Sona’s POV:
Its Friday already! All the houses are about to finish decorating their display boards, but my house?……a bunch of fools headed by lazy officials.
Sona: Who’s the girls’captain of Tagore house?
Meera: Its Rupali from 12th C.
Sona: When the hell are they going to start decorating their board?
Meera: Shall I call her?
Sona: Yes please…and call Gautam as well.
…………………………….
Rupali: I’m really sorry Sonakshi, I completely forgot that Friday was the deadline. Gautam didn’t even remind me.
Sona: The two of you are the house captains! How can you be so careless? Gautam didn’t I inform you on Wednesday. What have you been doing?
Gautam: I told her to get it done. You girls are better at all this.
Sona: So you agree you’re good for nothing.
Gautam: Arre I’ll get you stuff….charts, colours, pins, ribbons….Whatever you need.
Sona: Fine then call the other house officials and get started.
Rupali: You won’t come?
Sona: I’ll join you guys after the lunch break.
………………………………
Scenario: School’s reception, four house display boards and a bunch of students around each one of them. All the students are busy decorating their boards. Its as if they are on a mission to conquer a territory which has three more claimants. None of them wanna leave a stone unturned. They are all determined to stand victorious and so is our Captain Cool……who is not so cool right now.
Dev’s POV:
These people can never finish any work on time.
Dev: Gautam where are the scissors man?
Gautam: I just gave it to you right?
Dev: Didn’t you take it back?
(Just then sona arrives)
Sona: Its fallen down there, below your chair.
Dev: Oh! Ya…..sorry.
Holy shit!!….What is she doing here?…… Oh ya!… How could I forget? We are in the same house!! Then why the hell did she come so late? Forget it Dev, focus on your work. I need help with these pins. Who’s free? Who’s free? Only she!
Dev: Aaaa….. Excuse me….can you….
Sona: Ya give it to me.
Sona’s POV:
It was funny how he was struggling with those pins in one hand and ribbons and scissors in the other….reluctant to ask for help….obhodro!
Dev: Two pins!
Sona(giving him the pins): Here.
Dev(adjusting the article): Is it fine this way?
Sona: Yes, its perfect. Are you done?
Dev: Yup!
He got down the chair and both of us went our own ways. We were all busy doing different things…making articles, colouring caricatures, writing slogans……. There was a great chaos everywhere around…..with some fifty students working together in groups, trying to complete the decoration as soon as possible. How badly am I gonna miss these days…..this chaos….these last minute projects….this teamwork…. The thought of the end of my school life disheartened me but I had to weed it out coz a lot of work was still pending.
I’ve to make some more articles on drug abuse and child labour.
………………………………
I guess these are enough. I went near the display board and found him standing there.
Sona: Can you help me with these articles?
Dev: Ya sure!
Sona(handing him over the article): Here take this one first.
Dev: Look is it straight?
Sona: A little towards your right.
Dev: Now?
Sona: No no not so much….a little left.
Dev: Here?
Sona: Arre a little right!!
Dev: OK now?
Sona: Thoda upar….bas bas….zyada ho gaya….ab thoda neeche…(a little up….enough enough….move it a little down now)
Dev(frustrated): Tum ladkiya hamesha itni confused kyun rehti ho. Ek baar mein bolo na kaha lagana hai? (Why are you girls always confused? Can’t you say it at once?)
Sona: (to herself: MCP Kahi ka!) Woh do articles ke beech mein lagaao….same line mein….centre…(put it in the centre…between those two articles)
Dev: Hmmm….done! Next one plz.
Sona: Here take it.
Dev: What is this? “DRUG THRILLS BUT KILLS”….
Drug thrills??? Udta Punjab dekh ke toh aisa nahi laga.
Sona:(to herself: kisne kaha tha dekhne ko….aur yeh suna kisko raha hai….SHOW OFF!…” Main padhne ke saath saath movies bhi dekhta hu”….huh! Bada aaya…Udta Punjab!)…. I don’t know about the movie but real life me it does cause thrills n spills…that’s why people use it…….for hallucinations n stuff.
Dev:(to himself: Hadd hai yaar…yeh toh serious ho gayi)..Hmmm….right!
I gave him all the articles and he displayed them. None of us spoke any further. As soon as my work was done, I left. He was busy helping others. It was weird working with him. Arrogant yet helpful. I can never understand guys I guess. But he’s an MCP ( male chauvinistic pig) for sure.
Dev’s POV:
Angry young woman….as expected. She is so like other girls. Egoistic n self-centered. Isse toh main door hi accha hoon.
…………………………………..
Ignore mode on!! For the first time our two captains were together for two hours. But instead of building up a friendship, they built up stereotypes. Time flew…flipping another page of the calendar…. But the silence between them laid unbroken. Let’s see what fate has in store for them.
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PRECAP: Its September- Pre-Teacher’s Day Phase- A new story is about to begin!