The second quarter in school was to culminate in 2 weeks, by the 3rd week of March, 2012, with MBA finals presentations. Unlike Hult or ACG, this case competition had more to do with grades and for Sameer and his teammates, it was all about reclaiming lost prestige.
The ordeal of bearing with mediocre grades in Marketing (that was mostly what Sameer did all his work life) was more than frustrating for Sameer and Corwin (he was an experienced pro in healthcare business development). What started off as a cameo in honing marketing skills was now grinding their nerves, especially with Riya and Brendon's team reveling in the glory of high grades in this class. Riya's assiduous nature made her an easy pick for many of her classmates to clarify doubts or exchange notes and Brendon was no exception. Riya, on her part, also used to reciprocate the connect and sought Brendon, whenever possible, in most of the teams she worked on. In terms of team working, Riya was to Sameer as Brendon was to Riya. This comparative avoidance also egged on Sameer to put in the best effort to not only reclaim lost glory in Marketing, but also make a mark in the presentations. Coincidentally, Sameer & Corwin's team (Executive Authority, hitherto named EA) was pitted against Riya & Brendon's team (Phoenix B, hereafter addressed as PB) in the qualifiers and invariably, EA lost. Moreover, during the presentations, one of Sameer's question to PB was deftly answered by Riya to the extent where it made Sameer look like beating a hasty retreat. It was a strange feeling for Sameer. A feeling of despair and anger because his acumen was being questioned in terms of mediocrity in class performance (if grades were to be taken as symbolic measure) as also the fact that Riya and Brendon's teamwork seemed poised to throttle his existence and new-found friendship. On the flip-side, Sameer was elated beyond means at each of such defeats, since, after all, it was his best friend in school who was winning.
It was the final day for presentations in the MBA case challenge. Sixteen teams, divided into 4 groups, were required to present in a preliminary round and 4 (1 from each group) would finally advance to the finals slated for the ensuing day. As was decided, Sameer was to introduce members and start his team presentation followed by Corwin and so on. While others sweated it out with last minute changes and practices, Sameer sat quietly in a remote corner of the basement trying to pep himself up watching a Hindi movie song, partly because he wanted to concentrate and build onto the tempo and partly for the ostentatious nature of the heroine's hip gyrations in the song sequence which he wanted to keep others oblivious of. Their's was to be the 3rd team in the group to present and all 5 members of EA trudged confidently into the conference room on the 4th floor of the school of business. The presentations went of well and as per plan except for a minor glitch on time limit. Finally, they walked out and waited patiently for all other teams to complete.
The results were to be announced on the 6th floor lobby, over lunch. All tables were occupied and there seemed to be a cacophony of hushed anticipation. Hunger for Sameer remained more of a discreet remnant than completely elusive. PB was all but a staunch ally for EA. Yet, Sameer was seated at the same table as Riya and Anamika with Corwin by the side. Everyone sat with bated breath as all the 16 judges walked in. Each panel of experts, started of by describing the pros and cons of each team's presentation and finally read out the name of winner in each group who qualified for the finals. Riya's team was in a different group than his and Sameer prayed for both of them. But, as luck would have it, PB failed to make the cut! For the moment Sameer was poignant since coming up next was the panel of judges who would decide the qualifier from their group. Each word they uttered seemed to encompass an eon till Sameer heard the name of Executive Authority being called out as the qualifier for the finals. Happiness knew no bounds when Sameer & Corwin tumultuously stroked their palms to a prolonged high-five. Riya and Brendon followed suit congratulating them along with Anamika and others.
For Sameer, more than anything else, it was a sheer moment of victory. It was not just the pride of his team making the cut. It was the reverberation of his inner self's confidence. It was rekindling a sense of satisfaction. It was a self-assurance and reinstatement of his beliefs and awareness of a subject that was his bread and butter for 16 years. Knowingly enough, Sameer seemed to pamper a sly grin since he felt he had put an end to his ectoplasmic existence and belief when it came to Riya's teamwork with Brendon. On her part, Riya seemed to be as immersed in glee on his win, as was Sameer himself. Since Adarsh was still at work and she had to wait for some more time, she asked Sameer out for coffee at Sitwell's on Ludlow. Once there, she seemed more engrossed in discussing the ensuing finals next day. She wanted EA to put in their best and egged Sameer to win the challenge. Her expression of Sameer and his team's capabilities were more of an aplomb observation. Somewhere within, Sameer felt she wanted EA to win not just because the team merited it, but also because he too was a part of it.
In the finals it was another team which finally won. Riya joined Sameer in the evening after the event in school with a box of homemade Biscotti (meant for Sarika and her family, since Sameer was leaving for Minneapolis the next day). They would be joined by Anamika, Anika (Anamika's 3-year old daughter) Wahid, Pakhi and another of her friends for dinner and chat thereafter at Sameer's place. As Sameer and Riya went about getting provisions from Kroger, for the get-together, Sameer couldn't help feel belittled and bemused by Riya's reaction even after her team lost out on the MBA case challenge. Probably, she had given it only as much weight-age in thoughts, as it merited. Yes, a win and thereby better grades surely was up for grabs and no one would be as insane to not seek it. For reasons that defied logic, Sameer used to feel tremulous amidst the unknown, stranded on a virtual isthmus when Riya and Brendon were around together. But throughout the bitter-sweet exchange she knowingly never exuded a feel, which should have made Sameer think the way he did. In retrospect, Sameer realized that Riya was equally happy for him and derived as much happiness in his success, as her's. Probably, she was a friend, more in deed, than in mere glittery words. Slowly but surely the mistake dawned on Sameer. The mistake that he misunderstood his friend, more often than he really understood!!
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