Author's POV
“Please don't mind these two, they sometimes just forget to bring their brains with them.” Kartik said looking at the four statues- I mean persons sharing the table with them.
“Okay jokes aside but I really think you are gay.” Shree said playfully.
Hearing her, Aman who was sitting just beside Kartik moved his chair a bit away from him.
“Aman, not you dude. She is just joking. Just because I never had a girlfriend doesn't make me a gay.” Kartik said, noticing Aman moving his chair.
“She herself never had a boyfriend, does that mean she is a lesbian?” Kartik said.
“If me becoming a lesbian means you are gay then okay from now on I am a Lesbian.” She said, making the other look at her with an open mouth.
“What do you say Tripathi?” She questioned winking at Rashi.
“No, of course not, Guys we were joking and you both, especially you Chiku, stop it.” Rashi said, realising what Shree's words meant.
“𝑻𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒊 𝒚𝒂𝒂𝒓, 𝑩𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒊 𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒖 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒊 𝒏𝒂 𝒕𝒐𝒉 𝒎𝒖𝒋𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒂 𝒚𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒊, 𝑨𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒏𝒂 𝒚𝒂𝒉𝒂 𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒉𝒂𝒈𝒏𝒆 𝒌𝒂 𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒌𝒂 𝒅𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒈 𝒋𝒂𝒕𝒂.” Shree said, disappointed as her drama ended.
[Tripathi, if you didn't talk for a little while then I am completely confident Aman would start finding a way to escape from here.]
“Okay okay, now I don't want these guys to call us mentally ill. So let's end this drama and introduce ourselves. Hello everyone I am Rashi Tripathi.” Rashi said.
“You guys already know me. But then also Hello I am Laksh.” Laksh said.
“Hello Everyone, I am Prateek Agarwal. I am Vikram’s partner- I mean project partner.” Prateek corrected himself, recalling what just happened a few minutes ago.
“You already got my introduction.” Aman said.
“What? Kartik's partner?” Shree said, making Aman widen his eyes.
“Project partner.” Aman corrected, passing her a glare.
“Seonbae, about the project. What do you think we should make?” Laksh asked, gaining her attention.
“Umm, Don't worry about that, I will think it over. You just decide the time and place for project making- my apartment, your home or the cafe I work at.” Shree replied.
The others on the table were also discussing their project. Rashi has a role in the discussion of Aman and Kartik.
“I am free anytime after college. And about the place, how about my home?” Laksh said.
“I don't have any problem. About time, which one do you prefer: three to five or six to eight?” Shree asked.
“I think six to eight will be good.” Laksh replied.
“Okay then, we will start working on the project tomorrow at your home.” Shree said.
“Great! It will be fun.” Laksh yelled excitedly.
Everyone had a few more chats with one another while having their food and drinks. After some time the bell rang indicating it's time for their next classes. They left for their respective classes after bidding byes.
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Inside the Rathore mansion, Laksh is sitting on the couch, glancing at the door from time to time.
Sakshi, who came from the hospital some time ago, looked at her son to find him tapping his feet on the floor while glancing at the door.
She moved towards him, “Laksh, are you waiting for someone?” She asked.
“No mumma.” He replied, his gaze fixed on the door.
“𝑻𝒐𝒉 𝒌𝒚𝒂 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒛𝒆 𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒅𝒊 𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒋𝒐 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒂 𝒏𝒊𝒉𝒂𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐?” Sakshi said.
[ So do you want to marry the door that you are staring at it so much?]
“What? No—” Laksh couldn't complete his sentence as he heard the voice of the person he was waiting for.
“𝑨𝒂𝒋 𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆 𝒌𝒚𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚?” Neil said more like sung just after entering inside.
[what's for dinner today?]
Laksh ran towards him and hugged him, shocking both Sakshi and Neil. “Neil Bhai, I was waiting for you only. You know you are the best.” Laksh said.
“Hahaha. Th-thank you. I know I am the best.𝑳𝒆𝒌𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒖𝒋𝒆 𝒆𝒌𝒅𝒖𝒎 𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒌𝒂 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒔 𝒌𝒂𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒏.” Neil said, shocked by Laksh’s behaviour. Like the same guy who irritates the hell out of you every time is now thanking you.𝑲𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒐𝒉 𝒈𝒂𝒅𝒃𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒂-𝒊 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝑵𝒆𝒊𝒍.
[Something is wrong Daya- I mean Neil ]
“𝑲𝒚𝒂 𝑩𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒂𝒂𝒑 𝒚𝒆𝒉 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒅𝒐 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒐 𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒊.” Laksh said looking at Neil with a smile.
[What brother, leave this and let's have dinner together.]
“You go ahead, I am coming in a few minutes.” Neil said and ran towards the guest— his room.
Everyone sat on their chairs, Neil was going to sit beside Ahaan, when, “Bhai, sit beside me.” Laksh said, giving him a sweet smile…way too sweet smile.
Neil sat next to Laksh and looked at him with a straight face, “What do you want?” Neil asked, not liking this extra sweet behaviour of Laksh towards him.
“I want nothing. I just want to thank you for everything you did to help me with the economics project partner matter.” Laksh replied.
“Project partner matters? Nitesh who was sitting near them heard their talk and asked out.
“Papa, Laksh wanted Shree to become his partner in a project. Neil Bhai helped him in this by using some relations with the college professor.” Aditi said, passing Laksh a victory smirk.
𝑺𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒓… 😌
“Laksh we shouldn't use our relationship with college authorities to complete our wish. Rules are the same for everyone.” Nitesh said, looking at his son.
“But Papa, we didn't break any rule. Professor first refused Neil Bhai's request but later accepted as Seonbae had no problem with it. Seonbae agreed on this.” Laksh said the last line looking at his sister.
“There was no need for all this just to be partnered with a spoiled brat like her. I am sure her father must have used his relations for her admission in such a prestigious university." Adhyansh said, for the first time after hearing them, shocking everyone. Firstly because Adhyansh spoke this large sentence for the first time. His replies are always short and curt. And Secondly, because of the way he spoke about Shree, She is not what he is thinking of her. She is a nice girl, according to everyone in the family.
Laksh who heard him felt bad after hearing his brother’s word for his Seonbae, but he just couldn't answer back his brother, it would be rude. So he used his way.
“Bade Papa, what was Bhai’s rank and score in College?” Laksh asked, looking at Adhiraj, making everyone turn their head towards him, confused by his question.
“Why are you asking this?” Adhiraj asked, puzzled.
“Bade Papa,𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒆𝒚𝒆 𝒏𝒂.” Laksh said.
[Please tell me.]
“First rank and 495 out of 500, it's the highest score of the university.” Adhiraj replied.
“Umm, Bade papa it was. It was the highest score because last year someone scored 498 out of 500 and broke the record.” Laksh said, shocking everyone, including Mr. ASR, he pretends to focus on his food but his whole focus is on Laksh's talk.
“What? That person must be really smart.” Karan, their grandfather said, surprised by the new information.
“Of course, that person is really smart. And you know what, she even teamed up with me for my project.” Laksh said.
“But isn't Shree—” Aditi couldn't complete her sentence.
“Yes, that person is Seonbae, that is Shree didi.” Laksh said, proudly.
“Woah, I didn't think that. So you wanted to be assigned with her because she was a high ranker.” Neil said.
“No, I had no idea about that. I discovered it this morning at college only.” Laksh replied.
No one spoke anything after this, they had their dinner in silence and left for their respective rooms after dinner.
After entering his room, he straight walked inside the closet and returned with a small wooden box. He placed the box on the bedside table and took out the familiar bangle from it. He just stared at it for a few minutes.
He recalled everything Laksh said at the dining table. But he didn't feel a bit jealous that someone broke his record for the first time. He didn't feel any kind of jealousy or anger, though he felt proud of her after hearing that it was her- Shree who broke the record not someone else. His lips curved a little upward, but before a smile could form, he shook his head.
He again focused on the bangle, “𝑯𝒖𝒎 𝒂𝒃 𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒛𝒂𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒌𝒂𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒌𝒕𝒆. 𝑩𝒐𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒂𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒂𝒑𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒌𝒂𝒌𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒈𝒊 𝑴𝒔. 𝑴𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚.” he said looking at the bangle in his hand, while in a corner of his mind he was thinking about Shree but denied to accept it.
[I can't wait to meet you any more. See you very soon, Ms. Mystery.]
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On the other side…
On a table two people were looking at each other, their eyes battling.
“𝑻𝒐𝒉 𝒕𝒖 𝒎𝒖𝒋𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊 𝒃𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒅𝒆𝒈𝒂.” Shree said, looking straight in Kartik's eyes.
[So you won't give me your bike.]
“𝑯𝒂𝒂. 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒌𝒖𝒍 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊.” Kartik replied.
[Yes, not at all.]
“𝑲𝒉𝒖𝒅𝒌𝒐 𝒃𝒐𝒉𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒅𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒕𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊, 𝒋𝒐 𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒂 𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒂𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒉𝒎𝒎.” Shree said in a mocking tone.
[You think of yourself to be a great biker, that's why you are showing so much attitude.]
“𝑰𝒔𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒆 𝒌𝒊 𝒌𝒐𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒂𝒕 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒊, 𝒚𝒆𝒉 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒊…𝒂𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒆 𝒌𝒊 𝒕𝒐𝒉 𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒌𝒖𝒍 𝒃𝒉𝒊 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊.” he replied looking at her.
[There is nothing to think about in this, this is true and as far as giving the bike is concerned, then not at all.]
“𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒊 𝒚𝒆𝒉𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒖 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒌𝒆𝒉 𝒅𝒆.” She said taking her phone.
[Okay, say the same to him.]
“I am not scared of anyone. Call anyone but my answer won't change at-” He paused seeing the name on her phone screen…Kailash Joshi- his father.
He took out his bike's keys from his pocket and passed it to her with a sweet smile.
“You don't need to request anything from me, just order. Everything of mine is yours too, hmm. Now put that phone back and take the keys. And go to sleep. It's not good to stay awake till late. I don't want my cute Chiku to get sick.” Kartik said with a honey dripping tone and an extra sweet smile.
He stood up and moved out of Shree’s apartment and went to his, leaving Shree behind who.was having a victory grin present on her face.
Actually She needed Kartik’s bike for travelling from college to the cafe and then from the cafe to Laksh's home. But Kartik being the kittu he is just wouldn't give it easily. So she had to use the 𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂 that is by scaring him that she will call his father, who is always in Shree's team.
“𝑲𝒂𝒉𝒏𝒂 𝒋𝒊 𝒎𝒂𝒊 𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒊 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒌𝒚𝒖 𝒉𝒖.” She thought, mentally praising herself.
[Kanha ji, Why am I so smart?]
“𝑪𝒉𝒖𝒑 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒑 𝒔𝒐 𝒋𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒉𝒂 𝒂𝒂𝒌𝒂𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒕𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒍𝒂 𝒅𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒊” Came Rashi's voice breaking her self love ceremony.
[Go to sleep quietly or else I will come there and slap you and make you sleep.]
“𝑺𝒐 𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒉𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊 𝒎𝒂𝒂.” She replied.
[I am going to sleep, my mother.]
♡♡✿♡♡
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