‘Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies.’ I read that board firmly, I finally made it. A year of preparations, two different coaching classes, six hours of practice every day after a full time job, make it eighteen hours for weekends, fifty mock tests, all for a stupid exams called CAT and at the end, your name that is – ‘Ankur Mehra’ appears on a list leaving behind over fifty thousand applicants.

I took a long breath and walked inside the gate. There was a sudden adrenaline rush in my body, I was actually back to college after working as a Mechanical engineer for five years. I still remember the day when I had written the last paper of my engineering. When my friends waited at the college grounds congratulating and celebrating the occasion, I had ran straight to my hostel room, took out my all notes from the study table and burnt them. Yeah! I didn’t burnt books only to sell them in the evening to buy a bottle of Blender’s Pride. I had been cynical about my studies to that level but then what actually kept me going over the years? Well… that’s not a secret anyway. Perhaps the biggest truth of my life- Alisha Singh.

Anybody who knew me for more than an hour would have known her, she was all over me. She was my first crush … well no… that was Divya Bharti, I guess. Anyway, moving on. Alisha was my first crush in college, then my first girlfriend, my first love, my first true love, my first kiss, well my first smooch to be precise, my first sex and lastly my first and only blowjob of my life. I met on the first day of her college, I was a year senior to her though I flunked in maths that semester and became her batch mate. However we never actually ended up in the same class ever.

Even though, she was admitted to Mechanical engineer but then she soon realized that she would be the only in the class from next year. Hence, she just changed her stream to IT at the end of first year and my all planning to be her first friend in new class were shattered. Yet, I didn’t lose any hope and after a wait of another one and half year, I finally took her for a date and how did I manage do that was itself a heroic feat which not only me but my whole Mechanical department is proud of.

You see, after few unsuccessful attempts in the third semester of her college, I came to know that she was already dating the topper of IT. So when, when they broke up after next semester after her boyfriend CGPA fell to some 8.9, he thought to concentrate on studies. Anyway, Alisha was always high on maintenance. I didn’t wait a moment after the news of her break up reached my ears, I headed straight to her class and after the lecture when she came outside, I proposed her.

‘Alisha!’ I called her name as she passed me.

She didn’t notice me.

‘Alisha!’ I called harder and this time not only she but her whole class turned at me.

‘What?’ She asked.

‘I want to say something.’ I said.

‘You see, I generally don’t talk to wannabes but then looking at your desperate face, I know I am to be proposed once again. So, in order to save embarrassments for both of us, I will just make it clear that I either date a rich or a topper, no compromise.’

I was taken aback on her point blank reply. I wondered what to say her, I hadn’t paid my three months hostel bills and you already know about my academics. Anyway, she too didn’t wait for my reply and started walking with her gang. A hysterical laugh floated among the onlookers there as she was leaving. Well, I wasn’t just embarrassed but felt simply ashamed of what just happened.

‘Alisha, what if I top next semester?’ I screamed at her.

She stopped and snapped at me. ‘Dude! We will kiss on our first date then.’

***

Six months later, there was a huge crowd outside the mechanical department as the result was to be declared and the only thing the crowd wanted to know that if Ankur Mehra was at the top of the list. And yes! It was there. I made history not by topping the class but for the first ever, a mechanical guy was going on a date and that also with the hottest girl in the college.

I would be lying if I say, it was all my efforts. Perhaps, my whole department contributed in my success. That day outside that IT classroom, it wasn’t just a Mechanical was insulted but the shame came to our whole department and hence, everyone took part in the challenge to prove that Mechanical students are not meant to be fucked by those lathe machines in our workshop but we can to have the fuck in reality too. Every person in my department helped, the first benchers shared their notes while the last benchers gave me their books which was anyway never touched. When it was a tradition in hostel that juniors wrote seniors’ assignments, my seniors had completed most my assignments. Even the guy at the stationery store of our college finished the binding of my sheets first even if they reached last. I never had to worry for my attendance in class, if I missed any class, my class mates happily gave proxy so that I don’t miss on term work marks based on attendance. Even the lab assistant took a special care that my workshop job was beyond perfect. Lastly, how can I forget the special class of Thermodynamics just a day before the exam by my professor since I was weak in that subject? Though I am not sure about this fact but then some say that the previous topper of my class purposely left two question just in case…

Anyway, Alisha kept her words. I didn’t even have to reach her. I soon received message on my cell about the details of the venue of our date.

Lakhme Rose Cherry lip gloss taste like neither rose nor cherry.