It had been 2 years since Rya received that final note.Fortunately or unfortunately she never read it. She never felt the necessity or the urge to even think about it. Ryan had changed her life totally. She felt completely understood by him. Rya had graduated from a pessimistic realist to an incorrigible optimist. There was a paradigm shift in the way she perceived life.She was happy after a pretty long time but she had one regret.She always felt that she failed to understand Ryan at times.He was a very good friend of hers but he was unfathomable.Or may be he preferred to be this way. Two years had metamorphosed him from inside. The flippant in him had taken a back seat and he took life seriously. He talked, he smiled,he lived life but....he was just not the Ryan whom Rya knew two winters back.
It was the final semester on campus and everyone was busy trying to steer their careers in the right direction. There was no time for juvenile love. It was the season of placements. Aditi had got through Feloitte on the first day itself. It was the second day of placement and Rya, Ryan and Anand had been short listed for a PI in NcMinsey. They were awaiting for the results when Aditi came to meet Rya at the college canteen. Ryan seemed tense but Anand was alarmingly calm. His calmness faltered on seeing Aditi. Aditi muttered a casual "Hi" to both of them but Anand was too preoccupied in his thoughts to note it.
Aditi and Anand did not talk to each other. After their supposedly break up in the summer of the first year, they got back together in the winter of their sophomore year. Their relationship was a steady one this time. The apprehensions of infatuation got buried under the quagmires of maturity. They had planned their whole life with each other and were supposed to get married two years after college. Aditi's parents had agreed and Anand's family was only left to be convinced.Aditi had always wanted Anand to talk to his parents about them but Anand always deferred it asking for some more time. He wanted to tell it to them after he got through his MBA. And he would do it but for an unfortunate incident which shattered their lives. Anand was in his sixth semester when he got a call from his mother one day asking him to come over to his home immediately. His father had a heart attack and he was admitted to hospital.Anand's father expired before he could see him. He was devastated with this and he gave up all plans for his higher studies and decided to do a job and stay with his mother after college. Aditi's parents were keen on having a highly qualified son-in-law and Anand's decision was obviously a disappointment to them. Anand was too mature not to get the right signs and he decided to call off his relationship with Aditi. Aditi was shattered and she insisted on leaving her parents to be with Anand. But Anand never budged from his decision. Aditi tried a lot to mend things from both the sides but finally she gave up. Anand felt that Aditi had moved on since then....at least she pretended to. And things were never ever the same like before.
There was a sudden rush of people towards the college noticeboard to check the final list of short-listed candidates.NcMinsey was one of the dream companies and everyone vied for it. Rya ran to see the list and silently kept praying to God for the three of them to be short listed.She desperately wanted Ryan to be with her after college too. She had never dreamt of a day without him and to her delight, Ryan and she had been recruited by their dream companies. She looked back at Ryan and gave him the best smile she had ever given to anyone. Soon she realized that, Anand was also a part of it. She looked for his name but she did not find it. She cross checked again but in vain. It was difficult to tell Anand about it. Anand had been an acer since his 1st semester but he had been failing in almost everything that he tried to do after his father's death. He suffered a year back too but NcMinsey had offered him with a new hope for the brighter side of things. Anand went to see the check list for himself and then left immediately without meeting any one of them.
The placement season continued with the daily affair of some students revelling while some heading back to hostel to start preparing for the next company. By the end of the semester, 98% of the batch was placed and Anand was one of them. He was placed in Paccenture. The end terms were about to start in a week. Rya suggested everyone to meet over a cup of coffee at a nearby Cafe Coffee Day. It was a nostalgic moment for all of them since they knew it that this was the last time when they would be sipping coffee together. It was difficult to even remember when they had it the previous time.
"Guys! Do you people realize that in less than a month's time, we are all going to be separated.May be Ryan and I will be together..but its not going to be like this any more" - said Rya.
There was an echoing silence. It was broken by Aditi when Anand cast an askance towards her : "May be we can all share what is happening in our lives because we rarely do it these days. We hardly talk. What happened to your MS applications Rya?".
"Ohh..yes...I got my admission from a couple of Universities but I don't think I will go for it. I am happy with my job offer here and moreover who will tease Ryan if I go" - said Rya with a mischievous smile.
Ryan smiled and said " I can hear hundreds of people heaving a sigh of relief in those Universities". Rya started beating Ryan and realized that Ryan had laughed after many months. She smiled back to herself.
At this juncture, Aditi startled everyone with "Okay Guys! I need to tell something to you all.I am getting married next month." She looked at Anand with the solemn eyes ever.Anand was completely flummoxed and so were Rya and Ryan.
Rya asked "Whom? When did all these things happen? What is his name? Why didn't you tell us?"
Aditi continued "His name is Vishal and he is a family friend. He is settled in UK with his family. I wanted to tell you people about it but I was waiting for the right time...perhaps when all of us were placed."
Rya was startled since Aditi ,being her roomie had never shared this with her. Ryan and she congratulated Aditi and asked about her job at Feloitte of which Aditi told them of her decision of not taking up the job.
"I want a break" - muttered Aditi and cast a glance at Anand which was enough to break him down for the rest of his life.
Rya did not know what to tell of this and she tried diverting the topic.Aditi's marriage was much of a shock than surprise for the rest of them. Somehow everyone still had the feeling that someday they would get back together.Unlike times of the past,silence was predominant in this rendezvous .Finally everyone decided to call it a day and wished each other luck for their future. They decided to meet on the final day on campus before leaving for their homes.
Suddenly Ryan said " Wait! I think I should tell you people something." and he started smiling.
Rya looked up at him and was at a loss wondering what it could be. Aditi and Anand stared at Ryan.
He continued " Perhaps you people must have noticed an awkward silence in me for the past few months. Actually I was going through one of the darkest phases of my life and I am thankful to all of you and especially Rya for being such a good friend to me all the time .Rya I mean it......"
Ryan hugged Rya and continued : "I am deeply in love with someone.She is a very nice friend of mine from a pretty long time."
Everyone looked at each other and Rya had the most inscrutable expression on her face.
Ryan continued " I had proposed to her but she did not feel for me the same way. I continued to pursue her for a long time but in vain. I had finally given up on her but as my luck would have it - she called me up yesterday and Guys! She told me a YES!!!".
Ryan was exuberant and Anand hugged him. Aditi looked at Rya and held her shivering hands firmly. Ryan looked at Rya and asked " Won't you congratulate me? See... now you won't have to introduce me to your good looking friends either ".
Rya looked at Ryan discerningly and said "Congratulations! I am happy for you!" and she left.
Last day on Campus
Aditi, Anand and Ryan were at the coffee house waiting for Rya. 2 hours passed but she was nowhere in sight. Finally Aditi called her up but Rya did not pick up. Suddenly Aditi got a message on her phone from reading :
" I am sorry guys! My flight is in the next 30 minutes. I had to leave immediately because of some urgent work. And yes...I forgot to tell you people that I have decided to leave for my MS this Fall. I will miss you a lottt and I will miss the times which I have spent here in the past 4 years.Good Bye!"
( To be continued...)
