It was a Sunday evening, with Divya's whole family at home, it was a complete buzz. Her mother called her in the kitchen to take the bowls and other utensils required to begin their dinner. In the living room where they mostly sat to have their dinner, her dad and brother both sat on the sofa where 2 days ago she was laying resting her leg that was now in a process of healing. Divya kept the utensils there and then once again went inside to get the water bottles. It was already 8:30pm and as per their schedule it was time for dinner. On the other side The TV was showing the news for an hour with the continuous increase of the Coronavirus in China and how the situation was getting out of hand.

"It's good that many people are being brought back."  Her dad commented. The whole Chavan family slowly began gathering  in the living room, the utensils and the bowls filled with food were kept in the centre as they all sat down, with Divya taking the lead to serve them while her mother made fresh rotis. Serving out the vegetables and rotis, she directed her brother to fill in the water glasses while Priya took it upon herself to serve the pickle to her father and grandmother as their mother called out from the kitchen warning her not to serve herself too much of it.

Steadily the plates were filled as Divya passed her dad's plate to him and soon the dinner started with a series of conversations flowing around. Her dadi would time and again stop them, scold them at times when the topic would go out to such an extent that there could be seen traces of arguments beginning to flow in. It might have been about fourth or fifth topic of the night when Divya's dad finally asked her,

"So Divya... now that you are finally done with Annual day I think it's high time you get back to life. I have sent you a few links for Government examinations, fill in the forms. One of the exams is in March, the others are in August and September." An eerie silence filled around the room as only the sound of the news reporter could be heard. Divya felt her mom walking into the living room as she shifted a bit, her eyes going up to her brother who sat right opposite to her, nodding his head as if to tell her that he was there with her.

"But dad, her exams are yet to be done and ..."

"Dhruv, I know her exams are yet to be done, but is it bad to just give an attempt?" her Dad retorted. Divya could clearly see an argument brewing up with the way her brother was looking at her dad, the tone in which her dad spoke. The two of them got along quite well, until the topic of their carriers came along.

"Dad, I have certain plans." Divya said. Her voice sounded so unsure to herself but she could feel her heart beating so wildly in her ribcage. She felt an acute pain at the amount of anxiety that she felt at that moment.

"Divya I have been hearing of these plans of yours for the last three years, now hardly three months are left for college to get over I want you to now focus on your studies, you have to score an O grade, if not that then its okay....but just to check in your eligibility you have to give these competitive exams...remember our main goal is UPSC."

The old man being surrounded by government officials all his life had been quite fascinated with their lifestyle. Surely it was a great dream to vouch for one's kids, but there had to be an extent to it. When Dhruv had been in Divya's step even he was led onto this path...and that was his reason to take up science, and then Mechanical engineering and then later on having cleared his mechanical now working towards NDA. For him it was quite convenient for that was what he had wanted to do, however for Divya things had been different. Though at one point of time even she saw herself walking onto the path what her dad had sewed for her but now things had changed. She saw herself in a different light. For these three years she made herself acquainted with the lifestyle of these so called government officials, getting internship in government institutes, talking and hanging out around the officials learning and seeing how things worked there and did she realized, nor was she ready for this risky life, or the desk job that her dad looked her up to. And if ever she had to do that, she realized she couldn't give in more than 15 years of her life to it, she had her own plans, she wanted to go around the world, make her name in the field of literature and storytelling, at the later age open a book café of her own and stay around the world of books.

But not always things work the way you plan. Divya took a deep breath and drank a few gulps of water as she started sprouting something or the other...she needed time and there were a few things that she was sure that would get her time.

"Alright I will fill in the forms for the march exams, but you need to know that I am not available till may. I had already told mom that whatever that I am going to do it's going to be after my exams, before that I am not going to compromise on my college life. The march exams I will try to get through it but I as well have Milange coming up, after that we have an industrial visit, and it's very important for me to go there no matter what... there as well chances that the Milange will get extended after march... and then as it is there are exams so I will be busy with that, once that is over, I want a break for few months I want to think it through as to where and what I want to get through...but you must know I might not really be interested in UPSC but I will give CDS I have been thinking of it for a while now...and"

"That works with me, if you really are going ahead with CDS even if that is fine, start preparing..."

"No dad not now, all things will take place only and only after my graduation. I was planning to take up a Job for two years may be in some logistics company, that will give me 2 years of time for preparation and once that is done I will give the exams and if ever I get selected I will go ahead with the job few years into it I will take up MBA with study leave...Army will allow me that, and if ever I wont get selected then as well I will go ahead with MBA and then later on a job. That is what I have planned, I have been thinking about it for a while, I even have a set of companies where I will be applying but then again, this will be only after my final exams...if you have some companies in your mind please let me know"

The whole room was in a complete silence as Divya looked around, she couldn't comprehend why everyone was so silent, but that didn't last long as her mother finally spoke, "That means till the time you aren't graduate you will be doing nothing?"

A wave of shock spread across Divya's face along with that of her siblings. After that annual day function somewhere Divya had thought that maybe now her parents looked at her activities with a different light, but it seems nothing had changed.

"Mumma, I have an international level of event to plan and execute I am event admin for that event I am just about to get done with my third book, my first book is already published on 2 different websites, my marks are great I was just awarded the best student organizer award...how can you say that I would be doing just nothing?" Divya almost screamed, trying to keep her voice a few notches down.

"And how are they going to help you? I don't really understand...these college people are not going to give you job, they are not going to come and support you...all those people there they are Marwadis and Gujaratis, somewhere or the other they have their lives sorted with their business and what not...their girls would eventually get married..."

"That's it mom, all these years even I was of that conception...but you know there is a fine line between consent and Helplessness, and you can't judge them on what you have heard....you guys haven't seen their lives the way I have, and somewhere I am glad the way you guys are but then again, you really can't say things like that for them. At least not in front of me." Chewing away the last morsel of her food Divya drank a few gulps of water and picked up her plate and walked inside into the kitchen to fetch a few microwave utensils to keep the leftover.

However, whoever said that in brown families the kids could have the final word? The elders, though they themselves know that they are on the falling end, have to say something or the other. "I am telling you once again Divya, get your act straight, listen to what we are saying this won't help...going around your friends, coming home late at night, then walking off early in the morning. Do you think I don't know that you have only two meals a day?" her mother asked the annoyance and concern was quite evident in her voice, but somewhere it pained Divya that even after so many things that she had shared with them, every little step being clearly stated to them her parents doubted whatever that she did.

Times like this Divya wondered if whatever that she had been doing was it really worth it? Worth all these things, all the fights, the gossip that surely would have been going around with her being missing on the majority of the family functions nowadays... but then again, was it wrong to not indulge herself in those antics of the society and concentrate on making something of herself. She really didn't know what to answer to her mother...the same lady who always told her to be independent enough...so much that when she would stand next to any guy, she would rather find herself to be equal to him rather than someone who would be falling short of things that the world deem fit to be equals.

"You know what mom, I really don't know what to say, you believe this then so be it... I don't really have many friends around, but trust me all those that I am going to have now are the best ...the ones who have made me stand out in the crowd, who made sure that I would always be encouraged to do the right things, the ones who surely you approve off only if you would come out of the world that your daughter is going nowhere with all the things that I am doing."  With that said, Divya walked out from the living room into her room, and went and stood in the balcony.

The cold January air seemed to be quite soothing one irrespective of the bitterness that it had to show. The shining street lights along with those of the vehicles sparkled back at her. She so wanted at that moment for Diwali to come back with a rush...the time when this little darkness would as well be filled with light.

Pushing away the conversation that she had with her mother, she took a deep breath and thought of the days that were to come. She wasn't sure if she was fighting for the right...were her parents right? All these things that she had been doing for three years, what if they would be of no use in future? But the moment this thought passed her mind, she as well realized it wasn't these certificates that would help her, but the experience that she has gained. Would the old Divya have stood in front of 100 people and made announcements, directed a whole team, taken up decisions on someone else's behalf?

Divya felt her lips turning into a slow curve as she realized that she wouldn't have. Surely she wouldn't have.

*************

The meeting for Milange was finally decided a day after the Annual day, and more so because apparently Madhav had gone to his home town for he had to sign some documents urgently, and Fatema wanted a calm and composed meeting for once.

When Divya had made it through the meeting on a Sunday afternoon, both Fatema and she had sat down for an evening snack as Fatema finally said,

"The volunteers form and all will be released soon but I am worried about the coordinators. Now look in your department, ma'am has taken 4 people in, earlier it was going to be just you and Aman, but now even Rishi and Yuvraj is there I don't know how is this whole thing going to work. And then Marketing is left. We all want to plan so many things...how is it going to be managed?"

Fatema kept on looking at the people passing by and then at the group of a few members who walked out of the college, she then turned too Fatema and said, "You remember in our first year we were a 100 people, we had exactly 21 days to plan a pre event, the main event and as well as a social event... and we did it. We got 11 speakers on board. We did a pre-event which was said to be a benchmark and even contributed towards the society with what little we had. Fatema, right now we are already 100 of us volunteers are yet to come in, I am sure we will do just more than a survival."

The two smiled at each other and walked off to their respective homes. Divya had a lot to do now from Monday itself, but before that she decided it was time to attend a few lectures and focus on getting that IV sanctioned.

****

It had been almost a week that the college seemed all calm and composed somewhere it didn't suited well with all of them, Divya had just made it into the college and was walking upstairs when she felt a hand swung around her shoulders making her bend down a bit. As she looked up, she was shocked to see the smiling face of Madhav.

"Oh you are back?' she asked, as she took his hand off her shoulders. She had always been uncomfortable walking that way irrespective of it being a male friend or a female friend.

"Yeah just got back this morning, so how are things going around here without me?"

"I was just wondering why the college seemed so gloomy, now do I realize why it was, the hurricane is here I am sure it will be fun now." Divya said as she sped ahead, gave a smile to few people here and there and buzzed into the health room which was assigned to the marketing and the curation department to work in.

"I don't know if I am supposed to take it as a compliment or an insult." Madhav kept his bag beside Divya and took a seat right opposite to her, while she took out her diary and began making an event flow for the orientation that was supposed to be organized after 2days. The different departments had already been assigned what all things were to be done and all she waited for was her team mates to come in and start with their share.

Divya had just written the first task in her hand, when she heard her name being called by Madhav as he said, "Oh yes Divya you didn't tell me that you are a published Author, I found  out during the annual day... dude I really doubt now how come you never won the Student of the year and how much did you receive for the best student organizer?'

Divya eyed him suspiciously. It wasn't daily that Madhav would be interested in all the good deeds that you had done, when he would talk about things going round in circles something had to be very fishy. It was something she had realized and seen him doing during the little times that they had shared together.

"500 Rs. I am yet to encash them."

"Really ... just 500. All that hard work for three years and just 500 is what you get, but then last year the kids had got 1000?" The way he spoke gave out all that Divya had to know Madhav was really an ass.

"Madhav, just stop there, I am happy with what I got, at least unlike you who hasn't received anything."

"Ahh haa, Divya don't go there." Madhav warned as he leaned in. by the time each and every person seated in the health room had stopped doing whatever they were doing and now had their complete attention on the little banter that Madhav and Divya were up to.  

Though the sudden blow of this topic had made Divya a bit uncomfortable, she was glad that Madhav was talking it out to her right in her face, unlike others who had been whispering around for a while now.

"But seriously Rs.500, I am sure my award for Star performer will get me more than that." Madhav winked at her, and she knew that he was just ruffling her feathers, instigating her to speak and do things that would get her riled up.

"Madhav aren't you an ass, you were so well off in Jaipur, why don't you go there."

"Sorry Divya, I still have a 6months lease left and 3 months of college, any ways you tell me really you did so much of hard work throughout the three years and 500 Rs, is all you get?" the spectators let out a chuckle, as Divya narrowed her eyes at Madhav. He very well knew how to ruffle her feathers, but then she wondered why all of a sudden?

Never had they ever been like this, close enough to understand what was it that the other person was up to, and to get back to them with all the little details that they had.

"Why Madhav, are your prominent traits coming out... I am sure people here would love to know what Dev had named them." Madhav looked at her and gave her a full blown smile as he leaned back in his chair. He knew she wouldn't speak if he were to back out, but then again Divya knew he would love to know till what extent she would go. He had always been an observant person, and she knew that he knew that Divya Chavan never used people's dirty secrets on them, especially in public amongst juniors. And though the name that was given to Madhav was known to many, certain things were not to be said in front of everyone.

Divya was about to say something, a good whip splashing comeback when Meher, one of their friends and the Advisor for Milange spoke up...

"Madhav you had said that you had an idea for an event...stop this banter of yours even juniors are here and get back to work."   

"Ohh yes, well I actually had a plan... oh Aman good you are here." Divya looked back at the entrance and scowled at Aman as she then eyed her watch.

"You were supposed to be here at 11. Where is Rishi?' she asked.

"Rishi will be a bit late...Oh, Madhav You were saying something."Aman quickly took a seat beside Divya trying his best to ignore the fact that he was late by half an hour. Madhav being the smart one as well took up the bait and began explaining how he wanted them to organize an event for the CSR activity, he gave them certain criteria and areas on which they could possibly work and soon they all began working on the possible options that they could come up with.

It had taken almost the whole day when Divya was finally done with the plan as she stood up from the bench and decided go home, as she packed her bags and had walked out of the health centre when she came face to face with Fatema who smiled at her brightly and said

"Ohh good you are here, see we are starting with the auditions for spotlight from Next week, we have got good amount of registrations but before that the Orientation."

Divya smiled at Fatema and extended the page that she was about to take to Ms Jain and her to get it sanctioned. "Here is the plan, I have already had a word with the curation ,the creatives and even marketing and my team, we are ready, you guys have a look at it and tell me shall we go ahead with it on Wednesday, so that the spotlight can be done well along with the volunteers and they can then come and organize the pre-event, there are even a few events that Madhav wants to organize for marketing."

"Dude you know you are a lifesaver, I will have a word with ma'am and let you know in an hour, infact why don't you come with me, even Khandelwal is there talking with ma'am."

Divya looked at her watch and realized if she didn't leave now she would get stuck till 6 in the evening and would surely get late. She gave an apologetic smile to Fatema and said, "I wish I could but mom is expecting me at home...this weekend I have a function to attend, before that I need to make sure that my mom believes that I will be there."  The two girls laughed as Fatema then excused herself as Divya made her way outside, her eyes searching for any site of Nandini or Simran or Natasha anywhere around, alas she couldn't find anyone.

A/N
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Yadni Bagwe