Life As I Dream
[Chapter-3]
We walk to Canteen without uttering a word. I don’t know what to talk to him. I guess this is the first time he is taking a girl out for lunch. We somehow make it to canteen.
“You love French onion soup right? Shall we order it first?”, Vineeth asked
“Yes. I mean, how do you know that?” I was beyond surprised.
“I know about you. Next order is Kulcha with Gobi masala right?” Vineeth ventured further.
“Okay. That Dhaba-guy told about your order. He says it never changes” Vineeth explained “Hey. Look I don’t go asking about you. One day we entered dhaba immediately after you left and he mockingly said neither the person you dine with nor the order doesn’t change. Okay now”
Hmmm this is it. Gone are the days people will raise their eye-brows if you walk with member of opposite sex. Now people are surprised if you walk with members of same sex.
“Okay Vineeth. Thanks for remembering it anyway” I replied shyly.
“Shall I order?” he asks. I nod my approval. Along with my order, he orders Chicken soup, chilly-chicken and Roti for himself.
“Yams told that you read a lot” he asked.
Yams i.e Yamini is my senior. She is a close friend of Vineeth. One of the senior girls I can tolerate actually. I was happy about the topic. This is my favorite topic. I started talking about various authors. To my surprise, Vineeth is also a voracious reader and our book tastes are similar. We finish our lunch and go to juicy.
“Is it Dates Juice again?” Vineeth asks.
I don’t want to ask him how he knows. I hate being predictable, but that’s the way I’m
“Yes please” I replied.
“So what do you do on Sunday?” he asks after ordering our juice.
“Generally nothing. I mean do laundry, take rest that’s it” I said. I realized this is the dumbest statement that one can say. Why I didn’t say anything like studying, hanging out.
“So shall I take you out tomorrow? Actually I planned to go to Tanjore temple with Yams. Today she backed out. None of the other guys are interested. It’s your favorite place right?” he asked without any hesitation.
Say No my inner voice told. You can’t agree for second date immediately. He will think you are cheap. Oh what do I do? How to say no? Seriously, I should undergo training.
“Hi Sandya” came a voice behind me. It was Bindu with Sanjeev.
After the customary greetings once again, Bindu and Sanjeev went away. She badly wanted to know what I’m doing with Vineeth. But I wasn’t dropping any hints.
Thank god we finished the juice. We can leave now.
“Sandya, give me a missed call” Vineeth Instructed.
No use hiding the number. He can find it from any of my batch mates. Once we are done with saving each other number, I said “Thanks for the lunch Vineeth”
“No problem. Okay come to the main gate at nine tomorrow morning. I will be waiting in my car” he added. Before I could reply, he got a call.
Vineeth said, “Sandya. This will take some time. You carry on. See you tomorrow”
Oh my god. I have agreed to second date.
It takes me two more hours to give detailed information of my lunch date to Bindu & Ragavi. Bindu gives me few tips on what to talk and what not to talk on a date.
“Hi Sandya, How was the lunch?” came a voice behind, when I was browsing for books in hostel library. Owner of the voice is none other than Yams.
“It was good. Vineeth told you isn’t?” I asked
“Yep. Vineeth never hides anything from me.”
“Good to have such a friend.”
We chat for another fifteen minutes. More than half the time goes with Yams telling me what a Great guy Vineeth is.
Unable to bear the talk, I excuse myself to go back to room. I agree Vineeth is a good friend but I can’t stand over glorification of anybody.
By nine next day morning, I dress up myself in traditional looking salwar and walking towards main gate. Since our campus doesn’t have any dress code, I mostly prefer jeans. But people in this region, raise their eyebrows if you wear anything other than traditional dress to salwar to temple.
I see Vineeth’s car coming. He is not supposed to keep car inside campus. But he has befriended a resident nearby & using their car parking.
“Hi you are on time. Most of the girls turn up late you know” he says.
“I generally keep up with time” I say.
He plays my favorite A.R Rahman hits C.D. I don’t know how he knows what I like. It just feels wonderful even if it is small things. We broke the ice well & talked about each and everything on earth. Yesterday I wasn’t even sure whether to go for lunch with him & today I talk to him as if I know him all the life.
I come back to room to find Ragavi and Bindu playing cards. We talk about Temple visit, & Vineeth etc.
We spend the evening trying to watch TV. While watching T.V In hostel, one will find three different types of girls. One set belonging to Tamilnadu, but from other than Chennai. They watch only Tamil channels and Tamil serials. One set of girls from Chennai who will watch Tamil, English and Hindi. Other state girls who believes, Tamil is the funniest language to watch and their regional heroes are better. Generally me & Bindu, will laugh loudly, irritate others, and try to drive them out of T.V room. It will take fifteen such minutes to do so and take control of the remote. That day was the same. It takes us twenty minutes to get the remote. We flip all the channels and have a great time.
It’s Monday morning and our department is buzzing with activities. Seems some company is visiting for placement. To me it looks funny to watch people dressed up so professionally. On any other days, people will be clad in Jean-T-shirt. I wonder whether Vineeth is sitting for interview. Why did he want to go on a date, when he had interview tomorrow.
“Hey Sandya” calls Vineeth. He is looking very professional in the dark blue suit.
“So you are attending the interview?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“Why did you want to go to temple yesterday? You could have spent some time preparing? ”
“I don’t like preparing Sandya. If it has to happen it will”
“All the best, Vineeth. Do well. Will catch you up after class”
“Thanks”
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