Love, How does it feel?

• 13

Shruti

Never knew, how time flew so fast.

We've completed our first year of PhD and already cleared two papers. Two months back, IISU got the prestigious award, 'Oscars of science' for breakthrough research in the field of astrobiology and fundamental physics for our thesis and experimentations.

Each of us members got a prize money of fifty thousand rupees each, along with a prestigious batch and at the length, IISU has been ranked seven now, all over the world.

It's been four months and fifteen days, he went to Germany. He is expected to reach before this evening to attend the duty allocation ceremony to the juniors, where the new president of the college would be selected as his thesis was already approved and his PhD is almost over, leaving aside a few formalities.

That meant, he would be leaving the IISU completely in a week or so.

Tonight is nothing but, a farewell to their batch and his duty handover ceremony.

The evening dawned early as we rushed to the auditorium to look after the decorations and other necessary arrangements. We, being the freshers and juniors, were arranging the event under Sujanya ma'am, our immediate senior.

I stole a few moments off the hustle bustle of the arrangements to get dressed in a silk netted maroon sequin party gown with my diamond studs and a rusty silver watch bracelet.

"Get back to the venue, Shruthi. The party is about to commence." I heard a shrill tone of Swetha through my cell phone as I declined the call, rushing out of the ladies washroom.

But, before I could head out, I collided with a man, who was emerging out of the gents washroom in a bottle green jacket and pants with a black shirt underneath.

"Sir, it's been a long time." I whispered as my eyes registered every minute change his face had in this while as he nodded, forcing a smile.

"Yes." He uttered, cautiously.

"How are you?" I questioned him tenderly as I inched a bit closer towards him. Before he could reply, two of the seniors came to fetch him as the ceremony had begun.

Behind them, I strolled alone and took a seat in the middle row, calmly. In a few minutes, Rishita and Swetha too joined me as Abhinav Rajnath Sir was announced the new college president.

"Congratulations." We heard Sidharth Sir's tone as he handed him his batch and congratulated him.

The rest of the meeting went utterly uneventful as other club heads were chosen among the crowd and at the length, we proceeded towards the food section.

Kunal Sir stole Swetha, while Rishita and I, followed our first love, Mutton Biryani.

As we were savouring our taste buds with the delicious heaven in our plates, checking some texts from her phone, Rishita muttered, "Kunal Sir is hosting a picnic tomorrow for super sixty team. We need to be ready at 8:30 AM."

"Great" I whispered as a hope to converse with him bloomed in my heart.

"I am so sure, he wanted to take Swetha out before he leaves. Hence, this trip plan." Rishita chuckled as I joined her, while we looked at our friend with her love, in their lovey dovey embrace.

"Shruti, I am dying to see you in such a situation now." Rishita uttered with a pouty face, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Try hard and become my sister-in-law sooner, girl." She teased me unexpectedly as I gasped at her shock.

"I don't know, Rish." I murmured. And, that was the truth, I didn't know how he would react.

Though I won't deny I feel strongly for Sidharth Sir after terribly missing his presence in the last few months, I don't know if I've come to believe in marriages and love or not. Now I was clueless what this cluster of emotions growing in me meant.