The Velvet Morning : Chapter One - The Law of Apathy

The Law of Apathy

“ Abhi, look at her”- Binay poked Abhinav to drive his attention from the plate of Samosa towards a girl who made her way through the college entrance.

“Isn’t she something out of this world? Pristine ehhh and elegant…” He continued. Then took his eyes off the aisle through the gate, put his right hand on the chin to scratch his beard so as to conceal his opinion, then gave witty look to Abhinav and with a smirk on the face he said- “I feel like you two could make a perfect couple “

Abhinav, took a fine section of samosa in his hand, and replied with an irksome attitude – “ try such cheap cracks on other people “ . He took the piece into the mouth and spoke along chewing “ that girl is a dejected piece of shit.”

An ash-gray pant, perfectly creased cream color shirt, a maroon color college-tie around the collar and a black converse as footwear is the characteristic college get up of Rashmi, about whom Binay was gesticulating emphatically. Her fair complexion face glowed in the beam of light and her pitch-black hair, ponytailed, rippled in the morning breeze as she walked past the canteen.

She did not dare to twist her head to an angle though she could clearly make out that guys in the canteen were gossiping about her. Undoubtedly, Rashmi was the most beautiful girl in the freshmen class of Business Administration in Kasthamandup College. She had every right to exhibit an arrogant attitude to worthless loafers of the college. Rashmi, nonchalantly moved past her colleagues standing on the college porch and went straight for the staircase to the class.

Kasthamandup College is a renowned business college in the city of Kasthamandup. The five storied building owned by the college, painted in burgundy theme, had the façade on the south and it rather looked like one of the malls in the city. The college entrance led to an aisle with the beautiful garden on both the sides. The college cafeteria was on the right to the college entrance next to the water fountain in the garden. The whole college garden looked like a little park. Sporting zone was on the north to the building. It included a basketball court, 4 table tennis boards, and a volleyball court. The small house to the east of the college building was the security guards’ quarter and the house to the west was a maintenance arena.

Abhinav belonged to a middle-class family. Both his parents were the government officers. They always wanted him to be an engineer but engineering stuff did not quite connect to him. He always wanted to be a basketball player. Fate dragged him to study business to the very college his best buddy Binay got admitted. He was not destined for engineering degree but he was obviously carving several ways to engineer his basketball skills in the college from the very first day. He was the most happening guy in the college. Boasting the height of 5’10”, a muscular body and amazing basketball skills, he represented his college in the intercollege basketball tournament just the next month he got admitted. Everyone in the college adored Abhinav for his charm. He was already in a limelight.

The second week in the college, Abhinav was scribbling an artwork in his account copy. Insanely, out of nowhere, he tore the whole thing. In another moment his creation was crushed in his right palm. He set the target on the dustbin lying at left top corner of the class, just next to the class door and in a good projectile; he tossed the paper ball from the right bottom corner of the class. The paper ball swirled across the room but it took the final path towards the door. It hit on the nasal bridge of a girl who was just about to step inside. An instant contact was enough to stimulate reflex that caused her to sneeze.

Abhinav, apologetically shouted-“ Are you hurt ?...Sorry “ But without any gruesome response she went for her seat at second column on the third row. That was the first bizarre rendezvous of Abhinav with Rashmi.

He would soon discover her to be atypical girl in the whole college. He onward believed that Rashmi was abiding by the law of apathy.