The Great Indian College Romance

35. Red Wagon

 "Registration rates are low and two of our judges haven't sent in a confirmation." Karan, our second-year postholder reported. 

We were in the final days before our event and almost everything was prepared and ready to go. I sat in our department room with all the postholders. We were combing through the details and looking for anything that might cause hiccups. 

"That's okay. I talked to the judges and they will be sending in their confirmation by tonight via email. The low registration rate is what we should be worried about." Shweta, our president, said.

"On a positive note, all our participation slots are filled. So even if we don't have a big audience we will have a good competition." I offered to try to be helpful. 

Mihir rolled his eyes next to me and said,

"Nobody wants to come and see boring slam poetry and debate competitions. It's a snooze fest." 

"That's not true." Smriti protested. 

"It kind of is," Shweta agreed with Mihir reluctantly, "Besides, we need more footfall. Especially for the hard-earned sponsors Nirav has managed to get us."

Nirav smiled in acknowledgement. 

"Let's just have Meera ask her rockstar friends to perform for us," Mihir said nudging me. 

I looked at him startled.

"Yeah, the least you can do for your department," Karan said snootily. 

"Yes, the very least because I have done nothing else. Sure," I said sarcastically and he glared at me. 

"Stop it both of you," Mihir chastised. Then he turned to me and said, "Meera, try to get them on board. If Red Wagon is performing then we know the whole college will show up and more."

"I know that Mihir but they aren't at my beck and call. I can't force them to perform for our department." I said and then exhaled deeply before adding, "And the lead singer still isn't in Delhi. So it's no use."

"Can't they perform without him? What's that second dude's name? The one that sang with you for Melisma? He could do it."

"I don't know," I said.

"Well, give it a try. Request, beg or ask for a favour. This could be a game-changer for us. We wouldn't ask if we didn't think it was important." Shweta said. 

"Okay, I will ask them," I sighed.

***

I made my way to the stage after the meeting where I knew I had a better chance of finding them all. 

From a distance, I spotted only Siddharth sitting on the farthest corner of the steps. We hadn't talked after our goodbyes at the airport on Thursday and the last conversation we had had was the one on the hotel deck. 

I considered walking away lest it got awkward with just the two of us but then thought better of it and walked up to him and sat down next to him. 

He was scribbling in the same journal and seemed startled when I placed my bag down. He looked up saw me and gave me a faint smile. 

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," I replied. 

He capped his pen and shut the journal. 

"I have always meant to ask you. What do you write in there?" 

Siddharth paused and seemed to deliberate for a second. 

"It's a lot of things. Lyrics, thoughts, melodies, gibberish."

"Nobody gets to read Siddharth Kashyap's thoughts in his diary then?" I said playfully.