"Umm... guys, did anyone of you see Adrian?" I said trying to hide my concern for him. Although Christi caught me and chuckled.

"Yeah, I saw him near the boys' toilet while I was coming downstairs, Jenny. Don't worry dear, he won't leave without seeing you. He might just be coming for you!"

For you? Why did she say that?Whatever! Why didn't he show up yet? Where was he?! I'm sure he wasn't absent.

No sooner the bell rang and we all assembled in the class by the next minute. I still didn't see him!

In the lab we welcomed professor Jonathan Wood, he was to teach us 'Data Analytics'. He began with the introduction of the topic.

"Data analytics is all about using raw data and arranging and managing it to reach an accurate conclusion or result. It is the process of systematically applying statistical and logical techniques to..."

I couldn't pay much attention to what he was teaching. Adrian was still in my head. I don't know why he concerns me so much since the first day!

"You look tensed, Jenny?" Christi whispered.

"No, not really."

"Adrian?"

"Yeah." Oh, she is so understanding.

"Then why don't you just text him. You have his number, right?" she advised but was cut in by Prof. Wood.

"Miss Szalanski, I expect you to keep quiet while I am teaching. Do you get that?" He adjusted his spectacle.

"Yes sir, sorry!" Christi apologized.

"Sorry!" I lip-synched that to her when she looked at me. She winked and then smiled back in return.

By the way, why didn't I think of that idea before? I texted him without a second's delay.
'Hey Adrian, where....'

"Miss. Winget, no phones in my class!" Prof. Wood shouted a little rudely this time.

The whole lab had a look of me. Christi and I shared a look again. I deleted back the message I was typing and turned off my phone quickly. I tried to concentrate then!

Prof. Wood continued his lecture until the bell rang. Then, he left.

"Leave it Jenny. Let's see him after classes, okay?"

"Alright."

We had next lecture on 'Tracing'. I was just wishing it to go easy for me. I don't even know the 'T' of it just like many others!

It was clear that the last lecture had to be on Hacking. I remembered that recollecting the principal's face.

"Good day, everyone! I'm here to teach y'all TRACKING..." George Salt, our vice-principal, spelled each letter of the last word.

Vice-Principal and Tracking? Strange!

"So, tracking is used for locating things, as y'all know. Besides, this technique is efficiently used for catching criminals as shown in the movies. In short, it's just like.... monitoring or controlling a Google Map."

Everyone laughed. He seemed playful.

His lecture ended at 1 p.m. with the bell. He was so good that I didn't even know when an hour passed!

After he left Christi said to me, "Wasn't it great fun, Jenny! I never thought there was such a good professor at this university!"

"Yeah, he was really appreciative. After all it's The-New-York-University, one of the best colleges in New York!" We both giggled.

No sooner Prof. Salt left the lab, we were attended by our next professor for his lecture on 'Hacking'. Sounds dangerous!

I was so very surprised to see him. I bet everyone was! It was Principal D'Souza himself!!

Principal and Hacking? Even more strange!

"Christi, what's going on?! Our principal knows and teaches hacking?!" I asked her astonishingly.

"I think Jenny, perhaps they fell short of professors, what say?" She joked but in a serious tone.

"Come on, Christi." I was still amazed after seeing him.

Principal D'Souza began speaking.

"I know you all are a bit surprised to see me here!.." he smiled.

"But trust me students, I know to teach hacking very well." He said that like a joke but no one laughed, haha!

"So, before everything..." He removed his hands which were already tucked in his pockets and clapped. "...hacking should never be used for unethical means. It begins with learning basic knowledge of how a password or code is created..."

He sounded like an expert at it! That really made me wonder! He was better than any other computer professor at least in our college!

Despite him being a marvelous teacher, I didn't pay much attention as I was surely gonna skip hacking for the test!

The bell rang and the Principal left leaving a storm behind in my head.

Finally, it was time to see my friends. I was hoping to see Adrian too. I packed my bag and left with Christina after she finished shutting down her computer. Oh, they were the branded and expensive ones!

***
We were on the ground standing and talking under a huge green tree. Thank goodness Adrian was there too!

"Guys, did y'all too have principal D'Souza for hacking class?' Christi began the talk.

"Yeah, Christi. I was quite shocked at first!" Angel said.

"Well, I had his lecture before lunch break. I just forgot to tell out of excitement you know!" Alex added.

Finally, Adrian spoke, "I too had his lecture before lunch but couldn't-"

"But couldn't tell us as you couldn't manage to show up, right? Where were you Adrian?" I finally bursted out cutting him in.

"I was-" Adrian tried to speak.

"Yes, please tell soon Adrian. Jenny was so much worried for you!" Christina said teasingly and winked at me. I returned a blank look.

Adrian stared me with a cute expression before answering. It seemed like he hesitated first but finally spoke looking straight into my eyes.

"I was in the washroom...."

"So what? Everyone goes to that place." Christi uttered. I eyed her to stay quiet.

"I...I was in the washroom.... with Natalie." He said and shut his lips.

"What!" I exclaimed.

"First listen to me," he said explaining especially to me.

"I was getting out of the boys toilet when someone entered in. I turned behind to see. It was Natalie..."

"What did you do then Adrian?" Jack enquired. I wanted to know too!

"There was no one else. I almost scolded her that maybe she was mistaken and that it was boys' toilet!"

"Then?!" Christi sounded like she was listening the climax of a adventurous story full of suspense. God!

Adrian continued, "I didn't like it, she...she latched the main door, so that no one could enter and started getting on me..." I swear I was getting red!

He looked at me and continued, "But I pushed her back and warned her to stay away from me and then left from there!Sorry I couldn't see you guys at the break. Sorry!"

That last 'sorry' was directed to me. I said nothing.

"This is so vulgar!" Christi sighed disgustingly.

"You should complain to the vice- principal, Adrian!" Jack suggested.

"No dude! I can't, she's a girl!" He denied sternly.

I don't need to announce now how much he respects girls!!

"She's such a bi*ch!" Angel grumbled.

"Really! I even noticed her stare me all day long during lectures. She's so clingy!" Adrian added with disgust in his eyes.

"It's not your fault Adrian, just your handsomeness." Alex said placing his hand on Adrian's shoulder.

"Ugly! But what I don't get is why did Natalie do that? I know she's Tom's girlfriend." Christina muttered in confusion.

"What?" We all asked, no exclaimed, in unison.

"Yeah, they're boyfriend and girlfriend, believe me! I've seen them kissing each other with my own eyes!" Her voice lowered when she said 'kissing each other'.

"No way! She's so so cheap! Alex declared. I had the same view.

"Umm... Christi don't mind but you seek boys and girls kiss each other?" Angel asked sarcastically.

"No! You're taking me wrong! I don't do that, I accidentally saw them kiss each other days ago!" She was struggling hard to prove she was innocent and didn't see them purposely.

Everyone laughed broadly at her efforts. She too joined while I just gave a slight chuckle.

"What happened Jenny? You still thinking about... Natalie?" Adrian paused before saying 'Natalie' and asked with deep concern.

"Nope, forget it!" I replied and smiled at him.

***
Finally the 20 days of three weeks' training passed somehow and it was the last day of it.

It was my second most busiest week, I remember. The first time was when our trusted maid sold my grandfather's vintage and expensive ewer to a local ragman for few bucks and disappeared! I still remember how much I and dad wandered for more than a week at every local and renowned antiques' shop in the vicinity, searching it to buy it back!

No wonder, my grandfather would've agreed to pay 1000 dollars to get it back!! And this is a fact too that we didn't appoint any servant after that incident!

***
So it was 10 a.m. and all the students were assembled in the college hall. Again my friends and I were shattered into different columns. All the professors were present there too struggling to quite the students.

At last, principal D'Souza arrived. The noise of his black shiny shoes was heard by everyone. We all turned our head back to see him walk so proudly yet gently. He began saying on reaching the podium.

"My dear students! Good morning!"

"Morning, Sir" we shouted back.

He smiled and continued. "I'm sure you all are working hard on the tasks assigned to you all. As you all know, today is the last day of training of first competition. I would like to inform you that this very first competition will be held day after tomorrow."

"Day after tomorrow!?" I grumbled in shock. Wasn't it too early to revise three topics of two weeks' study within just one day!

"I wonder, did professor D'Souza study for his exams ever!" Christi was angry too.

He continued. "It was informed by the professors that they've finished teaching their respective subjects. So, you have today to ask or clear all your queries and doubts or anything... Tomorrow it'll be a holiday for y'all to do revision." No one rejoiced for the holiday. The day after tomorrow thing already messed up all.

"That's all I wanted to inform. Further instructions on the competition will be provided by the professors..." He looked at the professors around him. "... hope you all will give your best. Thank you!"

"What the heck...!" I muttered and was leaving with others when Prof. McLaren asked us to wait and hear further. Oh, why don't they finish all at once!

"Another surprise or what?" Christi shrugged.

"As already announced by the principal, the first competition will be held on Monday that is day after tomorrow. It was also informed that attempting at least three of the five task is mandatory. So you just have to prepare for any three task or more of you wish..." Professor Wood informed the obvious.

"I think we all had that much brain." I said so that no one heard.

"All the five groups will appear for this test altogether and at the same time. Students not attempting a particular test will have to leave the exam hall and prepare for the subject they've chosen. Instructions on each exam in detail will be provided on the day of exam itself. Kindly do not remain absent!" He rested there. God!

***
For today, it was allowed to sit in our very own class and not in the computer lab! Thank God!

We also had no professor to disturb today as it was self-study or call it group-study day. In case if anyone had any query, everyone knew where the staff room was.

We all friends sat in a corner of the class ignoring Tom and Natalie, the back benchers! We had a bunch of books, few in our hands and some on the desks. We were so busy studying that we refrained from talking on anything that wasn't related to the exams!

We shared books, notes, asked queries, answered others' and tried hard to prepare for the exams. The rest of the class was busy too, except few jerks who were having fun time.

I chose to attempt graphics, data analytics and accounts. I wasn't bad at tracing and hacking but I was more confident about the first three.

Christi also excluded tracing and hacking. She said it wasn't her piece of cake!

Adrian and Angel also found graphics, data analytics and accounts more preferable.

Alex was way more better than any other student in the college at computers! Afterall, he's such a nerd and talented plus has been practicing it since childhood. He chose four tasks excluding data analysis, which was quite easy. He said he wanted all five but that was indeed too much for him to revise within just 2 days.

Jack accompanied Alex with tracing. He chose graphics and data analytics along with it.

***
So the college hours finally ended and we got some time to talk!

"Wasn't it a busy day, guys!" Angel said showing her tiredness.

"Really, my eyes are still hurting." Jack informed.

"Is it hurting too much Jack?" Christi asked him casually.

"No, just relax!" They both smiled.

"Okay, so let's get back home and do rest of the revision for day after tomorrow."

All were so wearied off that we forgot to complain about that 'day after tomorrow' thing, as we always did. XD

"Right, Jenny. Let's go guys!" Adrian said that walking ahead with Jack.

"I'm super excited, guys!" Alex said and almost jumped. Oh, he was mortifying others!

"We know Alex!" Christi, Angel and I shouted teasingly in one loud voice! It made Adrian and Jack turn around and join us laugh!

***
The holiday was another busy day for the New York University students. I had already phoned home just to know how mom and dad were. Oh, I forgot to tell before, I had no siblings. Certainly, that made me own all my parents' love!❤️

I had five calls from my friends that day. Three of them was by Christina. She had some doubts about accounts. Although, her third call was just to wish me luck and do some chitchat. I love her for the affinity she showers on me.

Another call was from Angel. She had a query. I was sorry cause I wasn't able to understand or solve it. I advised her to call Alex and she happily agreed. Alex definitely knew it.

The last call was from Adrian! It was around 8 o'clock in the evening.

"Hi Jenny!"
I couldn't control my joy!

"Hi, Adrian!" I said somehow.

"Did I disturb you?"

"Oh, not at all."

"Good. So... so...umm... prepared for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, kind of." I said and laughed. It seemed like he without thinking just phoned me and had nothing to say. He simply wanted to talk to me?!

We didn't talk for long. He hung up saying his mom called him for dinner. We wished good luck and good night to each other at last and kept the phone.

I was sure to have a good dream tonight in sleep!

***
Hello!!!!!! How are you all???❤️

So guys wish them all the very best as they'll be appearing for a very important exam! Hehe

Btw, can y'all recollect when?? Lol 😂

Also!! What do you have to say about Natalie, hmm?? 😉

I promise after this part... something exciting is coming up!!

Don't forget to vote and leave a comment behind!!!🥰

Keep loving yourselves and Take care dearies ❤️

Yours lovingly
-Sweety❤️