last Exam

16^th October.

I pressed the break lever and my bike loosing all its momentum, stopped behind the haphazardly parked vehicles under the banyan tree. I unfolded the side stand producing clang and allowed the gravity to do the rest. I quickly got off the bike, grabbed the keys and gushed towards the apathetic gate resting at the entrance of J- block , where I was supposed to be present few minutes ago. Looking at the watch

“Crap.. !!” I asserted.

I am nearly 10 minutes late for my last exam. According to the Major’s time timetable it is the ‘BASIC CIVIL ENGINEERING’ paper with which I have to contend today. I checked my rush finding three bonnie girls creeping in the ARCHI block.

I thought “Who is in the extreme left? Never saw her before! 

With thought process on, I passed the dainty engine standing mum in the vacated porch, which was depicting that exam was already started. But something else was going in my mind, which made me queasy. Stretching over the scratchy stairs of the rickety J-Block, I reached the corridor of first floor. On the extreme of which is my classroom J-207 with a wretched water cooler standing on its entrance. Crossing the promiscuously lying bags in the corridor I entered the classroom. I never carry bags during examination as there is no use of them and moreover my only bag was fallen apart in my last GPL.

As I entered, my eyes got stuck on the girl seating in third row, wearing something having white & orange combination. Don’t know what the dress was called but she was looking pretty in that. She was Shruti, roll no 13, energy. Her long, dark hair coming over the shoulder mixing with the white, orange color was giving a splendid look.

“Ufff…. !!”. A sound I felt from my heart.

The scene made me forget all the anxiety and I was filled with the good feelings. It was always pleasing to see her, especially when she was not looking at you. I went forward to my bench. Nearly everyone is busy in writing except few who are starring fishily at me and shaking their heads as if I am the biggest IDIOT in the world, coming late to the BCE paper and disturbing them. Neglecting their disgraceful faces I got seated. I carried all my stationary in pockets in the absence of bag and also never use a PENCIL BOX as it is considered very “childish” for a BIG college going boy like me. I spread all my WEAPONS on the desk I carry to tackle the foe of examination and started filling the details of the answer booklet already kept at my place. Shruti was sitting in the adjacent row, one bench ahead. Unable to resist, I kept staring at her until the Invigilator slothfully approached me and took few seconds giving me frantic looks before passing the question paper.

“Grrrr… !! U r late. Don’t u know today is your exam."

“I know! But..”. I insisted

"Shut up ! Hopeless fellow”. He concluded

Ignoring the infuriating invigilator and his awful actions I prayed to the god and looked around for a last good luck wish before facing the paper from anyone or specially from someone. But everyone was struggling with their papers except few who are still starring me eagerly as they are awaiting a dance performance or jackpot declaration from me.

I read the first question, it was asking to define & describe the types of something called surveying. I never heard this term before but some how I managed to relate it with making 'surveys & polls'. Leaving it for the last time hit & trial juncture I jumped to the next question. It asked to distinguish between lap joint & butt joint, I was unable to make any relation of these body parts with the joints, and even I peeked at my lap to find any joint there but got unsatisfactory results. I was appalled as none of the terms in the questions were making any sense to me. A thought struck my mind ‘may be I have been given wrong question paper’, but my imagination collapsed as I confirmed the title of paper. All the good feelings were over and clouds of darkness hovered over me.

“Gosh !! what is this?”I uttered.

In the shock I looked up, the guys starring me eagerly gave a scornful smile after seeing my horrified expressions and again got engaged in writing. Then I understood what they were looking for. Hoping for some relief I gathered all my strength and dared to proceed. But the rest of the paper looked gibberish to me, except few parts that I could recall and would be able to answer. I cursed myself for not paying attention in those dull lectures & spend them by just gazing at Shruti all the time. Simultaneously I was thankful to her due to whom I attended all those lectures and could be able to answer few parts, which were only hope that I could pass this exam.

I looked at Shruti she was very much involved in writing the paper. She was studious , as girls are usually or they pretend to be?! But her pointers are always only a little bit more than mine. I always think why these girls put so much effort when they end up with the same result as we do with ordinary effort! Some how I started writing, whatever I knew or whatever was coming to my mind I jotted down on paper. I dig out my brain and spread it over the blank answer sheets to fill them up, which were looking unusually longer. After one and a half hours I was nearly done from my side. I tried my best to fill the sheets and wrote everything that I could. Drew the diagrams of doors, windows, beams, etc & whatever structure I could observe in the room, although they were not required. Even I didn’t miss writing SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE, VERY LARGE and HUGE as the types of windows. Still a long way to go, I attempted all the questions I could but the thing making me crazy was still I was not able to figure out what is the need of “SURVEYING” in civil engineering?

Just thought ‘May be they go for sample surveys or magazine studies or may be SMS polls!!’

Only 1 hour was left and I was feeling like to leave as nothing was left in my brain to write. But then I thought how could I miss an opportunity to admire Shruti for rest of the 60 minutes. I calculated, that is 3600 seconds!!

I uttered myself “I am a fool to think of leaving!”

Keeping everything aside and escaping from invigilators view I got my eyeballs fixed on her. I thought in such a miserable condition I must be peeking in her paper but I was looking at her, desperately. Again the feelings of warmth started flowing in my arteries as they are originating from my heart and reaching every part of my body. It felt to me as all the dark clouds were blown away and a bright sunny day was falling out. It was going all well, until Shruti turned back and found me looking at her stupidly.

“Shit…” I cried feebly.

Quickly I got my eyes of her and looked up in the air, as if I was searching for my scatted thoughts floating somewhere in the space and then I slowly turned my face to other side. I was feeling dejected as I wondered what she must be thinking about me, she must have figured me as a cheap guy. “Let me tell u, everyone likes cheap things but believe me cheap is not always desirable”. I thought I would never be able to face her again, kept blaming myself for all this until a murmuring sound plucked my eardrum. Searching for the source of it and I realized it was coming from other way round. I turned and was totally surprised by the fact that Shruti was trying to gain my attention. I can’t infer what was going on until she waved her expanded palm towards me, it didn’t took me any time to understand her palm was indicating a SLAP and she was angry with what had happened. But her face with troublesome expressions was telling some other story. Confusion was thriving, everything looked jumbled until my eyes got again fixed on her. This time on her lips, this would have created more troubles but rather it puzzled out everything. Those lovely pink lips moving in the silence suggested me, she was asking help and those thin fingers were representing something.

It clicked “Question no. 5”! She was asking me for question no 5.

All this stupefied me, as I repented for the crap I have been thinking for last few minutes. Leaving behind all the thoughts, I tried to help her without missing the golden opportunity. But still everything hadn’t turned to my favor, and next problem was not far away. I blamed my luck as I saw question no.5 , the one involving the “types of windows”.

“Ohh.. Heck!!”

I was totally lost as I don’t know how to tell her what I have written. This time quickly resolving out of it, I flickered my wrist indicating I haven’t attempted the question and, like a dumb, again started starring at her. I never thought watching her when she is aware of it would be more fun rather when she was incognizant. It feels safe. Soon she asked for the SURVEYING question, which was already pushed aside (Actually i was thinking to ask that one to her, But .. ok.. better luck next time). Felt sorry for myself, as unable to provide her any help this time also. Last 45 minutes of surveillance were still left.

Ten minutes have passed; she hadn’t turned to me once. I got upset feeling she might have pictured me a useless person as I was unable to provide any help. But my notion was proved wrong, when she once again turned to me. This time she asked me 2 questions and as the luck would have it these are the once in which I was confident. Through out the doomed day, first time I felt ‘luck was on my side’. It took 15 minutes to dictate her the answers due to the feeble vocalization and the invigilator interrupting thrice. Finally, I proved profitable to her, she was glad and so was I. Last 20 minutes left, I compiled up my work. This time she turned and before she could act further I cried in excitement

“Anything else …!!??”

Whole class would have heard it, then how invigilator was going to miss it. And after the three statutory warnings he was not in the mood to spare me, after all he was getting a chance to show his power to other suspects. Without wasting any time he yelled at me.

“Leave the classroom or your answer sheet would be disqualified.” He disposed.

Before he could insult me anymore, I accepted the proposal. Many eyes looked out at me as I departed. Some filled with pity, some with disgust. Approaching the water cooler I washed my eyes with the chilled water and stood there only. Shruti was visible from door, she was trying to ensure I was all right. Expressions of concern, disgrace and sorrow were clear on her face. I can never forget that regretful smile, it even comforted & soothed my eyes more than the chilled water bath. Rest 15 minutes, I spent gazing her with my thinking cap on. What was going to happen after

“Is she going to thank me ??”

“Or blame me for squalling and even creating trouble for her !!”

“Might just sneak out…. !!”

“Or .. might.. .. .. ..!!” And the thoughts kept on flowing endlessly.

10^th January.

Today, it’s nearly 3 months since my LAST EXAM, fighting against the freezing blow; I am on my way to college for attending the early classes of the new session. I am on my bike just closing to the same banyan tree where I stood 3 months ago. But I can see a girl parking her Activa at the same place, last time I did. I went to the flash back, recalling all the happenings of that day. I am going to remember that day for whole of my life and not because first time I was late for any exam, not because I just managed to pass it marginally, not because I gave an “OUT-STANDING” performance that day…but because….I gained a lot that day… A good friend…. Someone’s trust and most importantly I learnt that ‘helping others can help u some time!’

I am back to present as the girl uttered.

‘HI… !!’

I cuddled my face smiling and blinking my eyes.

I replied. "HI !! Shruti".

After that exam she thanked me & regretted for creating trouble for me, but that day everything was MY PLESURE. Gradually we became good friends. We joined same coaching class, we use to have long phone chats, even we “studied” in vacations just for being together, sometimes we went out on all day outings… and conclusively we turned out special to each other.

I hold her hand. And before proceeding to the classroom in the fogy abandoned path, satiated with cold breeze I said

‘Lets Go… !!’

Before getting lost in the fog, we both got lost in each other’s thoughts!