Coloured Me Grey (Book Two)

Chapter 5

Putting my phone in my jeans pocket, I shut the door behind me. Once the lock clicked, I started taking the well known route to the art college nearby. Even before the admission process had begun, I would just go there and sit for an hour or two at a stretch on the curb near the gates. And by now, the gatekeeper had come to know me enough to chat up a storm if I sat there or at least smile everytime I passed the area.

"Before time," with a smile, he checked his watch and said. "Lists are not out yet."

"That's alright," I breathed out. "One of the rare occasions when I'm NOT late." I sat down on the grass where he was sitting on a chair.

"Arey, arey!" He stood up. "Why are you sitting there, beta? Come here," he patted his chair, "Sit here, na."

"I'm more comfortable on the ground, Chacha Ji," I said with a smile, rocking back and forth on my haunches as the nerves got to me.

He sat down with a click of his tongue and chuckled. "Nervous?"

"Yeah, a bit maybe? Or a lot? I don't want to think about it." I was sitting on the grounds of my dream college. Even if I didn't get in, I'd be happy to have made it inside the premises.

"Don't be nervous, beta. You are a very good boy, and good things happen to good people."

I was about to laugh at that but then stopped myself and just smiled.

If only you'd seen me teaming up with Shivam a year ago.

"How is Minnie now?" Last week all I had heard him talking about was his little granddaughter being sick.

"Took her to the doctor in the weekend," his smile turned brighter. "The antibiotics are working well. Her grandmother and I were so scared when we saw her down with such high fever. It was like the light had gone out of her eyes. She wasn't eating at all. Now we can get her have some food at least. "

"That's good. You'll see, she will recover fast, I'm sure."

"I hope so too, beta. Look, they are putting up the lists!"

I stood up abruptly and dashed off in the direction of the notice board. I just realized that I was one of the first ones to reach while bracing myself for the upcoming disappointment. Running my finger down the list, I stopped at an R.

Rasmika Singhal.

Revant Karthik.

Rishabh Halder.

Riyaaz. Sounds like my name . Gupta. Sounds like my surname .

I made it. I made it! I MADE IT!

I checked the Application No. and the spelling of my name at least thrice before coming to a confirmed conclusion that I'd made it on the list.

There was a skip in my step as I made my way through the throng of other applicants, back to where Chach Ji stood at the gate.

"I MADE IT ON THE LIST!" I practically shouted in his ears and the students around us gave me weird looks. But right now, I didn't care.

He clapped on my shoulders with a hearty laugh. "I had told you, beta. You will do good in life."

"Wait," I patted my jeans pockets and finally found a toffee that the shopkeeper had given me instead of a change of small denomination. "Here, I've not got anything else now," I smiled sheepishly.

He laughed. "That is enough for me, beta. I look forward to let you in through those gates everyday. And don't forget to come and collect the admission forms tomorrow, okay?"