Once upon a time in Infosys 2

part 1 here

Disclaimer:This story is written by my writer friend.I loved this story and hence I am posting it for you guys
“You know what Gaurav”, she said.
“What?” I asked.
“You remember that guy Raghav, whom we met in Garuda mall.”
“Yeah! Why?”
“We’ve been in love for last 3 years and yesterday we planned to marry.” she said shyly.
It was all over for me. Ground escaped underneath my feet. I just got away from her in a flash and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I thought I’ll tell you after you meet him. I hope I wasn’t wrong?”
“No.. You are right. Anyways Congrats” I said, sounding very low.

“thanks.” she said.
No one spoke a word after that for next one hour. She was busy with her iPod and I was with my novel when suddenly she asked,” What happened Gaurav? Why are you so quiet?”
“Nothing”, I said.
She kept on asking again and again but I’d the same answer until she got irritated and said,” you are telling me or not?”
“Its of no use dear. You can’t do anything about it.” I said and rightly so. I loved her and she loved someone else whom she was going to marry.
“Well, let me make 3 guesses.” She said in a very naughty tone and I agreed.
“Ok. Hmmmmmmm. You didn’t enjoy with me at Bangalore?” she asked.
I shook my head straight away. Both of us knew that this wasn’t the reason. I thought she was just trying to change my mood.
“thennnn. U didn’t like Raghav?”
Now she was coming to the point. This was somewhat the reason but not the exact one.

“Hey. He’s quite good yaar and both of u make a nice couple. And it’s your life; I don’t have to marry him. So, last guess now.” I replied.
“Then… you’ve a liking for me?” She said smiling.
I was caught. In fact clean bowled. She’d hit the bull eye. I turned red. I tried my level best to control my expressions and said,”No way yaar. I don’t like to call engaged nos.”
“ohhhhh. Mr. Gaurav keswani think about it again.”
I had to admit it now. And this time she laughed. I asked the reason but again she laughed. I was perplexed at her enigmatic laugh. Finally she spoke.
“You know what my stupid.”
“What?” I inquired filled with curiosity.
“Raghav and I are just friends you dumb.”
She broke into chuckles again. I was confused and even I’d started smiling now and finally started laughing with her.
This time I held her and said, “I love you Geetha.”

“I love you too stupid. And did all this coz I know that you were not going to propose me easily” She replied.
We both fell in each other’s arms and waited for our destination. Finally Geetha was mine. It was the happiest day of my life. We reached Mysore campus and again got busy into our same daily routine: attending the classes, completing assignments, studying in the class after dinner, going for long walks and kissing each other when ever we got chance. I always used to thank god for the life he’d given me. Module tests came and went. I kept on getting ‘A’ grades and she somehow managed to clear them. Both of us were quite happy. We made a few trips with Varun and Ganmeet to Ooty, Coorg and Mangalore which was Geetha’s home town. We met her parents there who were very humble but her little sister was naughty like her.

Now we had entered the last month of our training. Shortly we were going to have our comprehensive exam which was a mixture of all the modules which we’d studied so far. It also included a practical exam in which we’d to complete a project within 3 hours and it was the toughest thing especially for someone like Geetha. The day for compre came. All of us cleared it but Geetha. Both of us were very depressed. Now she’d to appear for it again. Actually compre is the most important part of the training. If you don’t clear it your training won’t complete. Now retest was the only hope for her.
Retest was the very next day. We were going to classroom after dinner. And suddenly she started crying.
“Gaurav. I really love you.” She said.

“I love you too sweetu. Don’t cry. Everything would be ok. I’m there for you. I won’t let you flunk again.” I consoled her.
“No. I will because there’s no way out. And we’ll be separated forever. ”
“No dear. It won’t ever happen” I said and took her in my arms.
“Gaurav. Can you do something for me?” She asked.

“Of course my love. My whole life is yours.” I said.
“You’ll have to sit along with me tomorrow. You know every one does it. Meenal’s boyfriend helped her out that’s why she cleared. I hope Even I can expect this much from my love.” She said.
I was drowned into deep thinking because it was really risky, In fact very risky. We could’ve been thrown out of the company if caught. But on the other side was my love. What I would do in the company without her because if she fails she’d be out, I thought. Then I just looked into matter carefully that these people never count the number of candidates appearing for a test and how many are extra. Then I thought that I’ll sit on another system and complete the project and submit on Geetha’s employee id.

The day came; we all were sitting in the class room. I was sitting a bit far from her and finally we got the project. It was not at all tough for me. I started working on it and had completed almost half when Srikkanth.M entered into the classroom. He was our batch owner, just like a class teacher in schools. Don’t know how but he’d got the report that no. of candidates appearing were more than the no. in the list. I was shocked. It was a dead end to my career. Coming time won’t be easy for me and I’ll have to face a lot, I thought. I look at Geetha’s face. She was looking as lovely and innocent as ever. But she too was badly shocked. But don’t know why, I wasn’t afraid. Love had given me a special courage and I was doing it for my love, no one else. So what if I’m caught. Srikkanth knew me quite well as I was among those who’d got 100/100 in his module, java. He looked at me straight away and called me.

Srikkanth himself was shocked when he found me as the culprit. But he was helpless as company is very strict against the cheating cases. He asked me again and again the name of the guy for whom I’m screwing up my career. But how would’ve I named my love. I didn’t speak a word. He insisted again and again that Infosys needed brains like me but I would not listen. Finally he gave up and reported to HR department. The same question was asked again and again from me but my love was the most important thing in the world for me now. They then asked me to write a resignation letter and I did the same. I was fired.

Someone’s strange voice hit my ears and I came out of the world of my thoughts. I was still sitting on the footpath and looking at the trees and the birds.
“Come on sir. Sit in the cart.” Cart driver said.
“Oh yes. Lets go.” I replied and left the campus and the company for ever.

Now you all must be having one question your mind. That what about Geetha? Geetha cleared the exam. I think I had taught her enough and rest she cheated from the guy who was sitting next to her. I waited for her call after the incident but she didn’t. I called her but she didn’t attend my call. And most interesting thing is that it has been 8 months since that incident but we never had a talk.
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This story is written by my friend Ankur Kaushal who works in Infy.He says

"hi Readers... firstly i'd like to thank u for the overwhelming response.. and one thing i noticed was that u all have mistaken me as gaurav.. i'm not gaurav.. and one thing more.... its not that only gals use boys.. it can be a boy too... so please tell all ur friends to read the story so that we can save more and more guys or gals like gaurav...." If you want to send feedback thensend e-mail : ankurktiet05@gmail.com or His blog