In the Dream City of INDIA, MUMBAI. Love slowly blooms between two opposites Avni and Arush. Two college-going teenagers who have just started to experience the beauty and horrors of Love.
"You what!?" they all look at me in disbelief. And collapse on the chairs they were sitting on previously.
(a 30 minutes ago)
I enter the math lab, AKA the student council room, and I'm taken aback by the drastic transformation it underwent overnight. The room, once cluttered and dreary with papers strewn about, now appears remarkably spacious and vibrant. The walls are spotless, and a huge window on the south wall, previously hidden behind piles of paperwork, is now framed with elegant curtains. The president's table, meticulously placed in front of the window and facing north, adds a touch of sophistication to the room.
The fresh, bright atmosphere is striking. I hadn't realized how much of a difference a bit of cleaning and organization could make.
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Arush, Mihir, Paul, and Jay were lounging on the sofas lined up on the right side near the entrance, facing each other with a small tea table in between. As I approached, I greeted them with a cheerful "Good morning."
"Oh, finally, the angel is here!" Jay exclaimed, spotting me. Arush shot him a disapproving glare and said, "You're late."
"I'm sorry, I woke up late. I came here as soon as I could," I said apologetically.
"Have a seat; let's begin the meeting," Arush said, gesturing to an empty chair across from him, next to Mihir and Paul. I settled into the seat, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment.
Arush began, "Today we have three topics to discuss. First, about the competition. For those who weren't aware, let me summarize. The principal entrusted me with a task to acquire certain data from the college we visited. Basically, we had to go there and—"
This new information hit me like a ton of bricks. We went there to steal? I had no idea I was involved in something illegal.
"What if they report us for theft?" I asked in shock.
"They will report us if they find us," Mihir replied.
"What do you mean 'find us'?" I asked, bewildered.
"We registered with fake IDs and information, took advantage of blind spots in the CCTV cameras, and avoided getting caught on tape. None of them know what we look like, so rest assured," Mihir explained calmly. A wave of relief washed over me. At least I wasn't going to jail.
"But why would the principal want that data?" I asked, still puzzled by the need for such drastic measures.
"He has his own reasons, none of which we know," Arush said.
"Wow, this feels like something out of a thriller or suspense novel. How about we secretly investigate this?" I suggested excitedly.
"Miss Sherlock Holmes, hold your horses, or you might end up getting yourself killed," Arush said with a serious expression.
"Haha, you're so funny, Arush. Right, guys?" I laughed, thinking he was just teasing. But as I looked around, all their faces had turned serious. Okay, maybe he wasn't kidding.
"Moving forward," Arush continued, "the principal has established this student council to oversee all student activities, organize major events and fests, and maintain discipline and order in the college. Each of you has a responsibility because you were recommended by your professors and appointed by the principal based on your qualities and skill sets. Your roles may change depending on the situation. Currently, we don't have much of a workforce, so you might have to take on more tasks simultaneously. However, the efforts will be worth it. You'll receive a recommendation letter from the principal for your desired university, an experience certificate, extra benefits, and a scholarship. Anyone who wishes to discontinue may leave now." Arush finished his speech.
I was aware that many colleges had student councils, but ours had been dismissed three years ago for some reason. Now that it was reestablished, I saw the benefits: experience, a recommendation letter, and a scholarship. The only drawback was dealing with Arush for two years. I hoped I could manage; after all, he was just a human being.
"As I see no one has any objections, the last topic for today is the seminar at 11 a.m. in the auditorium. I hope you've all taken care of your assigned tasks. Also, after the seminar, the principal will make an announcement about the student council, so we all need to be present. Let's get going; we can't be late," Arush concluded, and everyone began to stand up.
My mind was still caught up on the words "seminar" and "task." What task?
"Um, excuse me, Arush. You didn't assign anything to me, right?" I asked, tentatively tucking at the long sleeve of his jacket.
"Of course I did. I asked you to bring the flower bouquets and pick up the badges and appreciation frame from the store I placed the order at. They didn't offer delivery services, and I also sent you the location," he said.
"What? You never told me that!" I replied, utterly shocked. Mihir, Paul, and Jay turned their heads toward us, looking surprised.
"I texted it on the group and also sent you a personal message, Avni," Arush said, showing me the texts on his phone.
"Where's your phone?" Jay asked.
I had left it at the hostel. Last night, I picked it up to check notifications, but a frightening scene made me jerk, and my phone fell off the bed. Its battery was dead and I just went to bed later, I had forgotten to take my phone with me in rush this morning. How do I explain this to him? He is definitely gonna hate me
(Present time)
"Avni, how could you forget your phone?" Arush said, rubbing his forehead in frustration. He looked exhausted, likely from staying up all night preparing for the seminar. I felt a wave of guilt; I hadn't even completed a single task. He's going to hate me for this, I thought.
"What do we do now? The guest will be here in 15 minutes," Paul asked, looking concerned.
"Paul, you go and wait for the guest to arrive and handle your duties. Mihir, set up the equipment and check the registrations. Jay, I'm assigning you the introduction speech. I'll go get the bouquets and badges. Give me some time. Get to work!" Arush ordered in a hurry.
"I'm coming too. I can grab the flowers while you get the badges," I said, determined to make things right.
"Fair enough," Arush said, grabbing his bike keys.
"Better go walking or you will get stuck in traffic, it's the peak hours now" Jay suggests.
"You're right, its just near the flora fountain, if we hurry we can be back before 20" I say with urgency.
