A few months passed in the same routine—going to the academy, coming back home, and doing self-study. Tomorrow was finally the day of my GATE exam, and my nerves were kicking in. I paced the living room, book in hand, trying to cram in every last bit of information. Suddenly, someone snatched my book away. I turned around, slightly irritated, only to find Aarti Ma holding it with a playful smile.
She flipped through the pages, asking me a few questions. I did my best to answer them, though my mind was racing. For the past month, Aarti Ma had been taking care of both me and Ashwin, making sure I had the space and peace to focus on my studies. She was like a calming presence in the whirlwind of my anxious thoughts.
Taking my hand, Aarti Ma gently led me to the dining table. With a loving smile, she said, "Dolly, enough studying for now. You need to relax a little. I've packed your bag with everything you’ll need for tomorrow. Now, drink this warm milk and calm your nerves."
I sighed, still anxious. "Ma, what if I fail? Ashwin will be so disappointed in me."
Resting her head on her hand, Aarti Ma gave me a reassuring look. "Is that what’s worrying you? Dear, don’t stress. Ashwin will not be disappointed in you. Just focus on doing your best tomorrow. Now, relax and get some rest. I’ll wake you up early."
Feeling slightly comforted, I hugged Ma tightly and headed to the bedroom. There, I found Ashwin lounging on the bed, watching reels on his phone. I promptly snatched his phone away.
Ashwin pouted, "Hey, my exam isn't tomorrow. Give me my phone back."
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I teased, "But you're my husband, and you have to suffer through this with me!"
He rolled his eyes, but chuckled, and I snuggled into his embrace, finally feeling a bit more at ease. We drifted off to sleep together, and I was grateful for his comforting presence.
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In the morning, I was jolted awake by Aarti Ma shaking me as if I were a milkshake. "Dolly, wake up! Hurry, we need to get to the exam centre early!"
I jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower. After getting freshened up, I threw on a green kurti and red leggings. Sitting at my dressing table, I hurriedly combed my hair and braided it, all while feeling the nervous energy bubbling inside me.
Aarti Ma had already booked a cab to take us to the exam centre. Ashwin wasn’t coming with us, but he promised he would pick us up afterward. As I stuffed the last bite of breakfast into my mouth—sattu paratha with achar and curd that Aarti Ma had prepared—she packed the rest into a lunchbox for me to eat in the cab.
Ashwin emerged from the bedroom, scratching his head sleepily. "All the best, Dolly. You’ll do great. I’ll be there to pick you up after the exam."
With my mouth full of paratha, I nodded in thanks and grabbed my bag, following Ma downstairs to the waiting cab. We drove off to the exam centre at JNTU, and all the while, my heart raced with anticipation.
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When we arrived, I practically leapt out of the cab and sprinted to the notice board to check my seating arrangement. I was running around like a bullet train, scanning the lists until I finally found my name and seat number. Relieved, I made my way to my assigned classroom and settled into my seat. My hands were slightly trembling as I pulled out my pens and prepared myself.
Soon, a lady invigilator entered the room and began distributing the exam papers. My tension spiked again—especially with the knowledge that negative marking was in place. I couldn't afford to answer questions on a whim or take wild guesses. I took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself, determined to focus on the task at hand. Slowly, I started working through the questions, keeping my cool and trying my best to apply what I’d learned over the past months.