The Best Friend - Chapter 2

The need for boy friend was overcoming Dipti's thought process. She was never in topper, and strived to get across 60%. The sudden influence of Simi was evident in her pre boards, in which she managed to scrap through the pass line. This was significantly lower than expectations. Her friendship with Simi was questioned in home, and she looked upto Simi to help. Simi knew Anuj, one who topped in Maths. The subject which would hallucinate Dipti for ages. Anuj, like most guys was more or less into girls, but his intellectual excellence would give him an edge over the others. Simi arranged Dipti to get some lessons from Anuj. Even though hesitant in first place, she enjoyed Anuj's method of getting around problems. He would give each number a relationship of his own. He would use the numbers as friends , and his 10 friends helped him. These 10 friends were 10 numbers whom he used to talk to. No wonder diepti thought he was genius. He can make out the mistakes even before Dipti could try to do them. The exams were getting closer, and the friendship with Simmi getting very close. She would seek her notes from Simmi every now and then. She was not very confident types. Simmi sat with Dipti and told her," it requires each teacher to glance through your exam result sheets, dont worry about anything else. highlight the important words, and you might just strike gold."

The words which Simmi said would take Dipti a long way in future. Her mom was one figure who used to worry a lot about Diepti but that would be still a backlog since she used to worry a lot more about her daughter'a marriage. Sometimes she would go upto Diepti and say," Look , get good score , so that you can take science as a subject. Taking science as a subject would help you get through good college, and then you can find a boy for yourself. So please concentrate and get good marks in the board exams in couple of months". Diepti heard her mom for a while, paused and shyly said," So I should study more so that I can find a boy to marry me and you dont have to pay dowry. Is it all about my studies, this is where it boils down to mumma. Boys are found everywhere, they are roaming at all the places, there is no big deal to find a boy to marry," the conversation reflected a part of Simmi in Dipti'c conversation. She was herself not sure what she said or how she got courage to do it.
The exams were getting closer, the pressure was mounting.
Each passing day would Dipti get closer to Simmi, appreciating how well she manages everything. Sometimes she wanted to ask Simmi, if she also had same 24 hours as Diepti did. Then one day, when Diepti was smiling on her way back home after understanding the solution to a critical problem of Mathematics from new colleague-cum-tutor, Simmi asked her,"So, how is your English coming along, and social sciences". Diepti remained silent for sometime and then said,"I dont know. My mathematics is fine now. But then I completely forgot about other subjects.", and for no apparent reason both of them started laughing. When they regained normal sense, Simmi told Diepti, "we are in trouble as the subjects are not getting easy. Don't know why this class X is so important, all the world is after the life of my poor friend,"she satired. "As if you will pass just like that, and I only work hard".
Simi told, "the problem with you is you now think Anuj loves you, and you want to have him as your boyfriend", Diepti was taking her eyes off the conversation, but smiling. "Don't you understand you have years left, and in next 20 days you have your exams. These exams are going to be your test. You want to be an engineer, but thats fun. Boys are just a part of life, and dont get serious with anyone so soon. Have you seen Anuj, he is intelligent, will get a job and go to usa. If you want to be with Anuj, you will have to score good in each subject, else he will be in science, and you will be in arts." The words made smile disappear from Diepti's face, and she determined to work hard. The time was too less and the work demanded was too high