"Bhai, I'll go to the orientation session for students. Meanwhile you get done with the form filling thing. Second building, ground floor. I'll be back soon. Take this", Shivina said handing over the documents folder to Ram.

Ram nodded. Oblivious to the surrounding, his eyes stuck on the bench around the tree. During his college days, he'd often sit there with his friends, Vedika. Sometimes, just with Vedika. Their endless talks. Their promises. Their memories. Them.

Anxiety attacked Ram.

He felt belonged yet out of the place. Firstly because he never visited any college after completing his education. Everything around appeared same yet different. College and life there seemed to be changing faster. Just like people in his life.

On top of that, it was the same place he met Vedika, fell in love with her, proposed her and their happy together. Every corner bought memories back, which he promised to preserve and live with his entire life.

Secondly, he didn't have his friends around who always did all such activities on his behalf. He had no idea about the process nor the documents nor the forms.

Brushing everything aside, he reached the admission section. He looked around. There was a long queue at the submission counter. There were parents working on forms and documents, chatting with other parents. Few of them were accompanied by their elder or younger child, helping them with it.

Comparing himself with them, no where he felt like Shivina's sibling.

He reached his pocket. Pills for his rescue. These days he was consuming them literally in every discomforting, stressful situations.

Only if he knew or had experienced that age or blood hardly matters.

For the fact, seeing Shivi-Shubu playing, fighting, growing together, the insignificant age gap between Ram and his siblings, felt like a generation gap to him.

He had felt this earlier. He felt it now too.

****

Admist all the chaos in his mind and around, he spotted someone. She sat on the bench in corner alone, wearing a simple kurti, her hair tied into a ponytail on one side.

She looked simple, serene and confident.

Unlike most of the people in room, she seemed to be clear on what exactly needs to be done. She was neither too old nor too young, just like him. Ram thought it's easy to approach her than other elderly people.

He went towards her. "Hey, Hi. Do you mind if I sit here?", he asked already making place for himself. Priya remained unbothered.

"Actually, I was pretty nervous with forms and all. Haven't done this before. Also, I have no one to help me, not even Adi. So I thought you'd be great help".

She scowled at him. Ram didn't notice and continued to explained himself for few more minutes.

"So where do we start from?", he asked eagerly. He turned towards her only to noticed her glare. He stopped himself from talking any further.

Taking a deep breath he said, "Look, I'm sorry for coming out of nowhere and babbling. The thing is I'm here for my sister's admission and I literally have no idea about anything. It'll be really great if you could help me out with this. Please!!"

Hearing about his sister, Priya couldn't refuse to help. Afterall, he was just like her. "Give me the form, I'll explain you", she said asking for the form.

Ram looked at her hand cluelessly.

"Oh! I didn't know I was supposed to get the form too. Give me 5 mins. Just tell me from where to get it", he justified.

Priya stopped him. She handed him the extra copies she carried. She explained him about the forms to be filled and documents to be attached.

Ram was confused yet he pretended to gasp everything she said.

He took the form and realized not carrying pen with him. But, he didn't want to give her an impression of being careless again so he came up with an excuse.

"Arey, Pen toh Shivi ke paas hi reh gaya. Just keep eye on the documents and I'll be back."

This baffled her. First, he didn't know about the form. Second, he didn't bring pen. Third, he was leaving all important documents with her. She sighed.

Again, she passed the extra pen she had. Smiling embarrassingly, he took the pen.

Two minutes passed, he was still flipping through the pages, scared to ask anything again.

He was thinking and rethinking on what to ask and how to ask, making it less stupid. But by then she was done. She stapled the papes and left.

Trying to recalling what she said he got all the documents out from the folder creating more mess, and hence more confusion. He smacked his head.

****

Priya was heading towards the counter with Akshay when she realized forgetting her pen.

She went near the bench. Shivina was back, standing right in front of Ram, blocking her view. She asked if he was done as the queue is really long.

"I'm trying but this very confusing. I mean, see this.." showing the form he continued, "they have written name. But what exactly. Is it Firstname first or Lastname first. See this here..." He continued with few more doubts.

"What if dad was still alive? Things would have been different. Just like few months back. He would have managed everything just like he did for you and Shubu. You would have attended meeting without any rush."

He remained silent.

Priya was taken aback. She didn't expect this about this goofy, chattery man.

Despite being worried he was one of most lively person amongst all people in the room. And she couldn't deny.

All her life Priya was deprived of her father's love yet she exactly knew what it felt like to be left on oneself.

For a brief moment, she saw herself in him. Years back doing all this alone for herself.

Suddenly, she felt responsible for leaving him unattended.

Acting on impulse, she went towards them, kept her bag and sat beside him.

Turning to shivina she said, "This is my brother Akshay. You both join the queue while we get your form ready."

Shivina confusingly glanced at Ram and he nodded in approval.

Priya took the form and the pen from his hand. He tried to thank her, "Thank you for..." "It's okay. Name??", she cut in.

"Ram!!", he said with a smile.

He realized she was talking about Shivina and immediately said, "I mean Shivina. Shivina Virendra Kapoor."

Soon, they were done filling the forms and she asked for the documents. He handed the bunch.

It freaked her out but she knew he was doing this for the first time so she tried to be patient with him.

"I mean the Xerox copies, not the original", she clarified.

And as expected, neither he nor Shivina got the copies.

"Let's go. There's a Xerox center in the campus", she said and he followed her.

****

Walking together, they reach the Xerox center.

The Xerox centre was a small place. It had three copy machines with two people managing it simultaneously. It was crowded than usual due to the on going admissions.

There were two windows sufficiently large for people to exchange the paper. Yet on the busy days like today, people jammed both the windows.

She had the documents so she continued walking to the window when Ram held her in hasty and said, "Ruko, I'll go", and took the papers.

Hearing this, Priya got furious. She stood in his way and asked in elevated voice, "Why? Why can't I go? Because it's crowded you think I can't."

With her sudden arrival, Ram was stunned.

It took a moment to comprehend what had happened. He eased up and said, "When I said I'll do it, I didn't mean that you can't. All I meant was you don't have to."

She couldn't protest further. She was awestruck.

She was lost in that moment. She watched him walking away and continued to stare heedlessly.

Nobody has said this to her. Ever.

Everyone she knew was dependent on her by some or the other way. Either emotionally, financially, professionally or something else.

All her life, she was on her own. And now this stranger, she met few hours back, is offering to do something for her.

Even the smallest thing he did meant a lot to her.

"Chale?", he said snapping fingers to get her attention.

****

"Shivi's legs must be hurting. I should hurry up!!", he muttered.

Priya was in awe again.

How can someone care so much? Even he's tired. He's running around for her. He got a meeting after this. Yet he's thinking about her.

"Would Neeraj care for me just like Ram? Was I too quick to make decision? Am I letting my fears, inhibitions overpower my life??", she pondered over her decision.

"Bas Priya. Ab chup hoja. Don't overthink. Get this done and go back home. No Ram. No Neeraj. No shaadi", she thought to herself.

They reached the admission section. She sat on the bench. He handed her the copies from his backpack.

"Are ha!! Have this. I got this from the Xerox centre. I'll give it to them too", he said giving her a frooty. "In fact I'll send them back and stand there. Meanwhile you do this."

Every gesture of Ram surprised Priya.

"Just three And!? And what about you? Aren't you hungry? Tired?", she asked.

"Not at all. Actually, I had heavy breakfast, so I'm not hungry. You guys have this." She caught the classic excuse he came up with, the one she usually made to avoid hanging out in canteen during college days.

"Have these sandwiches. In sometime, all of us would return back expect you. You have a meeting to attend. It's a long day ahead. So please, while I'm attaching the copies, eat it.", she persuaded.

She forcibly made him sit and gave him the lunch box which Meera slided into her bag despite her refusal.

Strangely, it didn't feel like they were meeting for the first time. It felt like they knew each other long back.

He had no other choice but to obey.

Honestly, nobody has hardly bothered about anything related to him except a handful of people, who were not with him now. It was nice even to be ordered by a stranger.

While eating, he couldn't stop but steal glances at her. He watched her mindfully.

She was checking the list of documents, finding it in the bunch of copies and attaching it. In between, she would tuck the stubborn tresses over her face which come back over again.

And after days, he was at peace. Thoughtless, living in the moment, laughing with heart.