CHAPTER XVII
As I followed Mon to her room in the hostel, my heart was filled with a mix of anxiety and longing. But when I reached her door, she slammed it shut right in front of me, leaving me feeling hurt and rejected. The sound of the door closing echoed in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a wave of regret wash over me. I had been so caught up in my own emotions that I hadn't considered how Mon might feel. Now, I wanted to apologize to Mon and make things right between us. The weight of my regret was crushing me, and I knew I had to take the first step towards healing our relationship.
The next day, while I was studying in my class, I caught a glimpse of Mon heading towards the drama practice class. My curiosity got the better of me, and I approached the teacher, asking with a mix of excitement and trepidation, "Is there another drama or program happening in college?" The teacher's response was casual, but it sent a pang of disappointment through my chest. "Yes, didn't you know?" I felt a surge of frustration and anger. "What? How did I not know about it?" I demanded, my voice rising in indignation.
The teacher's apologetic tone did little to ease my annoyance. "Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you all. We have a drama play in college, and Malvika Dixit and Ranav Sujan from section B have already participated. Unfortunately, there's no room for any more members in the play, so your class won't be able to participate this time." My face turned red with anger, and I felt a deep sense of disappointment and frustration. I had been looking forward to participating in the play, not just for myself, but also to make Mon happy. Now, it seemed like that chance had slipped through my fingers, leaving me feeling defeated and upset.
As I walked away from the teacher, I couldn't help but feel a sense of regret and longing. I wished I had known about the play earlier, and I couldn't help but wonder what could have been if I had been given the chance to participate. The thought of Mon's happiness being out of reach because of my own missed opportunity was almost too much to bear. I felt like I was stuck in a rut, unable to move forward or make things right. The pain of rejection and disappointment lingered, and I knew I had to find a way to overcome it.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down, thinking about what I could do next. I knew I had to talk to Mon and apologize for my mistakes. I hoped that by doing so, I could start to mend our relationship and find a way to move forward, even if it meant missing out on the drama play. The journey ahead wouldn't be easy, but I was determined to take the first step and see where it would lead me.
During the game period, I was brainstorming with my friends about how to get rid of Ranav so I could take his place in the drama.
Suddenly, my friend Mahi suggested, "Why don't we drop some locks on the stairs while he's coming down, so he slips and gets hurt, and then he'll have to refuse the play?" I glared at Mahi, irritated, and asked, "Where were you all this time? Why didn't I meet you earlier?" Mahi laughed and replied, "It doesn't matter, I'm here now, right?" I retorted, "Have some shame! Do you think I'm a criminal that I would do something like that?"
Aravi chimed in, "Sam, Ranav is a football player, right?" I confirmed, "Yes." "So what?" I asked. Aravi suggested, "Why don't you invite him to play football and hit him in the wrong place with the ball?" I thought to myself, "I have the worst luck in the world to have such mischievous friends." I said, "What do you all think of me? I just want to get him out of the drama, not the world. If you have some good ideas, share them, otherwise, just leave it." Snehal then said, "Sam, do one thing, take the role of a tree in the drama, or if not, then take the role of the road. You don't think of anything yourself, and when we suggest something, you get irritated." I asked "I don't understand anything, what should I do?
Mahi grabbed my face, her eyes sparkling with mischief, and said, 'First things first, we need to fix this.' I furrowed my brow, confusion etched on my face, and asked, 'What are you talking about?' She pointed at my hair, her finger wagging like a scolding teacher, and I felt a pang of unease.
We were back in our hostel room, surrounded by my friends, who were all chatting and laughing. Mahi was holding scissors, a sly grin spreading across her face, and said, 'I'm going to give you a haircut that'll make you look fabulous.' I panicked, my heart racing with anxiety, and exclaimed, 'No way! Mom will kill me!' Aarvi chimed in, her voice calm and reassuring, 'It's okay, it's still six months until we see Mom. Your hair will grow back by then.' I wasn't convinced, and I tried to make a run for it, but my friends were too quick. They grabbed me, their hands firm but playful, and forced me to sit down in a chair. Mahi and Aarvi stood on either side of me, scissors snipping away, and I felt a wave of desperation wash over me. 'Stop it! That's enough!' I pleaded, but Mahi just laughed and said, 'Just a little more, it'll be perfect.' I glared at her, my eyes wide with frustration, and demanded, 'What do you mean?' Mahi's grin only grew wider as she replied, 'I mean, it's not quite right yet. Just a bit more.' The scissors kept snipping, and I felt my hair falling away, like autumn leaves drifting to the ground. When they finally stopped, I was left with a short, choppy haircut that made me feel like a completely different person. Mahi and Aarvi high-fived each other, their faces flushed with excitement, and I felt a mix of anger and embarrassment.
They pushed me towards the washroom, telling me to freshen up, but not before Aarvi snatched the mirror away, leaving me feeling blind and anxious. 'You two are so mean!' I exclaimed, but they just laughed and teased me, saying I had to show my new look to Mon first. When I emerged from the washroom, feeling refreshed but still reeling from the haircut, I saw that they had left my room, leaving me to process the chaos they had unleashed.
After they left, I had a great opportunity, and I quickly put on my clothes, my heart racing with excitement and a hint of desperation. I started searching for a mirror in the house, but they had taken both mirrors with them, leaving only a note stuck on the wall that read, "Now go to Mon." The words seemed to mock me, and I felt a wave of frustration wash over me. I was so fed up that I had to give in to their demands, my shoulders slumping in defeat. I set out to meet Mon, my feet heavy with reluctance, but when I reached her room, I found out she had gone to the park. A spark of hope ignited within me that maybe I could find her and get this over with. I headed towards the park, scanning the area frantically, but I couldn't spot Mon anywhere. My anxiety grew with each passing moment.
I caught a glimpse of myself in a store's glass window, and my scream echoed through the air, a mix of horror and disbelief. "Mahi and Aarvi, I'll kill you both! What have you done to me? My mom will murder me!" I exclaimed, my voice trembling with rage and fear. My eyes welled up with tears as I stared at my reflection, feeling like a completely different person.
I spotted a kid wearing a cap that was a bit too big for him, and a desperate plan formed in my mind. I approached him, trying to sound calm, and said, "Hey, give me your cap." The kid refused, saying, "No way!" I insisted, "Give it to me, kid," my voice rising in desperation. But he still declined. My patience snapped, and I snatched the cap from him, feeling a rush of adrenaline as I started running. That's when I bumped into Mon, and my heart sank.
She saw me, smiled warmly, and hugged me, saying, "Sam, I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. You weren't bothering the kids. Please forgive me." Her words were like a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves, and I felt a pang of guilt for snatching the cap. I stuttered, "It's... it's okay, Mon. Don't take it to heart." But before I could breathe a sigh of relief, the kid appeared and told Mon that I had taken his cap. Mon's expression turned stern, and my face turned bright red with shame and fear.
Mon asked, "Is this kid's cap?" I nodded reluctantly, feeling like I was trapped in a nightmare. Mon took the cap from me and handed it back to the kid, her movements swift and decisive. Then, she threw the flower she had been hiding at me, and it hit me like a slap in the face. She stormed off in anger, leaving me feeling defeated and humiliated. All the kids in the park started laughing at me, their jeers and snickers piercing my ears like knives.
The kid whose cap I had taken put it back on with an attitude, and I felt a surge of anger and embarrassment. I grabbed his cap and pushed his face down, my actions fueled by my own frustration and shame. Unfortunately, Mon saw this, and her expression turned icy cold. She picked up her dropped bracelet and said, "I hate you. I'm leaving. You'll never change." Her words cut deep, and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.
As she walked away, my friends, who had been watching from a distance, came over and said, "Sam, you've ruined everything. Now we'll have to come up with a new plan." I let out a loud scream of frustration, "Aaaahhhhh!" feeling like I was at the end of my rope.
To be continue....