chapter 90

      “What kind of code language was that?”, Aarushi asked the second he stepped out of earshot. Vibha grinned affectionately at how cute her girlfriend looked clinging to her arm and asking that with her curious bambie eyes.        “What?”, Aarushi asked annoyed at the silly grin on her girlfriend’s face.        “You are cute.”, she replied. Aarushi looked away flustered and grumbled, “Just say it straight up that I am dumb and so you don’t wish to answer me.”        “You know it’s not like that baby.”, Vibha immediately defended herself, “I complimented genuinely. You do look cute when you are curious.”         "So I don’t look cute other time?”, Aarushi once again threw her at the knife edge. “Ofcourse you do! You look cute when you are sleeping like a panda or when you cling to my arm like a koala, when you eat with your cheeks full or when you-“       “Enough! Just answer the original question. What were you guys talking about sunsets?”, Aarushi’s flustered state had Vibha grinning silly once again. But she decided to not push it further.      “Well, sunsets are often symbolized with letting go. You must have heard the phrase ‘The sunset is beautiful , isn’t it?’ . So the idea here is simple. You enjoyed the phase while it lasted but now you are ready to let go.”, Vibha explained looking straight ahead but she knew the one besides her wasn’t really pleased to hear that from the way she leaned against her arm.    “So you basically told him  to give up?”     “Not really. It is like I told him to just go ahead and voice his feelings . If it works it works. If he doesn’t, he lets go right there.”, Vibha explained and she simply nodded.      “Is it some kind of ‘ We know it won’t work but lets try it anyways –‘ kind of strategy?”, Aarushi asked in most Aarushi way possible , earning another chuckle from Vibha.     Why is she being so cute today?     “You can say so.”      They had just reached in front of their room but Aarushi still had her gloomy face on. Vibha noticed it and undid her grip on her arm and turned her so they were facing each other. She cupped her cheeks and looked straight into her eyes.      “See baby, love takes courage and so does acceptance. I – I did it wrong way. I just don’t want him to do the same.”, she said and Aarushi immediately protested, “ But if you had easily given up back then –we wouldn’t be here together today.”      “Babe , there’s a difference between persistent and forcing your feelings. I- I was wrong. I accep-“   “I didn’t mean to- I didn’t mean to say all that back then  - I – I am sorry.”, and suddenly she was at the verge of crying.     “Oh my love, no! That’s not what I meant. I am just say-“, she tried to comfort but Aarushi wasn’t in right thoughts for it  so she just decided to avoid it, “Can we just not? Let us go inside. I am sleepy.”      Vibha wanted to refuse. They can’t just sweep off the feelings  under the rug and Vibha definitely wasn’t the type to leave at that. But she decided to not push it any further, atleast not for now.     Aarushi pushed it open and realized the door wasn’t locked. She stepped in quietly as possible , followed by Vibha who locked the door after them. Aarushi met eyes with Prisha who just spared her a look from the glowing screen in her hands . Sneha and Niharika were knocked out on the bed in the middle while the professor had taken the one near to the door. Hence,they made their way to the cornermost one .   Just as Vibha accidentally met her eyes, Prisha gave her a teasing smirk .So, Vibha made it a point to kick her on the way . Prisha wanted to curse her back but chose otherwise for the sake of three asleep.     Aarushi got under the blanket besides the wall and Vibha followed after snuggling besides her. The beds each had two pillows and one blanket. But Aarushi preferred Vibha’s arm over even the softest pillow in the world.       She sat on the bed and tied her hairs while Vibha laid down and stretched her hand and Aarushi immediately snuggled in her hold as Vibha hugged her, adjusting the blanket to ensure it covered her properly. Despite this being their normal sleep routine , neither could suppress their smiles.  The blinds blocked out most of the light only allowing the noon sun to faintly lit the  room.      Even in this dim light the view of you sleeping like this in my arms is the most beautiful one.      Vibha placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Aarushi snuggled closer burying her face in the crook of her neck in an attempt to hide her silly grin. Vibha entangled her finger in Aarushi’s hairs, gently massaging her scalp until her breathing fell into a slow and steady rhythm.      It didn’t even feel like 5 minutes Vibha had shut her eyes, though it had been almost 45 minutes; when she heard their professor shake her. “Get up. Don’t want to go to market?”, she asked and Vibha swore she might have cursed if she didn’t realize in time who she was responding to. She settled for a nod. Vibha woke up and nudged Aarushi as well who only grumbled and scooted closer to Vibha . Her sleepy breath tickled Vibha’s neck . Her soft lips were brushing against her skin making Vibha aware of their proximity . She felt the heat rush to her cheeks again and she knew she had to do something about it before she was once again diagnosed with some other disease.        “Get up, child. We have to go to market.”, the professor went on to wake Aarushi up.  It took Aarushi’s sleepy eyes full 35 seconds to register the person calling her and she woke up with sudden jerk scaring both Vibha and professor.     “Don’t wake up like that! You will end up with cramp some day!”, the professor scolded her and she only nodded sitting on the bed with her sleep hairs. Vibha too sat up besides her watching the other two get ready with Prisha nowhere in sight. “Go get ready.”, The professor nudged them and went to the mirror to put on powder. “Whose idea was it to invite her?”, Vibha grumbled. Aarushi smacked her arm making her frown. Though still sleepy both dragged themselves to get ready .     It was almost 4:15 by the time all of them gathered out. Along with their three newly made male friends there was one more boy and a faculty waiting by the tree. They smiled in greeting as the professor and the four girls approached them. “Sachin Sir , its good you are joining as well.”, madam said with a smile and he replied back with equal enthusiasm, “Thought these monkeys would be too much   burden if I left you alone to deal with them.” “We are very good , disciplined kids. Supriya mam will agree, won’t you mam?”, Rupesh asked making everyone laugh. “The most disciplined one of my students. He saved the college electricity bill by taking down the ceiling fan.”, she said with a sarcastic proud face. “I am happy he just saved the college electricity bill and not the parents fees by taking the whole college down.”, Sachin sir added making everyone laugh.     “So should we get tea here or in the market?”, he asked. “Let’s go to market. I don’t like their tea here.”, Kaustubh complained and they decided to go to market for the tea break.        Sir lead the way followed by Kaustubh convincing the mam to join their midnight horror story plan while his friend walked besides silently. Rupesh and Manas followed behind with Rupesh trying to help Kaustubh persuade her only to get scolded. His hand habitually rested around Manas’s neck. Niharika and Sneha were busy pointing at random birds and plants on their way while Prisha walked slightly behind them engaged in her little nature photography session. Vibha and Aarushi followed at the rear with Aarushi clinging to her arm.       “I pity him. Having a crush on your bestfriend who is naturally clingy is definitely not helpful when you are trying to hide your feelings.”, Aarushi whispered as she observed them both almost leaning her half weight on Vibha as they walked. Vibha just looked at her in response. Aarushi took full 12 steps to understand what it meant.      “What? I am your girlfriend! I am allowed to be clingy! You got problems with that?”, she asked walking straight but still holding Vibha’s arm. “When did I even say that?”, Vibha asked calmly . “Didn’t you indirectly mean that?”, Aarushi asked getting mad but still not letting go of Vibha’s arm. “No, love”  and that ended up with Vibha having to coax her all the way till the market.       Aarushi’s attention soon was caught by the unique names horses had and she kept pointing them to Vibha. The professors were busy tackling the persistent horsemen who kept tagging along offering rides with discounts.     “I was thinking of buying a purse for mom. What say?”, Aarushi asked and Vibha nodded. “Sounds good. Mom will love it.”, Vibha replied and they went to the professor . “Mam we are buying purse for mom, so we will be in that shop.”, Vibha informed and the madam decided to join them since she too was fond of them.       Vibha ended up sitting in one corner after half an hour had passed and they haven’t even decided which one to buy. They had switched 7 shops and still couldn’t find something that would suit their taste.      If this is the condition while buying  a purse I am damn sure I am fainting before we complete our wedding shopping.       “Why don’t you buy a wallet or belt for dad until then?”, Aarushi suggested her bored girlfriend . Vibha liked the idea and dragged Prisha along while Aarushi and professor continued their hunt for a perfect purse. Finally after 15 more minutes of taking the shop down they found the one they liked and madam bargained for them.     “Can we go get some tea now?”, Kaustubh grumbled standing there with his friend Aaditya who looked equally bored.“Did you guys get something?”, Madam asked them and Kaustubh held up the plastic bag containing food. Mam shook her head. “This is why I say its good to have atleast one daughter.”, she taunted and Kaustubh gave her an offended face .     “Where are rest?”, she asked and just then Vibha and Prisha came back. Vibha immediately took the bag from Aarushi’s hand . “Got something?”, she asked. “Yeah, I got these wallets. Same pattern different colours. Think he’ll like?”, she asked showing the wallets. “They are nice. I am sure they will.”    “Where are the other two and Sachin Sir?”, she asked and Kaustubh shrugged his shoulders. “They went to buy shoes.”, Aaditya replied. Everyone headed to the shop Aaditya pointed.      It looked like Manas was having a hard time selecting one that fit him while Rupesh had already dumped his sport shoes replacing them with newly bought leather ones.       “Nothing your liking?”, Madam asked and he pointed at the two kept aside.    “I just can’t decide yet.”, he replied.      “Try them on.”, Shopkeeper suggested. Manas tried put them on but before he could Rupesh got down on his knees holding his ankle to and opening the shoe to help him. “I think this one looks good.”, he said looking at the sir for opinion .     “Try the other one as well.”, sir replied handing Rupesh the other shoe. Vibha tried to suppress her grin as she watched Manas sit their nervously clutching onto the cover of the table beneath him. Aarushi too noticed his panicked face and couldn’t help her smile. She looked around and no one besides she and Vibha noticed what was wrong.       “I think the right one.”,sir said and Rupesh slid back a little to get a better view.      “No wait, try this one as well.”, madam had pulled out one more option from the shelf and now they decided to try it on as well . Rupesh helped him remove one shoe and then put the other on     “You are just confusing him more.”, Kaustubh grumbled, “Atleast ask him if he is comfortable in them. He looks like he is suffocated.” Kaustubh had indeed caught on the expression but not the cause. Aarushi noticed how his panick threefolded on that. Rupesh looked at him and now he was struggling to even keep the eyecontact.     “Why don’t you try walking on with them? See which ones are comfortable.”, Aarushi suggested realizing how awkward it was getting for him. He got up and Rupesh held his hand as if to support him. “Bro, he ain’t wearing heels, you know?”, Kaustubh mocked . Manas immediately took his hand away from Rupesh’s hold confusing the boy. “They would suit you better , you know?”, Rupesh returned the mocking to where it came from.      “ I think mam’s choice is great.”, Niharika commented. “Do you like it?”, Mam asked him and Manas took his time staring at his feet. Then he looked at Rupesh for opinion. “I think yes. These one do look good on you. What about you? Are they comfortable?”, he asked and Manas nodded. “I like them.”, his voice was small as he replied. He got back to his seat after the nervous walk.    “Try on both.”, Mam wasn’t just ready to let him off the hook. Vibha was having a hard time holding her laugh and Aarushi had to tightly grip her arm to keep her from saying something stupid. But she wouldn’t be Vibha if she didn’t worsen the problem. She took the other shoe from the shopkeeper who was about to hand it to Manas and instead gave it to Rupesh.    “Put this on him as well.”, she instructed and Rupesh did as was told. Manas looked at Aarushi , she mouthed him a guilty sorry and immediately pulled Vibha back giving her a warning glare. ‘What? Am just helping.’, she mouthed but Aarushi’s glare only grew stronger. Vibha had to give in and look down like a      “Looks good”, Madam complimented. He got up and walked around once again. Then they finalized it. He sat back down and Rupesh immediately went ahead to help him remove it before he could do it on his own.  He just gave up and sat there quietly.      “You should start working in the shoe shops you know? You are doing perfect for that job.”, Prisha teased him and Rupesh just gave her a mocking grin.    “Well I can’t start doing it for randomly anyone. Special treatments are for special people , you know?”