Love for reading DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to advent of exams

I love reading. More so when the final university exams begin on the 7^th day from today. I am sitting up on my bed staring at my notes. From the corner of my right eye, I see my mom standing at the kitchen door, acting as if she’s looking at the calendar on the wall behind me. Who is she kidding? Muahahaha.

My breathing eases as I see her go back to talk to the stove. I think of what is going to be there for lunch. I think what I’m going to get my girlfriend for our first anniversary. I hear my neighbour’s door shut. Then their scooter starts. May be the’s going to the market. I finished reading Pillars of the Earth last. Ken Follett’s wonderful work. It must be used as a texbook of creative writing. After it, I had picked up the Fountainhead. I look around, trying to remember where I had kept it after my last reading session.

I see it ogling at me from atop the TV, as if singing, “Come on baby, light my fire.” I look in the direction of the kitchen. Mum ain’t lookin’. Surely one or two pages won’t hurt. I reach for it.

Angel: What are you doing?

Me: (shrugs) Huh? What?!

Angel: You’ve got exams coming up!

Me: Wow, are you a mom too?

Angel: Oh no, I’m only a figment of your imagination.

Me: (Yawn) At least try to convince me with some originality! That line is from Ratatouille!

Angel: Oh, so you saw it recently?

Me: You bet! Yesterday night. Along with Memoirs of a geisha. Off with you now!

(Waves his hand across the air, trying to hit the angel.)

Mom comes in.

Mom: Whom were you talking to? Phone rang?

She looks behind me to see what I am hiding from her.

Mom: What are you hiding? Show me.

She sees the big paperback and looks into my eyes. I brace myself. I know the lyrics by heart. It’s all about how I already lost a year and how I had to undergo four years of BMM, when the course itself is only three years. I hate this part. It sucks off whatever little wish/ will there is to study for the exams. I mean, wasn’t I going to go back to my notes after only2-3 pages of the book? Okay, may be five. So what? I know my exams are coming up! Damn! It’s like being in a Pepsodent ad!

Mom’s saying something. It’s strange. I hear everything she says, still I don’t hear anything. I drop the book where I found it. “Sorry Fountain, later ok?”

I begin staring at the notes again. It says something about the Press Control of India being defunct. It calls it a toothless tiger. Hey! Isn’t that aapro Ball Thokre?