Star-Crossed Yet Not Aligned

Roommate Ruckus

Tensions simmered in our PG, a pressure cooker ready to burst.

"Seriously, Aman, your turn to wash utensils!" I exclaimed, frustration etched on my face.

Aman shrugged, eyes fixed on his phone. "Later, dude."

Days passed, and the mess grew. Dirty utensils piled up. Unmade bed. Unclean room.

Studying became challenging amidst the chaos.

Pankaj and I exchanged exasperated glances.

"Dude, we need to get Aman out," Pankaj whispered.

"I'm with you," I agreed.

We hatched a plan.

Pankaj's classmate, Om, had a 2BHK PG.

More space.

Better dynamics.

We convinced Om to join forces.

Arijit, a talented singer, and Kaushik, a friendly guy from Ara, completed the group.

Our new PG became a melting pot:

Me (Gujarat)
Pankaj (Karnataka)
Om (Patna)
Arijit (Patna)
Kaushik (Ara)

Initial adjustments were tough.

Cooking duties.

Cleaning rosters.

Six people, varying schedules.

Conflicts arose.

"Dude, Om, you're always procrastinating!" Pankaj snapped.

"Chill, guys, I'll do it," Om replied, eyes still on his phone.

Arijit's singing practice disturbed others.

"Can you keep it down?" Kaushik requested.

"Sorry, buddy," Arijit said, "music is my life."

Kaushik's rustic humor sometimes fell flat.

"What's with these city boys?" Kaushik chuckled.

We laughed.

But little issues snowballed.

One evening, Om left his dirty socks on the couch.

"Om, seriously?" I said.

"Sorry, dude," Om replied.

Pankaj lost his temper.

"Om, clean up your mess!"

Om stood up.

"Chill, Pankaj."

The argument escalated.

Arijit intervened.

"Guys, stop."

We took a break.

Nightly terrace sleepovers became bonding sessions.

Laughter.

Stories.

Connections formed.

Aditi visited.

"Wow, this place is awesome!"

We beamed.

But Aman's absence wasn't forgotten.

One day, he showed up.

"Hey, guys."

Awkward silence.

"You left your stuff," Pankaj said.