SYLLABUS OF LOVE

THE ART OF HOLDING HER CLOSE

For the next 8 days, Haseena didn't turn up to the college as Santu's health didn't get any better. Concerned about Santu's health she visited her multiple times. Haseena used the time at home to complete her pending assignments and make major changes in her project. Meanwhile, Karishma grew increasingly worried about Haseena's prolonged absence, wondering what was happening. At first, she figured Haseena might just be taking some time off for personal reasons but as days passed without hearing from her, Karishma's worry deepened. She thought about calling or sending a message but something held her back.

"Nai yaar kal santu ke bina hi college padega. Uski tabiyat ab tak theek nai hai.", Haseena said on call with Shivani.

Shivani responds,"Par itna kya zaroori hai akele jana?"

Haseena sighs,"Assignments submit karna hai yaar. Santu ne toh advance mein kar liye the, saath mein uske bhi submit kar denge."

Shivani teased,"Aur teri Karishma ma'am kaisi hai?"

Haseena nonchalantly said,"Hume kya pata wo kaisi hogi."

Shivani began to inquire,"Kyu tu baat nai karti unse?"

Haseena denied,"Nai toh... Hum kyu baat kare? Aur tu kyu puch rahi hai unke baare mein?"

Shivani in teasing tone said,"Nai teri bahut fikar karti hai na... Isliye puch liya. She paused and then continued. "Waise bahut din se kuch zyada hi shaanti nai hai?"

Haseena said aloud,"Exactly! Hume bhi chul ho rahi kuch karne ki. Bahut zyada hi khamoshi hai. Aur hum itni khamoshi bardasht nai kar sakte." She laughed.

Shivani laughed and said with a mischief tone,"Bomb pheke padosi par?"

Haseena agreed instantly,"Neki aur puch puch!"

Noor Jahan enters Haseena's room,"Koun hai?" She asked with suspicious eyes.

Haseena nods in disbelief,"Shivani...!" Then she said on the call. "Shivi hum baad mein call karte hai."

Shivani maintains her tone,"Theek hai lekin tu dynamite ka intezam kar. Main bhi kuch souchti ho. Bye." She ends the call.

Noor Jahan looks around the messy room- Books, papers, laptop, clothes all around the room and in the middle of the bed some more text books and Haseena, curled up in the corner of the room on a bean bag.

"Kutta bhi apni jagah saaf karke baithta hai lekin tum usse bhi gayi guzri ho." Noor Jahan taunts. " Kya haal bana rakha hai kamre ka. Abhi saaf karo!" She instructed firmly.

Haseena reluctantly stands,"Aap ko pata bhi hai kitni mehnat kar rahe hai hum iss project ke peeche? Humari kamar ki band baj gayi hai. Upar se assignments. Student nai mazdoor hote aaj hum lakhpati hote." And slumps into bed.

Noor Jahan sighs,"Theek hai hum kal kar denge. Raat ke 12 baj rahe hai. Sona nai? Kitne din hogaye hai. Tum college nai gayi. Kal bhi jaa rahi ho ya nai?"

Haseena said nonchalantly while racking up the books her arm from the bed,"Agar uth gaye toh chale jayenge warna parso pakka jayenge."

Noor with some worry asked,"Tumhe attendance ki tension nai? Agar kam hogayi toh hall ticket nai dega college."

Haseena wantedly drops her book on the table with a thud and flashed a toothy smile. "HOD humari fan hai. Agar hui toh bhi wo dekh legi lekin Karishma ma'am hai na wo baat wahan tak jane hi nai degi."

Noor Jahan nodded negatively and began to leave the room, saying. "Pata nai kya karti rehti hai college mein. Kabhi tension hi nai hoti isse."

Haseena shouts and replies,"Hum tension lete nai dete hai."