“Why do you keep attending the Micro class when you know Dr. Gopal is going to throw you out?” Arjun asked
“simple. I won’t give him a chance to go to Princy and tell him that I have been skipping Micro classes”
“What?”
“Can’t you see Arjun?As long as my attendance is marked present, there is no way Dr. Gopal can get me in to more trouble. He wants me to stop attending his class, so he can complain to Princy and get me in to bigger trouble”
“Wow. I have never even thought about it. Nina,How do you get to think like this?”
I laughed it off. How was I going to tell Arjun that my life is like a game of Chess. I have to see all of George’s moves before I do anything.
“hey guys, run. Princy is coming for a spot check” Few of the senior boys ran towards us and all of started to run up the stairs. When I reached the 3 rd floor, I remembered I wanted Princy to see me and ask my why I was sitting outside the class. It was too late to walk down to ground floor and besides Arjun didn’t have any excuse for bunking the class and I didn’t want him to get in to trouble
“Hurry Nina” Arjun spoke.
“Is there any class going on in room 301?” One of the seniors asked
“No” we both answered. It was the Class room for first year students and they were at the anatomy lab.
“Then we will hide there”
Arjun opened the door and all of us went inside and closed the door.
“What if Princy comes inside the room to check?”
I looked around the room. There wasn’t any hiding spot, Unless we hid under the table.
Our choices were obvious.
Arjun and I sat under a table at the back of the class.
I turned to look at Arjun.
He was grinning.
We both started to laugh.
Who would have thought studying for medicine included hiding under a desk?
“Shh” One of the seniors tried to hush us.
The room was stuffy and hot because the windows were closed and we forgot to switch on the fan. Hiding under the table didn’t help either.
“It is so hot” I whispered to Arjun
“Take off your coat” Arjun suggested.
There was not much room to move my arms and remove my lab coat. I was contemplating what I should do when I heard Arjun speak
“Here, let me help you”
It was a Mills and Boons moment.
The moment that makes you stop breathing and all the cells in your skin is hyper sensitive.

Little while later we heard the door being opened and we held our breath and waited.
It probably was the longest 10 seconds in my life. I knew any moment one of us might sneeze and Princy will find us and we all get suspended. I even imagined hiring a rental set of parents to bring with me when Princy wants to meet the parents.
We heard the sound of door being closed. I am sure everyone was waiting to sigh, but we had to make sure Princy actually wasn’t standing outside the door. So we waited what felt like a life time before one of the guys got up and slowly walked towards the door. He checked outside and gave the all clear sign.
Arjun got up first and gave me his hand and helped me up.
“hmmm hmmm hmmm, Arey wah!” One of the seniors noticed our hands and started to tease.
I pulled my hand free from Arjun’s grasp.
Ek Dujhe Ke liye” I heard someone say.
Soon enough someone was humming tere mere beech mein kaisaa hain ye bandhan anajaanaa…
“Come let us go, before we get ragged any further” Arjun held my waist and guided me towards the door.
The song now became
Akeley akeley kaham ja rahi ho.
We checked the corridor before walking out of the room.
“What is your plan for Vinayaka Chathurthi?” Arjun asked
“Nothing much”
“Going home?”
“Nah”
Before Arjun could ask why, I spoke quickly “Have to study” That obvoiusly was a lie. I wasn’t planning to go home because I didn’t want to fight with Amma.
“Ok, I will take you somewhere”
“Where?”
“Trust me will you. You will like it”
“Tell me where Arjun”
“You just have to wait my darling”
Oh! he called me darling! My body felt weightless and I was sure my feet weren’t touching the ground. Another Mills and Boon moment.

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