Seth Astill: Church without the pope

A girl who works for Seth's uncle

The room had a huge table and various chairs were there around it, racks and shelves covered the sides of the room and there was a sofa at one corner. There was a small room, at the very back covered by the veil.

"How can I be of any help," the teacher asked in a clipped tone. She was the only person in the staff room sitting on a chair.

"Ma'am, I got the admission in this college. I have some queries regarding the college" Seth said, immediately taking a dislike of her attitude.

"Ma'am from when is the college starting?" Seth asked keeping his voice straight.

"The college would be starting from monday. You should come in in white shirt and in black or blue jeans, that is the dress code"

"What time should I report"

"You should be present here by one fifty. Your orientation will start at two, anything else?"

"Is the library open now, can I go and see it? Is there any musical club or room here" Seth asked.

"Yes there is library on the floor above but, you can't enter there without the library card and there is no musical club as such in the college"

"That would be all, thank-you ma'am," Seth said the teacher nodded and they got out from there.

"That lady gave me creeps, best of luck dude," Samar said as they started going down.

"I just hope she doesn't become my class teacher" Seth prayed as they got out from the college entrance.

"Did you mean it when you asked her about the music club"

"Yep, my mom told me that the college had one, so I asked if it was true, why?"

"Nothing, it's just this isn't an university just so you know. Not even every university has a music club"

"Fine, I know. It's just I was curious after my mother said that" Seth said stoically.

They both then went to the stationary shop beside the college to buy the books, once the books were bought he placed them into his bag and closed the zip. After taking the changes they got out from there and started back towards the stop.

"Man I am not going this way again," Samar said in an exasperated tone looking at the dugged and bantered lane.

"Fine let's take the long turn," Seth said and turned right.

This lane was just made before they had started continuing making the road ahead, so the lane looked clean. They went and came out to the highway. From there Seth turned left.

"How come you know about this lane," Samar asked raising his eyebrow.

"Took it the last time I came here"

They started walking past the hagglers, selling clay pots and artifacts. One of them was selling gym dumbells and barbells.

"Hey, you could buy that," Samar said nudging Seth and pointing to the place.

"No thanks, I am good with my gym"

"That reminds me Mr. gym, how did you spend your time there without doing workout and gym"

"Who said I didn't do any work out there, I used to climb mountains and walk every day," Seth said taking the footpath.

"So, you are saying that walking and climbing were the only workouts you did there and that was fine with you- YOU" he repeated the last word stressing on it.

"I didn't had much option, it's not like there would've been any gym there"

"Did you even try to find one"

"Nope" Seth simply said and Samar shook his head like 'this guy'.

They passed a bus stop, not the same one where they had got down. This bus stop was empty, nobody could be seen waiting there.

"The bus stop is here, where are you going?" Samar asked confused.

"Does this look like the same bus stop, where we got down?" Seth asked pointedly.

"Nope," Samar said.

Seth face palmed himself, when will he learn that arguing with Samar is as good as a lost battle.

"We are not waiting here, the stop we got down at is just a little ahead," Seth said and they started moving ahead.

Just as Samar caught up with him to go, Seth heard a girl calling him from behind.

"Seth, is that you?"

Both of them turned around at the voice to see a girl looking at them, her eyes brightened as they turned and she ran towards them.

"Hey, Zara. What are you doing here" Seth asked the girl when she reached them. She looked around fifteen years old.

"Had some pending work that your uncle gave me" Zara said.

"Heya, I am Samar," Samar said coyly, holding up his hand to shake.

"um- hi," Zara said, not shaking his hands. Seth was about to laugh but, hid it behind a cough.

"It's nice meeting you Zara, how do you know Seth? I never saw you in the school, do you live in his building? Are you his relative...." Samar started asking not at all perturbed by the fact that she had not taken his offered hand.

"She works with my uncle," Seth said interrupting Samar. He quickly looked at Zara and gave a subtle nod, as if to say play along.

"Yep, I am his assistant. I came to know Seth when he visited there last time" Zara quickly said.

"Oh, so you work in his uncle's company?" Samar asked, then turning towards Seth he said "You never told me that your uncle owns a company"

"You never asked?" Seth replied with a shrug.

Samar huffed at this, then turned to face Zara.

"I am Seth's best friend you should visit him when you are free, I will be there too," Samar said nudging Seth for support.

"Yes-yes, you should come to visit us sometime when you are free" Seth quickly said.

"You could come on Sundays" Samar added.

"Seth comes every Sunday to the office, to meet his uncle" Zara stated looking at Seth.

"What? You go to your uncle's house every Sunday, without taking me" Samar shouted looking at Seth.

"Yes, no need to shout though," Seth said covering his ears.

"I am coming with you, the next time you visit your uncle's office," Samar said with a huff.

"Okay, okay. Fine"

"Okay then, I will go now. Don't tell uncle that you met me. I will give him a surprise" Seth said.

"Actually, uncle wanted to meet you, urgently. He is worried about something" Zara informed.

"Did anything happen to him, is he alright?" Seth asked anxiously.

"I don't know, he has been worried since you went to France" Zara explained.

"Okay, let's go and meet him. I am coming with you" Seth said and hurriedly started walking in the opposite direction.