FIVE

The first unit test was round the corner and I had not prepared anything for it and for this I will have to blame Adah. Since the day she has entered my life I cannot think of anything but her. Mike had scolded me many times for not studying. I don't know since when he started studying seriously. In my home, I would just act as if I was studying, but I couldn't.

The exams started in a week and this was my worst exam ever. So far my lowest score had been 85 percentage, that too in 9th standard. But now it felt that I wouldn't even get 60 percentage.

Most of the students in our class were confident about the results but I was not.

When the results came I came to know I had scored 78 percentage, way more than what I had expected. My teachers, classmates and my mother were shocked. I had been one of the toppers in my class all these years and this time I was at the bottom level.

My teacher scolded me for my poor performance. She made me promise that I would score good marks next time. Adah had got 93 percentage, a little less than our class topper, Sam who got 95 percentage. Even Mike had scored better than me, 84 percentage.

'I came to know that you had been the topper of the class till last year, so what happened this time?' Adah asked.

Because of you. You have completely overshadowed my mind. I thought.

'I.. I didn't study..... properly. I felt lazy.' I lied. Obviously I couldn't tell her the truth.

'Can I ask you one thing?' she asked.

'Sure.' I said.

'Can we conduct group study every day so that we can be regular with studies?' Adah asked.

A wave of excitement went through my body.

'O.. Ok. N.. Nice idea.' I said nervously.

'You may feel that I am considering myself above you..... ' she said.

'No no. I understand. It will be good for me too.' I interrupted.

She smiled.

'Who all are there for the group study?' I asked.

'Just you and me. You want to call anyone else?' she said and asked

'No no. Its perfect. Actually I didn't want anyone else since it would be a distraction.' I said.

'Yeah.' she said.

'Actually I feel lonely at home. Mom and Dad goes to work. No, I'm not scared but I feel lonely.' she said looking into my eyes.

Her piercing gaze on my eyes made me look away.

'Yeah.... I can understand.' I said.

'You will now feel that I am selfish.' she said.

'No. Not at all. Why do think like that always?' I asked.

She smiled.

'So today, 5 pm at my place?' she asked.

'Sure.' I said and smiled.

Wow man!! Never thought of this!

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'What happened to your marks this time?' Mom asked when I reached home and showed her my progress card.

'I didn't study properly.' I replied.

'Beta, this is the most important year for you. You get to choose your career from here. Take things seriously. You had never got below 85 percent but this time its very low.' she said.

I hung my head low.

'How much did that girl get?' she asked referring to Adah, since she lived opposite to us.

'93 percent.' I replied.

'You can do better than that, I know. Now don't be sad. What has happened has happened. You cannot change it. Now make sure you score well next time.' she said.

I nodded.

'Mom, can I ask you one thing?' I asked.

'Yes.' she said.

'Adah and I were thinking about conducting group study everyday at her house.' I said.

'Hmm... Who all are there?' she asked.

'Just Adah and me. Can I go?' I said and asked.

'OK. at least you will be regular with your studies then.' she said.

'Thank you, mom' I said, trying to hide my excitement.

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'Hi!!!' Adah greeted me, excitedly.

'Hi.' I said back.

I was stunned when I saw her. She was wearing a navy blue colored kurti and a light blue jeans. Though it was simple, she looked breathtakingly beautiful. My heart skipped a beat. She wore her trademark bangle-like earrings which was silver in colour.

'Come in.' she said holding my hand and leading me through her house. Her hand really felt nice in my hand. A jolt of electricity flowed through my body. Her hands felt warm and it was the best feeling ever. Her parents were not present as they had gone for their work. They always leave for work early in the morning and come late at night.

Her house was no less than a small-sized mansion. It was beautiful. It was way bigger compared to my home. Her house had two floors and a total of six bedrooms. She held my hand leading through her house until we reached her room. She let go of my hand once we reached her room. I wish I had a time machine so that I could go back to the past few minutes and pause the world, feeling her hand forever.

Her room was elegant. Everything was furnished in black while the floor and walls were white. It was the same colour combination as of my room but way more beautiful. She told me to sit on her bed while she sat on a stool opposite to me.

I told her to sit on the bed while I could sit on the stool but she gave a deaf ear to it.

'Its beautiful!'I said looking around her room.

'Thanks.' she replied.

I smiled.

'Shall we start?' she asked.

I nodded my head.

'Which subject do we start from?' I asked.

'Since both of us love Computer Science, we shall start with that.' she said.

'Right.' I replied.

For the next half an hour, we went through the topics taken Computer so far. It was hard to focus on it but still I managed to know the topics. It was hard not to look at her. It felt difficult to pull my eyes away from her. Whenever she looked into my eyes my heart skipped a beat and I felt as if I was getting hypnotized.

'I am over. I can't study anymore.' Adah said letting out a sigh.

'Same here.' I said.

'Wanna drink tea?' she asked.

'No, I don't drink tea.' I said.

'Same here. I too don't drink tea.' she said giving me a high-five.

I smiled.

'Coffee, then?' she asked.

'No, I don't want.' I said.

'Come on yaar, just one cup.' she said.

I tried saying 'no' many times but at the end, I had to give in.

Adah called her servant and told her to make tea and to bring in some snacks. Her house had a watchman, a cook, two servants for cleaning the house, a gardener and what not.

She opened her hair and pulled it back again into a bun. I wished she would leave her hair open.

The coffee and the snacks arrived few minutes later. I left her house after having it.

'Bye!' she said waving her hands.

I waved my hands back.

'Bye.' I said.

Both of us smiled.

That night, I was in my bed thinking about the day. It was a beautiful day for me.

I had a constant smile on my face. Even if I was to die at that moment, I would have had that smile on my face.