“Stop stop stop” said a girl standing in front of a bus. She was wearing a torn jeans and a white sleeveless t-shirt and half jacket covering her sleeves. She was wearing some funky bands in her wrist and a bead neck piece which she was holding in the index finger of her right hand. She was chewing a gum and her eyes were covered with goggles. She entered the bus and stood at the steps looking at the conductor who was looking at her scared. She rested her one elbow on the railing and with other hand she held the rod. She blew whistle signing the driver to move the bus. “Kyu be taklu. Without me entering the bus how did you even think of moving it?” asked the girl caressing the conductor’s bald head. “Wo Ragini beta” said conductor scared. “Beta veta nahi hu mai kisiki. Call me Ragzee. Samje. Now move. Let me get inside” said Ragini pushing him aside and entered the bus brushing her jacket. “Abbey Khajur don’t you know this is ladies seat” asked Ragini to a middle aged person who was sitting. “Sorry sorry madam ji. Koi Ladies nahi this issliye bait gaya tha. Aap hi baitiye” said the man getting up scared. “I know very well about men like you. Unless we ask you; you won’t get up from the seat” said Ragini and sat on the seat.
As she got down from the bus near the bus stop in front of college, she stretched her hands and crossed the road and headed inside the campus. All the students were looking at her. Guys were scared looking at her and were moving out of her way. And some girls smiled at her and some looked at her with weird expressions. Ragini was least bothered about anybody’s opinion on her. She spit the chewing gum in a dustbin after wrapping it in a tissue paper and removed her goggles and tucked it to the pocket of her jacket. She sealed her hands inside the pockets of her pant and moved whistling and looked around and entered her department.
“Ragzeee” screamed a guy who was wearing his glasses and studying seriously when Ragini brushed his hair and chuckled. “Popu. Why always study study. Enjoy your life sometime” said Ragini placing her elbow on her close friend Akshat’s shoulder who was busy staring the book. Everyone used to call him Popat and Ragini kept him nick name Popu. They were together from Kindergarten. “Today we have class test Ragzee. Srikant sir gonna give punishment if we don’t pass it. Now don’t disturb me” said Popat getting back to staring business. “Wo sukkad kya hame punishment dega. Usko tho bhagvan ne pehle hi lifetime punishment de rakhi hai” said Ragini laughing. Popat looked at her and got horrified when he found Srikant sir standing behind her. “Ragzee stop” he whispered and looked at Srikant weakly smiling. “What?” asked Ragini and turned back and found her professor staring her and huffing in anger. She stopped laughing suddenly and gulped the spit scared and looked at him. “What were you saying Ms. Ragini” asked Srikanth folding his hands. “Wo wo sir I was just talking about you that how fit and active you are. And then this popat told that you are Sukkad. I swear I did not wanted to laugh but I couldn’t control my laugh when he told that god has given you lifetime punishment” said Ragini with puppy eyes. Popat opened his mouth shocked looking at Ragini. Before he could explain anything Srikant told “Akshat you are gonna write probability theorem hundred times and you will submit it to me by tomorrow. Now move inside the class” Popat looked at him horrified. Ragini smiled mischievously and winked at him. He pouted and headed inside the class huffing. “Chorry” said Ragini holding her ears looking at Akshat who was avoiding her. At last he smiled and said “Fine” Ragini side hugged him chirping.
“Excuse me sir” came a voice disturbing them. Ragini made annoying face as she recognized the owner of the voice. “Is this the time to enter class Mr. Lakshya Maheshwari” said Srikant annoyed. Lakshya set his hair and smiled at Srikant. “Sir actually I missed my bus. I thought I will stay at home only but then I remembered it is your class so I ran and got inside other bus which comes only half the distance. Then I crossed the circle and got inside another bus. So due to this I got late. I thought of sitting in Library only but it was your class how can I miss it” said Lakshya and smiled like innocent kid. Srikant looked at him happy and his heart beamed with happiness. “Popu I will slip” said Ragini. Popat looked at her confused. “Yeh ithna maska jo maar raha hai” said Ragini annoyed. Lakshya looked around the class searching someone when Srikant allowed him to get inside the class. He found Ragini who was twisting her lips looking at him and he smirked and neared her and sat beside her.He raised his collar and looked at her with one eye brow raised. “Popat” said Lakshya giving high five to Akshat. Ragini got annoyed and separated their hands. She signed Lakshya to concentrate on the board. Lakshya twisted his lip a bit and looked at the board.
“Popat. I think something is burning” said Lakshya as Srikant headed out of the class. Ragini huffed and said “Jalkukda tho tu hai” Lakhya replied “Babes I didn’t talk to you so chillax” “Babes hogi teri naani. Dare you address me like you address your chics” said Ragini showing her finger. “Relax guys” said Popat annoyed. “Now for why did you both fought” asked Popat. “Ask him” said Ragini folding her hands. “Why should I tell? Ask this chudail only” said Lakshya folding his hands. “Fine I wont ask anybody. You both keep fighting like this” said Popat getting up. “Popu” screamed both of them and pouted like small kids. Popat nodded his head in disbelief and smiled and sat again. “Now tell me” he said. “Popu he said bad about Superstar” said Ragini pouting. “I told truth only Popu. Isn’t he bald” asked Lakshya. “HK dare you call Thalaiva like that. I will kick you to Andaman jail” said Ragini angry. “Relax guys. Lucky ask sorry. You know Rajnikant is her god and you should not talk about him like that” said Popat. “But” said Laksh. “Lucky” said Popat glaring Laksh. “Sorry” said Laksh pouting sadly. “Thats okay” said Ragini with attitude. “Thank you Popu” said Ragini encircling her hands around his neck.
“Lucky baby” came voice of Tia (Tia from Ishqbazz) Tia approached them and kept her hand on Laksh’s shoulder. “Lucky baby….” shouted Ragini and Akshat at a time and looked at Laksh weirdly. He closed his eyes. “25th bakri mubarak ho Lucky” said Ragini shaking Laksh’s hand. Laksh glared her and she chuckled and Akshat joined her. “Whats bakri?” asked Tia confused. “Ohho I forgot Tia is from US and she will not understand so much Hindi. Tia it means…”said Ragini but before she could complete Laksh closed her mouth and said “Tia it means gorgeous” Tia caressed his hair and said “Awww baby you kept this pet name for me” Akshat choked and said “Ha it is pets name only” Laksh hit him with his other hand. “Did you said anything Popat?” asked Tia. “No no tia” said Akshat nervous. “Baby I’m going to canteen come fast ok” said Tia caressing Laksh’s cheek and headed out. Laksh lost in her touch and closed his eyes. As his grip on Ragini’s mouth loosened she bit his hand. Laksh came out of his dream world and screamed “Ouch chudail” “Now go Lucky baby…. Tia is waiting for you” said Ragini making pity face and making her index finger travel on his face teasing him. Laksh huffed and got up and headed out. Ragini and Akshat gave high five and burst out laughing.
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Akshat – Neel Motwani