timing it just happens when it is meant to happen. Till now you might have understood which year I am talking about. Yes it is Class XII and just believe me guys, it is the worst time to have such kind of a scene. But as they say love has no correct time and there is no control over it. But do all love stories have only two types of endings; the happy one and the sad one. I must say with the modernization in today’s time, both love and its meaning have changed dramatically. The words “move on and “chal chor na yar, ek jayegi toh doosri mil jayegi have become quite common. But deep in your mind that first love is always remembered. The first feeling developed for that someone is always quite special. The first love is always innocent and it is that innocence which makes it even more special. And to make things very clear from the beginning it is not my personal love story but the love story of every innocent boy and girl who is only expected to study during his/her school tenure and especially in the XII Grade. Love for him/her is an unknown commodity. But what happens if the “love keeda” bites him. What is he expected to do and what he finally does. To find out that lets start our reading. Hey guys, it’s a clear warning that my English is not that good but my computer operating system is in English so there was no option for me but to write in foreigners’ language. If you want to read some great ballads or some great English poetry I would advise you to read Wordsworth or Shakespeare.
PROLOGUE
It was her birthday. We had planned a surprise party for her. We had deployed Aashna and Anmol to bring her to Punjabi haveli; the venue for the party. I and Darsh reached there before time to oversee the preparations. Today was also a kind of reunion thing for us. I had finally decided to express my feelings for her and butterflies were flying in my stomach. I had practiced that moment a quite a number of times. It would be a proposal song. We were quite excited and suddenly after doing all the preparations, I and Darsh starting talking and memories started to flash in front of our eyes. Especially the memories of our XII Grade; the best year of our lives.
Introduction
The moment had arrived. It was the commencement of the last year of our school life. Tension could be seen on everyone’s faces. It was just like starting of a war. A war to get admission in good college. The pressure of facing the board examinations for the very first time and that too straight in grade XII. There is one thing about the life of XII Grade. It’s like a dress rehearsal of the college life. No unwanted restrictions, exemptions regarding bringing of mobile phones in the school premises, and no attending of the schools boring morning assemblies’ etc.etc... The only year in school life where the question of the parents is reversed. The question for the first eleven years is “bete school chale ja; kuch padh bhi liya kar, kya ghar pe pada rehta hai” and the question for the single year is “arey school kyun ja raha hai; ghar pe baith ke padh le”. That’s how different is life in XII grade and especially if you are a commerce student. The cut offs are increasing like sensex and there is no stopping on it. 95 percent - 97 percent - 99 percent; the way it is increasing madly I think one day it would even cross 100 per mark and admissions would be given only to those who either have 100 per or have a good approach or a combination of both. Well coming back to the story; the things were quite tensed initially, but soon settled down after a couple of days.
The first real interaction
It was our first Monday test. My interaction with my classmates during grade XI was quite limited. I was labeled as the “Uncle Ji” of the class; always busy in my books. But that didn’t mean that I used to be the topper of my class. Somewhere down the line I lacked confidence. What would you expect from a guy weighing over 110 kgs. i I had only a handful of friends which included Darsh, Avi and Duggal.
“The test was over”. I guess it was of Business Studies; one of my favorite subjects. The test was like a cakewalk for me and I completed it five minutes before the stipulated time. I began to collect my belongings. Suddenly I hear tiny sobs. It was her sitting on my back seat. I first hesitated to enquire what had happened as I thought it was none of my business. But her face seemed so innocent and tiny drops were flowing through her wet eyes. I wanted to help her out; so I finally asked her “hey what happened why are you crying”?
She looked at me and our eyes met for the first time. “Yaar actually I am worried about business studies; I don’t know how I will pass this subject perhaps I need a good tuition teacher; do you know someone who teaches this subject”? I replied “Hey, there is nothing difficult in this subject as it’s a full theoretical subject, you know what type of questions are coming in front of you and you just have to vomit their answers in the answer sheets, Whatz difficult in that. “Can you help me out in this subject? She enquired. “Arey haan haan why not but there is one condition; you will help me out in mathematics”. “Done” she replied and went back to her seat and sat with her group of girls. From that day onwards we talked but our talks were limited only to studies and clearing each other’s doubt.
Numbers exchange
The most peculiar thing about grade XII is that your tuition tests become more important than your school ones. The tuition teachers act as if they themselves have set the question paper. The most common thing heard is “I am telling you these questions recommended by your school teachers are useless; just prepare yourself for the tests given by us; just forget these school tests or papers.
Coming back to the story one month had passed and we already had a taste of the year. Whenever we decided to go to school some test popped up. Finally our accounts tuition teacher had to go for some satsang which meant no class for two days. So finally me, Avi and Darsh decided to go to school and see what was happening in the school.
I reached the school at around 8 in the morning. And to my surprise there was no one in the class. The class teacher arrived and finding only me in the class uttered those famous words of her which I still remember, “these idiots don’t understand the value of coming to school; jo cheeze hum bata sakte hain vo inke tuition teachers thodi na bata sakte hain”. Ten minutes more passed and still there was no sign. Frustrated I went to the wash room to clean off my face.
When I reached my class I saw a girl clearing some mathematics doubts from our class teacher. And it was her. “Chalo aaj mere ilawa koi aur bhi pagal ban hi gaya; Anmol aur Aashna bhi nahi aaye aaj”? “Yeah and I guess Darsh & Avi bhi nahin aaye; chal badiya hai aaj tere se saare Business Studies ke doubt clear kar lungi” “Main yahan padne to aaya nahin hoon infact padhai se break lene aaya tha aur tu padhai padhai kar ke mera mood kharab kar rahi hain” I answered sincerely “Oh Mr., this is the year to study we can chit chat for whole of our lives so we better focus on studies. “How will we chit chat; we don’t have each others’ numbers. “I will give it to you only if you clear all my doubts” she replied. “Oh, so that’s a bribe which I would have to give so that you give me your number”. “Yes you can say that after all I am a business man’s daughter”. “Ok then bring it on today I will clear all your doubts”. That day we completed off almost four whole chapters. “Anything else madam for the day”. “Yes one thing more” she said. “Now what” I said. “Hmm 87123xxxxx. And finally I got a girl’s number who was not my mother, not my sister or my relative.
to be continued... Gurkaran Singh
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