Once Upon a University Campus

Mr Chicken and Miss Sunshine

Sunshine the new day brought along magically dusted away Annika's exhaustion. She curled up in the bed little longer but it was boring to be just lying there. Yet another free day on hand, after what happened the previous day, she just did not want any days off for herself. Work was not only worship but her refuge. Her books, her professor, their lectures, her students, her lessons, those that did not differentiate because of who she was. Her work did not ask her, her place in the world. There were no rules of engagement there, just plain old honesty and effort. That is where she fit in, a wall where she could create her niche only on the basis of her hard work.  She decided to head over to the library. She would be infinitely better off in the company books than anywhere else.

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She had a lonely breakfast in the mess. She just had to get out of there and settle down in the company of book, no tropic to search for today. Any book would do, just about any.  She was almost done eating when Om approach her, eager to speak to her. She gave him a earnest smile but did not wait for him to start a conversation. Om knew she was avoiding him, but he had to speak to her then and there. Annika quicken her pace out of the main entrance. Om followed her. He did not call out her name or asked her to stop, but ran after her. Once he caught up with her, he ran ahead and stood facing her.

"Annika you need to speak to me"

"Good Morning Om. When ever did I refuse to speak to you. Breakfast done?"

"You know it is not this Annika. About yesterday. Why did you disappear yesterday ?Did Shivaay..."

"Please stop it Om. I am inconsequential to your brother, similarly he is inconsequential to me. It does not matter what he said or what he says. I was your tutor and now the course is done. Unless you take up economics the upcoming semester and need my help, there is nothing much between us."

"I thought of you as a friend, not just a tutor." Om distraught

"Friendship, kinship, relationships are all between equals Om. I don't mean to hurt anyone. Though the thought is rather old fashioned, it is the truth of our world. My own aunt disowned us when we ceased to be her equals. I have learnt it the hard way. This is our reality, so we better accept it."

Om did not have anything to say but tears rolled down his eyes. He made no attempt to hide it. Annika was bewildered. She had never seen a grown man shed tears before. She did not know what to say, but could not walk away from there either, though she wanted to. She felt very bad for her harsh words, for hurting Om unreasonably. He did not deserve it, for, it was not his mistake. They just stared at each other in silence.

"You have no idea what you mean to me Annika. You and this campus life has been the best thing that happened to me in a long time. If friendship is between equals as you say, I will never be good enough to be your friend."

Annika was concerned that Om was taking it all in the wrong way. She meant their backgrounds and he was somehow considering himself unworthy of her friendship.

"I didn't mean it that way Om. You are fine man. Why would you say that you are not good enough." It was getting too complicated for her. "Alright, forget what I said just now. We are friends as long as we are on campus. Ok?"

"What does it even mean Annika? Friends are supposed to be forever, where ever they are. Besides I still would want to know why you disappeared yesterday. I came back from restroom, you were gone. Shivaay and Tia were lost in a conversation that they didn't know that you were not there. He says he did not speak a word to you. And now you are telling me about equals, something I have not seen you mention all these days I have known you."