Cross Connection

By Preety Praveen

To accomplish the dreams of her parents, Simar, a girl from Punjab, lands up in Tamilnadu to complete her degree in dentistry. But fate had written a different story for her. Struggling to survive in a new world, she meets the love of her life, Naveen, a boy from Kerala. Smiling in the world of their love, they weave a beautiful life around thei

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
• Release date: Jan 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9789389888775

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Simar was preparing for her 12th board exams and was tensed to the core. It wasn’t that she had not studied for the exams instead she was worried what if she won’t be able to score good, then what? She had never wanted to take science. She was a creative person, a good badminton player and a very good dancer. She wanted to pursue one of her interests, but her parents had always dreamt of seeing her as a doctor.

In 90s, it was a trend among the Indian parents to push their kids for either becoming a doctor or an engineer. There was no other profession which could stand in the top list while selecting a bright career. And Simar knew she was already being pushed in the race and was soon going to become a victim of that mindset.

She was lost in her thoughts when Amar carne and while keeping tea on the table, worriedly asked, Simar, what happened? Where are you lost? Simar looked at Amar and politely said, Nothing Maa. I was just thinking about the exams only. Amar smiled and patted on her head and said, Don’t take tension. You are intelligent and we know that you will crack the entrance in the first go itself. You’ve studied so hard and it’ll surely reflect in your mark list.

Simar smiled feebly and looked at Amar and replied, I hope I’ll be able to do so but maa, what if...? Before Simar could complete her sentence, Amar pounced on her, What what if? Study properly instead of thinking about other unwanted things. If other kids can pass, you can also, right? and without waiting for Simar’s reply, she left the room closing the door with a bang.

Simar looked at the closed door with blank teary eyes. She wanted to run out and scream, I might clear the medical entrance but that is not what I want to do. I’ve a big list of my dreams. Let me pursue them instead. But she sat on her chair glued, listening to her own heartbeat in her throat.

Simar had enjoyed a pampered childhood and had always lived a luxurious life. Kamal and Amar had given her everything that she had wished for. She was the eye candy of the whole family; beautiful, smart, sensible, intelligent and a big prankster. Simar never knew that as she would grow, things would change and start revolving only around her studies. It’s not that she didn’t want to study, the thing was that she didn’t have any inclination towards science. But as she loved and respected her parents to the core, she chose to live their dream.

As the exam days were approaching, she couldn’t sleep or concentrate properly. She didn’t want to put her parents down in front of her relatives. Her cousin, Sweety was also appearing for the entrance and Simar knew that that it was going to be a tough fight. She felt bad while thinking Sweety as her competition. Being agemates, they had always shared everything with each other; their gossip stories, their teenage doubts, their crush stories, their dreams. But today, suddenly they both felt uncomfortable running in the same race.

It was dinner time and Simar was helping Amar in the kitchen. Kamal and Raja had gone out for some shopping. While making chapatis, Amar asked, Simar, did you check when is the result coming? I think it would be out very soon. Really excited and tensed. Simar was going to answer her when the doorbell rang. As she opened the door, Raja ran towards the kitchen and said in a loud voice, Tomorrow Simar’s result is coming. We checked. Oh my god! Finally, the day has come.

Amar screamed in joy while Simar froze for a second. She took the plates and went in the dining hall. Raja went behind her and said, Be ready for tomorrow. Simar looked at him in anger and said, I know what I’ve to do. You enjoy your food. Kamal came and stopped their fight. Later, Kamal and Amar kept on talking about medical colleges, their fee structures and admission formalities. Their excitement made Simar nervous... thinking... what if...???

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CHAPTER - 1

Simar had no clue how to react. What she wanted was finally happening but still there was something which was holding her back. She had opted for Medicine just to make her parents happy. She cleared the entrance but couldn’t get admission in any of the good colleges in Punjab. But as her parents were ready to take any step to see her as a doctor, they agreed to send her to Salem, where she got admission by giving donation.

Simar had not stayed alone even for a day in her life and now she was getting ready for a new life in a whole new world. With a heavy heart, for the last time, she arranged her room, the one which she owned fully and where no one was allowed without her permission. She wanted to just unpack everything, close the door and hide somewhere. Struggling with apprehensions, she said goodbye to everything that was close to her heart.

Simar and Kamal arrived at the railway station in Delhi, where Mr. Sharma had agreed to meet them and the other students. Mr. Sharma was the agent who had arranged admissions for the desperate students, who at any cost wanted to do Medicine or Management Course and for the desperate parents, like Simar’s, who had no dream other than seeing their child as a successful doctor. The thought of going to a new place and meeting new people made Simar tensed and nervous. Kamal, unaware of her emotions, was impatiently waiting for Mr. Sharma.

After an hour, they finally saw Mr. Sharma walking towards them along with a group of people. There were five aspiring professionals in the group — Nitin, Sandeep, Roop, Harjeet and Inder. Soon after the formal introduction, all of them started talking as if they had known each other for years. Two days’ journey in the train was no less than a vacation. They reached Salem early morning around 3:00 a.m. Their eyes were full of dreams, hearts were excited, but the brains were confused. The railway station was silent, and it was drizzling. The cold wind gave chills to everyone.

Like others, Simar and Kamal sat in an auto rickshaw and drove towards Four Roads, which was near the old bus stand of Salem. Quietly, Simar observed the empty roads. She wanted to see the place where she was going to spend the next few years of her life. After reaching the lodge, everyone went into their respective rooms. They wanted to take rest as the next morning all of them had to get up early to go for their final admission. Kamal couldn’t sleep properly and got up early. He went out of his room and met Mr. Sharma to discuss about the admission procedure. When he came back, he saw that Simar was already up. She had seen Kamal going out and could feel his tension. She looked straight into the eyes of her father as if pleading not to leave her alone in Salem.

Kamal walked close to her and hugged her. While caressing her head, he said, Simar, now there’s no looking back. I’ve arranged everything and it’s for your good. Don’t worry. And I know you are a very strong girl. Simar looked at him and said, But papa, I am really scared. I don’t know anyone and anything about this place. Kamal held her shoulders and said, You are my daughter and I’ve full faith in you. I know you’ll finish your degree and come back home as a doctor. They both looked at each other for a while and Simar’s tears finally gave way to confidence. She promised that she would be strong and fulfil her parents’ dream.

The others also got ready and met at the restaurant. Simar ordered másala dosa and for the first time relished the real South Indian flavour. She had eaten South Indian food in Patiala, but this taste was entirely different. It was much tastier. While eating, Simar saw Roop looking at Inder with admiration. Inder, who was tall, fair and handsome, had enough charm to attract any girl. Roop blushed when she saw Simar looking at her with a naughty smile. Inder and Harjeet both liked Simar because of her typical Punjabi beauty and her straightforward nature. They had observed in the train and had understood that Simar was a girl who had the guts to speak her mind, and that too sensibly.

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Simar was lost in her own thoughts, struggling hard to convince herself that she had no other choice but to stay in Salem for the next five years. As Simar was entering the college campus, she could feel her heartbeat in her gut. The campus was huge and there was construction work going on. Mr. Sharma took all the parents inside the office. Sandeep seemed to be very excited and kept on pacing in the waiting area. Harjeet got up, caught him by the shoulders and said, Oh! Can you please honour that chair with the soft touch of your butt? Poor thing is waiting for you since so long. Everyone burst into laughter. Sandeep also laughed and said, Why not, why not! And why only the chair, I can please your lap also, if you want. All of them forgot their tension and started cracking jokes at each other. After an hour, Mr. Sharma started calling them inside one-by-one.

When Simar entered the office, she saw Kamal sitting in front of a man, who was middle-aged, half-bald, wearing spectacles which were halfway falling on his nose. Kamal looked at Simar and asked her to come and sit next to him. Simar could see the tension on Kamal’s face. She slowly took the seat next to him. He put his hand on her shoulder and said, Simar, they don’t have any seats left for MBBS. The last one they had, they gave to Inder. Now, if you are fine, they can give you admission in BDS. And I think that’s not a bad option. A tear rolled down Simar’s cheek. Without uttering a word, she nodded her head and gave her consent for something which she had not even thought of.

Inder got admission in MBBS, while Roop, Sandeep and Simar in BDS, and Harjeet and Nitin in MBA. On the outskirts of Salem, Sri Sanapathi Group had opened colleges for different professional streams. The campus was still under construction and there was no hostel facility available. All the students had taken accommodation, mainly in the Five Roads area. Some opted for private hostels while others made groups and rented small houses. Simar didn’t like the girls’ hostel suggested by Mr. Sharma. Kamal spoke to Roop’s father and found a small house for both. The boys also took a house nearby as they also didn’t like any of the hostels.

Kamal and Harpal stayed with both the girls for a week and once they were satisfied that they had arranged everything for the girls, they decided to leave. The college was yet to start in a week’s time but as there was nothing more to do, they left. At the railway station, Simar cried continuously. Inder and Harjeet had come to send Kamal and Harpal off. More than being sad, Roop was happy to see Inder at the station. She had no clue that both the boys were there not for her, but for Simar. It was Simar whom they wanted to impress. However, Simar had no clue about it, or even the mind to think of anything else except pleading silently to her father to take her back with him. After sending them off, the group decided to walk back to their hostels. On the way, Harjeet gave Simar a pack of chocolates. Simar thought that he was just trying to distract her mind, but there was something else going on in his heart, which he wanted to convey to her. She gave him a smile and took the chocolates. But she didn’t speak anything to anyone.

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CHAPTER - 2

Simar and Roop took a bus to go to college. The bus was overloaded, mainly with students. Simar was scared to death of standing in the bus. She couldn’t breathe properly. With tears in her eyes, she remembered her luxurious life in Patiala. She had everything one could wish for. And today she was standing here in an overcrowded bus with unknown people. When her campus came, many students got down. She and Roop were walking like some lost souls, as they didn’t know where their class was and on top of that, they feared the seniors who were waiting for freshers like vultures.

Sumeet, a second year north Indian senior, was sitting near the stairs with a group of seniors. He stopped them and asked, Freshers! What are your names?

I’m Roop and she is Simar, replied Roop. He suddenly got up and stood in front of Simar and said in an angry tone, She can’t speak or what? Tell your name! Simar was trembling from inside and outside. But she gathered courage and answered softly, Sir, my name is Simar. All the seniors burst into laughter. What? Summer? Sangeeta, a third year senior asked. No Ma’am! I am Simar, replied Simar in a trembling tone. They all again started laughing loudly. Both the girls got so scared that they ran from there without even knowing where they had to go.

When they reached their class, they saw students standing like statues, girls on the right side and boys on the left. When they looked towards the blackboard, they saw seniors standing in an attacking mode. They stood at the door waiting for permission to enter the class. One senior pointed at them and said, Come in beauties! Guys, welcome the celebrity cream of the first year. They quietly went and stood along with the other girls. One huge-built senior started talking, Listen all of you. Being freshers, you all must introduce yourselves to us. If any of your seniors ask you to do anything, better behave and obey and...

Suraj, what are you all doing here? interrupted an old professor, who came and stood near the podium. Suraj and the other seniors smiled and without saying anything, went out of the class. Brahma sir, who had just saved the lives of the freshers, smiled and asked all of them to sit and relax.

The whole day not even a single student went out of the class. They were all afraid of getting caught by the seniors. But at the end of the day, they had to go out. And yes, the seniors were waiting to enjoy another round of fun and give a dose of torture to the freshers. Again, a scary round of introduction took place. These series of introductions broke Simar emotionally. Actually, seniors were just having fun with the freshers but Simar, who was not in a stable mind, couldn’t take all that in a funny spirit or think with a light mind.

She called her parents daily and begged them if she could just take the next train and come back. But nothing worked out in Simar’s favour. It’s not that her parents were unaware of her struggle, but they had no choice other than pretending to be strong and giving courage to Simar. Their money and her career were at stake. So they tried their best to convince her and themselves. She was happy meeting new friends and getting new experiences, but it was the ragging that was killing her.

Harjeet and Inder used to come and see Simar