Soft sunlight spread over the enchanting hills of Lavasa, making the green landscape glimmer gold. It was an early morning in June that marked the beginning of the college year. Juniors would become seniors, and soon it would be their turn to welcome the newcomers. The monsoon had already arrived, watering the hill city with life. On the far end of the bridge that connected the two halves of Lavasa, roads twisted around the curves of hills. Hotels and residential areas were lined up neatly on this side of the town. You could see the river frolicking as it flowed east.
In one such house on a quiet road, surrounded by a beautiful garden, there was an unusual amount of activity and noise. The nameplate read ‘Mohan Vyas’.
‘Don’t forget to take your lunchbox!’ shouted a woman dressed in a cotton sari. Mrs Shilpa Mohan Vyas was in the kitchen.
‘Mom, I’m in college now. School is over,’ a young girl rolled her eyes, as she put her sneakers on in a hurry. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and her skin shone with vigour. She was tall and slender, with big, dark brown eyes and long hair that hung down to her waist and curled naturally at the ends. Her complexion was flawless, the colour of bright grains of wheat except for the sun-kissed pink in her cheeks. ‘I am not carrying a lunch box.’
‘Sevita, you can’t be eating canteen food. It’s not good for you, sweetheart,’ Mrs Vyas argued, wiping her hands on a towel as she came out of the kitchen, and put the lunchbox in her bag. Sevita let out an exasperated sigh.
‘It’s cheese sandwiches,’ Mrs Vyas coaxed.
‘Hmm …’ Her mother did make delicious cheese sandwiches. ‘Alright. Kiss me good luck.’ Sevita turned her cheek towards her mother who kissed her.
‘All the best, my darling. Go get your sister too. She won’t open the door.’ Mrs Vyas sounded a little irritated.
‘C’mon, Maa. Give her some space. You know first days are hard for her,’ Sevita said. She took a deep breath and went to call her sister. A corridor led to the far end of the house, where two doors faced each other. One had a beautiful ceramic nameplate that read ‘Sevita’ in golden letters. The door facing it was starkly devoid of any decoration. Even at eight in the morning, no light seeped from under the door.
Of course, Sevita thought, she has all those thick curtains drawn again.
‘Sama?’ She knocked on the door, careful not to be too loud. ‘Hurry! We don’t want to be late on our first day of college, do we?’ There was a soft click and the door unlocked. A girl stood there, the mirror image of Sevita. Well almost.
She had the same height and build. Her eyes were big and dark brown. Her hair was beautiful—long and curling as it reached her waist. There was hardly any physical difference between the two girls except Sama was much paler; her skin almost seemed as if sunlight had never touched it. There was no colour at all on her face. If one looked deep enough, her eyes seemed empty.
‘Ready?’ Sevita asked cheerfully.
‘Yes,’ Sama replied in a robotic tone, although their voices would sound the same to a stranger’s ears.
If it was not for the difference in their demeanour, it would be impossible to tell the twins apart. Sevita gave her sister a big smile in spite of her coldness. Sama looked away and started walking towards the living room.
‘Good morning, darling,’ their father said with a wide smile. He was dressed as usual in a white kurta and pajamas. He adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and hugged Sama. ‘All the best! Do well.’ Sama’s lips curved into a shy, lop-sided smile.
‘Good morning, Mom,’ she murmured to her mother. Mrs Vyas forced a smile and then looked away.
‘Your lunchbox is on the table,’ she said quickly and went back to cutting fruits. Sevita and her dad exchanged an exasperated look.
‘Hey Sama, guess what? Starting today, we will go to college on our new scooty!’ Sevita said brightly as she held up a pair of keys in front of her sister and rattled them. ‘Isn’t that cool?’ Sama didn’t react. ‘I will wait outside,’ she said, picking up the lunchbox, and walking out of the front door.
‘Take care of her, okay?’
‘Yes, dad, don’t worry.’ Sevita smiled, patted his round belly, and followed her sister.
•••
Sevita kicked her new scooty to life while Sama adjusted herself on the back seat. The sisters set out for their first day at college, riding on the hillside road with edges sloping straight into the river. The sunlight was mild and the air was clean. Sevita was thrilled by this new-found freedom. It was the start of a new phase of her life.
‘This is amazing. We can have so much fun together, Sama! Let’s go somewhere soon. All of us.’
Sama stared at the river flowing beside them. She remained silent. Sevita’s friends were not her friends. She didn’t want ‘all of them’ to go anywhere together. Sevita was used to her twin’s silence. This is how Sama had always been. She stayed inside her room, rarely speaking to people, and buried herself in her books or the internet. Maybe that was the reason she was so good at every subject in school. Sevita was on the other end of the spectrum, always out with her friends and talking to people. Such differences in two human beings with a 99 per cent DNA match was a case to be studied, according to their mother.
They rode through the roller-coaster-like road and across an iron bridge over the river to the other side of the town. Sevita hummed a tune while Sama watched the river. After a thirty-minute ride, they reached their college. Sevita parked the scooty and stowed away their helmets. She looked around for her friends barely able to contain her excitement.
•••
‘Hi!’ A shrill voice was heard from behind Sevita.
‘Astha!’
A petite girl came running towards Sevita, her long ponytail swaying like a pendulum, and hugged her. ‘I missed you so much. How are you?’
‘I’m good. How was Pune?’
‘It was awesome! The best wedding ever and—Oh hi, Sama,’ Astha said, looking a little uncomfortable. She had just noticed Sama who was standing silently and gazing at them from a distance.
‘Hi,’ she said in a blank monotone.
‘Well,’ Astha turned to Sevita, ‘They are going to the Canary Islands for their honeymoon as we speak. How cool is that!’
‘Real cool, yeah.’ Sevita noticed the awkwardness in the air. She was used to this too. Sama never made an effort to be a part of any social circle or activity among her peers. People knew her as the unsmiling twin.
‘Astha! Sevita!’ Another girl came up, almost prancing, and hugged them one by one. Shruti was tall and plump, her hair falling just an inch below her shoulders. For the next five minutes, they exchanged the details of their summer vacation and their excitement about starting college.
‘—And that is when I turned him down. A guy who can’t read without fumbling is so not my type. But I do want to watch that movie. Let’s all plan and go.’ Shruti pouted.
‘Sure. What do you say, Sama?’ Sevita turned to Sama, but she was gone. ‘Where did she go?’
‘I didn’t even see her.’ Shruti shook her head, puzzled. ‘She was here just minutes ago. Guess she left,’ Astha said, looking at Sevita.
‘Listen, please make her feel comfortable. This is not easy for her. You know she can’t mingle with people. At least greet her normally,’ Sevita said, raising a brow at Astha.
‘I am sorry, I was just shocked! It was so sudden. She was standing right there, looking like she teleported! It’s … well, I will try. Really, I will,’ Astha sighed.
‘That’s all I’m asking you people to do, try,’ Sevita said, looking at the two girls.
‘But where is he?’ Shruti asked all of a sudden, looking around.
Sevita’s cheeks flushed. ‘I-I don’t know, haven’t seen him.’
•••
The girls walked across the college grounds into the building and found their classes. Sevita spotted Sama seated on a corner bench near the window. Alone. She would have liked her to join them and sit a little closer to the front rows, but she knew her sister better than that. Throughout her school days, Sama had occupied corner seats to avoid people. There were many new faces in the class, flustered as they turned from Sevita to Sama and back again. To the familiar faces, it was no mystery, but to the others it was the best pastime, marveling at how different they were despite being identical twins.
‘It’s ridiculous when they chatter about us, thinking we can’t hear them,’ Sevita murmured, tired of being the favourite topic of gossip.
‘I always tell you to ignore them,’ someone whispered near Sevita’s ear. She blushed, as goosebumps ran up and down her skin.
‘Kunal!’ She turned, her heart pounding. A boy in his late teens was standing behind her. His eyes were bright, his smile carefree. He was tall and had broad shoulders. Tousled hair fell on his forehead in wavy locks. Several girls in the class were already looking at him with interest.
‘Hey there,’ he said, his voice clear and confident. He took a seat behind Sevita who was now turning scarlet. Dressed casually in denims and a blue shirt, he radiated charm.
•••
A short elderly man entered the classroom, carrying a book and a whiteboard marker. Everyone got up to greet their professor who looked much like Master Oogway in a pinstriped coat and ancient brown-framed glasses.
Far away from the others, in her corner seat, Sama didn’t listen to the professor welcome them. She watched Sevita and Kunal from afar. She saw them talk in whispers when the class began, then text each other with phones hidden beneath their desks every now and then. Shruti was also texting them, she knew by observing the intervals at which they all checked their phones. Astha seemed to be paying attention to the class, but Sama saw her rolling her pen between her fingers, looking at a wall clock above the whiteboard where the professor had written the semester plan.
‘Okay, so that’s it about our course structure for the year and the exam patterns. You can always ask questions later. Let’s introduce ourselves to everyone, shall we? I’ll start. I am Professor Rawat. I have been in Lavasa my whole life and I love gardening when I am not grading papers.’ The whole class was now abuzz, smiling and laughing. ‘It always feels like a matrimonial session, I know,’ Professor Rawat joked and the class laughed. ‘Okay, let’s start with you folks!’ He gestured at the first benchers.
Everyone stood up one by one and introduced themselves. The class was full of excited whispers.
‘I am Sevita Vyas, born and brought up in Pune. We moved to Lavasa a few years ago because of my father’s transfer. Umm, my hobbies are watching movies, travelling and photography.’
‘What is the meaning of your name?’ a guy asked, shrugging. ‘I mean … it is unique.’
‘It means one who is cherished,’ she said and took her seat, as some people ‘oohed’ from the back benches.
‘Hi everyone, I am Kunal Mehta. I am from Mumbai but shifted here when my dad was transferred to Lavasa two years back. I love football, filmmaking and music.’ He flashed a dazzling smile as he finished. By this time, every girl in the class had eyes only for him.
Astha introduced herself as the only daughter of a politician. She was from Lavasa. As for Shruti, both her parents were teachers. She had moved from Nagpur to Lavasa when her mother had taken up a job in the hill town, five years back. It appeared that many students had moved to Lavasa as their families shifted there for work and business. As the introductions drew to a close, it was finally Sama’s turn. She stood up noiselessly, her face blank. The whole class was staring at her. Just one glance was enough to gauge that though identical in appearance, she was the polar opposite of Sevita.
Worthless scum. Why should I talk to them? Why should they know me? I don’t want to know them. They are useless. All of them.
The voices in her head began to hiss loudly. The professor was looking at her in surprise and confusion. ‘Let us hear your name, then,’ he said with a supportive smile.
‘Sama Vyas. I don’t have any hobbies as such. Sevita’s said the rest,’ Sama finished in a low voice and sat down.
‘What does your name mean? Darkness?’ a boy from one of the back benches taunted, making a sad clown face. Some students burst into laughter. Sevita was infuriated. Sama sat still. There was no reaction on her face, neither of anger nor of hurt. Her eyes were devoid of emotion, looking straight ahead at a wall.
‘That’s enough, guys!’ Kunal said loudly over the laughter. He eyed the boy for a brief second before turning away. The bully was a stocky teenager of medium height. Kunal knew him since his senior school days in Lavasa. His name was Nikhil. People called him Nik. Nothing about him was extraordinary except his arrogance.
‘Silence, everyone. This is not happening in my class again. If I come to know of any such behaviour, be assured there will be serious consequences,’ Professor Rawat tried to restore some order.
Useless … all of them …
•••
After what felt like a long morning, packed with excitement, it was finally time for lunch. Kunal had left with some boys, promising to join Sevita in the canteen later.
‘Where is Sama?’ Sevita looked around, but she could not find her sister.
‘Let her be, Sevita. Maybe she needs some space,’ said Astha. Shruti agreed. ‘Come and have lunch with us. I am sure she’ll join us soon,’ she said.
Sevita hesitated and looked around a bit more, before joining her friends. Maybe they were right.
•••
There was a dense, green patch on a hill, not far from the college building. The more you went up the trail, the colder it felt. Sama walked in the shade of tall, lush trees. She looked around. There was no one on the hill. It was perfect. She sat on a large tree stump, looking at a file of black ants march around it. They took a detour and went around her feet. She ate her sandwiches, watching them. Once she was done, she stood up and walked back, passing the football court.
‘Kunal! Here!’
Sama stopped and turned. Kunal was playing football with some of his friends. She walked towards the court. Sure enough, that was Kunal’s backpack lying near a tree. Sama stood and watched him as he played. He was taller than the other boys and the best-looking of them all. His bright brown eyes and chiseled features could draw the world’s attention. Above all, he was kind. He always stood up for her, just as he had done in the class that morning. Over the past two years, she’d watched him closely.
There was something about him that made her feel warm inside. A feeling she never got from anything or anyone else.
The match was soon over and Kunal came running towards his bag. He threw himself on the grass, unscrewed his bottle and gulped some water. Then he poured the rest over his head, shaking the dripping water away from his face.
‘It’s quite hot for monsoon.’
He turned around, startled. ‘Sama! Wow, you scared me.’ Kunal wiped the water from his brows. Sama’s lips curved into a lopsided smile. She knelt beside him and watched him dry his hair with a small towel.
‘You didn’t tell the class you like to walk in the woods.Or swim in the river, sometimes,’ she said breathlessly. Kunal looked at her in surprise.
‘Looks like Sevita talks about me,’ he said and looked away, blushing. ‘I miss the ocean so I make do with the river. And I love the hills here.’ Sama looked into his childlike eyes. They twinkled with vitality.
‘I’m sure you do … thanks for today.’
‘Anytime. You are important to us. We won’t let anyone bully you. Just stay away from those jokers. I don’t like them,’ he said.
‘Us?’
‘Yes, Sevita and I … we are family, right?’ he said gently, flashing another smile. Sama nodded. Her smile disappeared. ‘Anyway, let’s go to the canteen. Sevita and the others are waiting.’ He grabbed his bag and stood up.
‘No, I had my lunch. I don’t want to go to the canteen,’ Sama said, staring at the grass. There was a file of black ants there too.
‘Oh, okay, I’ll tell her. See you around!’ He waved and walked away.
Sama stayed there, watching the ants, her head bent to her right. The angles of the shadows around her changed. Yet Sama didn’t move and continued to watch the ants, unaware of the time. In a sudden, impulsive movement, she disrupted the file with her fingers, rubbing aggressively into the mud and grass. The ants went helter-skelter. Their sense of direction was lost.
Evening descended as the first day of college drew to a close. Sama stood up, brushing the mud off her knees and walked towards the parking area. She knew she had missed the lectures after lunch. They must’ve been boring anyway. Just as Sama reached the parking lot, the final bell rang and students came rushing out of the college building, chattering and laughing. Sevita and her group of friends came out too. Sama stood silently behind a wall. She would wait for everyone to leave before she walked towards her sister. The group was talking and laughing, making plans to watch a movie. Just then, Kunal joined them.
Sama peered from behind the wall to get a better look at him. He looked so fresh and full of life. How wonderful it would be if he talked to her more often. She held on to the edge of the wall tightly, watching them.
‘Sevita, umm,’ Kunal was saying, rubbing the back of his head and glancing at her sister. ‘Can we talk later today?’
Sevita blushed yet again. Shruti looked at the two and made a face. Astha smiled.
‘Yeah, why not? Later …’
Sevita and Kunal communicated through their eyes, a language no one around them could understand. After all, it had been their code for two years now. Sama stood there, watching. Her nails hurt from gripping the wall too hard. She was perhaps the only other person in the world who knew their code language.