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Andhra University,
Visakhapatnam, 1st September 2044
“Not bad!” I said as I stepped out of the metro train looking at the main gate of Andhra University.
I was aware that it was the initial day of my master's degree program and that I would be discovering a new location. However, the sights that greeted me were beyond my expectations. While I was cognizant of Andhra University's long-standing record of success, recent enhancements have elevated it even further. The introduction of a metro station just before the campus was a notable addition, and upon entering, the lure of popular cafes such as Starbucks was evident. I opted to ride the campus tram, an electric rail system that links all blocks of the university.
After scanning the QR code at the tram's entrance with my Id card, an artificial intelligence voice greeted me with, "Welcome, Aditya. Please take a seat as the tram will transport you to the MBA block in approximately 5 minutes." The tram was mostly occupied, but fortunately, I secured a window seat, allowing me to take in the campus's stunning views. Despite it being the year 2044, I was amazed at the abundant greenery throughout the campus. As the tram approached the MBA block, I noticed that it was one of the most sizeable structures on campus. The building's top floor is equipped with a solar power plant, and it even has a helipad. With a height of roughly five floors, it resembled a corporate office building.
“This is the place I’m going to spend 2 years of my life!” my hushed murmur emerged.
“Liked the new block, Macha?” I felt a hand on my left shoulder.
As I spun around to locate
my dear friend, my eyes alighted on the familiar face of Mitra. We had been
inseparable for years, and I had affectionately shortened his name Sangamitra
to Mitra, a moniker that he graciously allowed only me to use. Our bond was
unbreakable, forged through countless shared experiences and mutual trust.
“Yeah Mitra, but I am pretty sure there's no way we can bunk classes!”, I replied.
As we walked into the building, we noticed a digital noticeboard that displayed the blueprint of each floor. We referred to it briefly and found out the class was on the 4th floor.
“The building is too robust Macha! You are right” insisted Mitra as we stepped on the escalator of the building.
A grin stretched across my
face as I responded to Mitra's comment, sweeping my gaze across the expanse of
the building.
"It appears we've arrived
early," I remarked, noting the empty spaces within the block. My attention
drifted towards my sleek smartwatch.
“Yeah, it's 5 minutes past 9.
Class is at 9:30” Mitra responded.
***
We finally reached our
classroom. The sign on the door displayed the class number and our year level:
"Class 401, MBA Year 1." As we loitered at the entrance, a laser
scanner whirred to life, scanning us for our payment and registration details.
Once it cleared us for entry, we walked into the classroom and selected the last
available seats on the right-hand side, the unofficial territory of the male
students.
Mitra's voice rang out,
tinged with a hint of frustration as he realized the extent of our early
arrival. "Looks like we have 20 minutes to spare, Macha. What should we do
with all this free time?" he queried, his tone playful yet exasperated.
I was momentarily stumped,
unsure of what to suggest, so I defaulted to my trusty holographic mobile
phone, flicking through the latest news and updates with my fingers.
In a short while, a pair of
girls breezed into the classroom with pink use-and-throw masks, catching
Mitra's attention with their effortless grace. His eyes glimmered with an idea
that promised to add a little excitement to the day. "Check out these
ladies, Macha. And there's bound to be more. How about we rate them for their
eyes for fun?" he exclaimed, brimming with mischief.
As more and more students
trickled into the classroom, Mitra's game of rating the girls was starting to
lose its luster. I, on the other hand, remained disinterested in such trivial
pursuits, engrossed instead in the latest trailer of Gautam, the son of Prince
Mahesh Babu. "Sorry, buddy, but I'm just not into that kind of
thing," I tried to explain to Mitra, dismissing his antics with a wave of
my hand.
In no time, my words fell flat
as soon as my eyes landed on her. At that instant, my mind went blank, and my
entire being was consumed by the sight of this angelic figure. Clad in a
stunning white dress, she exuded an ethereal beauty that left me speechless.
Though her mask obscured much of her face, her captivating eyes adorned with
kajal held me spellbound, and I found myself powerless to look away.
As she made her way to a
seat on our left, accompanied by her hefty friend, my gaze followed her every
move until Mitra's voice brought me back to reality. "Macha, are you all
right?" he asked, concerned.
I nodded my head as I shoved
my phone back into my pocket. "Yes, I'm fine," I replied, attempting
to mask the lingering effect of that daydream. Though I tried to focus on the
impending class, my mind continued to wander back to the angel in white, her
bewitching eyes still haunting me.
***
As the lecture hall settled
down, a medium-height man with a gridded shirt and formal pants walked in. The
class rose in unison to greet him, and he acknowledged us with a nod of his
head. "Good morning, students!" he began, his voice carrying a
confident tone. "Please be seated. My name is Chakrapani, and I will be
your guide on the subject of Leadership and Entrepreneurship."
Chakrapani smiled as he
pointed towards the girls and said, “Ladies first, please introduce yourself.”
Mitra, on the other hand,
was already getting his phone ready, eager to find these girls on Mastodan, a
popular Web 3.0 social media app.
The first girl stood up,
adjusting her mask and nervously clearing her throat, “Hi, I’m Nithya. I’m from
Kakinada and I completed my graduation in commerce from Vizag. Nice to meet you
all.”
The second girl introduced
herself as Ayesha, a computer science graduate from Hyderabad. Mitra quickly
looked up her profile on Mastodan and started scrolling through her posts.
As the introductions
continued, I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about Mitra's excitement.
But my thoughts were interrupted when I realized I could hear her name in her
own voice.
There were around 75
students in the room in total. And we sat at the last of these benches.
Soon, I realized, it was arduous for her to get a chance in this period of one
hour. And the expected has happened.
As the class ended and we
made our way to the marketing lab, I couldn't help but feel disappointed that
she didn't get a chance to introduce herself. It seemed like fate was playing a
cruel joke on me. However, I quickly gathered my thoughts and remembered that
her name was the most important thing at the moment. As we left the classroom,
I took my time to make sure she had left first before making my move. I rushed
to her seat and quickly picked up her tablet. As I tried to turn on the screen,
I was disappointed to see that her screensaver was a beautiful tortoise and not a
picture of her. But as luck would have it, I found her name displayed on the
screen: "Abhi".
My lips curled up without
any conscious effort as soon as I saw her name on the tab. The mere sight of it
was enough to bring a smile to my face, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of
excitement and curiosity about her.
***
The lab was a chaotic sea
of students, with around 300 people rushing around trying to find their places.
I looked around frantically, trying to spot Abhi in the crowd, but the sheer
number of people made it impossible. It was like trying to find a needle in a
haystack.
I pushed my way through the
throng, dodging people left and right as I searched for her. But the more I looked,
the more hopeless it seemed. It was like she had disappeared into thin air.
Finally, after what felt
like an eternity of searching, I gave up. I let out a frustrated sigh and
slumped down into a nearby chair, feeling defeated.
My distress was disturbed by the voice of
Sukanya, the incharge of the lab. She introduced herself, which obviously was
boring for me.
“As this is the first lab class, I
want you all to play an icebreaker game.” Sukanta insisted on all the students.
“This period is going to be
worse than ever with this game” my thoughts murmured.
“You guys have spent an
hour in college and with yourselves. Let’s find out what is the best attribute
of your fellow classmates.” Sukanya began to explain the game. “Take
out your phones and register yourself on Mark-ssage site. This site allows
people to give feedback to brands anonymously. We will use this site for an ice-breaking game.”
The lab was filled with the
sound of students tapping on their phones as they hurriedly registered
themselves on the "Mark-ssage" site. Sukanya's voice cut through the
buzz, commanding our attention. "Now, choose 5 of your classmates and send
secret messages to them," she instructed.
“Woah, this is fun!” I
thought as I realized I could send Abhi a secret message. Observing the
grinning faces around me, it was evident that most of the students had similar
motives to ping their crushes in mind.
My fingers nervously tapped
on the screen I searched for the name Abhi, which I failed miserably. I tried a
few more times, adjusting my search parameters, but it was all in vain. The
frustration was beginning to mount, and I couldn't help but feel a bit
defeated. My hand was already clenched around the phone, ready to toss it away,
but curiosity got the better of me. I unlocked my phone and opened the
"Mark-ssage" site, scrolling through the messages sent by my
classmates to me.
As I checked my phone, I
saw a total of six messages waiting for me. Looking up, I noticed Mitra a few
seats away, giving me a curious look. He raised his eyebrows, silently asking
how many messages I had received. In response, I held up six fingers. Mitra
then held up one finger, indicating he had received only one message.
I had no other choice of
work other than checking out these messages. One read out, “I hate you for
leaving me alone!” I’m sure this belonged to Mitra. But, the rest all seemed to
be from girls.
One read, “Hey handsome, I
fell for you in the first place.” While one other read, “You’re nearly perfect,
a perfect alpha make to hook up!” My distress was intact until I saw the last
message which read, “You have a smile that could light up a room and a voice
that could calm the wildest of storms. Kuchulu, but your anger is boorish!”
As I read the comment, my
curiosity was piqued. Who could possibly know me well enough to make such
observations about my smile, voice, and anger? I scanned the room, searching
for any familiar faces, but my attention was soon drawn to a girl standing in
the corner. I could see her smile even with her mask on, and I couldn't help
but wonder if she was the one who had left the comment. Despite my growing
curiosity, my mind was still consumed with disturbed thoughts, and I turned away
from this girl with an ignorant face.
***
As the first day of my MBA
program drew to a close, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. The
day had been productive, and I had even made the acquaintance of two intriguing
young women. However, my mood was short-lived as my friend Mitra approached me
with a request for assistance.
As we made our way towards
the electric tram, Mitra's face was beaming with excitement. "So, how was
your day, Macha?" he asked with a sly grin.
"It was good," I
replied, keeping my answer short.
Mitra's grin widened.
"Good? That's an understatement! You found out Abhi's name, didn't
you?" he exclaimed.
I couldn't help but roll my
eyes. "Yeah, I did. But why are you so happy about it?"
Mitra's smile grew even
wider. "Because I found out her friend's name too! Her name is
Amita!" he declared triumphantly.
I couldn't help but chuckle
at Mitra's enthusiasm. "How did you manage to find that out?" I asked
curiously.
Mitra's eyes gleamed
mischievously. "I took a peek at Amita's tab when you were checking out
Abhi's," he admitted.
I shook my head in
disbelief, wondering if Abhi's name was even real. But before I could say
anything else, Mitra interrupted with a request for a favor.
"Do you remember
Ayesha, the second girl in our class?" he asked eagerly. "I overheard
her talking to her cousins about going to Tenneti Beach Park in the evening. Can we
go there too? Maybe I'll get a chance to see her again."
I hesitated for a moment.
"Why can't you wait until tomorrow?" I asked, hoping to avoid any
more distractions.
But Mitra's puppy-dog eyes
were too much for me to resist. "Please, Macha!" he pleaded.
As Mitra's eyes lit up with
excitement, I couldn't help but feel a sense of reluctance. However, not
wanting to disappoint my friend, I agreed to his request. Little did I know
that this small favor would turn into an event that would only serve to further
confuse me.
***
4:30 p.m., Tenneti Beach Park, Vishakapatanam
"I'm sorry,
Mitra," I said firmly as we walked through the main gate of Tenneti beach
park. "I won't be joining you in your filthy pursuits."
Mitra nodded his head, understanding
my stance. "Ok Macha, as you say," he replied, but I could sense his
disappointment.
I decided to find a spot
away from him, wanting to distance myself from his unsavory behavior. As I
walked around, I marveled at the timeless beauty of the park. The stone
pathways, the play areas for children and adults, the simple cafes with
minimalistic offerings, and the hawkers selling their wares, were all unchanged for
decades. Most importantly, I could explore faces without masks.
I found a bench in a peaceful
corner and sat down to enjoy the tranquil surroundings. From afar, I saw Ayesha
with another girl approaching the cafe, and Mitra's excitement was palpable. I
searched for a perfect spot to distance myself from him as much as possible.
The cafe was almost
outdoors, with a minimalistic design. It had a small hut at one corner that
served as both the kitchen and the counter, with tables arranged in front of
it. The standing fans were scattered here and there to provide a gentle breeze,
but I wondered why anyone would need one with the sea so close.
Ayesha and her friend took
their seats at the nearest table- table number 1, and I chose the farthest one-
table number 10, away from Mitra's prying eyes. He, on the other hand, stood
near the counter, pretending not to know me.
The girls started feeling
the heat. Ayesha asked the café boy, “Can you please turn on the fan?”
The cafe boy promptly
obliged, “Yes Akka” and turned on the fan nearest to them.
But, the fan's air force
was too strong, causing the girls’ hair to loosen and cover their faces. Mitra,
whose view of Ayesha was obstructed, stepped forward to adjust the fan's
direction. As he reached the fan, he felt something stiff and arduous to
change. He looked at me pleadingly, asking for my help, but I shook my head and
showed him my disinterest.
He continued to plead, but
I ignored him and checked my hologramic phone feed instead. That's when I heard
a sweet voice calling out to Ayesha and Smrithi from the nearby table, “Hey
Girls, sorry for being a bit late!”
The voice was so lovely
that I couldn't help but turn my attention toward the table. There sat a
stunning girl in pink, with silky hair, a captivating smile, and silver anklets
that made a pleasant tinkling sound.
I longed to see her face, but the fan was still in the way.
Mitra kept trying to adjust
the fan, and I noticed that he had found a helping hand. He looked up and
grinned at me helping him to turn the fan around, thinking that I was helping him. But my eyes were fixed on the
beautiful girl in pink, the reason for my help.
She had mesmerizing kohl-rimmed
eyes, rose-petal lips, and a sharp nose that completed her exquisite features.
My heart raced as I gazed at her, wanting to know more.
Mitra patted my shoulder, a
silent thank you for my help, and went over to talk to Ayesha and the other
girls. I, however, was unable to take my eyes off the captivating lady in pink.
Ayesha noticed my gaze,
which made me feel nervous, as I had promised Mitra I would stay away. So, I
retreated to the far end of the table, watching them converse while my heart raced
with anticipation, eager to learn more about the enchanting girl in pink.
I sat there for what felt like an eternity, waiting for Mitra to call me, but he didn't even spare a glance. Eventually, I decided to take matters into my own hands and started to get up from my seat. Just then, I saw Mitra waving goodbye to them and making his way toward me. I waited for him as he approached me towards the main gate of the park.
I asked him, “How the discussion went?”
"It was good, Macha," he replied, brimming with excitement. "I noticed that you had your eyes on that girl in the pink dress."
I didn't say anything, but my curiosity about her was piqued. Mitra must have sensed this because he asked me, “Don’t you want to know her name?”
I hesitated at first, still unsure about what to do. But as we made our way back home on his bike, my desire to know her name became too strong to resist.
As we reached my home, I couldn't hold back any longer and finally asked him, "Mitra… What is her name?"
"Why do you want to know now?" he teased, "You weren't interested to join me to park."
"Come on, Mitra, don't be like that. Just tell me," I pleaded.
"Her name is Preeti," he revealed, but before I could ask any more questions, he interrupted me with a cryptic statement: "There's a surprise for you, too."
"What surprise?" I yelled after him as he rode away, but it was too late. He was already out of earshot.
Frustrated, I made my way back into my house, still wondering what Mitra's surprise could be.
***
8:00 p.m, At my home
As the clock struck 8, Dad
hurriedly handed Mom a cover of fresh vegetables and exclaimed, "The movie
should have been released by now, hurry up!"
S.S.Rajamouli's fascination
with making a film on Mahabharata had piqued Dad's interest decades ago, and he eagerly
anticipated watching it with Mom as they did when they were newlyweds. However,
the final part of the movie wasn't released until 2044, and today was its
much-awaited OTT release.
I inherited my love for
movies from Dad, but today my mind was preoccupied with something else. Just
yesterday, he talked to me about my love life, and now I have three girls to
choose from. I was lazily chopping spring onions at the dining table, lost in
my thoughts.
"Aditya, are you free?
Come and sit with me," Dad beckoned with a grin as he switched on the TV.
"He's never on the
same page as me," I mused. Despite my reservations, I obliged and took a
comfortable seat to his left.
As the title card for "Kurukshetram"
appeared on the screen, Dad beamed with pride, reveling in the background music.
"Look at those
visuals, only Rajamouli could make them so good," he praised.
I couldn't help but
interject, "It's the efforts of the visual effects team, Dad."
He noticed my aloofness and
asked, "Is there something on your mind?"
I debated whether to bring
up my love life, unsure if I would come off as a fool.
Meanwhile, Mom's voice rang
out from the kitchen, "Why do you order cauliflower, cabbage, and brinjal
all at once? You knew we can't cook them together."
Dad replied with a chuckle,
"Why do we have to cook them all in one day? Let's try one after
another."
And just like that, I had
my answer. "He's right. Let's explore them one by one, and I'm sure I'll
know what to do next. Let's start the game tomorrow," I thought to myself
as I became engrossed in the movie.
***
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