I pushed my hair to one side taking a long breath. Interviews did not go well with me. This was the interview for a secretary at a law firm. The last thing on earth I would do. But this is what love makes you do. It wasn't my interest in law or the firm or the job profile I was applying for, that brought me here. It was HIM. Three years back I first saw him. It was my second year at college and his final. He was a law student and I was into the MBA. Two different worlds.
But it's said if it is meant to be, it finds a way.
And I believe if one wants something one must try till there is no option remaining. Hopeless romantic that I was I had slowly convinced myself for it. To let my first ever crush become my first and last love. I had no clue how I would go about it. I did not want to look like a despo to him. He was handsome, rich, dark-eyed, tall, in short the perfect guy out from a cliché love story. He did have a temper and a laugh any girl would fall for. In other words falling for him was inevitable.
The university I went to offered a wide variety of courses- law, engineering, management and business administration. There were many clubs and associations at college. The boring ones were Debating and Model United Nations -MUN is what they popularly called it. Now there were these mock conferences that happened at intra-college and inter college level. I happened that I volunteered for one such model united nation conference. Well, that day the only thought on my head was bunking classes plus that certificate which would look pretty in my job application file.
I knew I had landed myself in the most boring place. These law students were at an altogether different level of passion for subject and debating. I hoped to survive by searching. Right, searching for that one face. That one face – I could proudly say I had a crush on. Almost two years at college were at an end and I still did not have that one crush! No crushes in life? What stories would I tell my future kids? Depressing thought. It was a five day long conference hopefully at the end of five days I would be happier. After all there were guys from so many different colleges all over India.
Now the best thing - perhaps the only one –about these law people is their pitch perfect formal dressing. The guys in three piece suits or pant-shirts blazer. The girls in that tight skirts with shirts tucked in and marvelous pair of heels. Not to forget the dark lipstick. Now there began my pain. Skirt? No way. Not that I didn't have pretty legs, but hey having the whole world gawk at you isn't what I'd prefer. Alright, my height did make me little conscious. I did have shorter legs compared to the long one most girls had. But hey that's how I was manufactured.
So I decided to wear a jeans and pair it with a shirt. Despite the fact that we weren't allowed to wear jeans. I did not have formal pants. In fact the shirt was also a borrowed one. My cousin who had a physique similar to mine had only shirts and pants in her wardrobe totally tom-boyish unlike me. Name the color and you'd find a fancy tee or kurti in my cupboard in that color. Bangles and small bindis especially the black ones used to be my style for fashion. Five days, of totally being, not me. Well the certificate and free attendance for five whole days was worth it.
It was on the second day I distinctly remember. I was asked to report at another room for helping the executive board. The executive board generally comprised of the best law students from the final year. There were different committees and each had an executive board, our task was to help the executive board to function smoothly.
I entered the room and was asked to take the empty chair and help the chairperson of the committee. I very disinterestedly walked over glancing over the faces in the room. I was handed a page by the guy who was the chairperson. He asked me to make notes. I blinked. What did it mean? I took the notepad and pen and looked at the sheets. I turned to him, he was engrossed reading a paper while listening to a delegate making a point. I waited. He gave me few more sheets. I was totally put out of place. What the hell did he mean my make note..?
Finally, when he looked at me, I caught glimpse of his face. He was wearing huge black framed glasses. As soon as my gaze registered his dark eyes I realised he was staring at me. "Noted?" He asked me softly in a firm voice. I nodded absentmindedly and stared at the blank notepad in my hand. "Just make point-wise note of the Objective and Country the delegate represents." He said. I nodded quickly beginning to write. The next hour was pretty intense. The delegates kept shooting counterpoints and passing the sheets to him. He was so fast. I could barely register a sentence and he had heard, understood, responded and read the directives. God! How?
My duty relaxed only when they broke for lunch. He looked at me removing his glasses and stretching his hands up. He wore a white shirt, black pant and black blazer. His hair was long and tied into a pony. He had dark thick eyebrows and equally dark eyes. "Too much work?"
Oh! He was talking to me! "Yeah. Sort of. Not used to this."
He chuckled. His voice was deep. Even his chuckle sounded deep. "Have a nice lunch, you'll have more work in the afternoon session. Don't worry, towards the end it relaxes." Saying that he got up and walked off talking to the other guys who I assumed were his friends. I didn't stay long. I also headed to the mess to have lunch. I was so hungry!
* * * * * *
[ third person ]
The afternoon session was indeed comparatively relaxed. But sitting next to him wasn't easy. Gauri felt weird. Occasionally, his arm would touch hers. He wasn't even aware, he was busy debating with the delegate. So while he spoke of all the different important global topics she was closely noticing his actions and memorizing details about him. He was too handsome to be true.
A while later, she was asked to sit behind in the huge room while the presentations began. He of course was at the chair carrying out the proceedings. Gauri couldn't take off her eyes. Even if he walked from one end of the dice to another, her eyes followed him.
This continued till next three days. Gauri couldn't be happier to get the same duty over and over. She had to assist him and she totally found it, worth it. They communicated more by actions and eyes. If he passed a paper tapping over it twice it meant it had to be noted. If the paper was passed with no taps it was to be discarded. If the paper was pushed and he looked at her, that meant – it was on hold.
On the last day, needless to say Gauri wasn't exactly happy. She realised she had found that crush. But what was more was she liked him too much for an ordinary crush. She got tongue tied whenever he spoke to her in those short breaks between sessions. Only at the closing ceremony she came to know that he was a final year student at the same university. Entering the final year. Gauri's heart broke a little more. She had to be here for three more years and he'd pass out in one year. She knew this was pointless. Besides she had seen many girls with him. He spoke so nicely to them all. Every time she saw him with a girl, the girl was either smiling or laughing. She craved to be that girl but she knew it was pointless hoping.
So that was it. The conference ended. But Gauri couldn't stop thinking about him – Omkara Singh Oberoi. The lawyer in making!
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