Episode 3: Revealing Someone Special

As Emaan rode towards his college, the incident with the traffic police kept flashing on his mind, which diminished the exhilaration he had, since morning.

While riding on the straight lane that leads to the front gate of his college, Emaan would otherwise like to appear chic on his bike, by not wearing helmet. On other days, few college girls and his friends would always notice him coming. But today, after the incident with the police, he dared not to take his helmet out. This time he parks his bike in front of the college gate ‘without attracting’ too much of attention.

Emaan nonchalantly tries to enter the college gate, when the gatekeeper interrupts him,” Where is your identity card?”

Emaan resentfully pulls out his i-card from the bag and displays, “Here it is!”

The gatekeeper instructs him, “You are supposed to wear the id card”

Emaan never had a penchant for wearing the i-card, as he felt, it made him look like a nerd. Usually, he would always just display the i-card and enter the college. So, he bickers with the gatekeeper for not allowing him to enter this time. But the gatekeeper does not budge. With reluctance, Emaan finally wears the i-card so that he is allowed to pass the gate.

As he was already late, without wasting much time, he directly goes to the office counter, on the ground floor, to collect his final year graduation mark sheet. After this, to see off his teachers, he goes upstairs on the first floor to the department of statistics. The teachers are pleasantly surprised to know that Emaan could score distinction despite the fact that he hardly attended any of the lectures.

After taking the teacher’s wishes for his future, he excitedly comes out of the college gate and goes near the franky stand where he would usually hang out with his friends.

“Sorry to keep you waiting guys”, Emaan apologises as he approaches his group of friends busy talking to each other.

He spends some time with this group from arts and commerce stream. As they had been in college since morning, just within 15-20 minutes, this group of friends bid him farewell and ask him to keep in touch.

When he was thinking about leaving for home, he receives a call from his classmates (two girls), whom he had got acquainted with, during his last year of graduation. They always helped him with class notes to study from.

Out of these two girls, Afreen was in a committed relationship while Zoya was single. They had always been curiously questioning Emaan as to why he had no girlfriend. They always felt he was charming and good hearted.

On meeting Emaan, “You scored distinction. Impressive!”, congratulates Afreen (who herself topped in statistics in the college)

“All thanks to you both. Without your support, I would not have been able to even pass”, Emaan starts making fun of his behaviour of not attending lecture.

“So what are your future plans?”, inquires Zoya.

Emaan replies,” I want to prepare for civil services examination and become an IAS officer.”

This was unexpected to them because few months ago, Emaan was preparing for CAT and wanted to do an MBA. But they did not want to get much into details thinking that it may discourage Emaan to pursue his interest.

But there was something for which Emaan was very excited today. Within a year, Emaan had developed a strong amicable relationship with Afreen and Zoya.

Emaan decides to share what he was excited for with someone and thinks who could be better than them?

With a gleam in his eyes, Emaan speaks hesitantly, “I have something to say.”

“You both are very close friends of mine. You had always been asking me about not having a girlfriend, right?”

Afreen and Zoya understand the gravity of the situation and start attentively listening to Emaan to understand what exactly he was arriving at.

Afreen was committed but Zoya’s heartbeat had already begun to rush and her face displayed a feeling of nervousness.

“Okay, let me say it now. Umm...I like a girl”, says Emaan playfully with a blush on his face.

Afreen, a little embarrassed, looked at Zoya. She knew Zoya had feelings for Emaan but always hesitated to express it vocally. Emaan always took Zoya as a friend and never looked at her that way.

Afreen, realising Emaan is not playing a prank, does not know how to react, “Oh is it. All of a sudden. Who is the lucky girl?”

To this, Zoya remained silent wishing and praying that Emaan calls her name as the girl he likes.

Ending all the curiosity, Emaan calls the name of the special person in his life, “Sarah...Her name is Sarah”