Seventeen

Chapter 12

(Farhan's)

It had been 2 months since Adithi's accident. Her right hand was out of the sling but because as a safety measure because of her ribs, and head, she was advised by the doctors to not run fast or do heavy works or sports. But she was walking and doing everything else fine.

And college days had started. Adithi was in the same Media college as Ishan, and I heard that Ishan was still taking care of her really well, even when they were in college, making sure she is fine and all. Only Ishan and Adithi were in the same college. The rest of us had got scattered. Suhana was repeating her Medical Entrance exam and was going to a coaching centre and studying from home. Arjun had got into a local private engineering college. And Jiggy also went to business management studies. And I went to a hostel... I had got into a really good Engineering college in the city itself, but because the commute was far, I and my family opted for hostel life. But I could come home every weekend though.

So on the third weekend, after college had started, Jiggy came with a bomb-blast like surprise.

We were all in the apartment lounge room, chatting and having fun as usual when Jiggy said it.

"I got a girlfriend."

Arjun spat out the cola he was drinking in shock. "What?" he asked.

"Why? Can't I have?"

It was just amusing for me. "Who is it?" I asked him.

"There was one girl who used to cyberstalk me saying she likes me..." He said.

I remember him mentioning that girl to me. The girl had met Jiggy at a wedding of a common friend or relative and also a few more times at some Gujarathi gatherings.

"It appears that she is in the same college, same class as me." He said.

"She stalked you there?" Arjun asked. "Eh...creepy."

"Well, she is not that bad," Jiggy said. I looked at him and found something wrong. Ishan was also suspiciously staring at Jiggy.

"Why? Can't a girl have a crush on me?" Jiggy asked, "Do you think only you guys can get girls to like you?"

Jiggy always had a slight complex about his looks, even if he did not really show it. I knew that. He was not exactly as good looking as Arjun or Ishan.

"Is she pretty?" Adithi asked excitedly. "What's her name?"

"Name is Reva Patel. And... not so pretty." He said. I detected indifference in his voice. As if he is not at all excited about the fact that he got a girlfriend. And that is not a healthy sign in a relationship."She just looks a bit like an elephant."

"Fat?" Adithi asked.

Jiggy nodded.

"You should not talk about your girlfriend that way." Suhana said, "What the hell is calling your girlfriend 'elephant'?"

"Do you even like her?" Ishan asked.

"Well..." Jiggy looked like he wanted to avoid the topic. "Yes. But more than that, the girl has liked me for over a year now...And even followed me to my college. Should show some mercy."

"But even then..." Suhana said, "I mean, it's good that you mean to be kind to a girl who really likes you. But to date someone you don't really like is..."

"What's so wrong?" He asked, "It's better to love someone who likes you than someone whom you like. I have read that somewhere."

"Even then, if you go far as to call her an elephant, it means you don't have any interest or feeling for her at all," Suhana said.