Another 7 months passed away in the blink of an eye. I passed the board exam, achieving 95%.
We are now in grade 11. Times passes away so quickly. Now we have less than 2 years in this school. Thinking about this makes me feel sad.
However, apart from all of this, one odd thing was going on. Bhaskar and I are now in the same section, A, and we were allotted to sit next to each other this time. So, I and Rahul got separated. But Bhaskar has been absent for 4 months since the classes of grade 11 started. Was he angry because I didn't listen to him? Or for any other reason, I don't know.
'Rahul, it's been 4 months now. But why is Bhaskar absent for so long? Did anything happen to him?' I asked while eating ice-cream, sitting on the bench with Rahul on the rooftop.
'I don't know. I'm not very knowledgeable about what's going on with him. He maintains distance from me, and the reason you already know,' Rahul said.
(To myself) 'Wait, his house is two houses after me, right! Why don't I visit him? Should I?''Anyways, why are you thinking about him now? You are making me jealous now. You are only going to think about me.' Saying this, Rahul leaned towards me and lifted my face with his long index finger resting below my chin. His lips slowly started to approach mine. My face started to become red instantly because of my shyness.
(To myself) 'Oh my god! Oh my god! Is he trying to kiss me?! Is he? This will be my first kiss, if he does. But my heart is not ready for it! I should stop him, right?'
Suddenly, the bell rang. The lunch break ended. I got really startled from the sound that I really pushed him away and ran away with a face of embarrassment all over. Rahul chuckled, seeing the look on my face.
Our classes ended.Three days later, Ritu took me to a pub, as I just turned 18 that day. Suheon told me to try alcohol, at least a small amount. And I did. It tasted awful. I don't like it at all.I went to the washroom to wash my face with water, as I started to feel dizzy just because of that small amount of alcohol. But only to see something or someone who broke my heart.
Rahul was kissing another girl passionately in the bathroom and surprisingly that another girl was none other than Ritu.
(To myself) 'Just when did I turn out to be Veronica?'
'Hey, don't you have a girlfriend? You are kissing me here!' the Ritu whispered in Rahul's ear.
'Girlfriend? Yes, I have one. Her name is Rina, your best friend, hahahaha! But I am only using her to get over his father's company. So, why worry about her in this moment? Don't ruin the mood,' said Rahul.
I was just behind those bathroom door, taking a video record through a small gap between the edge of the door and the brim. Tears ran down from my eyes without any hesitation.
(To myself) 'What the hell! Does he think of himself as a main character of any Korean drama or manhua? How can he do that? How can he use me? Wait! Bhaskar said the same thing once! He also said that he has been using me all along. I was the one who didn't believe him. He really loved me. But here I broke his heart. He saw everything from the beginning, every progress that I thought to be taking place between me and Rahul. And here I ended up getting manipulated by Rahul's words. How can I be so foolish? No, I am a fool. Rahul even said bad things about Bhaskar. And, here, I believed it. I am sorry, Bhaskar. I am really sorry. I cannot let myself be manipulated like this from now on'.
I returned without making myself noticed in front of them. I remained silent with my heart filled with sadness of my first soon-to-be break up.
Later on the next day...
'Rahul, I have something to tell you. Can you follow me up to the rooftop?'
'Yes, why not?'
We went together to the rooftop.
'What do you want to tell me, Senorita?' asked Rahul.
'Don't call me that', I said in a raging tone.
'What happened? Are you angry about something, Rina? Spill it out.'
A long silence travels...
'Let's break up.'
'Wait! Hang on. What are you talking about, Rina? What do you mean by it?'
I took my phone out and showed him the video, I recorded.He was too stunned to speak.
'This is not me. This is a fake video. Who sent you this?' He asked.
'I recorded it myself in the pub.'
His eyes widened as he realizes that he made a great mistake.
'See, that was a mistake. I was too drunk that time. That's why—'
'Baaas! You should know I love myself more than anyone. Here, a drama is not going on. So, just break up. I don't want to waste any time anymore. The class is going to start. I never thought that Bhaskar actually wanted my own good. And here you are talking all fuss about him, doing all those sorts of things, also when you have a girlfriend.'
I left the spot the next moment. He was gritting his jaws in anger, punching the wall like a maniac.
(To myself in my mind) 'Totally crazy!'
I went to Bhaskar's house after school to apologize if somehow he is upset because of me. I called him on the phone and knocked at his door, but there was no response. Later one of the neighbors told me that he moved out. That's when I realized, he got admitted to our school at the beginning, as we had a seat left behind for him beside me, but soon transferred from our school to some other, which I don't know. I could not deny the fact that I was upset and frustrated. I was very late to understand it.
The next period started, and the next year began, I sat alone at one corner beside a window. The next summers and winters passed away in a blink of an eye. I don't know where he is. It's like he disappeared into thin air. And that's how my school era ends.
Two years later.....
'Monaaa! Breakfast is ready. Come down to ear. You will be late for your college.'
'Coming, Maaa!'
It's already been two years since I last saw Bhaskar. Now, I am officially 20 years old, studying at Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA) college to become one of the pilots of India. All the improvements for fighting skills or flying training take place there.
Today is my first day there. Of course, I am excited. Going to the college wearing a white shirt and black trousers is a totally different kind of experience. I have classes from 8a.m. today.
I reached there by 7:50 a.m. I got an empty seat there. And now, I am missing my old school friends here. Ritu is taking a course in fashion designing. While Suheon's target is to be a doctor. Ram took over his father's packaged food business. They have all now turned their heads towards their goal. Thinking about all those days sometimes makes me nostalgic.
'Hi! What's your name? I am Emma Washington.'
'H-H-Hi! I am Rina-Rina Ghosh. Nice to meet you!'
'From which school did you study? I am from Stephens Memorial Institute.'
'I see. I am from Aakash Academy.'
'Aakash Academy?'
'Yeah.'
'Do you know a girl named Parbati?'
'Yeah.''We actually used to go to the same elementary school.'
'I see.'
'Good morning, everyone. Today, it will be your first class. I hope you all will cooperate with my teachings. If you have any doubts, feel free to ask after college classes or text me your doubts. After college classes, I will be free till 9p.m. for your doubts. So, today we will be studying about the airport system...blah! blah!...'
The classes ended by 5p.m. I returned home and went to the washroom to take a nice cozy bath only to go to bed after.
(In my mind) 'Thinking about the beginning that happened in my life, I realized there are only 5 years left for the plane crash to happen. But the only fact is, what is the use of the hourglass that I received when I don't even have to use it? Anyways, it was still my savior in one of my accidents during my school days. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to go to that college to be a future Gen Z pilot, right! Huhfff! Where are you, Bhaskar? I still can't help but feel guilty and helpless sometimes. During our reunion after 1 year, my friend, Ritu, once told me to try to start a new relationship through dating. She even recommended me a dating app, 'Love'. Wow! Even the name of the app is a little cringy now for me. Though I never used it till now. But thinking about love or relationships rather makes me scared. What if I get betrayed in the same way like in the case of that bastard? That's why I think sometimes Instagram Reels are right about one thing. Staying single is the best gift ever in life rather than any entry of complexities in life. And it can never be denied. After all, everyone's life is not the same, right?'
(To be continued)
Season 1 ended...