The Preface
Finally the flight carrying the excited passengers to be united with their loved ones again, the business men, professionals to attend their scheduled meetings and first timers arriving in a foreign land with shaky hearts, landed at the London Heathrow Airport. It is the busiest airport in Europe and the largest airport among the six airports in London. As the air hostess announced to get out of the plane starting from the last row, Salina too got ready with her shaky legs and thumbing heart to get down. After fourteen plus hours travel she finally has reached her destination. London the city of dreams for so many and for some like Salina herself, the education hub.
She was quite dazed to see the large airport with floods of people, all busy running around, some to find their gates, some to catch the flight, some towards to airline counters and some to the duty free shops. There were so many planes landing at one time, when she compared it with her airport in her own country she found it quite mesmerizing. It was her first time that she had boarded a flight and that too an international flight. She had never flown before in her entire life. However, the flight was comfortable yet she was bit shaky inside not knowing how it is going to go at the immigration and thereafter at the university.
It took nearly half an hour at the baggage carousel to get her baggage, and when here baggage finally arrived, she headed towards the immigration. She really got desperate looking at the long queue there. She had to stand on the queue for nearly one and half hour to get to one of the immigration desks. At the immigration she got through without any problem for which she was praying hard, as she had heard stories that somebody was not allowed to enter the country for some forsaken reason.
She hurriedly went to the arrivals as the hostel guy was supposed to be waiting for her there. He was to pick her up and take her to the hostel. She had booked via e-mail and had requested for a pick up. She was not sure if the guy was still there as it took forever at baggage section and at the immigration. It took almost two hours for her to come out at the arrivals, from the time their flight had landed.
As she came out she saw many people with placard in their hands with their guest’s name. She looked around desperately and luckily the guy with her name placard was still there, standing in one corner. She waved at him, he came checked her passport and drove her to the hostel. The hostel was nice, cozy and as per her satisfaction. There were rooms with double bunk beds. Also rooms with two beds were available. She took the one with two beds in one room. One bed was already occupied by a girl from Spain.
Two days later she had to join the university to start her MBA. She had arrived on Friday hence she had Saturday and Sunday as free days before starting at the university. She took this opportunity and went out with some friendly girls from the hostel to wander around in the new city, London.
First day at the university, there was introduction program and all the assigned professors were present there. It was different environment there, where she could breathe freely and speak freely without any hesitation or fear of offending the teachers. The professors were like friends. They were easy to talk to unlike back home, in her country where one felt scared to talk to them. They were strict and you needed to respect them.
Three days later while she was going home a guy approached her on her way back to hostel. He asked her if she could share her notes to him. Why would she? He should have taken the notes himself. What was he doing when the professor was giving lectures. She just refused him and said she does not want to share.
Next week, again the same guy approached her saying if he could reach her home. Why would he? She knows her way and at the entrance of the university she can get into the shuttle that stops right in front of her hostel. Then that day too she refused him.
That guy kept trying and she kept refusing, rejecting him. Six months passed and still the guy did not get enough of her rejections and refusals. He kept trying and kept pestering Salina.
Little after over eight months when they had already finished their two semesters, one day Salina was at the cafeteria eating her lunch with her class mates, the same guy came and asked if he could join them. Rest of the girls nodded but Salina looked around and said,
“There are so many tables empty why not sit there? Why do you want to sit here?”
The guy went away making long face. For another two three months he never bothered her again.
However, whenever they crossed on the way he would say ‘hi’, ‘hello’ to which Salina would answer without any hesitation. But crossing that line was not her choice.
She had made many friends from different countries but that guy seemed to be all by himself most of the time. Maybe he was not able to make friends. Some people don't know how to make friends.
After the third semester they had three weeks holidays so Salina decided to go home. After spending her holidays with her parents, being pampered and relaxing it was time for her to return to London. After heartfelt goodbyes and some emotional hugs she left for the airport. At the airport, while heading towards the immigration she met the same guy. She was dazed to find out that he too was from the same country as she was. To their surprise they were in the same flight. While checking in they checked in together so they got seats next to each other. She seemed to have compromised with whatever was to come, after all these time and gave up with her refusals and rejections.
From then they started to go around, watch movies together and did combine studies. He was quite helpful where studies were concerned. Slowly and steadily she fell for him and they started having an affair. After finishing the university with flying colors both returned to their country on the same date and in the same flight. His name was Rabi.
