This is not the End

Jab They Met

It had been a busy day with three ninety-minute lectures in the morning. Ria found the Marketing and Accounting sessions interesting, but she was struggling to stay awake during the Organizational Behaviour class. During the lecture breaks, she kept interacting with Palak, learning about the other girls in their class and discussing upcoming events.

Ria attributed her drowsiness to the overnight train journey. She reassured herself that a good eight-hour sleep tonight would make her feel better tomorrow. Finally, it was time for the lunch break. Ria had been hungry for almost an hour, as she had a casual breakfast earlier and was now starving. She was eager to quickly go for lunch. Palak had some work at the administrative block, so she left. Ria gathered her belongings and prepared to leave the building when she noticed that it was pouring outside, and she didn't have an umbrella.

"Not a great day to wear white," she murmured to herself. As she observed boys rushing downstairs without umbrellas, she considered heading out as well. However, her introverted, low-confidence self took over, and she thought it would be embarrassing. Just as she was about to hesitate, she heard someone speak from behind her, saying, "Not a great day to wear white." She turned around and saw that it was Samar standing next to her now.

Samar: "Hi, I'm Samar Ahir. I'm in the same class as you."

Ria: "Hi, yes, I know. I'm Ria, by the way."

Samar: "Okay, Miss Ria Bytheway, if you don't mind, we can share my umbrella."

Ria: "Ria Taparia! Are you sure? It might not be enough for both of us."

Samar: "It's fine, don't be so formal. Come on! The cafeteria will close in 30 minutes, so we better hurry. And by the way, not every girl has the opportunity to walk so close to me."

Ria: "Yuckkkk! Now I'm having second thoughts."

Samar: "Come onnnnn," pulling her arm. "I was only joking."

Ria smiled and started walking down with him. She took slow steps, being cautious not to spoil her outfit. Samar sensed her nervousness.

Ria: "So, where are you from?"

Samar: "I'm from Vadodara, but I've been working and living in Mumbai for the last three years."

Ria, with a mischievous expression on her face, said, "Oh, that's why you look so old."

Samar took a tiny step towards her and said, "And of all the people, you chose to come under my umbrella."

Ria: "It was your lucky day," she said flirtatiously.

Samar: "We both know who was lucky," he said, closing his umbrella as they both walked into the cafeteria.

Ria looked around the room and saw that Palak had saved a seat for her. She turned around and asked, "Do you want to join for lunch?" feeling hopeful.

Samar replied, "You carry on, I will join Kabir and Suyog. They are waiting for me," pointing to the table across from where Palak was sitting.

Ria exclaimed, "Oh, okay! But again, thank you so much, my guardian uncle sorry angel. You have no idea what would have happened if you hadn't come to save my day," saying it dramatically.

Samar teased, "Not fair, madam. You owe me."

Ria playfully responded, "Yes, next time we'll both share my pink umbrella."

Samar nodded and said, "Okay, see you around."

Ria bid him goodbye and watched as he walked away, noticing that he was all wet from the rain. She felt a bit sorry for him but also admired his kind gesture.

Ria then joined Palak, Uttara, and Natasha for lunch, and they were also joined by Arpan, Manav, and Utkarsh.

Natasha, who was also from Jaipur, was a very nice girl who cared deeply about everyone. Ria could see that people sometimes made fun of her innocence, but at the same time, they also loved her.

Out of the blue, Utkarsh exclaimed, "I heard we're having our welcome party this Friday."

Ria exclaimed, "A welcome party! Well, that sounds interesting."

Utkarsh confirmed, "Yes, it's organized by our seniors. It should be fun."

Palak added, "I heard there will be some impromptu activities too. They might ask anyone to sing, dance, or take on some dares."

Utkarsh replied, "Well, that's what makes it fun. Otherwise, what's the point of eating in the games room instead of the cafeteria?"

Everyone laughed and continued enjoying their lunch.

After finishing their meal, the girls started walking towards the girls' hostel. Palak asked, "So, Ria, which room are you in?"

Ria replied, "I'm in Room 121. And you?"

Palak answered, "I'm in Room 125. Natasha is in Room 126, Uttara is in Room 122, and Ruhi, Surbhi, and Priya are on the second floor."

As soon as Ria entered her room, she felt exhausted and wanted to sleep. She checked her phone and saw missed calls from her mom and her friend Aniket from her old job in Delhi. She decided to call her mom first.

Ria's mother answered, "How are you, my love? Did you reach on time? Are you all settled?"

Ria replied, "Yes, Mumma, I'm all settled. I checked into the room this morning and already had three lectures. Just had lunch and got back to my room. Everything is fine. Things are going to be hectic here. Each semester is three months, followed by exams. We only get a weekend break between the two semesters. And to top it all off, we have all these extra events. The internship placements will also happen in September. But leave all that, you tell me—how are you? How is Papa?"

Ria's mother responded, "We are all good. Papa should be back by 5:00. Let us know if you need more money."

Ria reassured her, "No, Mumma, I can manage. I have some savings that should be enough for now. Besides, everything is inside the campus, so I don't expect many expenses here."

Ria's mother insisted, "Okay, let us know. Mumbai is a big city, take care of yourself."

Ria replied, "Yes, Mumma, I'm not going anywhere. Ahh, it started raining again. You know, it's raining so much here, and I forgot to carry my umbrella this morning to class."

Ria's mind wandered back to her walk with Samar, and she recalled being so close to him that she could remember the scent of his perfume. She snapped back to the conversation upon hearing her mother's voice.

Ria's mother added, "Yes, it's monsoon time in Mumbai. You always have to carry an umbrella with you."

Ria sighed and said, "Yes, Mumma, I'm a bit tired. I want to take a nap. I'll call you later."

Ria's mother replied, "Okay, take care and call me."

Ria said her goodbyes, "Bye, Mumma."

She then texted Aniket, "Reached safely. Will call you later," and lied down on her bed, ready to take a nap.