Chapter - 16

AUTHOR'S POV :

After Freshers' Night

As the freshers' party ended, the music faded, and the excitement settled, Sri and Naina walked towards the college gate. The night was still alive with laughter and chatter, but Sri had something urgent to share.

Suddenly, she sprinted towards Naina and hugged her tightly.

"Do you know who my dance partner was?" Sri asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Who?" Naina asked curiously.

"It was your brother!" Sri squealed, narrating the entire dance floor incident, from the surprise pairing to their performance.

Naina gasped in excitement, jumping in joy. "No way! You won't believe this! The same thing happened to me! Your brother was my dance partner!"

Both girls laughed, hugging each other again, unable to contain their happiness.

Just then, Arjun approached them. "Why are you both standing here? Let's go. I'll drop you home. Let's move."

Sri suddenly remembered something. "Oh no! I forgot to tell you, Naina! I'm going out for dinner with my friends. I'll be home late."

Naina frowned. "What? You didn't tell me this before! And now you're saying it?"

Sri pouted. "I know, I know, sorry! But it was a sudden plan. I really want to go. Please, please!"

Naina sighed. "Fine, but how am I supposed to go home?"Sri looked at Arjun. "Isn't Arjun Bhaiya already going? Just go with him!"

Before Naina could say anything, Sri rushed back inside, excited to meet her friends.

Then they both looked at eachother. Arjun waved his hand towards the parking lot signalling her to move first . She silently went with him .

Inside the college, three boys and two girls were waiting for her, but their faces were tense.

"What happened? Why do you all look so serious?" Sri asked, sensing something was wrong.

One of the boys sighed. "Sri, the restaurant is closed. We're too late. We'll have to plan it another day." Another friend added, "Besides, Riya got hurt during the dance. She needs rest. It wouldn't be fair to go without her."

Sri's excitement faded instantly. Disappointment settled in as she simply nodded. "Okay."Feeling uneasy, she walked away without another word.

She headed straight to the washroom, when she came back, her friends were nowhere to be seen.

Frowning, she called them. "Guys, where are you?"

"Oh, Sri! We thought you left. We've already started heading home in different directions."

Her jaw dropped. "Are you serious? How could you leave me like that?"

"We thought you went with Arjun and Naina. We saw Arjun taking his car from parking lot."

Sri ran towards the parking area only to get disappointed as Arjun and Naina left.

Frustrated, Sri sighed. "Ugh, never mind. I'll take a cab."

As they decided, Naina and Arjun left the college in his car. The drive was silent; not a word was exchanged. Noticing the silence, Arjun decided to break it. He tried to speak but words weren't coming out from his mouth .

Then a idea striked his mind . He took the opposite turn which definitely got noticed by Naina.

"Arjun, I think we're going the wrong way," Naina said as she saw him take a different turn.

"No, Naina, we're going the right way," Arjun replied confidently.

"We should have turned left to go to your house, as far as I remember," Naina said.

"But who told you we're going to my house?" he replied with a teasing smile.

"What? Where are we going then?" she asked, a little scared.

"It's a surprise."

"Just tell me, Arjun," she pleaded.

"Aren't you hungry?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I am, but it's late," she replied.

"Okay, don't be restless. I'm taking you to my favorite place," he said with a grin.

Naina was anxious. Part of her was scared since it was late at night, but another part was excited to spend time with him.

After a 10-minute drive, they arrived at a cozy cafe. It was almost 9:15 PM, so everything else was closed except for this one.

Arjun got out of the car, went to her side, and opened the door for her. She smiled and stepped out.

As they entered, Naina was in awe of the ambiance. It was a cute, aesthetic cafe. On one side, there were seats; on the other side was a counter where the waiters were preparing milkshakes. A large glass window offered a beautiful view of the outside, and one wall was decorated with cute posters and handwritten notes.

"I really love it," Naina said, impressed by how much it suited her taste.

They walked to a corner near the glass and took the seat . Naina started reading the menu, and then the waitress came to take their order.

"Hey Arjun, how are you?" the waitress asked, smiling warmly.

"Good, what about you?" he replied, returning her smile.

"Great! Long time no see. Were you too busy, or did you just forget about us?" she asked, teasingly.

"It's not like that. I've been busy with college stuff," Arjun replied, laughing.

During this exchange, Naina watched Arjun, then the waitress, then back at him, confused by the familiarity between them. Seeing her questioning expression, Arjun quickly introduced them.

"Oh, I totally forgot to introduce you. Naina, meet Esha. Esha, this is Naina," he said.

Esha's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, she's Naina! Wow, Arjun, you never mentioned Naina was here. She's even more beautiful than I imagined! Hi, Naina, nice to meet you!"

Feeling a bit awkward, Naina hesitated before replying, "Hi."

"I've heard a lot about you, and I think everything I've heard is true," Esha continued, but Arjun quickly interrupted.

"Esha!" he called out, laughing. "Please, take our order. We're starving."

"Oops, sorry. Got carried away. Okay, Naina, what will you have?" Esha asked, clicking her pen.

"I'll have white sauce pasta and a cold coffee, please," Naina ordered, smiling.

. "I think I know your order-one veg sandwich and a coffee, right?" Esha asked looking at him .

"Yes, that's right," Arjun replied.

"Your order will be ready in 15 minutes," she said, leaving them alone.

"Do you often come here? She knows you so well. She even knew your order," Naina asked, still a little confused.

"Not often, but yes, I come here sometimes," Arjun replied. "She's my friend; she studied at the same school as me. She joined after you guys left. And, I order the same thing every time, so she remembers my order."

Naina nodded, but then a question popped into her mind. "How does she know me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Arjun hesitated for a moment before answering, "Well, when I visited here with Sri once, I introduced her to Esha. And you know how Sri is-she talks a lot. She mentioned you a few times."

"Okay," Naina replied casually, laughing.

Arjun, however, thought about how much more he had told Esha about Naina-how he liked her, how he had come here hoping to feel her presence when she wasn't around. But she knew nothing .

He was desperate to tell her everything about what he felt about her .

Then they chitchatted about the freshers party and college.Their food arrived after about 10 minutes. Naina was so hungry that she immediately began eating.

Arjun, on the other hand, couldn't help but admire the way she ate-the way she took a bite from her plate and brought it to her mouth.

Naina was so engrossed in her food that she didn't notice his gaze. Arjun, however, was completely taken by her.

After a moment of silent admiration, he decided it was time to speak.

NAINA'S POV:

"Naina, can I ask you something?" I heard Arjun's voice and looked up at him.

"Yes," I said, still chewing a big bite of pasta. I noticed some sauce on my chin, but before I could grab a tissue, Arjun was already reaching for one. He gently wiped the sauce off my chin, making my heart race.

His gaze met mine, and I was lost in his eyes. They spoke volumes, but I couldn't understand them. What if I was wrong about all this?

"Go ahead, you wanted to ask something," I said, averting my gaze and sipping my cold coffee.

"Do you hate me?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

I was taken aback. No, Arjun, I don't hate you. I like you more than you know. I just don't know how to say this, but my heart was shouting these words.

"No, Arjun, not at all. Why do you think that?" I replied, trying to hide my feelings.

"Well, me and your brother... we guys aren't exactly on good terms, and I know he doesn't like me. I thought maybe you didn't like me either," he explained.

I took a deep breath before responding. "Look, Arjun, I know you and Arun don't get along, but that's between you both. I'm not the type of sister who supports my brother's wrongdoings. And yes, you were my childhood friend, just like Sri. I still consider you a good friend, and I can never hate you. I like you. You're a good person."

"Me too, Naina," he replied, and I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease.

Just as I was about to take another bite, his words shocked me.

"I like you, Naina," he said, his tone sincere. "I really like you. I don't know what to call this feeling, but you're more than just a junior or a friend to me. I really like you."

I froze. I didn't expect him to say this.

"You asked me about Esha , that how she knew about you, right? Well, I told her. I told her that I like a girl, Naina. It was me not sri ."

I felt completely numb. I didn't know what to say. Did this mean he loved me? Or was I just dreaming? Butterflies started dancing in my stomach.

"I know it's sudden, Naina, but I've wanted to say this since the day you came to Delhi. After everything that happened in the dance, I thought today was the right moment. There's no pressure to reply, just take note of it."

I was still speechless. This is what I wanted . It was a one sided crush or just a mere attraction. It's from both the sides.

Does it mean it's love? .

I was thinking all these things but he just spoke and started eating his food . How dare he ? His words gave butterflies in my stomach and not a bite was going inside but this guy is eating like nothing happed .

This guy said he like me in a casual way and is eating his sandwich now .

"Naina, finish your food, we need to leave. It's getting late," Arjun said, breaking my thoughts.

I resumed eating in quiet understanding, and after paying, we left. The ride home was just as silent, but there was an unspoken connection between us.

SRI'S POV:

She opened her phone to book a ride, but there was no signal. Her phone froze.

Before she could process what to do next, she suddenly felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned around.

"Boo."

Sri suddenly jolted, her foot caught on a step as she heard a deep voice say, "Boo!"

Startled, she lost her balance and was about to hit the ground when-

Thud!

Someone grabbed her by the waist.

Arun had caught her in time, his strong grip pulling her upright.

They shared a moment of eye contact. His eyes, dark and deep, like black orbs, seemed to draw her in. His gaze was intense, almost mesmerizing, as if she could get lost in them forever. Her heart raced, her body feeling a strange sensation she couldn't quite place.

But before either of them could say anything, she quickly regained her composure.

" What are you doing? Why'd you scare me like that?" Sri scolded, playfully hitting him on the shoulder.

Arun chuckled. "Just having some fun. I wanted to see your reaction."

He grinned, but his expression shifted to curiosity. "Why are you standing here alone? Naina messaged me, saying she's going home. What about you?"

Sri sighed,narrated whole story to him.

Arun raised an eyebrow. " Shit " he murmured.

Arun continued ,"I can't leave you alone like this. Come on, I'll drop you home."

Sri waved him off. "It's fine, Arun. I'm trying to book a cab, but it's not working. I'll take a Rapido or something."Arun thought for a second, then agreed. "Okay, fine I'll go."

Sri wanted to go with Arun,she tapped her foot on ground thinking how arun can leave her like this.

Suddenly, a bike skidded to a stop in front of her, making her pause. She blinked. "Who's this?"

The rider took off his helmet. It was Arun.

"I'm your Rapido driver," he said with a smirk. "Come on, I'll drop you."

Sri couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously?"

Arun chuckled too, and they both got on the bike. He handed her a helmet, which she reluctantly put on.

As they cruised through the streets, Sri glanced at Arun, a playful idea forming in her mind. "Why bother with helmets? We should enjoy the beautiful air and view, right?"

Without waiting for his answer, she pulled off both their helmets, laughing.

As her fingers brushed against his beard, a chill ran through her body. She felt a surge of goosebumps at the unexpected contact. Arun's light beard was soft against her fingertips, and for a moment, everything else seemed to blur.

She quickly moved her hand away, but the sensation lingered, making her heart race once again.

As the bike cruised along the quiet streets, Sri and Arun chatted about their college experiences, laughing at funny incidents and sharing small stories. The wind brushed past them, making the ride feel carefree and light.

Then, out of the blue, Sri turned to Arun and asked, "Hey, you write poetry, right?"

Arun, slightly surprised, nodded. "Yeah, I love poetry, shayari's. all that stuff."

Sri smiled, a thought sparking in her mind. "Can I ask you something?"

Arun looked at her, curious. "Yeah,?"

Sri hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Can you write a poem for me?"

Arun paused, taken aback for a second, his mind racing for words. But after a brief silence, he nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll write one... but the time has to come."

Sri frowned, confused. "What? Why time?"

Arun smiled softly. "Poetry, shayari... they should come from a peaceful place, a moment of inspiration. I can't just say it like this. But I'll sit down, think about you... and then I'll write something for you."

Sri beamed, happy to hear that. They continued riding, the conversation flowing freely.

The atmosphere was peaceful,Just the two of them,on a bike in lonely road.

At Sri's Home:

As the bike came to a halt in front of Sri's house, the clock on the dashboard showed 9:30 PM. The night had been long, and the air was filled with the lingering thrill of their walk, but now it was time to say goodbye. Arun took off his helmet first, looking over at Sri, but something in his eyes suggested that he wasn't quite ready to let go.

"We're here," Sri said softly, but there was a hint of unease in her voice. "Thanks for the ride, Arun."

Arun nodded, but before he could respond, Sri's mom came outside, her face lighting up as she spotted them. "Arun! Sri, you're back. Come in, both of you. It's late."

Sri turned toward Arun, offering a smile. "You should come in for a bit, Arun. Just for a few minutes."

Arun hesitated, his face tightening as he looked at Sri's family. "No, no, it's fine. I need to head back to my room. My roommates will be back soon, and I should get there before they..."

But before he could finish, Sri's dad, who had stepped out from the house to greet them, gave him a warm smile. "Arun, why so hesitant? You can come in for a while. We insist. Don't worry about the time, just come in for dinner."

Sri's mom joined in, her voice gentle but firm. "Yes, come inside, Arun. We haven't seen you in a while, you should stay for dinner."

Arun felt the weight of their insistence and his reluctance mixed together. With a deep breath, he finally relented, nodding slowly. "Okay, just for a few minutes."

As they all entered the house, Sri's parents led the way. However, Arun's mind wasn't quite at ease. The moment he crossed the threshold, he turned to Sris mom. "Where is Naina?"

Sri's mom and dad exchanged a quick glance, and there was a flicker of confusion in their expressions. "Naina? She isn't home yet? We thought she was with you and Arjun..."

Sri froze for a moment, blinking in surprise. "What? Naina isn't home yet?"

Her parents looked at each other again, this time with a touch of concern. "No, we thought she'd be with you, with Arun and you both. She and Arjun haven't come back yet. Did you leave them behind?"

Sri's mind raced, feeling a knot form in her stomach. "But... I thought Naina was with Arjun." She narrated story ,Arun stood there, his face unreadable, but the tension between them was palpable. Something didn't add up.

"Are you sure they didn't go ahead without us?" Sri asked, her voice soft, almost questioning herself. "Arjun and Naina... they should have come back by now, right?"

Sri's mom shook her head, her expression growing more puzzled. "I'm not sure, Sri. We thought they'd be here already."

The uncertainty hung in the air, and Arun, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke up. "I'll head out and check on them. Maybe they're on their way, or there's been some mix-up." His voice was not calm, but Sri could feel the undertone of concern and anger on arjun.

Arun standing in the living room, his fists clenched at his sides. His calm exterior was slowly crumbling. His eyes blazed with fury, and his voice cut through the room like a knife.

"How could Naina go with Arjun?!" Arun's voice was low, but the anger in it was undeniable. "How could you let her go with him?!"

Sri was taken aback by the sudden outburst. She quickly stepped in front of Arun, holding up her hands to calm him down. "Arun, please, calm down. Please listen to me."

"No, Sri! How could you let my sister go with him? You know how I feel about Arjun! You know how I feel about Naina being around him!" Arun's voice trembled with rage, his chest rising and falling with each sharp breath.

Sri, trying to remain calm, placed a hand on his arm. "I had no choice, Arun. You know about my plans. I couldn't let Naina take a cab by herself. I thought Arjun would come straight home, so I told Naina to go with him. I didn't know this would happen."

Arun stood frozen, looking at her in disbelief. His fists were still clenched, and his body trembled with the need to act, to fix the situation. "You should've told me! I could've drop naina. I would've made sure Naina was safe."

Sri sighed, trying to ease the tension. "Arun, you don't need to worry about Naina. She's fine. Arjun won't hurt her."I know you don't like my bhai but trust me he is nice guy, nothing will happen to them.Sit please"

Arun finally sat down on the sofa, but his mind was still racing. His worry for Naina was palpable. Sri, noticing his unease, sat down beside him, placing a hand on his arm. "Relax, Arun. You're too tense. Sit down, take a breath. Everything will be okay."

Arun didn't respond at first, but Sri pulled him down into a sitting position, gently urging him to relax. He finally gave in, but his shoulders were still taut with worry.

Just then, Sri's mom entered the room, holding a glass of water, and offered it to Arun. "Here, Arun, drink some water. Everything will be fine. Arjun is with Naina, and you know he won't let anything happen to her."

Then they tried to call Arjun and Naina but they failed . Naina's phone was switched off and Arjun wasn't lifting his call .

The time passed and clock ticked at 10:20 .

Now everyone was scared thinking of every possibility.

Then a sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught Arun's attention. His body went stiff as he stood up abruptly. "They're back," Arun muttered, his voice sharp.

Sri quickly placed a hand on his chest, stopping him from rushing outside. "Wait, Arun. They'll come inside."

The door creaked open, and as soon as Arjun and Naina stepped in, Arun stormed toward them.

Without hesitation, he grabbed Arjun by the collar, his eyes burning with rage. "How dare you take my sister?! And how could you leave Sri behind?!" His voice echoed.

Arjun, caught off guard for a second, quickly regained his composure. His own frustration flared, and he grabbed Arun's collar in return, pulling him closer. "You don't know what happened there!" he shot back, his voice just as furious.

Turning sharply, Arjun's eyes locked onto Sri. "What happened?! Why arun is here? He is saying that I left you but you went out right?"

Sri, still shocked by the sudden outburst, took a step back before answering. "I-I was with my friends... but our plans got cancelled . Arun dropped me home. I thought I'd take a cab since you guys had already left."

Arjun's expression darkened, his grip on Arun tightened as he turned back to him. "You dropped her home, but you didn't even bother to tell me?!" His voice rose with anger.

"She was stranded, Arjun! Alone! And you didn't think I should know?!"Arun jerked Arjun's collar in frustration. "And what about Naina?! Why did you take my sister with you?!" He replied to his allegations.

Arjun clenched his jaw. "Are u serious Naina didn't went with Sri ,how can I leave her and go. It's not safe to book a cab . Remember arun she lives with us so we came together ." He looked straight into Arun's eyes making the scene more intense.

"And you thought that was a good idea?!" Arun shouted, his fists tightening.

"What was I supposed to do, leave her there?!" Arjun shouted back, pushing Arun slightly. "I didn't know you'd make a big deal out of this!"

Naina, overwhelmed, stepped forward. "Bhaiya, please! Stop this!" Her voice trembled as she looked between the two of them.

Sri quickly intervened, stepping between the two men and placing her hands on their arms. "Enough! Both of you, stop it!" Her voice was firm. "Nothing happened! Arjun was just looking after Naina because I asked him to!"

Arun exhaled sharply, his breathing heavy as he finally loosened his grip on Arjun's collar. But his glare remained fixed on him. "I don't trust you, Arjun. Stay away from my sister."

Arjun scoffed, shaking his head. "You're being ridiculous, Arun." He straightened his shirt, still fuming. "I would never let anything happen to Naina and one more thing never dare to go near my sister!

Naina, overwhelmed by the tension, rushed to Arun and threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. "Bhaiya, please stop... I'm sorry,'' she whispered, her voice trembling.

At the same time, Sri ran to Arjun and hugged him, her grip firm as she tried to calm him down. ''Bhaiya, please don't fight... I should have called you,I am sorry " she said softly, guilt evident in her voice.

The warmth of their sister's embrace softened both Arjun and Arun for a moment, their anger slowly fading as they exhaled heavily.

Naina and Sri sighed in relief. At least for now, the fight had settled... but the tension between Arun and Arjun was far over .

Arjun's parents, sensing the tension in the air, stepped in to diffuse the situation. His mother spoke first, her voice gentle yet firm. "Enough, all of you. No more fighting. You're all safe, and that's what matters. Now, let's sit down and have dinner together."

Arjun's father nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's already late. Relax, eat something, and calm down."

Arjun left he living room went upstairs.

But Arun shook his head, adjusting his jacket. "No, uncle. I need to leave. My friends might already be asleep, and I don't have a spare key with me."

Arjun's mother sighed but gave him a warm smile. "Alright, beta. But next time, stay longer. You're always welcome here."

Arun gave a small nod out of respect and turned to leave. Sri and naina followed him outside.

Sri packed a box for Arun as it was quite late .

"Mom made pulav," she said with a soft smile. "It's your favorite. It's late, and you might not find anything to eat, so take this and have it when you reach your room."

As Arun took the box from Sri, a small smile played on his lips. "Thank you, Sri. That's really sweet of you."

Arun looked at her for a moment before replying, "Okay, take care. Good night."

Just as he was about to leave, his gaze shifted to Naina. His expression hardened slightly. "Are you sure you want to be here?"

Before Naina could respond, Sri stepped forward, her tone bold and unwavering. "Who are you to decide that? You don't get to say where she stays or what facilities she has. She is my best friend. More than that-she is my girlfriend. I know how to take care of her. You just go."

For a moment, there was silence. Then, unexpectedly, Sri, Naina, and Arun burst into laughter, the tension melting away. Even Arun couldn't help but chuckle at Sri's assertiveness.

Naina, feeling confident, spoke up with a soft smile. "I'm fine, bhaiya. I'll take care of myself. Don't worry."

I know bhaiya, you care for me, but what would happen if you knew the real story? The café incident, Arjun, and how I feel about him. I'm not sure you'd understand. I just want things to stay simple, before everything changes. She thought to herself.

Arun shook his head slightly, still smiling. "Alright, alright. I'm leaving. Good night, uncle, auntie!" he called toward the house before hopping onto his bike.

With one last glance at Sri and Naina, he revved the engine and rode off into the night.

Both girls returned to their room and got freshed up .

Naina was lying on the bed thinking about all that has happened today .

Just then Sri came out of the washroom and noticed her . She layed beside her and spoke " stop overthinking about it Naina . It's over . "

" Yeah but it's not that easy . Everything was so intense at that time " she spoke it was quiet evident that she was still scared.

Sri hugged her . The she asked " by the way why were you guys late . I thought you would be home already because you started before us ? "

Naina hesitantly spoke " actually his car got troubled so we couldn't reach on time . And we were coming from different route that might be a reason you didn't see us "

" Okay but next time please be careful with your phone battery or else your brother will murder me " she said pressing a fake knife into her stomach.

Both laughed out loud and then went to bed .

But the only thought running in Naina's was she lied to her bestfriend for the first time . She thought it would be better if she didn't knew. But lying wasn't her cup of tea. She was scared what if she gets to know about the truth ? .

______________________________________________

To be continued.

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