♡ 25 ♡ What Is Love?

Here is chapter 25...

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Enjoyyyyy..... 🐳🐳🐳🐳

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Kavya tapped her nails on the table as bit her lips, her eyes searching for him. She sighed disappointedly as she checked the time, she pouted.

The waiter approached her. "Ma'am, are you going to order something now?" She could feel the frustration in his voice.

"Another glass of wat-" Before she could finished her sentence, the waiter harshly slammed the jug of water on the table. "Anything else?" He asked, she glanced at the two empty water jug.

"Umm..." She cleared her throat, feeling embarrassed since she is sitting for last one and half hour and have ordered nothing but water. She picked up the menu and went through it, awkwardly. "One espresso and cheesecake." She forced a smile.

"Thank you!" He said, rolling his eyes before going.

Kavya picked up her phone, unlocking it before messaging her boyfriend.

Kavya: Where are you?

She waited for few minutes, looking back and back at her phone to see his reply but there was none. While waiting, the food arrived which she ordered. "Thank you." She gave a soft smile.

She took a small bit of the cheesecake as she played with her phone, hoping it to vibrate with a notification from him. She played with the fork on the plate whike chewing.

After few minutes later, her phone buzzed and the name of the person popped on her screen which she desired. She placed the spoon aside, with a huge smile she opened his message but only to get disappointed.

Veer: Home. Why?

Kavya: Home? Veer, we planned to meet today.

She messaged, with a small hope that he is just playing around with her.

Veer: We did?

Kavya: Are you kidding me? We meet every Saturday. It isn't new.

Veer: ohh... yeah.

Veer: I mean we had not met since previous Saturdays so today also we will not meet.

Kavya: It had been you, who had been canceling our dates on Saturday.

Veer: it's because I'm busy not free like you.

Kavya: What makes you think I'm free?

Veer: Kavya, are you going to fight with me?

Kavya frustratedly slammed on her phone on the table instead of replying him, her action gained attention from onlookers but she didn't care the less as the tears gathered in her eyes.

"He has been acting like this for past weeks." She whispered is herself, as she recalled how he is avoiding and ditching since past weeks. "He wasn't like this before." He has been behaving rude and distinct with her.

In the relationship, she felt like she was the only one who was giving her all but there was no response from him.

Such thoughts filled her mind, she lifted the cup and took a sip of espresso as the bitter taste of espresso replicated her thoughts about him. She closed her eyes not liking the taste.

To replace it, she took a bite of cheesecake yet the sweetness of the cake was not able to compete with the bitterness of the coffee. It felt nothing in her mouth, it's taste was like as if she was eating air.

It wasn't about the food but her thoughts, how much tried to persuade herself with a positive thinking, on the door stood ten other negative thoughts to seize her mind.

She quickly turned her head up when she heard some familiar voice, she wiped her tears as she saw Isha, Kriti, Rhea and Aanya walking inside with some shopping bags in their hands.

They still haven't noticed her, so she lifted her hand and waved at them to catch their gaze. Isha gasped seeing her as she ran towards her and hugged her, she was followed by others who greeted her.

"Sit with me." Kavya said, smiling. The girls thanked her and took their seats around the table.

"Kavya, isn't it Saturday? You spend your time with Veer today, right?" Ishanvi asked, curiously.

Kavya was taken aback from her words. "He is busy today." She forced a smile and looked down at the plate, Isha furrowed her eyebrow at Kavya's odd tone of speaking.

Instead of asking more question about Veer, she changed the topic. "Guysss!!!! We all are going on the trippp. I'm so excitedttt!!" Isha beamed, feeling overwhelmed.

"Apni excitement ko thoda kabu mein rakhiye." Kritika said.

"I can't. Can you believe this is the first time I'm going on a trip with my friends and that also for 10 daysssss. My previous schools never had a trip."

"I know I know but itna bhi excited maat ho ki hum mein se koi na ja sakhe aur Pura plan chopat ho jaye." Kritika said, shrugging her shoulder.

"Ayee! Shubh shubh bol." Rhea said, hitting Kritika.

"Shubh bolu?" Kritika thought for a moment. "Toh fir aesa na ho jaye ki hum mein se kisi ki train chhut jaye."

"Yeh tera subh tha?" Anaya asked, arching her eyebrow.

"Haan, I mean phele hum mein se ek bhi nahi gaya tha ab sab ja rahe hain sirf ek ko chhod ke." Kritika smiled.

Isha hissed. "Let's order something."

"Where were you all going with this?" Kavya asked, pointing towards the shopping bags.

"We went to shopping for the trip." Rhea said with a huge grin spread across her face.

When everyone was done deciding what they wanted to eat, Kritika took the dishes name and went to the counter for ordering.

"Ishanvi." Rhea called. "Be careful in school while interacting with Krish bhaiya. You know how our school is, if they catch you both alone then you already know the consequences."

"It's not like we are dating." Isha said, rolling her eyes.

"Not dating but still since there are rumours spread across the school about you two since the Janmashtami celebration." Rhea warned her, feeling concerned. "From dating, I remembered why don't you both date?"

Ishanvi went to her thinking zone. "He doesn't like me?" She said, unsure.

"Jokes on you. He definitely likes you." Rhea scoffed.

"I don't know about my feeling well, I mean I do like him but I don't want to ruin the friendship since we have met after years."

"Ohhh.... so you like Krish bhaiya?" Kavya teased, nudging Isha. In return, she blushed while glaring at her. "So, let me ask you one thing how you feel when he is around you?"

Isha stayed silent. "Isha, say something. How you feel when you are with him?" Anaya asked, encouraging her to speak up about her feelings.

Isha closed her eyes and with a deep sighed, she said. "I feel something inside me which I can't describe in words, no matter how many I tried I wasn't able to describe it."

"The feeling is so beautiful yet scary, strong yet delicate. Never in my lifetime, I have felt something like this that I feel with him, from him. You know when I left this city, I was so sad about leaving Krish here." She leaned back on the chair.

"So disappointed that I didn't wanted to make new friends since I knew no one was like him. After meeting so many boys, I never had a crush on anyone but him, thinking we might meet once again."

"That little Krish stayed in my memory forever supporting me, loving me and encouraging me. Whenever I used to feel down, that little Krish will appear from no where and will have a conversation with me, he never let me felt that I was alone. I would calm at the thought of him."

"I was a kid to understand the concept of Crush during that age and nowadays if I tell them this, they might name it as puppy love but I know it's not a puppy love nor a crush, crush might go away after years but no he stayed in my mind and in my heart. We never met each other nor talked face to face but we did interacted with our heart and memories."

"Little did we knew we will meet once again and we did. My first day in school, when I saw him, everything around me stopped and I don't know you all noticed it or not but through out the whole break, I was staring at him, as if he was the only present in that room and my eyes never wanted to move from him, they wanted to admire him that they missed in those ten years."

"Aww..." Rhea said, wiping her tears. "Now I am speechless and don't know what to say."

Ishanvi didn't stopped there, she continued. "You asked me how I feel when he is around me? I feel this is what I wanted, him. Whenever he is around, my conscious mind goes to sleep and my subconscious takes over, Whenever he is around, my heart beats so fast as if all the veins and capillaries joint to it, will be detached any second and my heart will brust-"

"I'm afraid that you are suffering from arrhythmia." Kritika said, coming back from ordering the food.

"What's arhi- ugh whatever you said?" Rhea asked

"Arrhythmia is the rhythm of the heart which is not normal, it's irregular. Too slow or too fast. I heard what Isha said, she felt as if her veins and capillaries will detach and heart will brust. Oh my!" She placed her arms over her chest.

Kritika took Isha's hand. "Go and see a doctor. Don't worry, we are with you. Get it check before it gets too serious."

"Oo doctor sahiba, chalu train mein na chade." Anaya said.

Kritika looked dumbfounded while other laughed at her reaction. "We are talking about love and crush. Ishanvi was describing her feelings, you missed it." Kavya said.

"Can't you all wait for me." Kritika huffed.

"Anyway Kritika, Rhea and Anaya what about you all? How you feel when you are with your crush?" Kavya asked curiously.

"I don't have a crush." Rhea said, clearing her throat.

"Same." Anaya said in low voice.

"I stopped after that Aditya thing." Kritika said, pouting.

"I don't believe this but what is love to you all?" Kavya asked.

"Love? Love can't be described. It is subjective, for someone love is timepass, for someone love is everything, for someone love is ugly, for someone love is beautiful. Everyone sees love as different things." Kritika said.

"So tell me from your point of you." Kavya requested.

"Mine? Love is not just feeling excited and nervous when that person is near you, for me with nervousness, there is a feeling of calmness and reliefness." She crossed her arms. "When you see that person, no matter how bad situation you are in, you feel like everything will be alright. Love is about selflessness, you are willing to do anything for someone even if it means to ruin yourself."

"Have you ever felt calm and relieved by seeing someone?" Rhea asked, taking interest.

Kritika's smile fell. Have I? Yes, I have. When I was stuck in that small gully with those men staring at me.

A warm hand intertwined with her cold hand, startling her. She turned to see Jay, his eyes locked onto hers, filled with concern. She felt a rush of gratitude and relief.

He came to help me when I behaved rudely with him. He was the first person to whom I went after what Aditya did to me.

She opened his house door and ran away from there, tears streaming down from her eyes. She ran and ran until she saw a familiar figure and for some reason relief spread inside her chest.

Without hesitation, she headed towards that person and held the person's hand. She looked at him, crying and shaking. He turned towards her, his gaze softened and concerned. "Kriti, what happened?" He asked, concerned.

But it is not love, it is just feeling of relief when you see someone you know during hard times. She thought to herself.

"Why are we talking about this?" Kritika asked, avoiding the question. "Stupid thing. "

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Next day, Rhea stood infront of the mirror. She bit her lips, anxiously as her left hand held her bangs straight infront of her eyes while her right hand held the scissor perpendicular.

"Haye Krishna! Please kuch bura na ho!" She prayed before she started moving her scissor.

She was so focused on cutting her hairs, that when her phone rang loudly in the quite atmosphere, she flinched and cut her bangs in uneven shape.

She stared bewildered at herself before crying and falling down on her knees. "Yeh kya kar liya maine!!"

"What should I do now? Let's go to saloon and get it better." She stood up and grabbed her cap before wearing it.

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She opened the door of the saloon, walking inside, the smell of shampoos, colors and burning of the hair filled her nose, she greeted the lady at the counter, she asked her to wait.

After half and hour, her name was called, she went to the shampoo section. "Remove your cap." The hairstylist said, as she tied the black cape around Rhea.

Rhea hesitatedly raised her hand and removed it from her head, flashing her uneven bangs. The hairstylist looked at her hair in shocked while she looked down, feeling embarrassed.

The hairstylist chuckled, shaking her head. She held Rhea's head gentlely and made her lie as she started washing her hairs, Rhea closed her eyes feeling relaxed. Kash Har roj mujhe koi aese baal dhoke deta.

Her thoughts were meddled when the hairstylist asked her to sit. Ho gaya? Itna jaldi? She gazed at the digital clock hung on the wall theh she realized she had been washing her hairs since past 10 minutes.

The hairstylist came with a towel in her hand, she dried Rhea's hair like she was drying the hair of a child, gentle and careful. She asked her to go and sit on the chair where her hair were supposed to be cut.

Rhea walked towards the hair, with the white towel hanging around her shoulder and her damp hairs lying on top of it. She sat and waited until a new lady came to her and smiled. "Which haircut do you want?"

"Umm... I don't want any haircut, I want to fix this bangs and trim my rough hair from the end, just a little bit." Rhea explained. "Jyada maat katna please." She said, hoping her hair which fall till her shoulder blades stays the same length.

The lady nodded, staring at Rhea through the mirror, thinking how type of bangs will suit her. Rhea gazed back at the lady through the same mirror, hoping she won't ruin her hair.

In the next second, the lady had a comb and a scissor in her hands, she started cutting her hair from the back by dividing hairs into two parts as she clipped some hairs.

Rhea crossed her fingers, closing her eyes, she prayed to God. "Haye Kanha! Wapas kuch aur na ho jaye."

She opened her eyes and saw the hairstylist cutting her hair, the length getting short then shorter. Rhea stared at her with widened eyes, whispering. "Thoda hi kaat na tha." She kept whispering it many times but the lady didn't seemed to listen her as she continued her job.

She painfully watched her hair going from shoulder blades to shoulders as tears gathered in her eyes and the lady did her front hair as wispy bangs.

The lady picked up the hair dryer and begin styling her hair, that's when she noticed the tears in Rhea's eyes. "Darling, are you alright?" Rhea nodded, slowly. "Then why are you crying?"

She slowly glanced at the lady, forcing a smile. "I look too pretty with this hairstyle."

The lady laughed and gave a light hit on her shoulder. "Thank you beta!" Rhea simply nodded.

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Rhea sat under the tree, with the support of the trunk, she watched the kids playing and laughing. A ball came rolling in her direction, she took the ball in the hand waiting for the kid to come and take it.

Soon two kids ran towards. "Didi ballll!" They shouted from afar. Rhea extended the ball to them, one of them took and ran back whereas the other child stayed, looking at her. "Didi you look funny!" He laughed and went back to play.

She winced at the child's comment.

Her ruined mood got lighten up when she saw her phone vibrating with the notification by Yash. With a huge smile, she opened her phone.

Yash: You aren't coming today for studying?

She wanted but she can't, she don't him to see her like this.

Rhea: No.

Yash: Kyu?

Rhea: Aese hi.

Yash: Aese hi kyu?

Rhea: Aese hi kyuki aese hi.

Yash: Rhea, you know that exams are right there after we come from trip and I know you won't study a bit after coming.

Yash: So come right now. I want you in my house in next 10 minutes.

Rhea: No.

Yash: What no? Come right now.

Rhea: No means no.

Yash: Why you don't want to come? Be honest.

Rhea: My mood is ruined.

Yash: Did I something?

Rhea: No, I went to saloon and they cut my hair in wrong way and I don't want to see anyone right now.

Yash: Send me your photo.

I didn't came because I don't want to see and now you are asking for my photo.

Rhea: No.

Yash: Send.

Rhea: No.

Yash: Send.

Rhea: No.

Yash: Send.

Rhea: No.

Yash: Send.

Rhea: I would complain about you in the police station for forcing me. Don't you know no means no.

Yash: I swear Rhea. Send me your photo or else I won't talk to you from now on.

Yash: I promise I won't laugh.

Rhea scoffed. So he thinks I look funny? Well... I actually do.

She opened her front camera and brought it front of her face. She tried different poses in order to look pretty, she swipes through the photos that she clicked. "Kisi mein bhi acchi nahi dikh rahi main, kese bheju." She pouted.

Yash: I want one pic only and you look beautiful in every pic so send anyone.

His message caught her attention, the blood rushed to her cheeks, making them warm as she read the words sent by him. She shyly smiled and thought of clicking just few more pics.

After clicking, she selected three pictures. which should I send? She selected one pic and sent it to him, she waited for his reply.

Yash: Dora- The explorer. You look like her.

She stared bewildered at her phone. That's when she noticed that she was wearing pink tshirt and her hairs were now reaching her shoulders with bangs, which looked weird just like dora, her bangs had a small gap in between, flashing her forehead.

Yash: No wait not dora.

Yash: Salman khan from tere naam.

Rhea: 😭😭😭

Yash: Ro kyu rahi ho? Main toh majak kar raha tha.

Yash: You look pretty.

Rhea: Really?

Yash: Yes. Now come to study.

Rhea groaned in frustration and sent FINE to him.

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Isha sat in her room, hugging the new rabbit stuff toy given by Krish. The soft fur brushed against her cheek as she let out a soft sigh, her fingers played with the long ears of the rabbit with a smile on her face.

She leaned back against the door, that's when something clicked in her mind. She stood up, picked up the key of her house which she hasn't visited for months.

She bid bye to the Avni, she didn't told her that she was going back to her house. She took the auto and left for her home.

When she reached, a strange and strong feeling captured her, the same house where she used to live more than ten years back. She never felt this close before, even when she returned.

She took out the house key, unlocking the door she stepped inside, she coughed as the dust entered her nostrils. She covered her face with her palm and headed upstairs, to her old room.

She opened the door and stepped inside, the room was empty but filled with memories. She walked towards her cupboard, she opened it and found it empty. From what I remember, maa kept my old things over here only.

She sat on her knees and pulled the base of the cupboard, there were several Cardboard boxes kept inside. She sat properly on the floor by folding her legs, she gentlely pulled out all the boxes of variety sizes.

She brought her face away when she opened them one by one to avoid the dust. One box had her childhood photos, from birth to the last city she lived, photos of her participation, with friends, families, some solo photos.

The thing she wanted wasn't over here, she opened the other box, it had her journals. "Where is ittt?" She frustratedly asked herself. She opened the third box, it had her old toys inside, barbies, car, doll, kitchen set, doctor set and what more. "Why am I still having all this?"

She moved to another box, opening it, the first she saw, was the thing she was looking for.

Her old rabbit toy.

Krish knew Isha won't talk to her now, he watched her sitting on the swing, hugging her dirty rabbit and tears in her eyes, he noticed how her clothes were tainted with dirt.

He went towards her and hold his ears. "Sorry." He looked down but she didn't seemed to care as she looked away, he went infront of her and said sorry again but this time also she turned her face away. He tried many times to apologize but she kept ignoring him.

He hesitatedly reached for the teddy in her arms, still she didn't spare a glance at him. He slowly pulled the toy to himself from her arms, she didn't complained but tighten her arms around it.

The rabbit was almost in his arms, he continued pulling and she let him do it without saying anything.

"Sorry." He apologized before turning and walking away from her with the rabbit in his hands.

His house was near the park so his would allow him to come alone sometimes, he reached his house, he looked here and there, he let out a sigh in relief when he saw his mother was not present inside.

He heard the noise of laughing and tv, his brothers were there in other room. Without making any noise, he walked towards the bathroom.

He opened the door, on the tap and let the hot water filled the bucket. He searched for the brush and soap, he found soap but the brush was kept at a height.

He tried to tip toe to reached it but failed, then he brought a small tool to stand on. He stood and then tried to tip toe, he failed due to his short height, he jumped carefully so he doesn't slip.

He now had the brush in his hands, turning off the tap since the bucket was filled. He dipped the rabbit in the water, letting it inside for some time and then pulled it out, he struggled in pulling it back since the stuff toy got heavy as the cotton absorbed the water.

He gentlely rubbed the soap against the dirty part, then picked the brush and scrubbed it delicately against the fabric, not wanting to ruin it more.

He then again dipped the it inside the water, which he refilled. He pulled it back and gentlely squeeze it to remove extra water but the light stain on the fur of it stayed.

He kept it aside in a dry place, putting soap and brush again back to it's place. He let the water flow out of the bucket, it spilled around the tiles of bathroom making them slippery.

He returned the bucket to it's place, he turned to pick the soft toy when a voice came from behind him. "Krishna, what are you doing?" He flinched, spun around in terror that he slipped due to slippery water spread across the bathroom.

He fell on his butt and his head ended up hitting the tap, he cried loudly instead he let the tears flow silently. Kabir noticed him crying, be carefully went towards him, squating in front of him. "Kya hua?" He hugged him, rubbing his head where he was hurt.

Krish didn't said anything nor hugged him back, rather he hugged the rabbit and continued crying. "Krish, kya hua?" He again asked.

This time Krish spilled everything to Kabir as he listened to his younger brother quietly, still rubbing his head. Once he was done speak, he sniffed and wiped his nosy with Kabir's shirt. "Krishhhhh!" Kabir called in disgust.

Ignoring his action, he took him out of the bathroom, into his room, where Krish saw Parth sleeping, snoring on Kabir's bed. Kabir took the rabbit from his hand and kept it on the chair, in the sunlight.

"Mom won't find out about this, let it dry in my room's balcony." Kabir said and Krish nodded, sniffing.

He patted his head. "Is it hurting?" Kabir asked, pointing towards Krish's head, he nodded. He took his hand and lead him inside the kitchen, he took out the ice and wrapped it inside the handkerchief and patted it gentlely on Krish's head.

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Krish didn't met Isha for two-three days, he would go again and again to check the stuff toy, whether it was dry or not. Once it was fully dried, he took it inside his room.

He inspected the it properly, everything was alright apart from the stain on it. He took out a marker from his pouch, he traced the end line of it and then drew cute doodles. He then drew a boy and a girl holding hands, the other hand of the girl held a rabbit.

At the end, in the tiny handwriting he wrote. 'Krish ko maaf kardo please.'

He knew that she would visit the park in the evening with her mother, he knew exact timing. He waited for her, he was sure she would come so he waited for with the rabbit and a chocolate in his hands.

She walked inside, she saw him but instead of greeting him, she turned her face away and went to other direction. He followed her around like a puppy while she continued to walked away from him.

He ran after her and held her wrist. She turned around, trying to free herself. He let her go but before that he gave the rabbit and the chocolate in her hands.

After giving her this, he apologised and walked away, knowing one day he would talk to her.

Isha stared at the rabbit, she smiled recalling the memory. Taking the rabbit with her, she kept all the things how they were before.

She went downstairs and headed out of the door, locking it, she slided the key inside her pocket. She gasped in surprised as something strike inside her mind. Krish lives somewhere nearby.

She recalled how some times Krish used to come to pick her up and took her to his house. She wasn't able to recalled the address, the road properly as it had been more than ten years. What if he moved?

She took her phone from her pocket and messaged Krish.

Ishanvi: Where are you?

Krishna: At home.

Ishanvi: Where is it?

Krishna: What?

Ishanvi: Your home? Where is it?

Krish sent her the address and that's when she realized, he lived in the society beside her's and it was not even a walk of 10 minutes.

She asked him to come down and she headed towards his house. Once she reached the starting of the society, she saw a figure standing far away.

She smiled seeing him, she hide the rabbit and ran towards him. "Dheere dheere! Gir jao gi tum." Krish said, concerned as he gazed at her running.

She stood infront of him with a big smile on her face, he furrowed his brows looking at her smiling. "Kya hua? Itna kyu muskura rahi-" His words were cut off when she extended the rabbit infront of him.

His eyes softened, as his gaze lingered on the toy ahead of him, the memories flooded back to his mind. He lifted his gaze to look at Isha. "Yeh toh." She nodded, smiling.

"Tumne yeh abhi tak rakha hain?" He asked, smiling, feeling happy yet confused.

"Haan."

Isha lifted her eyebrow, signaling him to take the rabbit. "You want me to keep it?" He asked.

She nodded.

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How was the chapter?

I was suggested to create Instagram accounts for the characters, if anyone is interested do let me know.

Here's my insta: zep_hyr028.

Do complete the target for the next update on Wednesday.

Byeeee.... 🐳🐳