The Perfect Photo

Chapter 4

Friday evening.

We came back to our room that night after the organizer's party, more excited than tired. "Did he tell you which college he was from?", asked Neha.

"Nope. I forgot to ask him that. He might have stayed for some more time had you not walked in on us, and I would have been able to ask him that."

"Oh yeah, was I the one who walked over to the table and told you to introduce me?"

"Fine. Let's not fight but rather enjoy this moment. I have finally met someone who I find cute and who I do not detest."

"Alright. So what are you waiting for? Look him up.", Neha said handing me over the laptop. I grabbed it and booted it up. Though I had all apps on my phone, I somehow felt more comfortable to see things on the big screen. I opened up my profile on Facebook and searched for Pritam Patel. A number of suggestions came up with the same name. I wondered how many Pritam Patels were there in this world. I opened all the suggestions on different tabs and went through one by one.

"Did you find him or not? Don't tell me he gave you a fake name.", said Neha while changing out of her Kurti.

"He is not a girl. Guys rarely give out fake names.", I said still moving between tabs.

"I think you forgot Ken Adams.", said Neha quoting a F.R.I.E.N.D.S reference. "Well, Indian guys don't.", I snubbed. Being a fan of the sitcom myself, I did not require for the statement to be explained.

"Yeah, you talk as if you are an expert in boys, Ms. I-have-never-had-a-boyfriend-in-my-life-because-I-am-too-choosy", she said jumping back on my bed.

"Shut up!! I have my standards."

"Which is why you will never meet a perfect man because that species has been extinct since 1949. You need to lower your standards."

"I think Pritam is up to my standards. So thank you very much for your advice, but no thank you". One might think, is it very hard to find an intellectual guy. I did mention I get the hots for intelligence. But the smart guys I have met in my life have always been book smart. I do not go for book smart; I like street smart better.

"How can you conclude he is intellectual with hardly five minutes of conversation with him."

"Well, I just know. It's my intuition. He is interesting. More interesting than anyone I have ever met."

"Whatever!", she said rolling her eyes.

"Found him!", I said. He looked even better in his profile picture than in real life. No surprises right, with all the Prisma and Instagram filters it's not very difficult to look great in a picture.

"Nice..", she said. "Great cover pic.". He has scaled some crazy rock, and the photo looked like as if he was standing at the edge of the world. "Now, go to the about section." I clicked, and both stared with bewilderment at the page which loaded in front of our eyes.

'Studying Commerce at MCSC.', it read. That was our college.

We kept staring at each other till Neha broke it, "Do you recognize who that is, Is he a commerce student in our college? I am pretty sure I have never seen that guy on our campus."

Is this a fake profile. Or was the guy fake? I felt confused. "Nope. If he were a commerce student in our college, then I would have known him for sure. Or I would have at least seen him."

Both of us stared at the laptop screen for a few moments. "Aaahh... Look at his birthday", Neha said. 'August 6, 1998', it read. It makes sense now. He is a first-year student.

In our college, first-year students sit separately from the rest of the years. Primarily to prevent the first years from getting ragged. So we do not get to see them for a year. So, Pritam was a first-year commerce student?

"One fine guy you liked in your life, and he is younger to you.", she laughed. "Do you think he knew you were his senior in college?"

"Of course he would have known. He was aware that I was a part of the organizing committee."

"He has pulled a nice one on you asking you for directions to the juice shop which he might have visited a thousand times. Let's get back on this first-year brat, shall we? I have a plan. First, let's Facebook friend this guy. It's time to mess with his head", she said.

I was too confused and disappointed to be thinking straight. I just agreed to whatever she said and shot out a request. So did she from her phone.

The page read 'Request Pending.'

"So let the games begin," she said going back to her bed. I wasn't in the mood to enjoy that Hunger Games reference. I closed my laptop and went under my blanket.