When life happens

Overachievers

Six months later, they were back at Eden Gardens, and since Neha and Siri had analysed quite a few stadiums already, they had a part of the report to present.

"Siri, you're not going to make us late today," said Neha sternly that morning.

"Five minutes," mumbled Siri.

"Tani! Tani! Wake her up!" said Neha, assembling her papers.

Tani raised an eyebrow from her bed where she was reading a novel as usual, and saw Neha looking anxious for that day because they had to present their report and decided to help her for once.

"Siri, get up," said Tani in a commanding tone.

Siri started to stir, and after Tani repeating herself once or twice, got out of bed after all.

Hardik and Kuldeep looked in after a while.

"Are you coming, Neha?" asked Hardik, and did a double take when he saw Siri already awake.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," he drawled.

Kuldeep and Siri cringed. Tani deadpanned. Neha didn't look up from her papers at all.

"Neha... Neha..." said Hardik, going up to her. "NEHA!" he yelled in her ear at the top of his voice.

"Be quiet," Neha told Hardik calmly.

"Why are you bothering her?" asked Tani.

"Virat bhaiya told me to tell them to go to the field with us. Some CAB official is coming. And look, Neha isn't even listening to me," complained Hardik.

"Siri, we should have made a diagram to support this," said Neha, starting to get hyper.

"No, we shouldn't have," said Siri, snatching the pile out of her arms. "You've woken me up, now let's go."

"Give them back to me...." began Neha.

"They'll be all right, won't they, Tani?" Kuldeep asked Tani distinctly.

"Of course," said Tani, who genuinely didn't think Neha could fail in this project.

"Come along now," said Kuldeep.

Neha, Siri and Hardik followed him.

"Tani?" called Siri.

"I'll stay here today. And by the way, Kuliya, when are you free? I need a small interview with you," said Tani.

"After the practice session," promised Kuldeep.

.........................................................................

Neha was walking so unsteadily that Kuldeep felt compelled to ask, "Are you nervous?"

He, like everyone else, thought that Neha was too overconfident to ever be nervous.

"No I'm not," said Neha by default.

Kuldeep smiled.

"Only...you know if I've made any blunder so far, they might terminate my project at once," said Neha.

"If they attempt it, I'm sure you'll convince them otherwise," assured Kuldeep.

Neha started to laugh.

"And you haven't made any blunder."

They had reached the field, and to her delight, Neha saw Professor Das standing there.

There was no chance they'll kick her out now, Neha was sure of that, and she ran all the way to get favourite teacher.

When Siri reached them, she found Neha well in the middle of explaining their work to him.