Back And Forth

~thirteen~

"You cannot fail Vedant."

"Remember, nobody has ever failed in our family."

"Damn it!" Vedant yelled exasperatedly, completely oblivious to the awkward look the girl walking past him threw his way.

"Nanda Uncle is waiting for you to join his firm. But wait till I tell him you got into a Big Four!"

He walked the stretch of Marine Drive as he tried to calm his racing nerves.

"Vedant Shah, the first CA of our house."

He took a deep breath in and out as he continued walking until his gaze fell on the last thing he needed to see that moment,

Couples. God they're everywhere!

Growing up in Mumbai, even as a child Vedant had promised himself that no matter how mushily in love he were with a girl he was never going to indulge in the high levels of public display of affection so many guys and girls his age indulged in.

Urgh just get a room! He exclaimed, looking at one of the many couples doing you know what in Marine Drive.

They should be fined!

He continued walking, as he pulled his backpack tightly, feeling the weight of the laptop he was carrying. At last, he found a free spot, fairly distanced from the love struck couples and the fit Uncles working out and making him guilty.

Vedant sighed, ruffled his hair and stared out at the sea before him. The waves crashed onto the interestingly shaped stones. They were all designed scientifically, in the shape of tetrahedrons. Back when he was hell bent on taking up Science in the eleventh grade, he'd done some reading about it and had been quite proud to explain it to his classmates and friends.

He laughed to himself, recalling those carefree days.

He recalled being the invincible topper of his batch throughout school life. 96% in Tenth. That was huge. And it had come quite...naturally to him. He'd not had to skip meals, gain weight and cut out on friends for that 96%. And even before results, the stress was nothing close to what he felt that instant.

And Vedant could swear he'd worked ten times harder for his IPCC.

The results were to be announced anytime during the day. And needless to say, he'd lost all the strength to think straight. He needed some time away from his overbearing parents.

He heard a deep sigh somewhere behind him and turned back instantly. Before he could control himself, Vedant's eyes widened.

"Meera?"

How do we end up meeting like this all the time?

"It is you." She spoke in her typical soft and shy way.

"Um...yeah?"

"Why are you here?"

Vedant's brows knit together with surprise as he posed, "This is Marine Drive, Meera. Why can't I be here?"

She sighed, her arms folding before her chest.

"I can ask you the same you know." Vedant challenged, not wanting for her to leave. He hadn't realized how long it had been since their last argument. And it actually felt good to have her before him.

God it's been a month since I last saw her!

"Ask me what?"

"The reason you're here."

Her eyes narrowed at him.

NOW what did I do?

"You know my reason." She replied with finality, and he reddened to realize he sure did. Of course the environment in her home wasn't conducive for her to sit peacefully and check her results.