INTRODUCTION
A bright sunny morning witnessed by the chirping of birds; buzzing of alarm clocks that get beaten up mercilessly by the people who are busy in their dreams; people doing yoga in the park; few walking and jogging; newspaper boy throwing the paper in the houses so rapidly that they are least bothered on whom did the paper fell; moms being fast and furious waking up their children to get ready for school; school bus blaring the horns for children to hurry up; etc.
In this background of a bright Monday morning, a mom enters the room waking up her daughter who had put off the alarm and continued sleeping.
Her mom spoke with a voice dipped in a bowl of love and honey, “Wake up beta, it’s getting late.”
The girl replied, “Do minute aur mumma.”
The lady woke her up again by caressing her forehead. She replied the same line, “Just two more minutes, mom.”
Now the lady pulled off her blanket in one shot and raised her voice, “Wake up Teena. This is the last time I shall wake you. If you don’t wish to attend the first day of your college, keep dreaming and sleeping.” It seemed like the bowl of honey and love had been exchanged with the bowl of bitter gourd soup.
The girl woke up spontaneously saying, “I am awake, mom. See, my eyes are open.” she wide-opened her eyes with the help of her hands in a kiddish manner.
Teena was a beautiful girl with brown eyes, perfectly straight black hair not so long but standing midway between her shoulders and waist.
She got ready and came to the dining hall wearing a straight white Kurti with a front slit and matched with pink leggings. She had tied her hair with a small clutch. Small dangling earrings were a perfect combination to her look.
She was greeted on the dining table by her dad, Mr.Ajay Singhania who was the head of the family and a successful businessman. He was a jovial person and loved spending time with his family and kids. Teena was the favourite of her dad and he was way too conservative about her. She loved and respected her father so much that she would never go against his orders. Mr.Singhania was married to Mrs.Aparna Singhania, a beautiful and humble lady. Teena with her family lived in the Electronic Capital of India, Bangalore.
Teena sat on the dining table with her dad and wished him, “Good morning, dad.”
Her mom complained to her dad, “You have spoiled your child. Even this morning, I had to wake her up not once but thrice and only then madam was out of her dreams.”
Meanwhile, Teena replied, “Sorry mom. From tomorrow, I shall wake up early in the morning and come to the dining table on time like bhai.” she sarcastically stated it pointing towards her brother who was extremely late for the breakfast.
Mr.Singhania mocked, “Yeah, see how punctual is Anant. Right, Aparna?”
Mrs.Singhania replied, “You don’t have to mock at him. If Teena is your favourite, Anant is mine.”
Anant countered, “Oh hello, I am late only today and not like you who has the record of always being the last for breakfast.” She gave a broad fake sarcastic smile.
Anant was the elder son of Singhanias and Teena’s elder brother. He had completed his M.B.A. the last year and was married to Shanaya, a pretty homely lady who got along well with her in-laws. Anant assisted Mr.Singhania in his office. Being his only sister, Anant cared a lot for Teena. They both had small fights like a bro-sis duo usually do.
Shanaya started serving the breakfast to everyone and Teena offered, “Let me also help you, Shanaya bhabhi.” (Bhabhi meaning brother’s wife)
Shanaya and Teena were more like friends than being sisters-in-law. They shared a cordial relationship.
Singhanias were an ideal happy family. There was a rule made by Mr.Singhania that whole family must have breakfast together in the morning so that at least for one meal of the day the whole family is united. Lunch and dinner times varied of each member due to their duties and works.
After the breakfast, Mr.Singhania told Teena, “Get your bag, Teena. It’s your first day of college and you shouldn’t be late. I’ll drop you to college.”
Teena wished to become an engineer like her dad and got admission in the Bangalore Institute of Technology for B.E. Computer Science Engineering. They drove to the college in the car.
As soon as they reached the college, they saw students all over the main entrance and among them was a girl seeing whom Teena yelled, “Anjali.” Anjali waved her hand and walked towards Teena with her dad.
Anjali was Teena’s best friend right from childhood. They attended the same school and had been admitted to the same college and the same branch of engineering. The girls were so excited about the new college, new people and new surroundings. They gathered in the auditorium and the program began with the head of the institution welcoming the freshers.
Mr.Singhania told Teena, “See, I told you it’s the best college for engineering and you wanted to study in some other state.”
Teena replied, “Yeah, I know dad.” Teena and Anjali initially had plans to study in some engineering college in North India but their families convinced them to join here.
After the event was over, they came out of the auditorium and Teena and Anjali’s dads were about to leave. Suddenly Mr.Singhania saw someone on the opposite and his BP raised. He could not believe his eyes and told Teena in an anger-filled and some kind of fear-struck voice, “Let’s leave from this place, Teena. I don’t think this college is good.”
Teena was dumbstruck. She was astonished about the sudden flip of her dad’s opinions about the college. The person who had told her so many plus points about this college a few days back and convinced her to study here had disliked the college all of a sudden.
She asked, “Dad, you were the one who was highly impressed by this college and now just after hearing one welcome note what has happened to you? What made you suddenly dislike the college, dad?”
He demanded, “I just said what I felt. Now you please come out of here.” Teena seemed reluctant and so he continued, “Can’t you hear, Teena?”
She replied, “Dad if I leave this college then where would I get admission now. You know it’s high time to get admission in any good college of the town.”
He thought for a while and Teena politely said, “Dad take a deep breath. Feel relaxed and then tell me why don’t you want me to study here? I assure you I would do as you instruct.”
He took a deep breathe, relaxed and responded, “Can you see the guy there in a navy blue shirt with a man?”
Teena turned up to see and found a guy in the navy blue shirt, fair enough with a cool hairstyle looking decent and smart standing with a man who probably was his father.
He continued, “They are not good people, dear. If at all I had known that his son has been admitted here, I would have never brought you here.”
She was puzzled. She never knew the man or his son either and was shocked to see her dad’s fear regarding them.
She queried, “Who are they and what have they done?”
Mr.Singhania was not in a mood to reveal anything and just said, “That’s not of your concern, Teena. I just want you to know that they are not good people and I can’t leave you here with any such people.”
She respected his words and affirmed telling, “Ok dad. If you’re instructing to be away from those people, I shall promise you to never cross my paths with them. But please don’t remove me from this college. You can be very relaxed and assured.”
After hearing her talks, he was little satisfied coz he knew his daughter would never go against his orders. He then returned home leaving her in the college for her first day sessions.
Anjali then asked Teena, “Hey Teena, what’s the issue? Why is your dad so insecure about that guy and his family?”
She replied, “I don’t know yaar. Dad was so happy about my engineering’s first day this morning and suddenly a mere sight of these people and all his excitement became a null. I am sure there is something wrong with this guy. Anyways let’s not speak about him, dad has instructed to be away from him.”
Anjali exclaimed, “Away from him!? Look at him, he is looking so cool.” As she was seeing him, Teena pulled her away to the other side of the college.
The students gathered in their respective classes. Their professor asked every student to introduce themselves to the class. Students stood up one by one at their places and introduced themselves. When Teena stood up, definitely there were so many impressed by her looks and some were also impressed by her talks.
Later, a guy stood up introducing himself as “Rithik Mehta”. His voice sounded so good and Anjali turned up to see who it was and excitedly told to Teena, “Hey Teena, look there. He is the guy whom your dad said to stay away from.”
Teena turned up to see and found the same guy. He was speaking so well. She turned back soon as she got reminded of her dad. The class was then over.
After the classes, everyone left to their home. Teena came home and narrated to her mom whatever Mr.Singhania had told in the college. “Mom, at least you tell me what is the issue about?”
She replied, “I don’t know anything about this, dear. It is something that had happened long ago even before I entered your dad’s life. Hence, I don’t know much except the information that he hates Mr.Mehta bitterly.” Teena heard this and left to her room with so many puzzles in mind.
Rithik Mehta also returned to his home. He was the son of Mr.Nakul Mehta, another successful businessman of the city who was married to Amrita Mehta, a housewife. Mehtas were a happy family too. Rithik had an elder sister, Aditi who was married to Shantanu Malhotra, a Chartered Accountant living in Mumbai. She was happily settled with her husband’s family in Mumbai. Rithik was too close to his sister. He was missing her a lot after she left to her in-laws home.
Rithik was a well behaved and a brilliant guy. He was good at sports, academics, music and also manners and discipline.
Rithik was instructed by his dad, Mr.Mehta to stay away from Mr.Singhania’s daughter whom they had seen that morning in the college.
He instructed, “Just be away from that girl, son. They are not good people and I don’t want that you face any issues in your life.”
Rithik was perplexed on hearing that he has to be away from someone whom he doesn’t even know and moreover for a reason unknown. But he didn’t ask anything further because his mother insisted him to keep mum on this topic.
