Chapter - 18 (Akanksha Feels Alive Again At The End Of A Horrid Day!) 

Akanksha did not really live upto expectations. When the ISC results were out, she barely managed to secure 80 per cent and that put paid to whatever hopes she had had of going for MBBS. She would always remember that day when Anurima called her in the afternoon telling her that their results would be out by the evening. 

Akanksha also read about something similar while searching through google. Then, at around 5 in the evening, Mayank called her. The result was available on the net, he informed her. He also told her that he couldn't check her result as the network connection had slowed down considerably. Akanksha got to the Board Website, punched in the numbers, and as soon as she had done so, she could access the sheet with her marks. Her English marks glared at her first - 93. Not bad, thought she. She ran her eyes down to the second line containing her marks for the second language, which, in her case, was Bengali. She secured 87 in Bengali. She couldn't wait any more and ran her eyes down, past her Physics, Chemistry and Biology marks before narrowing her eyes down to the Maths marks. 65. No worries, she thought to herself. The marks didn't count much as her per centage was to be calculated based on her best scores in four subjects. 

She ran her eyes back up to the line with her Physics marks. God! Only 78? She cried out aloud. If her Physics marks were disappointing, her marks in Chemistry were even worse. She scored a mere 72 percent in the subject!

All her dreams of being a great doc one day, like the ones she had read about in those romantic books of Mills and Boons, were first eroding. There was just one more subject left, a subject that was her fave and made her want to be a doctor. A subject she enjoyed studying, and always had performed well in.

This time she ran her index finger along the line for her Biology marks. What was this? Were her eyes playing sone tricks or what? She had told her mom after coming out of the Hall that she couldn't get less than 99 in the paper. She must have done well, Mrs. Sonia felt as her elder daughter had never been very far from predicting her marks after an exam. If she thought she was going to score 99, she might get 98 or 97, but the marks would not come down below 95. She could always predict her marks more or less, exactly! 

The conversation with her mom after the Bio Paper, played in her mind as the significance of the consequences of scoring low in the subject, started registering in her mind. All her hopes of studying Micro-Biology in a reputed college of Kolkata as her second option, were dashed in a matter of seconds. The stark reality was that with 60 in that subject, getting admission even in a second grade college of Kolkata, was not going to be easy. 

Being a decent and spirited girl, she next called a few of her close friends. Anurima was among the Top-10 in CPS, having secured 93%. As Akanksha was about to put her phone down, Anurima congratulated and sympathized with Akanksha:

"Chhor yaar. Hum ek sath BCA (Bachelor of Computer Application) padengey. Thik hain? " (We'll study BCA together, right?)

At around 7 in the evening, when she had finally rung Sana, her bestie up, Sana sounded excited. 

"Look, Akku. Don't be sad, bhai. 80% cannot be that bad. Besides, what difference would that make? Just look at it this way - God wants us together, not separated. That's why we're gonna study, most probably, at the same college."

Akanksha chatted for some more time but she felt that her heart was not there in the insipid talks. She had an intuitive feeling that life after ISC, was not going to be the same again. All her groupmates had performed brilliantly. She was proud of them. But what did the future hold for her? Where would she be a decade from now? 

She found her mind in a haze. All she wanted was to retire to a corner and cry her heart out. Why was Life always being so unfair to her? Why couldn't she have fun and be an achiever, like her friends? 

Akanksha was still in bed with the sheet pulled up to her face in the dark room. There was a bright full moon swimming through the cotton clouds. It was nearly 9 at night, when Ma came to her room. She turned the light on and came up to the bed. 

"Akku, Anu told me that you are not willing to come down to dinner. What's this childishness? You know you gave it your best shot, don't you? What if you didn't score well in a few subjects? That's not the end of the world. Get up, splash some water on your face and come join us for dinner."

"Ma, I ain't hungry. " She whimpered without uncovering her face. 

"You must be. You haven't had a morsel since Mayank called you. I won't listen. You've got to join us at the table, even if you aren't hungry, and it's an order," she sounded almost angry. 

Akanksha had rarely seen her mom so pumped up. She knew why mom was acting so hyper. She was worried. 

"You go join Anu, Ma. I'll be down in a short while."

After dinner, Akanksha was the first to leave the table. Anu, who was generally, the lazybones of the family, especially when it came to doing the dishes and such stuff, offered to do so on her own. She had kept quiet throughout the dinner. She could feel her sister's hurt like no one else. In a way, Akku's disheartening result was a downer for her as well. There were times when Akku could be a bitch. But to her, Akanksha was the ultimate champ. She was the serious, studious girl with big dreams and ideas. Her ISC result was a big let down not only for Akanksha herself but for Anushka as well. 

"Akku, I think you need to go up and try to catch up some sleep. You look devastated, really. Don't worry. I'll help mom with the plates and all." 

She said to Akanksha, pointing to their room. As Akanksha started climbing up the steps, Anushka shouted out to her : "You can put off the lights, if you want."

Akanksha was in bed, receding into the world of quiet and peace, when the mobile started beeping. It was a long distant call. Akanksha stretched out her hand sleepily to disconnect the line, when she found the urge to find out who the caller was, overpowering. 

She pushed the sheet down and the green button of the phone up. The next moment a familiar yet long forgotten voice waifted into her ear. 

"Hi, Akanksha. I sent you a couple of messages earlier. But finding them unanswered, I couldn't resist the temptation of calling you. How is life, young lady?"

God! She could never picture him in such a light mood! 

"Jishnuda, aren't you? Am I not surprised? I'm sure you are calling me about my result, correct?" 

Akanksha and Jishnu had been in touch since he left for the best medical Institution in Delhi exactly two years back. But he never called her before. 

"If that's what you think, what's the point of arguing? I'll come to the point directly then? What's the news?" Jishnu always liked the girl's straight forwardness that might have been mistaken for blunttness, if one didn't know her all that well. 

Akanksha could feel the lump in her throat. How she wished then that she had at least scored a higher percentage in the Boards. 

They both waited for what seemed like an eternity before Jishnu asked her again:

"What's wrong, Akanksha? Are you upset over something? Do you want to talk later?"

There was a note of genuine concern in his voice. That was one reason why Akanksha had always admired him. To the people he looked upon as close to him, he was really a good friend. 

"Jishnuda, you must have already learnt from your friends about my result. My dream of studying Micro-Macro-Biology is gonna be a dream only.I couldn't even get 80 per cent !"

She could speak no more as her voice choked. 

There was a long pause. Such a long one that Akanksha was beginning to wonder if he was there at all at the other end, when he uttered :

"Anyway, Congrats, Akanksha. Let me tell you what someone told me long ago. Everything happens for a reason. I'm sure this is the beginning of a very successful life."

And before his words could register in her mind, Jishnu spoke again, "I'll get back to you through Facebook in a day Or two. Till then, get a hold on yourself and enjoy life."

The next moment the line went dead in her hand, leaving her, she couldn't tell why, wide awake and feeling alive in an otherwise most depressing day!