It all started with a phone call. A phone call to enquire about possible availability of class 12 mathematics question paper. Ria had spent a better part of the entire academic year loitering between coaching class and home in order to clear her mathematics paper. She managed to score the minimum score in other crucial categories of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Only God can shower some insight as to why Ria even opted for Biology! Entire year she was amused by the greatness of mathematics. God Brahma she imagined in the forefathers such as Euler, Euclid and Pythagoras.

It is raining cats and dogs and the atmosphere is numb. Preetam is caught in this downpour with a couple of his other friends. They have no place to take cover. The only place is this tea stall situated a few yards away. Preetam orders a cup of tea along with a cigarrete. It is ITC Goldflake. His friends do not smoke. His friend Alok says something but it is unaudible. There is a thin aluminium sheet covering an small area of around 150 square feet. The floor consists of limestone with numerous cracks upon it. The thick rain drops almost pierce through the sheet making a loud rattling sound. Shit! Passive smoking by choice murmurs Alok. Opposite to the stall is the school in which Preetam studied class 11 and class 12. A National Highway separates these two places of worship! Just adjacent to the school is the Engineering college where Preetam is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. Two successive drags combined with a sip of the ginger flavoured tea makes the otherwise chaotic respiratory system step in pace says Preetam. Alok intervenes, lauding the informatory comment made by Preetam.

Preetam, Alok and his other friend Amit are all in the second year of their academia. The stress and strain involved in having to clear Strength of Material (SOM) has become an race against time. Everyone in the batch except Alok and Preetam have an exceptional internal score. Although, our heroes have barely managed to scroll to the minimum. Alok is intelligent, calculative with a pinch of extraordinary memory. Preetam is intuitive, timid and specially enjoys solving mathematical problems. As Alok watches the raindrops create ripples in the pool of water in front, Preetam suggests to get drenched. His idea unfortunately has no buyers.

Preetam: So, what do you plan tonight, coming to the library?

Amit: Yeahhh 🙂

Alok: I guess I wouldn’t 😦

Preetam: Hmm, I am actually intending to carry along the bottle of Jim Beam that my Uncle has brought recently from the US!

Alok: Bastard! what time?

Preetam: Just a minute. Ya, hello. Who is it?

Ria: Hi, it is me. Ria. Do you remember me?

Preetam: No! Who is it??

Ria: Hmm, I stay in your Apartment.

Preetam: Oh! Ahh huh, hi.

Ria: Hi, how  are you?

Preetam: I am fine. How about you?

Alok: Dude! what time in the evening? I am leaving.

Preetam: ten at our den.

Alok: Bye be.

Preetam: So Ria, where did you receive my contact no. from?

Ria: I got it from Vinay (A mutual friend) re. Actually I wanted to meet you at home itself but I was held up somewhere else re 😦  Actually na, the thing is that I wanted to know a few details about engineering.You are studying here and there is no one else I can approach quiet easily. Is it the right time to speak?

Preetam: Yeah no problem. It would be good if you can as well give me a call after some time. I need to attend class now!

Ria: Alright. Let me know whenever you are available to talk. Bye

Preetam: Bye

Ria: hey, hey Preetam. Just one more thing. Do  you know any sources in your circle through whom I can somehow get the class 12 mathematics paper prior to examination? I mean, it may sound awkward but I am serious!

Preetam: Are you nuts? Who told you all these things?

Watch out in this space for the successive parts 😉