Introducing Prema, the female interest

Manish's first day in college. A real eye-closer. His eyes remained closed in prayer as he could see only boys and more boys around him on the campus. Not just boys, but several thugs, each of them viewing him (and the other first year students) with relish. Where were the girls? O God! What had he let himself into? 

The painful reality of engineering college gender ratio dawned on Manish. A batch of three hundred students usually has about fifteen girls; twenty, in a good year. But, Manish, like his father, was an optimist. Classed would start at 10.30 am and there were still ten minutes to go. Waiting in the Main Block for too long was not a good idea, there was a distinct possibility of a thug setting up a date with him. Manish entered his class-room and looked around. All full-sleeved guys. He was in no mood for casual talk and went to an empty desk. If this was his day and if Hindi movies were to be believed, she would occupy the seat next to him. Touchwood.

"Hi!" said Swami, sitting next to him. "I am also in this section," he continued, ignoring Manish's protests. Manish had heard the term KLPD used before; he experienced it for the first time now.

"You know da, there are only sixteen girls in our batch," Swami went on.
Manish: "What! How do you know?
Swami (whispering): "I looked at the batch list in the Admin office. I had to give five rupees to the peon there.
Manish: "What! You actually paid five rupees for this. I can't believe it.
Swami: "Don't you understand. Now I have an advantage over everyone else. I know their names.
Manish: "Big deal!
Swami: "And birthdays! There is lot of information in the admission files that I got from the peon. 
Manish: "Wow! Remember we are friends, OK. Any girls in our section or not, first tell me that! 
Swami: "Now you are interested. There are only two in our section. I remember one name because she is south Indian...

A sudden loud buzz in the class interrupted Swami's intelligence report. There were nervous giggles and the sound of about fifty guys drawing their breath in. Manish looked towards the door. And there she was. The most gorgeous looking girl he had seen in real life. He could not take his eyes off her as she walked in and sat in the first bench. He was not alone in that situation. Forty eight other guys were having similar thoughts as he: Thank God!

By the end of the first break a couple of hours later, 26 guys had introduced themselves to that girl. (The other girl, as per Swami's intel, did not exist or had decided to avoid the excitement of Day 1.) Manish and Swami were amongst the other twenty two who were either too shy or claustrophobic. Perhaps they were waiting for a Hindi moviesque introduction - dramatic, with a dash of humour. It was not yet the moment. Of course, Manish knew her name. Everyone in the classroom knew her name. Before the end of day, about thousand guys on campus would know her name. Prema Maheswaran.

 

This is Episode 4 of the Hostelitis saga. Check all episodes here. The Preface can be found here. 

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