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The Mush Register

Udeep

I took the IIT-JEE due to pressure from my parents. For the most part of the three-hour exam, I twiddled my thumbs. Seated before me was another victim of parental coercion. She exhibited her irritation when the invigilator refused to collect her answer sheet. It could be turned in only after two hours, and this girl was hoping to flee the place in 45 minutes! With nothing useful to do, I pictured IIT's doors slamming shut on her face. There was no way I could get in through those doors either. However, thanks to my sterling performance in the higher secondary exam, I had a list of colleges to consider studying in. Friends raised their eyebrows when I said `no' to BITS, Pilani, and chose an engineering college in suburban Chennai. Call it coincidence or destiny, the girl I had seen at the exam hall walked into the classroom.

Anita

The exam seemed interminable and though I had all the time in the world, I hadn't caught a glimpse of him. So, when we went to the same college, I naturally did not recognise his face. On a few occasions, we travelled on the same college bus, he came across as withdrawn, even a bit glum. During one journey, some seniors picked on me. Their demand — I had to propose to a guy and get a reply from him. Of all the boys, he was singled out. "What if he snaps at me? Please choose someone else," I pleaded. As they stood their ground, I had to walk up to this stranger and whisper, "I love you. What do you say?" When his response was a bewildered, blank look, I added, "They want your reply!" He understood what was happening and said, "It's not a bad proposition. But I'll reply tomorrow!" The condescending tone in his voice irked me, but I was also impressed with the response. The next day, I pressed for an answer in jest. He smiled cryptically and walked away.

AS TOLD TO PRINCE FREDERICK

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