Author pov..

Divya was in her room when her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the screen Virendra.

After a brief pause, she answered the call."Hello."

"Hey," Virendra said warmly. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Divya replied. "How are you? And how is your injury now?"

"I'm okay," he said casually.

"That's good," Divya replied.

There was a slight hesitation on his end before he spoke again.

"You left college early today... did something happen at your house?"

Divya took a deep breath and told him everything.

As she spoke, Virendra grew quite clearly shocked."So... your brother is fine now, right?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"Yes," Divya said softly. "He's okay now."

Virendra paused, then said,

"So Vaibhav's family is really close to yours?"

"Yes," Divya replied. "Ever since we came to Banaras, they've been close to us. Now it feels like they're family too."

Virendra listened in silence."Oh... okay," he finally said, then stopped speaking.

"What?" Divya asked. "You were about to say something."

"It's nothing," he replied quickly.

"No, say it," Divya insisted.

Virendra hesitated, then asked lightly,

"So... does that mean you like Vaibhav?"

Divya burst out laughing."That grumpy guy who's always scolding me? You think I'd like him?" she said, still laughing. "I can't even imagine that in my dreams, not even once!"

Hearing this, Virendra laughed too."Oh. I thought you liked him."

"Absolutely not," Divya said firmly. "Never think that. Me and him-never."

"Okay, okay," Virendra said, chuckling. "I understand."

Divya smiled."Alright then, I'm going to sleep now. I'm a bit tired today."

"Oh wait," Virendra said quickly. "I wanted to say something."

"Yes? Go ahead," Divya replied.

Virendra took a breath."Divya... I like you. A lot."

Divya froze. She didn't know what to say."I know you don't really know me yet," Virendra continued softly. "So maybe you don't feel the same way. That's why I want you to go on three dates with me. If even after three dates you don't like me, then we'll go our separate ways on mine, you on yours."

Divya remained silent.

Virendra spoke again, gently,

"Okay. I've said what I needed to say. Give me your answer tomorrow, alright? Good night."

Before she could respond, the call disconnected, leaving Divya staring at her phone, her heart racing.

Divya lay in her bed, staring at the phone she had set aside. Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion.

Virendra... she had never seen him like this, never looked at him the way she might now. He had confessed he liked her.

Her heart raced at the thought, but she couldn't figure out what she felt-admiration? Curiosity? Or something deeper that she wasn't ready to name yet? She sighed and buried her face in her pillow, finally closing her eyes.

Sleep came slowly, as if her mind was reluctant to let go of the thoughts swirling inside her.

The next morning dawned quietly.

The Pathak house stirred to life, each member moving through their morning routine almost automatically.

Rahul got up on his own, brushed his teeth, got dressed, and quietly headed to the kitchen.

Breakfast was ready, but Nirmala Dadi was still asleep, her soft snores filling the otherwise calm house.

Rahul ate quickly, his mind preoccupied with yesterday's events, then grabbed his bag and left for school.

Divya, too, completed her breakfast in silence.

Her thoughts lingered on

Virendra's words, on the strange flutter in her chest she couldn't explain, before she headed off to college.

The bus rattled along the road, sunlight streaming through the windows as Rahul climbed aboard.

Deepak spotted him immediately, his brows furrowed with worry.

He hurried over, practically bouncing with agitation."Where were you yesterday? Uncle searched the entire school! I was worried sick!"

Rahul didn't look flustered. Calmly, he slid into the window seat."Sit here first... I'll explain everything," he said, gesturing to the empty spot beside him.

Deepak dropped into the seat, still fuming slightly but curious. "Now... tell me. Where were you all day?"

Rahul sighed and began recounting the events, speaking carefully. Deepak listened intently, his eyes narrowing at certain parts.

When Rahul mentioned Deeksha, Deepak's discomfort became obvious.

"So... you were with Deeksha the whole day?" Deepak asked, his voice tight, hiding a mix of worry and annoyance.

Rahul nodded casually. "Yes."

"And... you became friends?" Deepak pressed, his voice sharper now.

Rahul shook his head, exasperated."No! She forced me into it. I never agreed to be friends. I just... let it happen because she helped me a little yesterday. That's it."

Deepak's face darkened slightly. "Dude... she's always around you! Why would you even let her do that? You're my friend shouldn't you tell her off?"

Rahul looked at him, incredulous. "Are you crazy? I didn't make her my friend in the first place. She decided that for both of us. And I don't care about liking or not liking her. I just... accepted that she's my friend. Nothing more."

Deepak ran a hand through his hair, muttering under his breath. "I just... I don't like it. You spend so much time with her..."

Rahul tilted his head, unimpressed. "Then you're overreacting. I barely talk to her in class. Calm down, Deepak. You're acting like a lunatic."

Deepak scowled, leaning back in his seat. Deep down, the thought of Rahul being close to Deeksha didn't sit right with him.

Rahul, on the other hand, leaned against the window, watching the trees blur past.

Yet, he couldn't shake the slight irritation at Deepak's attitude.

The school bus finally arrived, and everyone made their way to their respective classes.

Rahul and Deepak entered together, but just then, Deeksha walked in.

The moment she saw Rahul, her face lit up with a bright smile.

"Hey, Rahul!" she called from across the room.

Deepak's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't like it.

After all, Rahul was his friend, and seeing him so comfortable with Deeksha made something twist uncomfortably in his chest.

How could Rahul be friends with her so easily?

Rahul, unfazed, waved back. "Hey, Deeksha."

Deeksha chose a bench at the front of the class, leaving Rahul and Deepak to their usual seat at the back.

A few moments later, Deeksha leaned slightly forward and whispered, "Did uncle scold you yesterday?"

Rahul shook his head. "No, he didn't."

Deeksha smiled mischievously. "See? You were scared for no reason at all."

Rahul chuckled softly, shaking his head, "Yeah, I guess."

The teacher arrived, and everyone opened their books, diving into the morning's lessons. The classroom hummed quietly with the scratch of pens and rustles of pages.

Time passed, and soon it was lunch break.

Rahul and Deepak opened their tiffins, while Deeksha unpacked hers at the same bench.

She looked at Rahul's lunch curiously.

"What did you bring for lunch, Rahul?" she asked, tilting her head.

Rahul smiled and showed her.

Her eyes sparkled. "Wow! Bhindi ki sabzi! I love bhindi! Can I have some?"

"Sure, take as much as you like," Rahul said kindly.

Deepak's jaw tightened. He clenched his fist lightly under the desk, a mix of irritation and disbelief bubbling up.

He couldn't understand it Rahul, his friend, sharing his food with her so casually, letting her sit beside him, laughing with her... how could she be his friend?

"I'll take some bhindi too," Deepak finally said, trying to sound casual.

"Both of you take a little," Rahul said, splitting it between them with a calm, friendly smile.

Deeksha's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Rahul!"

Deepak's heart thumped uncomfortably in his chest. How can he be so easy with her? he thought. She's not supposed to be his friend.

Rahul, oblivious to Deepak's storm of emotions, continued eating, chatting quietly with his friend Deeksha, completely at ease.

Deepak sat back in his seat, fuming silently, unable to understand why this simple act of friendship felt like a betrayal.

Divya and Ishani were sitting in their college playground when Virendra walked up to them.

He greeted both of them with a soft “Hi.”

Ishani responded with a small nod, while Divya smiled and said "hello."

Her eyes briefly went to his face as she asked gently, “Is the injury on your face better now?”

Virendra nodded. “Yeah… it’s a little better,” he said. Then, after a pause, his voice dropped slightly. “Divya, I wanted to talk to you… alone.”

Divya immediately understood what he wanted to talk about.

Her heart skipped a beat, and a wave of nervousness washed over her.

What will I say? she thought. She hadn’t even told Ishani about this yet.

She glanced at Ishani and forced a calm smile. “I’ll be back in a bit. I just need to talk to him,” she said.

Ishani nodded. She was busy writing  her notes, but somewhere deep down, she could sense it something was going on between those two.Something unspoken, yet impossible to ignore.

Divya walked a little ahead with Virendra, putting some distance between themselves and the playground.

Their footsteps were slow, almost hesitant, as if neither of them wanted to reach the end of this moment too quickly.

The air felt heavy, and Divya’s hands were clenched tightly at her sides. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing.

She was nervous too nervous.

Virendra noticed it instantly. He glanced at her and said gently, “You don’t have to feel so uncomfortable around me.”

His calm voice broke the silence. Divya let out a small, awkward laugh, trying to hide the storm inside her.

A faint smile appeared on her lips, but her mind was completely blank. She didn’t know what to say, how to say it, or where to even begin.

After a few seconds, Virendra finally spoke again, his tone careful, almost vulnerable.“So… have you thought about what I told you earlier?”

Divya stopped walking.She turned to face him, her eyes searching his face, as if hoping to find the right words there.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke honestly, her voice slightly trembling.

“I don’t really understand it myself,” she admitted. “I don’t know you that well… and I’ve never dated anyone like this before. I’ve never been in this situation.”

For a moment, she looked down, afraid of how he might react.

But instead of disappointment,

Virendra smiled a warm, reassuring smile that eased something inside her.

He chuckled softly and said, “It’s okay. I know the first time I can feel scared. Anyone would feel nervous.”

Then, looking at her seriously, he added, “I’m not asking you for a relationship. Not at all. I’m just asking for a date. Just one or two hours… just us. That’s all.”

He paused, making sure she was listening making sure she felt safe.

“And if it doesn’t feel right to you,” he said quietly, “I won’t force you. Not even a little.”

Divya stood there, torn between fear and curiosity.Her heart was confused, but his words felt gentle and respectful.

For the first time, she didn’t feel pressured just unsure, and strangely seen.

Divya finally looked up at him and said quietly, “Okay… I’m ready to go on a date with you.”

For a second, Virendra just stood there then a genuine smile spread across his face.

He looked happy, almost relieved.

“Okay,” he said, unable to hide his excitement.

Divya hesitated for a moment before asking, “So… where will we go?”

Virendra thought for a second and replied warmly, “There are so many places in Banaras. We can go anywhere you like wherever you feel good.”

Divya smiled a little but shook her head. “Ohh… but I can’t really decide where to go. You choose the place and message me about the location.”

Virendra smiled again, softer this time. “Okay,” he said. “As you wish.”

They stood there for a few quiet moments, neither of them in a hurry to leave.

The air between them felt different now lighter, yet full of unspoken feelings.

Then Divya broke the silence. “Okay… I should go now.”

Virendra nodded. “Hmm.”

He didn’t want her to leave not yet. His heart wanted her to stay a little longer.

But he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, not even for a second. So he hid his feelings behind a calm expression and respected her words.

As Divya walked away, Virendra stayed there, watching her for a moment longer, a small smile still lingering on his face.

Divya practically skipped back to Ishani, her face glowing in a way that made it impossible to hide the truth.

Her eyes sparkled, her lips curved into a smile she couldn’t control.

Ishani noticed it instantly.

She looked up from her notes and frowned slightly. “Okay… what is this smile?” she asked. “You’re looking way too happy after talking to Virendra bhaiya. Tell me what’s going on?”

Divya sat beside her, took a deep breath, and then spilled everything. Every word.

Every moment. The nervousness, the conversation… the date.

Ishani froze.

She stared at Divya as if she’d just said something unbelievable. “Wait—what?” she exclaimed. “You’re going on a date with him? Alone?”

Divya nodded, her cheeks warming. “Yes.”

Ishani’s shock quickly turned into panic. “Are you serious? Aunty doesn’t even let you go out like that. How will you go alone?”

Divya replied confidently, already prepared for this. “I’ll go with you. If you’re with me, Mom won’t say no.”

Ishani’s eyes widened in fear. “No. No way. I’m not going anywhere with you. If my brother finds out, he’ll get furious with me and with you. You know how he is.”

Divya’s smile slowly faded. She crossed her arms, frustration bubbling up inside her.“Seriously, Ishani… how long are we going to live like this because of your brother?”

Her voice cracked just a little.“Our entire school life is over. We didn’t have a single relationship. Not one. Just because we were scared of him.”

She looked straight into Ishani’s eyes, her words heavy with years of suppressed feelings.“Now we’re in college. We’re adults. We’re allowed to make our own choices.”

Then softly, almost vulnerably, she added,“Don’t we have the right to like someone? To let someone like us? To hear someone talk to us about love?”

Ishani shook her head, overwhelmed. “You’ve gone mad. I’m not coming with you anywhere.”

Divya’s eyes softened but only for a second.

Then she stood up dramatically, pretending to wipe away imaginary tears.“Fine. Then it’s decided,” she said quietly. “From today, our friendship is over too.”

Ishani stared at her. “What nonsense—”

Divya cut her off. “What kind of friend can’t even stand by her friend for something this small?”

Ishani narrowed her eyes. “You’re emotionally blackmailing me again, aren’t you?”

Divya instantly dropped the drama and broke into a mischievous smile.

She clasped her hands together, tilted her head, and made the most dramatic puppy face.“Please na… please na, Ishani…”

Ishani sighed deeply, already knowing she had lost.“Okay,” she said finally. “But listen I will not become the haddi between you two.”

Divya’s face lit up instantly. “Deal!” she laughed. “Just bring your book and keep reading there. Anyway, what do you even know besides books?”

Ishani rolled her eyes, a small smile slipping through despite herself.

“Hm.”

But deep down, both of them knew this wasn’t just a date anymore.

It was the beginning of something that would change everything.

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