It was my first day, on edge while stepping my first step to commence a new journey. I set foot in the college too early, finding the empty classroom isolated enough to see eye to eye coming out of the room. The frigid weather called me out to cast about a warm place for solace, and I found the ace for the same. Near the Basketball Court, the alluring warmth called me aloud and I followed. The wintry discomfort faded gradually. Almost half an hour, still alone in the Basketball Court I was counting the few students who had arrived at the college. Nothing particular, but then my eyes picked out the most ravishing moment I could ever spot in my whole life. I caught sight of her, giggling with the other girls going inside our classroom. Couldn’t help myself but to look at her, spellbound. Just a few seconds but I frizzed there like ages, hard to believe for me that in these eighteen years of my life no one ever had been capable of dazing me like this, but she did. And I pretty much forgot that the class was about to start. It was the bell that rang to rescue me.



I got into the classroom; ma’am was about to take attendance. I rushed to my desk, attentively listening to the roll calls not because I was worried about missing mine but to know hers. Know why? Cause then I can get who this girl is to make me stunned just in seconds. I pinpointed the task, “Trishna Mishra”. Gladdened even if she hardly knew I was in the class too.



The more I looked at her the more I fell for her. One day my friend, Samar noticed that I always sat on the corner of any bench, eventually looking at her. When I grasped it was too late for me to assure him that there was nothing like what he was anticipating. Of course, I never wanted someone else to know about my feelings before her. But my bad. He told me later that day, “Nibir, tell her before somebody else does.” I didn’t take his advice fervently, somewhere the prime slip I made that time.



Time flies, we completed our first semester. For this whole time, I was not up to approaching her even once. All these feelings were up to the minute, I never discerned anything like this. How could this craven me ever think of something like this, but this dismissive heart. It would all be the same, but maybe luck was with me. She was given the notes from Shreya ma’am to distribute the same to the students. It was a golden chance for me even if I would be a chat of ‘please’, ‘okay’, and at last a ‘thank you’, still it unwound the lane for me to talk to her. And we did. She cherishes people, I was into her even without knowing the personality she holds, but after I came across, she was making me adore her more and more. It was just a few days that we got in touch with each other but then the most tragic thing happened. The Covid and the insufferable lockdown. I always delight to be home, but this time I wished for her. Nevertheless, I tried to keep in touch whether by asking for notes or sometimes staging myself dunce enough make her cackle. Covid snatched plenty of time from me, nothing could ever compensate for that with anything.



And then the most cherished time of my life came up, the fifth semester. One day, we were in the college canteen. Both of us were with other friends. Suddenly I heard her saying that in our batch no boy had got any leadership qualities. Hearing her words I pledged to run for candidate in the forthcoming student’s union elections, although I didn’t care for the post. And I did, actually both of us did. It was not for getting any position but to make her feel proud that we had at least one person to stand in front of everyone and how come I missed the chance. I never pondered the result to be in my favor. However, when I got to know that Trishna didn’t make it, I was dejected. I caught her crying in the classroom. How devastated I was, clocking her in tears. I had my heart set on her win instead of mine.



Somehow everything was overcome. However, we clammed up. But not for long. The fresher’s program, organized by the student’s union, brought us together. I tried to be benevolent towards her while assigning everyone’s part in the program. She was enraged, I realized it was somewhere my fault. I was involved in a lot of things without recognizing she was passed over. Couldn’t defend myself, but I knew she was never the kind of person who could be angry with someone for long. And I was dead right. She became the person she was, waggish, loveable.



Then there comes our last year in college. I never gave it a thought about the end of this journey, how I would abide. This time enriched my life; I never felt that one day it would come to an end leaving me solus. And specially I have to say goodbye to her. Reality is harsh, accepting it is clashing. As we came to an end, I finally decided to tell her what she meant to me. Mustering all the courage I could possibly have; I went for to tell her the feelings I had been enfolding in my heart. In the last day of college, I messaged her to meet me after class. I was timid concluding what might go wrong after I tell her. Classes ended severally. My heart counted on me, but the agitation I was enduring was beyond credible. I was not prepared, I guess I could never be, to tell her everything. She came, I mumbled at first. She was oblivious, without realizing what I was putting up with. I couldn’t say a single line properly. Being tedious, she said, “Nibir, I also have something to tell you.” I paused, deliberately was all ears. She stated, “Can you help me?” I was surprised. Told her, “Anything for you.” She added, “Can you please tell Samar that I really like him. I tried to tell him, but I felt extremely nervous. Today is our last day. Maybe I will never meet him again, I just don’t want to miss this chance. You are truly a good friend of mine. Can you please tell him?” I couldn’t utter a word for a moment. She shrieked. I was smarten up, grinning I said, “Sure, anything for you.”



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