Aarav's Morning and Conversation with His Mother
It was 6:30 in the morning.
With the ticking clock and soft sunlight filling the room, Aarav opened his eyes. He got up slowly and walked to the balcony, where a cool breeze was blowing and the sky was painted in golden hues.
In his hand was a cup of tea, which his mother had placed on the table.
Aarav (thinking to himself):
"Today is the first test. All the hard work I've put in… will it be enough?"
He walked into his mother's room. She was arranging the prayer plate.
Mother (smiling):
"Son, your exam is today, right? First, offer your prayers to God. Everything will be fine."
Aarav (bowing his head):
"Yes, Mom… just need your blessings."
Mother (affectionately):
"My blessings are always with you. And listen, don't panic during the exam. Write what you know first. And if you don't remember something, just stay calm. Don't write anything in a rush."
Aarav:
"Okay, Mom. I'm leaving now."
He touched her feet, picked up his bag, and stepped outside.
---
At the College Gate – Meeting Friends
There was a low hum of chatter near the college gate.
Students were gathered in groups, doing last-minute revisions. Some were flipping through notes, others were pacing nervously.
Kanika, Priya, Bhavya, Meera, and Megha stood together in one corner.
Kanika (quickly flipping notes):
"Let's go over the Unit 2 formula from Business Maths again—I don't want to forget it!"
Priya (taking her notes):
"Here it is. But calm down, Kanika. Everything will be okay."
Bhavya (with a light smile):
"Even if you forget something, don't worry… I'll distract the invigilator for you!"
Meera:
"You should definitely try stand-up comedy."
Just then, Aarav arrived—bag slung over one shoulder, trying to appear confident.
Meera:
"Look who's finally here! How's our hero doing?"
Aarav (laughing):
"Not a hero today—feels more like a villain with all this fear."
Megha (smiling):
"We're all in this together. No need to fear! This time, we're aiming to be the topper gang!"
---
First Exam — Hindi
Time: 8:30 AM
In the exam hall, the ticking of the clock seemed synced with every heartbeat.
Papers were placed on the desk — Subject: Hindi
The question paper included: Poem interpretation, prose comprehension, essay writing, and literary period questions.
Aarav (thinking):
"I need to start strong. If this paper goes well, it'll boost my confidence for the rest."
Priya:
Was writing swiftly, her pen flowing without pause.
Kanika:
Paused for a moment on the first page, then slowly began to write.
Bhavya:
Was confident at her own pace. The essay topic was "The New Education Policy and the Youth."
Meera:
Was deeply immersed in poem interpretation—writing each word with understanding.
Megha:
Her favorite topic came up — "Importance of the National Language." She poured her heart into the essay.
Once the paper ended, they exchanged looks and gentle smiles.
---
Fun and Talk in the Canteen
Time: 11:15 AM
After the paper, everyone was in the canteen — a little tired, but relieved.
Kanika:
"That literary period question came out of nowhere!"
Meera:
"But how did you manage to write it?"
Kanika:
"Just twisted whatever I could recall and wrote it down."
Bhavya:
"I even added some extra lines in the poem explanation… maybe the teacher gets impressed."
Megha:
"The main point is — don't leave blanks."
Aarav:
"The paper went well… but tomorrow is English!"
Priya:
"Let's go to the library this evening. We need to revise grammar and essay topics. No time to waste."
---
Group Study in the Library
Time: 4:00 PM — College Library
Everyone had opened their books and notebooks in the library.
Meera (frustrated with English grammar):
"Why are there so many types of tenses?"
Priya (explaining):
"In Past Perfect, we use 'had + V3,' Meera. Don't get confused."
Kanika:
"I'm done with direct-indirect speech. Any shortcut?"
Aarav:
"There's no shortcut, just logic — understand it. If you memorize it blindly, you'll forget."
Bhavya:
"About that essay topic, 'My Role Model' — has everyone prepared their points?"
Megha:
"Yes, I wrote about Mother Teresa. What about you?"
Aarav:
"I've got my points ready on Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam."
Priya (looking at Aarav):
"You've become quite mature lately, Aarav… in studies and in the way you speak."
Aarav:
"When life gives you a second chance… repeating the same mistakes is a sin."
---
Night Prep and Messages
Time: 9:00 PM
Everyone was at their respective homes.
Books were open under lamp light, and mind maps had been made.
Priya messaged in the group:
"Good luck everyone! Remember, hard work never fails."
Meera:
"Let's sleep now, or our brains won't work tomorrow."
Kanika:
"I'll just glance over the essay topics once more, then sleep."
Aarav:
"Tomorrow will be our day. No fear, no stopping. Good Night everyone."
---
(Chapter 23 Ends)