The Boxes We Are Put In

Chapter 1

Note: This story is told from a dual point of view. The 'italic' is Arya's pov and the 'bold 'is Nikhil's pov. 

The year 2015

My eyes looked up at the 123 feet high Shiva statue. I could not understand why someone would build such a big statue of a God. Why someone would waste so much money on a statue... I blinked at it.

I turned my eyes away from the giant statue of Murudhweshvar Temple, tucked my hands into my jeans pocket and walked away.

For me, it is not whether I believe in God or not. For me, God should not exist. God cannot exist. Many things do not make any sense if God does exist. Many things would be unfair.

A few of the boys, the college union guys, were fooling around the temple grounds. They were too loud. I hate loud. But I guess the guys are better than the pretentious girls who made it into a fashion show by dressing up in Kerala sarees and flowers on their hair and praying as if their life depends on it.

Shruthi and all ran to talk to Rekha Miss and gave her the prasadam from the temple. Shruthi is wearing a Kerala saree and looking pretty. She and a few others woke up at 4 am to drape sarees properly - In a hotel room in the middle of the college tour. Who brings a saree, and matching jewellery in a suitcase for a seven days tour? To my surprise, a lot of girls had. A few boys have bought mundu as well.

Everybody just wants to have fun. Maybe I am the only odd one who does not see the joy in dressing up and laughing.

But then immediately, I began to feel guilty about judging them. I mean, just because I am different from them, what right do I have to judge them? And I should be the last person to judge somebody. I should literally be the last person to judge somebody.

Suddenly it was back. That feeling of isolation. And then the guilt came back. It clawed my insides and threatened a panic attack.

I walked back to the place where the buses are parked. To be alone. I was so done with this trip. I should not have come for the college tour at all.

I yawned. I am done seeing these temples. I mean we did not sign up for seeing temples. We all had great plans for the final year tour. But it was a far stretch to ask the principal and teachers for straight seven days in Goa. And we had to agree to their Mahé and Gokarnam along the way idea. Because we do get four days in Goa after that. At that time, Adwaith and I did think that it is a fair plan.

But now...we are totally bored!

"Have to admit that all the girls look terrific," Sharan said.

"Only some of them," says Asif. "The saree does it."

"The good-looking ones will look good in whatever they wear," Sharan said. But we all are just spectators. Adwaith is the only one who has a 'line' in our group. He prefers the term 'girlfriend' to the local slang 'line', though. His girlfriend's name is Soumya. She is pretty. They are together since last year.

"Will we get free booze in Goa?" Sharan asks no one in particular.

"Not free. But cheap." Adwaith told him. Adwaith has been to Goa two times before. It is the first time for the rest of us. Last year we tried our best to make the IV trip to Goa. But they would not let us. So, the trip was to boring Bangalore and Coorg and Kodaikanal. But then, we had no power last year. This year, Adwaith is the Union Chairman. And Sharan is the Union Secretary. I do not have any official post, but I am more or less like an assistant to everyone. Anyway, I get my say. That is the benefit of being in the power group.