Page 181 - The World's Best Boyfriend

‘I would like to believe you, Mr Gupta. We all thought Aranya was a sincere
student. Her indiscipline has shocked us too. The economic loss, the hit to the
research, the spoilt machine notwithstanding it’s saddening for a professor to see

a good student waste his or her life by mixing with the wrong people. I believe
she has been spending a lot of time with that professor—’
‘Which professor?’

‘Prof. Raghuvir. The professor was expelled after a disciplinary meeting. But
also ask her to not associate with that boy from her class. He was caught
cheating in the mid-semester examinations. And yet—’

‘Boy?’ Her father looked at Aranya.
‘Who was that boy who got suspended from the mid-semester examinations?’
Prof. Mitra asked the peon. ‘Oh yes, Dhruv, that’s the boy’s name.’

The father’s eyes were still on Aranya. ‘Sir, I assure you she will stop talking
to him right away.’
‘Mr Gupta, since you are here and you seem like a nice man, I should also

mention that the day your daughter returned to the college late, she was drunk. It
was captured on the CCTV cameras. We have strict rules against that kind of
behaviour in this college. We have been very lenient with her till now, Mr

Gupta. We never expected this out of her.’
Aranya hands reflexively went up to save her face as her father swung wildly
and smacked her face. She cut her lip on her teeth and tasted iron.

‘Tune daaru peena shuru kar diya? YOU WERE DRUNK, ARANYA? Kya
bol rahe hain tere professor?’ The father stood up and asked Aranya to remove
her hands from her face and slapped her again.

‘Listen, Mr Gupta. Take it easy. I’m sure it was a mistake and she will not do
it again. Take it easy.’
The father slapped Aranya two more times. She was crying now. Aranya’s

father held his head and slumped in his chair. He stared Aranya down and raised
his hand again. Aranya cowered.
‘Sir, I’m very sorry on her behalf. I will make sure she never gives you a

chance to complain again,’ said the father.
‘Thank you, Mr Gupta. You can go now,’ said Prof. Mitra.
‘Sir, I have one more request if you allow me. I know my daughter has

disgraced your institution but if you can give her some projects to do it will be
great. We come from a humble background and she needs to keep her marks up.’