The Big Swap - Part 18

~EIGHTEEN~

A/N:

The subjects in IPCC are divided into Group 1 and Group 2. In each attempt, a student can write the exams to either only one Group or both.

If a student clears both Groups, naturally he passes.

If a student clears only Group 1, they can still start with their Articleship.

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"So did you hear from any of the firms?"

Vedant was having a tough time letting things sink in. He couldn't believe that this really was the result day, that he'd really run away from home, that he really was sitting next to Meera and she was actually, really opening up to him.

A month ago, scratch that, even a day ago he would've laughed if somebody would've told him this would happen.

Life and its unexpected turns.

"Yeah. I got into JKS. And you?" He replied.

She cracked up a grin at him, replying, "Same here."

Is this really happening?

Are Meera and I really going to article in the same firm?

"Wow." He laughed and she joined.

Vedant noted this time, her fidgeting had stopped. And then, her phone beeped. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and gazed at the phone screen. From the grin, her features contorted to a weird sort of tension.

"All okay Meera?" he queried gently.

"Results are out."

F**k.

His mind would have blanked out on a normal circumstance but then he noticed her almost assaulting her phone with repeated stabs with her thumb.

"What are you doing?" He asked with surprise.

"Checking my result. This stupid site just doesn't load!"

Vedant surprised himself when he let out a soft laugh.

Did I just LAUGH after the results have been declared?

"Don't kill your phone, let's use my laptop." He offered, as he unzipped his bag to retrieve it.

"Okay."

They had to wait for over fifteen minutes before the site finally opened.

"Do you want to go first?" Meera asked, now leaning in to get a view of the laptop screen. And Vedant could feel his heart hammering in his rib cage at her proximity.

Urgh, screw the hormones!

It's result day! Do my hormones not UNDERSTAND?

"No. Forgot the saying? Ladies go first?"

He actually had the honour of watching her roll her eyes at him and of course, once again he felt the splurge of adrenaline that he was feeling all morning, thanks to Meera. Or is this because of results?

Yeah. Maybe it's because of results.

He had had every intention of passing her the laptop, but she decided to lean in and type the required information before he could react. He could only gulp in response.

The circle on the tab rotated slowly as if enjoying all the suspense it was creating.

At last, after ages, the web page opened.

Vedant closed his eyes and passed the laptop to Meera instantly. "What's wrong?" she asked with surprise, and fear of course.

"I've intruded your privacy once. Don't want to do it again."

Her heart was beating crazily because of the tension for results, and she could feel the sweat trickling down her forehead and despite that, she smiled at his gesture, pulling the laptop towards herself and placing it on her lap. Meera let out a deep sigh and then, gazed into the screen. Accounts, Tax, IT, SM, blah blah blah...

Group 1 PASS

Group 2 PASS

For the first few seconds, she couldn't believe her eyes. So she reloaded the page and looked over the details again.

"Meera?" Vedant called gently when she didn't react for quite a long time.

"Meera is everything okay?"

"Mee-" "-Vedant I..." she cut, turning towards him.

He gasped, noting her eyes glisten.

Oh Goodness.

"It's okay Meera. I mean, you worked really hard right? And don't worry I'm pretty sure even I wouldn't hav-"

"-shut up Vedant."

"Huh?"

"I passed."

Vedant blinked, looking at the lone tear that slipped down her eye. And just as quickly, she rubbed at it with the back of her hand.

"Urgh. Why am I crying?" she mumbled to herself as more tears followed. "Stop it. Stop it." She snorted, her nose already red and filled up.

Vedant laughed and pulled her into a hug.

It took a total of one second for her arms to wrap around his torso as she cried, "I...I can't believe I..."

"Shhh. You did it." He whispered, quite surprisingly feeling proud of her.

He didn't recall the last time he'd felt this happy at someone else's success. Maybe when Vidisha topped school, but she was his own sister.

Meera was practically a stranger, and yet, he could feel his chest swell up with pride.

"I'm sorry your shirt's going to be soiled." She mumbled near his chest, and Vedant could only shake his head with mirth. "That's what's on your mind right now? Unbelievable."

He let his arms loosen around her when he realized just what he'd done, and what he'd said. She too let go of him and pulled back with restrain.

Vedant looked into her eyes for a reaction. This time, instead of guarding them, she smiled at him. And though she didn't say anything, he knew a lot of things had changed.

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"Your turn."

Vedant nodded softly, still quite alarmed at her puffy eyes and red nose.

Okay now Vedant, focus on your result.

He typed in his details and once again began the painful task of waiting for the stupid webpage to load. After a fairly long time, it finally opened.

Meera busied herself with tying her hair into a pony tail till Vedant was done. She wasn't worried about him failing. Even before Vedant and her came to talking terms, if she would've been asked to name the most deserving student from their coaching classes, she would've taken his name without even batting an eyelid. That instant however, she was more psyched about her own result. She'd just passed, with four marks than what was needed.

This was either her incredible luck or God really existed and understood what would've happened if she wouldn't have cleared this very time.

On cue, Namit Mehta's thought crossed her mind and she instantly cringed at the thought of all the family pressure she'd had have to endure with getting married to him if not for her result. Now, she could stand up to her Father. In fact, she would even had a stipend she could call her own.

Her thoughts had trailed off, but every part of her was aware of Vedant next to her. She was worried for him, even though he'd done something as horrible as reading her diary.

She didn't quite realize the exact moment she forgave him. Was it when he was gracious enough to let her go? Was it when he spontaneously admitted to have felt something for her? Was it when he earnestly apologized? Or when he didn't judge her even after reading the circumstances she'd grown up in?

Maybe all of it combined.

But she knew she'd forgiven him.

She could still feel the sensation of his arms around her. The hug had been so impromptu on his part, and hers too. Nothing in the past that she could recall had ever felt so right. That was what was alarming. Hugging Vedant had felt so normal, so natural, so comforting. As if it was something they did every so often, like....like breathing.

And to think Vedant was nothing but a stranger.

Suddenly, she seemed to notice the silence that had ensued between them. It was normal for her to not speak much, but Vedant?

"Vedant..." she called gently, trying to keep her voice as neutral as possible.

He already had an overbearing family to deal with and she sure as hell didn't want to add to his worries with a tone full of expectations.

He turned towards her, his lips pulled up but sad, so sad she didn't need him to say anything. And to her complete surprise, he actually didn't utter a word, just shrugged, passing her the laptop.

This can't be! She told herself.

How can I clear but not him?

She gazed at the result with shock. His overall total was fifteen marks more than hers. He had two exemptions. He'd cleared Group 2 single handedly but he'd failed in Tax; by just two marks.

This is so unfair!

She didn't know how to react or what to say.

Vedant had done way better than her, in every subject. Except Tax.

She heard a deep sigh next to her and instantly turned towards Vedant, he looked like he was thinking of something very deeply or more like preparing himself for something.

"Do you...do you want to send your Tax paper for revaluation?" Meera asked tenderly.

He simply shook his head. Neither of the two spoke a thing. And honestly, she was in no hurry to leave him. She just couldn't.

"You can carry on you know? I just need some more time to myself before I deal with my parents."

Even the thought of leaving him alone in a state like this made her stomach flip in a way she'd never experienced. And before she could subdue her emotions, she was shaking her head vehemently with a no.

He looked quite confused for a second, as he pried, "Why?"

She could only sigh in response. "I can't." And then after a pause, "I don't want to."

... continued The Big Swap - Part 19