Silent Whispers

Chapter 2: No Place for Roses

"Arre yaar," Lavanya muttered, under her breath. "Does he ever shut up?!"

The Faculty of Management Studies at Delhi University was one of the best business schools of the country. And yet, its ace reputation did not stop its students from criticizing its overly strict professors, and their insanely difficult exams.

And so, it was almost routine for Lavanya Kashyap, a hot and happening student in her final year of the prestigious MBA program, to be complaining of old Professor Mehra, who taught for so long, that no one quite knew what life on campus was without him. He had an air of discipline that no one dared to disobey.

And that was perhaps why, Akash Singh, a fellow final year student, tried hard to ignore his best friend.

"I mean who cares about business politics?" continued Lavanya. "I wonder how his wife puts up with him."

Akash maintained his stony silence, trying not let his eyes waver to the door. It was almost an hour since the class started and yet, the one person who he blatantly waited for – the one person who held together one of the tightest groups of friends in FMS – was oddly absent.

Khushi Kumari Gupta.

Or Krazy Kinetic Gupta as Lavanya had hilariously named her, for being both ridiculously smart and extremely ambitious. To Akash, she was only thing that made FMS worth attending. He still remembered, how she swooped in and rescued him from a couple of seniors, hell bent on ragging him on the first day of class. And to this day, he didn't know what she said that made all of them turn a blind eye towards him.

From that moment on she became his savior – whether it was covering up his absences, or lending him her assignments, she was always just there. Akash often found himself wondering how on earth he managed to be friends with her or her childhood bestie, the quirky Lavanya. They were so different from him that it was practically a miracle they even got along.

While Khushi had many ambitions in life, Lavanya's only dreams were making it through the MBA program, so she could finally be free of her father's constant nagging. On the contrary, all that mattered to Akash was pursuing his passion for painting, which was inconveniently put on hold, courtesy to his family.

His thoughts, however, was suddenly interrupted by Lavanya. "Where the hell is Khushi? We were supposed to go shopping today... you know, to buy a dress for tomorrow. By the way, what color do you think she should wear? I was thinking pink, since she doesn't own anything in that. But-"

"Don't get you the hint?!" Akash hissed, irritated at her never-ending chatter. "I don't want to talk now!"

"Clearly I don't care what you want Akash. I am bored and I need entertainment."

"I swear Lavanya Kashyap, if you don't shut-up in the next two seconds, I will personally go and tell Anuj Chopra that you are into him and would die to date him."

Lavanya rolled her eyes. "Gosh Akash, stop being so dramatic! I couldn't care less what chipkoo Anuj thinks of me. Besides-"

"Miss Kashyap?" called Professor Mehra. "Your thoughts on the matter?"

Lavanya froze as all eyes in the room suddenly turned to her expectantly. "Ermmm... what?"

"You see Miss Kashyap," the Professor said coldly. "Paying attention in class is much more important than making it to class, which I know is a first for you. I hope this is the last time I have to see you act like a teenager."

And with that, he coolly resumed his lecture, mortifying Lavanya. It was only after the bell rang, signaling the end of class, did she talk again.