Illusions of Perfection

20. Bittersweet

As I trudged through the final years in college, it felt like I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders—well, maybe not the world, but definitely a hefty backpack of uncertainty. Arya, bless her heart, was lovely, but being with her seemed to suck the life out of me. Gone were the days of being the life of the party; now I was just a shadow of my former extroverted self.

And then there was Aisha, lingering in the back of my mind like that stubborn popcorn kernel stuck in your teeth. I couldn't shake off the feeling that maybe there was still something there, but she had gracefully (or maybe not so gracefully) pointed out that we had no future together. Ouch.

College life was supposed to be a whirlwind of fun and freedom, but thanks to COVID, it was more like a never-ending cycle of lockdowns, social distancing, and sanitizers. Not exactly the stuff of legendary tales.

Meanwhile, my dad had already mapped out my future, complete with a roadmap leading straight to the UPSC exams and a career in either the Indian Police Services or the Indian Administrative Services. But sorry, Dad, that path just wasn't calling my name.

So, as I stumbled towards the finish line of my bachelor's degree, I found myself drawn to the idea of studying abroad. Sure, everyone was talking about the UK and Canada, but I had bigger dreams—like wandering through the streets of a Schengen country, soaking up the culture and maybe even finding myself along the way.

But practicality won out, and I settled on Canada. After all, if all my friends were heading there, it couldn't be too bad, right? Plus, the thought of living on my own in a foreign land sounded like the perfect crash course in adulting. Who knows? Maybe I'd even stumble upon my destiny somewhere between maple syrup and ice hockey.

After my exams, I was pretty much just binge-watching anime and movies, waiting for the Goa trip my college mates had planned. Honestly, I wasn't too keen on my girlfriend at the time, Arya, joining. She's a great girl, don't get me wrong - loyal, loving, the whole package - but I just couldn't see her as more than a friend. I was afraid that being in a relationship with her might mess things up, so I kept my distance.

Anyway, fast forward a few months, and the Goa trip was on. There we were, 16 of us, ready to hit the road. Unfortunately, Arya was there too, all excited to spend time with me. I couldn't help feeling a bit annoyed because I knew I was going to ruin the trip for her, but hey, what could I do?

So, me and Robin took charge of planning the whole thing. We sorted out the travel agency, mapped out our itinerary, collected money, and basically squeezed every last rupee out of our friends for booze. Finally, we were at the railway station, waiting for our train. Everyone was buzzing with excitement. I mean, come on, it's Goa! The land of beaches, parties, and cheap booze – thanks to no taxes!

When the train rolled in, we all jumped on board, and that's when the real adventure began.

After a long journey and resting in our resort, we stepped foot in the land of sun, sand, and all things wild – Goa! The moment we stepped off that train, you could practically feel the excitement crackling in the air. The boys were pumped, ready to dive headfirst into the adventure. And me? Well, I was already mentally calculating how many bottles of cheap booze we could fit into our budget.

As soon as we hit the beach, it was like a scene from a movie. The sun was blazing, the waves were crashing, and the whole place was pulsating with energy. We wasted no time in ditching our bags and making a beeline for the water. You could see the joy on everyone's faces as we splashed around like a bunch of kids, forgetting all about the stress of exams and deadlines.

Of course, amidst all the chaos, there was Arya, trying to catch my attention. Bless her heart, she just couldn't take a hint. But hey, who could blame her for wanting to spend time with the coolest guys on campus, right? I tried my best to be polite, throwing her a smile here and there, but let's be real – my mind was already on the next round of drinks.