On 4th of Feb Divya had hurriedly walked into the college at sharp 7 am, expecting Madhav, Dev, Aman along with the curation team and Atharva to be there ready to make the arrangements before the event which was to start at 9:30am . However the scene was completely different at the college with only the curation team there and all the boys whom she was expecting were missing. 

Last evening Ms. Tavadia had handed her the cupboard keys as both the professors were not going to  be there in the college so early in the morning and she would surely require the laptop along with different plugging to work with. hence with that agenda in mind she had walked into the staffroom and the moment she did her phone began ringing with numerous messages as the wifi got connected with the staffroom wifi connection. She pulled out her phone and opened her whats app and was shocked to see numerous messages, there were  a few as well from Madhav who had texted her at 1 am asking her to wake him up at6. She quickly checked her watch and was shocked to see it was already 7:30am she wondered why didn't that idot give her a call instead of leaving that message on whats app. 

Dialing up his number, she began pulling out a few things from the cupboard. The moment it got connected she said, "Madhav did you wake up? I just now saw your message." 

"Yeah, I am right now at the barber's shop.," Madhav replied. However, Divya was in a completely different state. She quickly dumped the laptop on the table and took hold of her phone properly and said, "Come again?" 

"I am at the Barbershop Divya, I had to take a hair cut." 

"Madhav have you gone mad? How will you reach here on time? Everything is yet to be done and you are telling me that you went to the Barber to get a haircut. Most importantly, which barbar was open right seven in the morning for you."  Divya yelled into the phone as she started walking briskly around the staffroom. All negative scenarios began to flood into her mind, as she thought about how this whole thing turned into a huge mess if things wouldn't start on time. 

"Divya relax,I am almost done, Atharva and Aman are on  their way to the college, you hand them the stuff, and send them directly to the café. I have called the owner, his people will be reaching there any moment. And by the time they reach even Dev and I will be there...okay?" 

Divya stood there in the middle of the room, biting on her thumbnail as she mentally went through what all Madhav had said. Once convinced she took a deep breath and said, "All right come soon. And Madhav the next time you want me to wake you up just give me a call to send across the message, late at night I mostly don't use whatsapp." 

The two shared a chuckle and then hung up the phone and went off to do their respective jobs. 

It was one and a half hours later when Divya was ready to go to the café, as she sorted out the things here at the college when Atharva had barged into the staffroom. 

"Divya I need the big speaker, the Bluetooth one." Divya gave him a confused look and then soon began panicking. 

"What Bluetooth Speaker, the one which we always use, Dev had already taken it from me an hour ago...dammn what the hell is this guy doing?" She quickly began making calls asking Meher where the speaker was, to which the girl as well agreed to the fact that it was handed over to Dev. She had just hung up that call, when Atharva walked upto her and said "Ohh no its sorted, Dev wanted the charger for his Bluetooth speakers, not the college one." 

The way Divya glared at Atharva made him cover back, and at the same time laugh looking at the way Divya was pissed off. 

"You know what, let's go to the café. I am really pissed off with Madhav and Dev. One goes for a haircut just an hour before the event and the other needs the charger for his Bluetooth speaker, and sends his friend for the college's Bluetooth speaker...are you all high on drugs or what?" 

Unable to answer back, All Atharva could do was laugh at the way Divya was ranting out as the two made their way to the café. However the moment she reached there, she was shocked to see how wonderful the whole arrangement was. Surely there were a few glitches, but then which event would actually be called an event without any kind of a glitch. 

Soon the event had set into motion, and Divya along with Dev, Madhav, Aman and Atharva took a seat at the farthest corner. The first and the opening Speaker was a jovial little girl who was going to share her ideas about being enthusiastic, forgiving and happy. Her speech continued, however Divya then noticed the clothes that Madhav was wearing and said, 

"You had gone shopping right? Why the hell are you wearing a kurta that one would wear at someone's funeral?"  

"See I told you this kurta isn't nice, Aunty yaar, this was your big day you should have spent that extra 100 bucks." Dev said as he shook his head and went back to his phone, while Madhav looked at his kurta and then back at Divya. 

"You really think this isn't good?"

"Madhav, it's good...but you are speaker here, it could have been a bit bright color, the kurta is nice, quite classy as well but then when you stand there on the podium it will get blended with the walls, you have to stand out there." 

"Now I can't really do anything about this...it's for 500, the other one was for 650, I liked this better...yaar I think I should have taken that." Madhav shook his head dejectedly and then went off to do something.  A few minutes later both Divya and Madhav found themselves standing by the other side of the café that was quite far off from the main podium. Divya took a seat and watched as Madhav walked around nervously. She called out to him and patted the seat beside her, and squatted to a side. 

"Nervous?" she asked. 

"No, I am just anxious. I just hope that the timings of things won't go wrong." Madhav said and he was about to stand up again when Divya stopped him and said. 

"Listen, it's okay, It's just us. And the best thing is you know what you were going to say out there, I know and the curation team...if ever you fumble out there and put a word before the other and deviate from the script a bit, none of the people sitting over there are going to know that, you are going to go there and speak out your heart, your story...the script doesn't matter...and we all know that you will do best. So chill take a deep breath and go for it." 

The two looked at each other, as Madhav still fidgeted with his hands. Divya took hold of them and smiled at him in the most assuring way that she could. She knew he would ace it.. The jitters were something not to be worried about. To ease him out a bit she further added. 

"And you look great, the Kurta suits you, a complete neta look I would say. Also, Madhav, it's good you are getting nervous, nothing can go as bad as your thoughts that are going haywaya...see we all are sitting there at the back, if you ever feel nervous just don't look at us...take a deep breath and go ahead." 

Madhav nodded his head and had looked out of the window when his name was called up. The two stood up as Madhav hugged Divya who whispered a small all the best and went and sat with the rest of the group ready to cheer for him. 

Today if she would have got selected the two of them would have fought over the fact that who would go last, or may be consoling each other that their speech would go well. But Divya felt it was even better to sit back and support your friend for once. In the beginning there were a lot of technical glitches, but as Divya had predicted, Madhav had taken care of it very well..she knew he would always have that kind of presence of mind to take care of things...that had never been a problem for him. However as his speech continued she could see the way each and every audience had his attention. She herself could feel the goosebumps rising as he talked about his struggle, about his insecurities and how he changed over  that one year.

 The moment he was done they all stood up and began hooting and clapping, Divya along with Dev got up from their place and walked up to him. He was busy talking with Fatema,even when Nandini joined them. As Madhav turned around, Dev attacked him with a hug as the two threw each other a few cuss words and then Madhav's eyes went off to the waiting girls, as he let go off Dev and then hugged Nandini, followed by Divya,.all of them had that bright smile on their face that clearly showed how happy they were. 

But then that wasn't the end Madhav soon received a call from his mom and excused himself, while Divya then went off to the judges who were the speakers from their last year's event. She stood at a side while the judges along with the principal decided on the results. It took them a good fifteen minutes, and soon the result was given in Divya's hands. She quickly peeped into the results as the Principal and the judges had a few snacks, till then the hosts engaged the students in various activities. The podium was as well opened for the audiences to let them share their stories and their ideas. A lot were reluctant at first and then however they gave in and many came ahead. 

Divya was quite lost into the happening and the speech of one of the attendees when she felt someone standing beside her, she looked to her side and then smiled widely at Madhav. The latter gave her a confused look as she showed him the piece of paper that she had in her hand. 

"The results." A few blown smiles spread across Madhav's face as looked at her with utmost curiosity. He looked so much like that of a child and she so wished they would have been in college and not amongst so many guests so that she could have easily pulled his cheeks and told him how cute he looked. 

Alas the bubbles of her thoughts were very well busted with Aman and Dev waking up to her as they asked, "Did the results come?" 

She looked at Madhav and then at the two of them and asked do you want to know?'Madhav shook his head at first in a no and then a yes and then was about to leave when Divya and the boys stopped him and said "Pawan is first, the Girl is third..." she made a dramatic pause as Aman was about to snatch the results from her when she backed off and said, "Wait I am telling....Madhav congratulations you came second." 

It was seconds or minutes none could tell. But the moment she said that Madhav came second Aman and Dev began laughing their ass off such that she had to ask them to tone it down, while Madhav made an expression that made her wonder which look of his was cute, the one when he was agitated that what was the result or the one that she was looking at right now – happy yet at the verge of crying out of misery. 

"My mom is going to throw me out of the house, she won't take me back home... areyy yarr, this is the 4th time I am getting the second prize. She had already warned me that atleast this time I should come first . What the hell man!!" With that said he slumped his shoulder and went and sat beside Nandini who looked at him quizzically and asked what was wrong. He narrated the whole story once again, as Divya took her seat beside him and the moment he was done all of them began laughing once again. 

"But what's wrong with coming second? At Least you won the prize." Divya stated the obvious. 

"You see Divya, It's a record that Aunty is making... at MUN he came second, then in the second year at the students week during the debate competition he came second, again during the debate this year he came second, then a few weeks ago there was an event of BBI in some other college even there..." 

"Even there he came second." Divya completed the statement and as well fell into a fit of laughter. It was as if the joke of the century was surely hilarious, none could have ever had as bad of a luck as that of Madhav. Poor chap. Divya thought and patted his back while sulked at the thought of what he was going to answer to his mom. 

When the event finally got over they all went back to the college and Divya, Dev, Fatema were still making fun of Madhav when Divya saw Natasha standing by the Xerox center waiting for her notes. Divya quickly went off to her, with Madhav right behind her holding Divya's diary as he checked upon the various ideas that she had got for their social event. While Divya conversed with Natasha he stood three right behind her waiting for her to be done so that they could move ahead. 

Divya was so excited and happy and in a funny mood that she hugged Natasha and said, "Nats you know this Madhav he came second today in the Spotlight but that isn't the problem, this is the 4th consecutive event in which he is coming second, no third no 1st just a constant 2nd position. His mom is so pissed off with him." while Divya continued to rant about happily Madhav looked at Natasha and gave her a small smile. He then called out to Divya asking her if she was ready to go or not. 

Nodding her head, she quickly bid a bye to Natasha and began climbing the stair with Madhav by her side who took hold of her hand and said, "Have you gone mad, how can you say anything like that just infront of anyone? What might have she thought of me?" 

"Ohh really? And what about those times when you go around announcing that I worked so hard for three years and all I got was 500 rs. Remember Madhav Khandelval karma's bitch." Divya said and snatched her hand off his grip and began walking ahead. While Madhav yelled at her from behind. 

"You know what Divya you are bitch go and die somewhere...wait better I will kill you." Divya looked behind her as Madhav started climbing the stairs with a fervor, his movements made her laugh from her belly but she as well skimmed ahead in an attempt to escape from him, while the passersby gave them a look. However none would have known that these two idiots who were ready to kill each other would be the ones to come back together just within 15 minutes while seated at the meeting ganging up on Fatema, making lousy comments. Teasing each other leaning on each other with the utter tiredness that they felt. 

****** 

It was later on in the evening being back home quite early much to Divya's mother's surprise, Divya had a lot of spare time on her hand. She then decided it was better she would finish with her book and hence that being the plan she went up on the terrace with her book, Phone and earpods. 

For a long while she sat there as the sun was still up, sinking into the west making a beautiful hew of orange and red and yellow into the sky. Her earpods were plugged into her ears as she listened to a Marathi song  "Kitida Navyane'' from the movie Ti sadhya kay karte (what she must be doing now a days) a soft melody on lost love about whom one would think of again and again, and everytime that they did, it would be something new. The memories would be so beautiful and painful that unknowingly one would cry...and then they would wonder how many more times it is now that they are going to remember their lover or the one whom they loved in these different ways and cry over it all over again. 

Divya had listened to this song a lot of times and not many times, it didn't really affect her. The song was there just as background music as she read. It might have been an hour or so when her phone pinged indicating a message. It was from Madhav and she felt her heart racing a bit, as she opened the message to find a picture, it was their picture that they had clicked in the afternoon right after the event was over. 

She opened the picture and felt her heart almost stopping for a second and a smile spreading out on her lips. The picture wasn't that great, rather they were very awkward, but it was pretty. That was the first picture of theirs that she had got. She was still looking at the picture when the song began again, as the lyrics fell into her ears, she felt her smile dropping off, as she remembered the happening of the day but with each successive moment she realized she had these huge numbers of butterflies swarming up in her stomach. 

It made her wonder if it was even possible to feel like this? Divya zoomed into the picture and stared at it for a very long while and then as if she was enchanted lost in her own world she mumbled, "I like you Madhav." 

It was as if the whole world had stopped for few seconds while the music continued to play, those lyrics the music as if was made specially or that moment...where as Divya,, while the music got faded away as if a background music, her heart that thumps loudly became her focus...she realized it was true, she like Madhav, she like him a lot. 

She quickly selected the picture and forwarded the pic in the group that she was in with Saakshi and Adhiti, she had to share this news with them. After so many years finally there was someone who had once again made their way into her heart. 

The same place where she had never thought that she would ever be able to give any place to anyone after all those years of heartbreak and pain. 

Within minutes Divya received a reply from Both Saakshi and Adhiti both of them saying how it was a nice picture and then asking who he was...for a long while divya didn't replied,, creating as much of a suspense as possible, and then sending each word one by one she replied back. 

"That's Madhav My new crush." 

There was a series of continuous replies as Adhiti said let her go and check the pic again so did Saakshi, for a good amount of time they didn't reply and she wondered what was wrong and was about to call them when both of them replied... 

"Dude you two look cute together." Saakshi said however Adhiti had something else to say. 

"So that means you are over Abhinav?' that one message made her go into a deep series of thoughts. 

Abhinav. The Abhinav who was her first male friend, whom she lost over the time of years, who was her first love. She clearly remembered how crazy she was for him. there were days when she would go on and on talking about him for hours. During school days in 8th and 9th her whole world revolved around him, such that the days when he wouldn't be there in school she would declare them the worst day of  her life and the ones where he would talk to her would be the best days of her life. 

Over the time she hadn't even realized that so many actions of hers were directly related to the reactions that she would get for him. Surely she was head over heels in love with him, but she never had the courage to walk up to him and tell him about it. How could she, she was those girls who would always be lost in the crowd of students,whereas Abhinav was that kind of a guy who would stand out even in the brightest and huge crowds. 

Everyone in the school knew that Divya liked him, even her siblings, parth, everyone...even Abhinav. Though he didn't misused that knowledge, he was as well quite inconsiderate of them. He would never talk properly with her and ignore her most of the time...it was as if for him she never existed. Things had even turned worse when Adhiti and Saakshi had left school. Though she had been there for the longest time, she never had many friends... the loneliness and loss of friends had been the worst toll on her. She had begun to lose her confidence; she preferred the corners than the centres; she wouldn't even get into Abhinav's way, she even stopped playing football, basketball and volleyball all those games that had once occupied most of her time. 

When Divya had passed out from 10, she had got her kind of closure with Abhinav on the last day when she had went to say him bye, she never confessed to him, rather had said just a small bye, and she knew at that time that she might never see him, but it was time to make herself release from this dependability,, the vulnerability that she had felt. However Abhinav had as well surprised her with a hug; and a few days later there were rumors that Abhinav had changed schools and won't be there in the junior college. 

With a huge relief Divya decided to continue in the school itself but was a bit late to get back to school, and the day when she did, she was shocked to find him walking towards her, looking right into her eyes and then strolling past her as if she wasn't even standing there. 

Nothing had hurted her as much as that moment, that gesture, that action of his. It felt as if all this time that she had thought him to be he wasn't such a person. She hated herself for liking and giving out her all this while to a person like that of him. 

Surely he didn't have  any feelings for him but at least he could have acknowleged her as a classmate,as a friend. It elt as if all this while it was just stupid her who remembered the days when they became friends in 5th standard, the days when they had been in same group for projects then those annual day functions and pulling pranks on people...nothing was really true. 

From that day onwards, Divya had ignored Abhinav's presence in and around her...however things would never be eaten with them being in the same school, at times being exam partners having common friends and even common games periods. Those two years were even more difficult than the rest of the years when she had known that one days she would lose him... but the knowledge that how was she to lose him when she was nothing for him was way more bitter. 

That one human had changed the meaning of love for Divya. She couldn't really believe anyone easily, although she understood that it wasn't really his fault but it as well made her realize how much importance one should give other people in their life. At least not till such an extent that they would forget themselves. Over the period of those three years before she joined college she had worked on herself. The first two years of 11 and 12 had been painful, she was utterly clueless what was she to do with herself. No friends to hang out with, nor anything that would catch her interest. 

With a smile that she could feel throughout her being, divya reminisce those days when she had resorted back to reading books, one after other she would skim through them, all different genres Romance had been her favourite, however those books made her see yet another side... those books all were fantasies stories that had some potential to be true...many even the utmost desires of the authors, incidents that never came true in their life. She would read through  their beauty and understand what it had to convey rather than just reading the lines and making a house of dreams for herself. 

At a certain point when she had come back to college, she knew that no matter what she herself, her self respect, her dreams, her targets and goals mattered to her more than anything in the world, and the topic of love... that had somehow become a foreign subject to her. She believed when time would be right she would meet the one who was for her...surely this as well came from those books, but at least that helped her to stay away from heart breaks and focus on making herself worthy enough to look into the mirror and say yeah, Divya Chavan was this confident girl. 

And hence, never had she known whether she was over Abhinav. Was that possible? To forget someone, their memories, the feelings that you had for them, as easily as people asked about it? 

That night, and from then on Divya knew that one question was going to haunt her for a while, but it as well made her wonder... How was it that she began having feelings for Madhav? She thought her type of guy would be someone just like Abhinav, those cute looking guys with prominent adam's Apple, with a completely different aura around them, someone who would be loved by everyone, charming and surely a guitarist. 

But madhav was completely different. He wasn't anywhere like Abhinav who was quite more than average height, a perfect gym like body... Rather Madhav was someone people would call a little plump, not much, but one with a hard chest an average tall height, he was someone who wouldn't really go to gym but was on a diet to shed off all that extra fat that his childhood and puberty had given him. she didn't know him much. People resented him like anything...all little good that she had ever heard about him was from Nandini and Aman...rest was all that she had known him for first hand. Madhav though was hardworking, he had his own different charm, but surely he wasn't that kind of a person at least she didn't know him till the extent where she could actually like him well. 

It made her wonder what if this was just one of those fatuations which she had overcome in a matter of days, especially now that she was spending a lot of time with him. she contemplated over the possibilities that may be over a few months this would end...and then there was even the IV, somehow that would be one changing point. She decided that she would rather keep this information upto herself until she was back from IV. Till then she would try and sort her feelings out if what she felt about him was really deep feelings or just a small infatuation towards him... and then there was a fact that what he saw her as...what was she to him. 

A friend, an acquaintance, or just someone with whom he worked on different events – a colleague may be? And the possibility of anything less than that made her heart feel that painful pinch.