Feeling The Greys (revised version)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟎𝟐. 𝐇𝐈𝐌

𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐲

Stupid Danish.
Also, fucking stupid Vicky.

If it weren't for these two, we wouldn't be standing here listening to this non-stop podcast for the last twenty minutes.

First, Danish decided to wake up late and had no intention of attending the lectures. But then great mother Rohan had to step in and convince him. Then, once we were on campus, Vicky had to make a stop at the cafeteria for some 'morning freshness'. I don't even want to know what he meant by that.

Then, they had the guts to enter late, dragging me along with them, in HOD's class. Forty-five minutes late. I stood there, silently, hoping she'll finish with her rambling soon while Danish and Vicky played thumb fight behind our backs.

Since Nakul and Rohan didn't do it, I had to push down the urge to move aside and let her see what's going on behind us. But that would lead to another hour of lecturing.

The moment she said, we've been taking advantage of our positions in our university's basketball team, I stopped listening to her and zoned out. Because who would want to pay attention to someone spitting bullshit about you in front of your face?

I've been a part of our basketball team for the past two years, along with Nakul, Rohan, and Vicky. Danish has never been a sports guy but he always stayed behind with us for practice and supported us with his presence in the games. But in the span of two years, never have we took advantage of our positions and neither have Danish.

'Just because you're in the basketball team, you guys think you'll get away with everything.' We never got away with anything. We never got any grace marks if we failed a subject. We were punished for our behaviors, we were suspended, our parents were called so the professors could complain about us.

Again, we never got away with anything.

But here, if Miss. Head of the Department wants to think we did, then so be it. I don't waste my energy on fixing something that's already been damaged for years.

Thinking of basketball, I'm so excited to get back to the court. This two months of vacation made me miss that place. During junior college, I used to spend half of my time there, playing and practicing, either alone or with my friends. This sport has been my escape from everything awful. But somehow, I can't escape this awful lecture which isn't even ending.

I opened my mouth to apologize, to get over with this and as I was about to do so, something shined in my eyes. Something coming from the window. Or should I say, coming from the seat near the window?

I look away from the professor in front of me to the two girls seating near the window seat. I know one of them, it's Alya; the one who used to teach me and Nakul mathematics in second year of our junior college. But the other one? I don't think I've seen her around before.

I eyed the girl beside Alya, her face turned away from me as she listened and kept nodding to what Alya-the-chatterbox was saying. Alya caught my gaze and threw me a smile in the middle of whatever she was saying and I looked away without reacting and stifled my smile as I saw her narrowing her eyes to me from the corner of my eyes. She's such a kid sometimes.

The same light was back on my face and it was annoying the shit out of me. I looked back at her, catching Alya's gaze and pointed towards the girl beside her. She said something to the girl and then pointed back at me.

I watched the back of her head, waiting for her to turn around and see what she was doing. Seconds later, she turned around, her brows furrowed in confusion, eyes meeting mine.