Chapter 9 : Planning a Goa trip

Every other day, Shanaya would come at my house, meet me and leave before the sunset.

As soon as she left, I would get lost somewhere in a different world. After that my conscience would speak to me and make me realise the importance of studies. 

"I swear, Shanaya I won't sleep before completing the chapter."

"I promise you, Shanaya, I will not quit until I finish reading this portion"

And the days passed by, making secret little promises to the Shanaya residing in my heart. I never dared to tell her about these promises, and I don't regret it.

I was unknowingly making Shanaya, the biggest promise of, "I will bring that trophy to impress you."

A month passed by and Shanaya and I were in physical relationship. George and Hunny supported me at times when I would get lost during the class. They would help me understand the things that I didn't. It was difficult for me to cope with studies and everything on my own, as I was always present in the classrooms, but only physically. 

Thanks to those selfless brothers.

Gradually I got over the imbalance and I learned to keep the two things separately. Love is love and studies are studies. Slowly and steadily George pointed out that I was changing. I also felt myself changing. I could now focus on what the professor was teaching, I could complete my notes myself without asking Hunny to write them down for me and without asking George to explain me all the topics.

A month passed by and we had the exam that would decide the three students of the year.

I did well in the exams and like every year, Hunny, George and I stood first in the college. 

However there was a twist in the trend. This time, they decided to award girls and boys separately. Three boys and three girls would be awarded the trophy.

We were glad to see, Shanaya top the exams. The second reciever of the trophy amongst girls, was Sunaina, shockingly.

Third girl was someone from the civil engineering branch. 

We were offered to deliver a speech on the occasion.

"I would like to give the credit to my friends, Hunny and George who supported me in everything I did. Thanks to the professors. Thanks everyone." I was looking at Shanaya the whole time I was speaking.

Thanks Shanaya...

Everyone delivered the speech, including Shanaya. She also didn't mention my name in the speech. Perhaps she could read the terror on my face. I was afraid and I didn't want to hear my name on the mike and not at all from a girl, and especially not from Shanaya.

I was way too shy and timid in the matter of girls.

That afternoon, at my home ...

I was reading a magazine on my bed.

Knock knock ...

I opened the door and there was Shanaya along with her mom and dad.

"Hey Seenu !" She hugged me like a casual friend.

"Hey !"

"Hi, Aunty ...! Hi, Uncle !" I welcomed them inside the house. 

"Son, my daughter told me about the trophy and I am very happy for my daughter and you...", Said her dad.

"Thank you Uncle", I smiled.

"We have decided to go to Goa for a party and Shanaya is insisting us to take you with us..."her mother continued. 

I was extremely happy but I was bashful.

"Please child, come with us ...or she will get hurt, we don't want her to get hurt ..." Her mother kept convincing me.

"I would be glad, aunty and uncle !"

"Don't worry about the ticket and hotel booking etc, we will do it all for you ..."

"Aunty I will do that myself.. please don't take trouble for me..."

"No child, you are our special guest and it is not big of a deal" said her dad. I saw Shanaya getting lost in me. I tried to keep her parents engaged in conversation so that they don't notice Shanaya's face expressions. She was completely drowned in me.

I stood up and went into the kitchen to bring glasses of water for her parents. Shanaya followed me. It was good.

"What are you doing, Shanaya ! Have some shame in front of your parents-- you were going on staring at me!"

"Shh... Keep quiet, and I am sorry" she smiled naughtily.

We went and served them water and they left after sometime.

The trip was planned next week. The exams were over and so was the session. We had a month's holidays. 

I told about the incident to Hunny and George, and they were happy for me. They wished that my relationship with Shanaya should get tighter.

Shanaya texted me at night, 

"You are coming to pick me up tomorrow at my house."

"Why, where are we going!?"

"Duffer, we are going to Goa next week, don't we need to go shopping?"

"Shopping---?"

"Yes, don't ask me anything more, just come at my home tomorrow morning."

"8 am will do?"

"Yeah. Fine. I will be waiting"

"Okay" 

"Go to sleep."

"Okay"

"Seenu."

"Okay."

"Stop the 'okay's !"

"Okay"

I laughed hard. 

"Good night, baby."

"Okay.", She replied.

I smiled and dozed off to sleep.

Next morning we went to shopping. We got hats, sunglasses, sunscreens, swimming costumes and what not. After all, Goa is a coastal area and the beaches there are fun !

While we were shopping, Shanaya expressed her desire to eat a corn from the man who was selling salted corns, ready to eat. I took her there, and we enjoyed the taste.

We realized that it was getting late and I dropped her to her house. After that I went to my house and directly dozed off to sleep after having dinner.

The shopping was not yet over. The next day we bought boots and other stuff. 

A week flew by and I didn't even realize.