STRINGS OF ETERNITY

Chapter 2 Rosewood College

Meera and Aahil were sitting inside their car, outside the college campus. Meera unbuckled her seat belt and was about to open the door of the passenger seat when Aahil’s question caught her off guard, and her movement froze.

“When are we going official?” Aahil asked, and she turned her head in his direction.

“This is not the right time, Aahil. We have to do something big in our careers before disclosing our relationships to everyone. You know how many barriers there are between us. We are both from different religions. You are Muslim, I am Hindu, this will not be easy,” Meera said while looking right into his eyes.

“I know it will not be easy, but how long will we hide our relationship from them,” Aahil said while taking a glance at his college. “They are our friends and they deserve to know about us. Do you remember? Ritik, who is in the basketball team, told me he is planning to propose to you soon. He believes that you are single, and he really likes you, more like obsessed with your beauty. He is sure that you will not reject him because you both are from the same caste, and if everything goes right between you both, then he will marry you. You do not know how much I wanted to punch him square in the face, but I controlled myself. Let’s just tell everyone and end this, please.” Aahil said in a distressed tone.

“Why do you think I don’t want the world to know about us? You don’t know, how badly I want to tell this fact to everyone that we belong to each other, but I am scared. What if it brings any kind of danger to your life? Society is already against such kinds of relationships and I don’t trust any of our friends. I don’t know when any of them will become our enemy,” Meera replied with moist eyes.

“Let Ritik propose to me, I will reject him! Why are you so tense? I have been rejecting guys from the first day of college. What’s new in this?” She further added.

Aahil shook his head, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “You are still not understanding what I am trying to say….” He was about to complete his sentence when someone knocked on Meera’s side of the window and she rolled down.

“Are you guys doing something naughty inside?” Alina, one of the closest friends Meera, said, leaning at the window frame, narrowing her eyes. “I can feel something was going on here.” She further added, looking at Aahil suspiciously.

“ALINA!!” Meera exclaimed loudly at her, widening her eyes while Aahil rolled his eyes.

“What?? I am watching your car for the last twenty minutes, why are you guys coming out?” Alina asked, and winked at Meera.

“Shut up!” Meera said, opening the door of the passenger seat, and stepped out. Aahil, too, exited from the driver's seat, unbuckled his seatbelt, and followed them.

“Everyone is in the cafeteria. Our class got cancelled,” Alina said, and all three of them reached the rooftop cafeteria of the college.

“Wow, the whole jungle is here!” Meera said in a mocking tone, looking at her college group.

“Shut up you, moghli” Vishal snapped back. He is another member of their college group and the son of the richest man in the country. Recently his father strictly ordered him to take over the chairperson position in their New York branch. Since college is about to end, sadly he is going to leave India soon.

“So everyone, what are we doing this weekend?” Meera asked, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Usual…. clubbing, what else?” Alina replied.

“Oh, no... no, I am not coming to club this weekend, I need to visit mom dad, so I will have to leave early morning the next day,” Meera said and got up from her chair to receive their order from the counter.

“Stop staring at her like that. It's creepy, dude. If you like her so much, then why don’t you propose to her?” Vishal said, rolling his eyes at Aahil.

“It’s not like that, shut up!” Aahil said dismissing the topic.

“What are you guys talking about?” Meera asked, placing the food tray on the table and sat opposite Aahil.

“We were saying,” Aahil was about to answer when he saw someone approaching their table, “that Ritik is coming to our table,” He said, looking at Ritik behind Meera.

Wearing ripped black jeans with a V-neck grey t-shirt, and arms covered in tattoos, Ritik was giving a perfectly bad boy look. Both Aahil and Ritik were famous among girls, for their gorgeous facial features and body-like models, but Aahil always steals the limelight because of his manly look whereas Ritik was more like screaming the vibes of a bad boy.

“Hi Meera, Hey everyone,” Ritik said, standing near their table “Can I join you guys?” He asked eyeing everyone.

“Yeah, sure,” Vishal replied, while Aahil maintained a poker face.

“Hi, Ritik, how are you?” Meera asked in a tone that seemed bored.

“I am fine and I am here to invite you all to the party this weekend,” Ritik replied enthusiastically.

“Purpose?” Meera asked, looking at him.

“It’s my birthday!” Ritik replied.

“Oh! happy birthday in advance but I don’t think that I will join, I am going back to my hometown this weekend,” Meera said, briefly looking at Aahil who was staring back at her while playing with the rim of his cold coffee glass.

“Please Meera, try to come. You know, this our last year that’s why I have invited our whole batch.” Ritik said, in an attempt to convince her.

“Wow, you are super-rich!!” Priya exclaimed, and Ritik smiled at her remark.

“Please Meera, pretty please. Come on, you can’t say no to the birthday boy!!” Vishal pleaded. “We all will come, right, Aahil?” Vishal said and looked at Aahil, who didn’t reply.

Meera was about to refuse again, but Alina chipped in. “Don’t worry, she will also come. I will make sure of it.”

Ritik nodded, “Okay guys, then see you all at the club. I will share details in our group chat. Bye!” He said and then left.

“Why the hell you said yes for me?” Meera screeched at Alina as soon as Ritik disappeared from her sight.

“Come on, Meera. He is right, this is our last year, and this our last week too. God knows, when and where we all will meet again, please just spend some more time with us.” Alina replied, getting emotional and forced Meera dramatically.

“Ok fine, I’ll come. Stop your emotional drama, I am immune to it now.” Meera replied, looking at Alina and Vishal, then she looked at Aahil, who was visibly angry with her decision.

“But it still does work.. haha,” Alina laughed.

Meera quickly averted her gaze from Aahil, "By the way, Where is Aman?" She asked Alina.

"Oh, his father called him for some business purpose so he left. He will be back by tomorrow." Alina replied.

"Since we don't have any class today, let me drop you back at your hostel. You are fasting today, so it's better if you rest." Aahil said in a cold tone while picking his car keys and Meera nodded meekly, pursing her lips in a thin line.

"Bye, guys! See you," Aahil and Meera bid adieu and turned to leave the cafeteria.

"Don't you think they are just perfect for each other?" Priya commented, watching them from behind and Vishal, Alina followed her gaze.

"They do look great together," Alina said with a smile on her face.

"But it's impossible," Vishal said.

"Nothing is impossible in this world," Alina said in a determined tone.