“Man, these sample papers have only added on to my stress,” Riya jerked away her book with disgust and disappointment. “You’ll have to help me with this chapter, dude. What is it with these 'Issue of Shares'? Why even do they need to issue shares, I swear? I just can’t figure out a way to go about it.”
"Our semester exams are in one month, and here I am! Helping you, huh? What am I getting in return?” Kirti smirked with a chocolate bar in her hand which she kept munching on whenever she felt out of breath.
“You’re getting out of hand now. What could be better than the opportunity to help your dear friend - the dearest, in fact?”
“We’re just wasting our time. Which question were you having a problem in?”
“Kirti?! Why are you always in such a hurry? I am seeing you after nearly a month; we haven’t talked for decades, but you never seem to care! What is wrong with you? Waste a little time; it is unhealthy to rush with bounded deadlines every time," she huffs, a breathy chuckle escaping her, "Don’t get me all preachy now. How have you been?”
Kirti lips upturn into a smile, and she took a bite of the chocolate. “I am good. But, really, shouldn't we get started with this, now? Don’t forget that our exams are going to be offline. I already have the sample paper solved. Just tell me about the question.” ...and score! she successfully dodged the subject.
“Haha! Of course, you have it solved. Topper,” Riya said, mocking her, “Look at question 17.”
“Oh, that? Love this question.” Kirti looked over the question and took a bite of the chocolate again. She was confident about the subject and the question. But she felt it coming again. Nonetheless, she smiled, disguising it with misplaced confidence.
“Remember the notes Mr Sen gave us in the first class of this chapter, there is a formula for this. Look over that once. When you solve it, the answer for part one will be 'A'.”
“Ah I see, formulae," she scoffs, "Okay, I’ll get a good look at those. And part two...?”
Kirti read the second part. She read it again, word by word with her fingers pointing at the words with precision as she read them out loud with confusion and horror. And, it was coming again. She bit the chocolate hoping that it would help. Her fingers started trembling as it moved over the words. She was losing it again, the words were starting to sound nonsensical.
“Are you okay? Your fingers are trembling.”
Kirti took a deep breath. “Uh…no. Trust me, it’s nothing. Just that, I solved this question just a few days ago. But…”
She kept aside her chocolate bar and started reading the problem again. Her trembling only worsened. She kept clenching and unclenching her left fist nervously, trying to defeat the tremor that was overtaking her will.
“What is it, Kirti? I am always there for you. You know that right? We don’t have to do this…”
Kirti took a deep breath. She took a breath again. And again. “It’s just calcium deficiency, trust me. I’ll start taking supplements. I am fine,” ...and score, again! She managed to excuse herself.
“Huh, okay...but, if you ever want something or feel like sharing something, please…please remember that I am just a call away.”
“I know Riya, thank you. You really are my dearest.”
“You know what, let’s just do this some other day. We are going to Starbucks. When did we last go on a date?”she asks, chuckling.
Kirti stared at her quivering fingers and they seemed to be shouting out loud for help, for some good relaxing relief. “Um- yes, okay, but let’s be back by an hour please. I don’t want to waste any time.”
“Okay, ma'am. Now replace that frown with a legit smile, please,” Riya jumped on to Kirti and gave a good long hug. “I hope your cal deficiency enjoyed this,”she said, managing to make Kirti laugh.