"Koi baat nahi..it's your first day. But always remember the aim with which you have joined here.", I touched her feet and left with my physics book along with me. I was already late and it was raining heavily and I got a bus only twenty minutes after my class began. 

I was in BS College and AOS Academy of Science, where people fail to find a balance between academic pressures and personal dynamics. Navigating through my school life, I found five friends, whom I fondly refer to as my Five Gems- Sanjana, Lea, Naira, Kavya and Ramesh. I know that I did my best to ensure that each of my friends receive equal attention and priority. Then how, despite my best intentions, did they slip away from me? ......

Well some were always there and never left
Some left and then they did come back, but they never intended to return.
And some were never meant to be there no matter how hard I tried...

Based On True Events

My Own Life

As she introduced herself, I looked around. The class was filled with ex-CBSE and ICSE students who had recently switched to the state board, along with a few from Maharashtra board itself.I found myself lacking friends. Both Sushant and Paresh were from Radcliffe, and I barely interacted with the biology students in my batch.


I was on the first bench, with the class representative Aarush, and the individual introductions began. 


"So we have another Sanjana," I whispered to Aarush, who didn't react. 


"Aah, there you go…another one..another Sanjana is here..the fourth one, and the only one from B1," I kept this thought to myself. But who even cared if we had ten Sanjanas in AOS?


I didn't notice her much. In fact, I didn't even think about her.Seated on the first bench, I was in my element — the most eager student in any English class, always ready with answers. Years of public speaking at Venkatesh School had trained me well.


Chapter 1 - 1. The One With A Shining Face