Nivin.

They rolled her inside and I doubled over, I am having trouble breathing from all the running now.

I followed them as soon as I got hold of myself. We were in the nearest general hospital.

It was a scary half an hour next. Doctors were checking her and trying to find whatever it is wrong with her.

I paced in front of her room as I waited.

"There is nothing life-threatening, she got some stitches and her shoulder joint is sprained," The doctor told me.

I seriously don't know if I should be relieved or not.

"She's out of trouble now, No need to get so worried," he told me.

Uh! do I look worried?

"We will take a CT scan since she has hit her head, she is a little anaemic and there is a bit of blood loss too, a transfusion will do" He added before walking back to his next case.

I just stood there in the middle of the emergency room not knowing what to do. The doctor seemed to think it's a very simple case.

"Follow me, I will give you the papers, I'm her nurse" An elder lady wearing a nurse's uniform said.

Everything that followed was a nightmare. I had to go through all the formalities and paperwork.

I had to run out to the blood bank, pay the bills on a whole different side of the building. I had to get scolded from others for overstepping the queue for medicines.

And worst - they wanted me to change her.

"What?!"

I asked as soon as the nurse told me to help her. I'm sure I heard it wrong.

"Just lift her up a little, I will remove her shirt"

"I..she.."

"Hurry, we need to take her for scanning now," she said impatiently.

I walked robotically near them. Riya was still unconscious. The look on her face bothered me too much.

Okay, you just have to lift her up, Nivin.

I lifted her up to me and her head rolled to my shoulder. Her soft body was helpless and took my support.

I stared at her face that's now inches from me. She looked sleeping peacefully.

"Okay, good," The nurse said, snapping me out of my daze. She started to undress her.

I just kept looking at her face.

"Mamma.." She whispered. "Mamma..."

"Riya?" I said.

"She's sleeping, take this and wrap her in this gown"

"What! Aren't you going to do it?"

"It's easier for you to do it," She said, now giving me the hospital gown and walking out.

Remind me not to do anything stupid next time!

I started to wrap her in it. I have never dressed up anyone before, but it seems there's no other way now.

"Mamma" Riya called again, a teardrop flow down her cheek.

"You are fourth, take this and clean her properly" The nurse handed me the cotton and left.

Fourth? you have to do everything like this? Do we have to wait for every single thing?

I never had to experience this before. Everything was handed to me, I never had to wait for anything.

It's all my fault for taking her to the nearest regular clinic, but I was so worried to take her far.

What am I supposed to do with this?

I looked at the cotton and disinfectant, I removed her hair from her forehead and started to wipe the dried blood.

Riya.

I opened my eyes slowly. I felt like I am drugged.

"I can't! I need a room, I don't want a ward"

I heard the familiar voice.

"Look, mister, this is a small clinic, we don't have rooms for minor cases and we are already full"

"What about the VIP rooms? I can take that-"

"Are you right in your mind, boy?"

"But...Riya! Are you awake?" Nivin's eyes landed on me.

"What happened?" I asked slowly and he sighed.

"You sure know how to trouble people," he said annoyingly.

"Where are we?"

"After jumping in front of that car, where do you think you will be?" He looked irritated.

"Vivek!" I bolted up automatically. Pain shoot through my body.

"Stop being stupid, okay!" Nivin supported me and prevented the fall, he gently laid me back. "I am stuck here because of you!" he said angrily.

"I didn't tell you to-" I started to retort but stopped when my phone rang on the bedside table.

"Hello?"

"Riya? Where are you? how are you now? I was so worried" I heard Meera's voice.

"I am okay, Meera, don't worry about me"

"Sachin Dixit is here, he's pestering me to know about you, Should I tell him anything?"

"No! I don't want to see anyone, I am okay now, Just a couple of bruise, don't worry about me"

Nivin.

She has a shoulder sprain, two stitches and a lot of bruises.

I watched her as she talked on her phone.

"God! How come everyone in college knows about the accident! I Am humiliated!"

Ha! She has no idea about the 1 hr traffic jam she created in the whole area!

"Okay...Okay, See you" She disconnected and looked straight to me.

"Meera is coming! I don't have other ways now" She groaned. "You have to get out of here, Nivin, I don't want anyone to know that you took me here," she said.

I stared at her.

"I don't want anyone in college to know about me staying with Aldricks" She added slowly.

Whoa! Look who is worried about others finding out! It should be the other way around!

"I was going anyway," I said, Now taking my jacket.

"Patient Riya's guardian?"

I turned around to the door.

"Your room is ready now, We can move her" The nurse brought in a wheelchair inside.

"I don't want a room! I am going to get a discharge now!" Riya said from the bed.

"You can't move till your IV is finished, your boyfriend has been worried sick about you," The nurse said.

It was unexpected, I never thought she would put me in an awkward position.

"Boyfriend?" Riya's eyes widened.

I played it cool like it's nothing.

"You didn't want to die, right? I just wanted them to start your treatment so I signed the papers" I shrugged.

Riya still looked uneasy.

"Here, let me help you" The nurse now supported her to the wheelchair.

"Whoa! your gown is put back to front!" the nurse exclaimed. "I thought you could at least do it right!" she looked at me.

God! Does she want to kill me?

"WHAT!?" Riya looked up at me. "surely you didn't-"

"We will have this conversation later," I said quickly.

"But-"

"Just relax now, you have two stitches and a sprained shoulder," I said.

She started to talk but I pushed the wheelchair out.

"Wait!" She said suddenly.

"What is it now?" I asked, but then I too saw them.

Sachin & Praveen was coming and instantly I got irritated.

"I told Meera not to tell them about me!" Riya looked embarrassed.

She started to smoothen her hair and dress.

God! I don't have any words now!

"Get out of here," she said.

"What?"

I don't know why I should get out for them!

"Do you want them to know that you take me to the hospital?" She asked.

..............

"Why are you here?" Meera looked surprised to find Sachin and Praveen. She reached just now only.

"I thought you said you didn't know where she is hospitalised?" Sachin said.

Meera looked at me, looking uneasy, it was me who told her to do that, I sighed.

"Why are you here at the general hospital?"Praveen asked, looking around distastefully.

Sachin gave him a look.

"I'm glad you are okay, Riya," he said sincerely.

"Me too..He was not giving me a break" Praveen added and Sachin gave him another look.

"There was no need for you to come" I murmured, I don't know why, but Sachin Dixit is making me self-conscious.

"I was worried about you" Sachin smiled reassuringly. "It's s a relief nothing bad happened"

I just smiled, I don't know what I should talk to him, it's not like we have been friends for a long time now.

"Your discharge papers are ready" The nurse came inside.

Oh God! I don't have any money, I didn't plan to come here!

I looked at Meera.

"Can you please settle the bills? I think I lost my bag somewhere" I said.

"Oh there is no need, your bills are all clear, your boyfriend already paid us everything" It was the nurse who answered.

An awkward silence filled the room.

I think she doesn't know when to stop!

"You have a boyfriend ?" Praveen asked me bluntly.

"I..I was unconscious when they took me here," I said, half truthful.

"It must be them," Meera said. "That guy who hit you, it's only fair that they paid for you," she said.

And the awkwardness lessened. I sighed in relief, but Sachin still looked confused.

* * *

Nivin.

God, She is not on her deathbed!

I am called to her room which was full of people. Danny, grandpa, Kamala and all the house staffs were there.

Even the normally calm Auntie Alice seemed worried.

Grandpa was scolding her for not informing about her accident earlier.

"You should have noted his number plate, Riya" Uncle JP said.

"It was my fault, I told you" She keeps insisting.

"And Nivin, where was he?" Grandpa sounded angry. You can imagine why I am called here now.

"It's not serious," Riya said.

"This is why I told you two to go together, I clearly told him to stick around you for the time being"

I just stayed in the far corner. I saw Riya peeking at me. I stood there arrogantly.

I would better be dead than admit that it was me who took her to the hospital.

Riya seemed to be amused at me.

"Actually.." she started, giving me a look and I warned her, glared at her, but she turned back to them.

"It was Neev who took me to the hospital," She said rather sweetly.

Neev?!

I think she knows I hate admitting it! She is getting back at me!

"Neev took you?" Uncle JP asked as everyone was waiting for my reply.

She nodded. "In fact, he carried me all the way to the hospital, he took care of me too, he stayed with me until I opened my eyes" She added.

Everyone looked shocked and watched me in wonder.

I think I'm suffocating here.

"Brother Neev...Took care of you!? stayed...With you!?" Danny asked slowly.

"He even paid my bills before going out, he was very sweet" She nodded.

It was too much!

If she's trying to humiliate me, I should say, she's succeeding.

Sweet? Just wait, Mehra!

Riya.

Nivin looked very shocked at my statement. He gave me a glare and walked out.

Ha! Serves you right!

I know he wanted to be that badass all the time. I am practically killing his reputation now.

I have my own ways of fighting you back! Mind you!

I smiled smugly.

Soon everyone left me to take rest, but I was too restless.

What did Suresh mean by that when they tried to take me? The information was right? How do they even find me there?

Did someone tell them about my whereabouts-

"Riyechi, Are you sleeping?" Danny knocked on my door.

"Come in, Danny," I said and he came inside. "I'm actually glad for the company"

"Don't move too much or the sprain will get worse?" Danny said while helping me to sit.

"I know" I groaned as the pain shoot through my body. "But what happened to you? you look down today" I said.

"Mm...Riyechi, I was going to tell you this yesterday, but then there was that piano issue" He said.

"What is it?" I asked, now remembering about it, Danny had taken me to that room and told me to wait yesterday!

I totally forgot it.

"Do you remember telling you about the girl I like?" Danny asked.

I am actually surprised now.

"Yea, you mentioned something," I said.

"She rejected me," He said, now looking very down, his usual cheerfulness gone, he looked sad.

I seriously have no idea how to console him, I mean, I don't know how to console a heartbroken teenager.

"Hey, don't get so sad..I'm sure she will-"

"No Chechi, she hates me," He said. "I was trying to be friends with her, but she always stayed away from me," He said. "Then yesterday was her birthday, that's why I wanted to ask you what I should get her"

"What did you get her?" I asked slowly.

"I got her the latest Samsung handset and she said I'm one of those jerks who think money is everything," Danny said.

Wow!

"Er..is there a particular reason why she hates you?"

"I..my friends used to tease her when we were in high school"

"Ha! so you guys bullied her?"

"Because she won't be friends with me," Danny said defensively. "And I was young"

"What's her name?"

"Swapna" Danny lifted up his phone and went through it. "That's her" he showed me a picture.

I saw a very smart looking girl, she looked pretty badass too.

"You have a uniform?" I asked, surprised to find everyone in a uniform. "I have never seen you wearing one"

"Yea, I don't usually wear it, the principle doesn't really care even if I don't" Danny shrugged.

"Start to wear it from tomorrow," I said.

"What?" Danny looked surprised.

"If you want to look like a normal person like she wants, that is"

"But..its...I can't just wear it now!"

"Yes, you can," I said. "If it was me, I too would think that you are not following the rules because you are rich"

"But..my gang.." Danny said.

"And apologise, if you teased her before, apologise properly"

"What! No way Riyechi!" Danny said instantly.

"If you hurt someone, you should apologise properly"

"It's not that I am not feeling sorry," Danny said. "It's s just...I don't know..I mean..I have never..you see chechi-"

"It might be a bit difficult, but you will feel very relieved after an apology," I said firmly.

Danny looked confused. "I don't know chechi, it was sometimes back..and it was mostly my friends.."

He reminded me of Nivin.

"Think about it Danny," I said. "An apology is never bad, it just shows you are mature and can take responsibility for whatever is that you have done"

"I...I will think about it Riyechi" Danny said, then looked up at me.

"Is it true that brother Neev took you to the hospital? Did he really take care of you?"

* * *

Nivin.

It was the third day, I saw her walking in with that friend.

I thought you were taking a week off!?

She must have convinced everyone that she is fine.

I pulled out my phone and started typing.

Riya.

"I really tried to call you, but you didn't pick up and I didn't know where your house was," Meera said.

I didn't tell her that it was me who blocked all the calls, I didn't want any visitors while I was staying there.

"It's 30 minutes from here, but grandpa and all wanted me to take rest, I'm sorry I couldn't contact you"

I know I am talking like it's my family, but I have no other way now.

"It's okay, And Sachin Dixit was always bothering me, he wanted to know where your house was, I told him that I don't know, but he thought I was lying again," Meera said.

"I Am sorry to put you in trouble," I said again.

"Just be careful, okay, it's never good if he is showing more interest, he is one of the toppers and he is one of the popular guys, his fangirls will murder you, Riya," She said.

"I know, trust me!" I said.

"I will see you then," Meera said. "I have to be somewhere now"

"Okay, bye"

"And Stay away from trouble this time," Meera said. "you don't want to sprain your hand anymore"

"I will" I promised, waving goodbye to her.

I'm glad I at least have one person here!

My phone vibrated and I took it out.

'Meet me at the rooftop-Nivin'

I read.

It was from a private number.

What does he want anyway!?

I walked to the elevator. I am curious to know what he wants now, he had been avoiding me from the house after the accident.

As soon as I reached there, I spotted him, he had his back to me.

"What is it?" I asked him as I walked to him and he turned around.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were taking a week off" He said.

"As you can see, I am alright now, I am already behind my syllabus"

"What if you get worse? you should have taken some days off" he said.

"I told you I'm okay..wait a minute! Are you worrying about me!?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" He replied. "You have a way to put people in trouble," he said.

"Is that why you take me to the hospital? take care of me and paid the bills?" I asked.

"I called you partly about that too," he said. "Think of it as my repayment"

I looked at him, confused.

"Repayment? for what?" I asked.

"Vivek," He said slowly.

My eyes widened.

There's no way!

"It was you! You informed him about me?" I exclaimed.

I couldn't believe it! but Nivin was not denying it.

"You heartless jerk!" I said slowly. "Do you even know how much trouble I have been through because of him? I could even have been dead because of you!" I said.

No, I can't take it easy. It's too much for me and he wants me to consider my hospital bills as repayment!

It's disgusting me!

"I was wrong," Nivin said hesitantly.

Still no apology!

"But I'm willing to make a deal," He said.

"Deal?" I asked him.

"Yea, from today onwards I am not going to expose you or interfere in your business, for me, you don't exist anymore," He said.

I stared at him, he is talking like he is doing me a favour, not like he's guilty of the accident!

"In return, you have to keep away from me too, just disappear from my sight and you should not absolutely interfere with my business, the moment you break this, I will personally see that you are dragged out of Aldricks"

Wow!

I have no words.

"Is it okay with you?" He turned to me now.

"Let me get this straight" I folded my hands across my chest. "You are willing to overlook my existence in your house as long as I don't interfere in your business?"

"That's right"

"Do you know what you have done? what are you going to do if Vivek and his people come to look for me again?" I asked sharply.

"He won't, I will mislead him, he only saw you at that junction stop, we have about three colleges around and he won't even be suspecting you to be studying, not to mention the GLOBE university," he said.

I have to agree that he has a point there, Vivek will never guess that I'm going to this university, he knows that I am practically broke, but still, it's making me uncomfortable.

"Just for the record, I don't have any intention of getting involved with you too"

"That's good then," Nivin said and I started to walk away.

"Let me warn you one last time Mehra" Nivin called out behind me and I stopped.

"If you and grandpa is planning something, you better stop now, because he will get away with whatever it is, but you will get stuck"

I turned around.

"I can't believe you are talking about your grandpa like this!" I exclaimed.

"You don't know him, which brings me to the second one-if you are cheating grandpa with some fake news, let me tell you, Mehra, Joseph Aldrick will find about it, sooner or later, you will have to face the consequences," He said, taking a step towards me.

That hit me fair and square. I trembled.

But I'm not cheating him! I just want to know everything about Uncle Ananth's death.

"And if it is the other way around, if grandpa is using you to get something, you are trapped Mehra, you are far more in deep shit than you realise it now" Nivin was directly in front of me now.

"Any of these, you better flee, Mehra" He looked straight in my eyes. "Because you are only going to get in trouble" He added.

"Thank you for your concern, Nivin, I will like it if we stick to our deal, we can just stay out of each others business," I said, trying not to think about his warnings.

I will think about it when the time comes.

I walked back.

The day was unusually peaceful And I was very careful to avoid all sorts of danger today. I even avoided the restroom.

Miraculously my day was over uneventfully. I even succeeded in avoiding Teena and Mia, the girlfriends.

I was on my way out when they finally caught me, It was not teena or Mia but I have seen her around Mia's gang.

"what did you say your name is?"She asked me.

"Riya," I told her.

I am pretty sure that she knows my name already.

"Ok, I want to meet you at the boomerang in five minutes" She ordered me.

Am I her servant or something? I'm not even a first year for God's sake!

"I don't know the place," I said, trying to be brave.

"I will tell you, I want you to deliver a message" She started to tell me the way and I had no other way out.

It's s just an errand, no need to get worked up over it, just be thankful that you are not facing the girlfriends Riya!

"Okay" I nodded, taking the neatly folded paper in my hands.

"See you in five minutes then," She told me, now starting to walk.

"when I say five minutes, its five minutes" She turned and added. I got slightly angry.

I can't even find Meera and say goodbye!

I sighed and hurried towards the address with the so-called message in a piece of paper in my hand.

* * *

Neev.

My phone was ringing without rest since this morning. I sighed and attended the call.

"yea...I know about the race, no...I can't make it, Sid" I said. I am sure grandpa won't let me out.

My teammates were now desperate.

"Hey don't worry, I will make it to the finals, I will slip out, but you guys have to hang on for now," I told him.

"What?..no..grandpa will be busy this weekend, there's a party at home, I can easily slip out," I said and cut the call, I turned around to look for Sharath and saw him talking to Teena.

"Serves her right," Teena said to him. "Neev was angry at me for pulling that prank, but what is he going to do now?" She asked smugly.

I stopped in my track, now listening to their conversation.

"What did you do now?" Sharath asked her. "It was too much last time and you know it"

"Not me! That bitch has a lot of enemies in this college, this is what she will get for challenging the toppers of this college"

"What do you mean by that?"Sharath asked, now sounding confused.

"It means, she's going to be crushed today!" Teena said happily. "Do you know where she is now? she is at the boomerang!"

"What! what did you say?" I narrowed my eyes and stepped forward. "You know perfectly well that it's forbidden to our college! Why did you send her there! it's breaking our rule!" I said angrily.

"Yes! Do you want the war to break out again?" Sharath too looked angry.

"It was not me! Mia did it" Teena said, folding her hand in front of her defensively.

"Mia? as in Sachin's Ex?"

"The same" Teena scowled. "I heard that Sachin went to visit her in hospital last time? Do you think Mia will silently watch it?"

My phone beeped, then Teena's and Sharath's too. I opened the new message.

'The treaty is broken'

Riya.

I still don't understand what's going on. They all were watching me like I'm some dirt on their shoes.

"So what brings you here?" He asked again, rudely. I took a step back.

"I..I was told to deliver a message.." I don't know why, but I am now less confident. The student body around me seemed ready to kill me.

I slowly stretched out the message in my hand and he took it roughly.

"Seriously? you call this a message?" He opened it and turned it around for me to see, I gasped, there was only a white blank sheet.

"I..she told me.."

"Are you making fun of us? Do you think we are beneath you? Do you think money can do everything?"

"uh...I think there's some misunder-" I was cut off when a strong hand grabbed me by my wrist, bruising me and they pulled me to the nearest table in the restaurant.

"Hey, I will just go back..it..it was a mistake-"

"Shut up you bitch" One of the girls pushed me roughly against the chair and I started to get panicked.

"Just let me go, I'm sorry, okay...I was just-"

"We told you to shut the f*** up!" Another one pushed me and my head hit on the table.

"You know perfectly well what it means to step into our place! It's war between our colleges, we will start with you, if you think you people can do dirty things because of your money, you are very much mistaken"

"Listen...I didn't know..it was a mistake-"

"Yes, and now you are going to pay for it" They all pushed me to the chair and held me against it.

"What..what are you going to -"

"The usual" One of the guys took out the scissors and walked to me. I was now trembling.

"Please..no..noo" I tried to turn away as he took hold of my hair.

"See if your money can grow it back," He said smugly and I started to fight them.

"Don't do it..please..don't do it" I cried as I heard my hair being cut off.

"Rajeev" The shout froze everyone around me and they all turned to the door.

Let me tell you this, I had never been glad to see Nivin like now! He was panting, he and two other guys were still at the door, not getting inside.

"Let her go, she's a transfer student, she doesn't know our rules," he said.

"You have the nerve to come here? A rule is a rule, one of you stepped here and we are starting our war again"

"You know it will be very exhausting when it starts, let's talk this out"

"Talk this out? Today one of you stepped to our territory!"

"We mean no harm!" Sharath said."We are only trying to keep the peace"

"Peace?" Rajeev guy scoffed. "Did you think twice about peace when you take away the championship with your money? did you forget all of that followed it?"

"You know it's not true!"

"Gautham died because your college bought the championship, he lost his scholarship because of you!"

"Let's not repeat the same, let go of the girl," Sreejith said.

"It's too late now," Rajeev said. "She stepped inside and now she is going to get what she deserves"

Then he turned back to me, his face angry.

"Cut it all off" He ordered again.

"let me go.." I started to beg, now I know there is no way out for me.

"I don't want to step inside, doesn't make me," Neev's furious voice said.

"I challenge you," Rajeev and his friends said again.

"Let her go" Neev tried one last time, but Rajeev didn't budge.

"Okay, Let's do this the way you want," Sharath said, the three of them stepped inside and the other boys blocked them.

Soon, there was a commotion and fighting started. I sat there dumbfounded, I don't even know what's happening.

Suddenly Neev was in front of me, he grabbed my hand and kicked the boy who was beside the chair.

I was, not too gently, pulled across the floor. but there was too many of them.

It was not even 5 minutes and we were surrounded by them. Neev, Sharath and sreejith were still around me, ready to fight.

"It looks like you are going to lose," Rajeev said smugly. "you made a big mistake when you stepped inside," he said and threw the wooden chair across us.

"Get back!" I heard Neev shouting, but I couldn't move, I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the pain.

I felt the push and I was thrown to the air, I heard the chair missing me by inches. I collided to Neev and both of us slammed to the wall in the unexpected force. Pain shoot through my shoulder bone.

"You can stop fighting now, You are going to loss"

"You are wrong," The new voice said and my heart skipped a beat. Sachin and his gang were there. Neev pushed me off him and I stood frozen in the middle.

"Let's not repeat last year," Sachin said. "let's talk this over," he said.

"Do you think we are going to let you go after what you did to Gautham?"

"We didn't do anything to him," Neev said angrily.

"You killed him..your college -"

"It was suicide! And even if you say our college made him do it, the last batch is already pass out, it is pointless to continue what they started!"

"It's easy for you to say" Rajeev didn't back down.

"fine, let's do this then" Sachin was angry, Sachin and gang now stepped inside.

And the fighting resumed.

---------------------

So guys,

I would love to hear from you! Don't forget to vote & comment!

Also, I want casts for the characters;

1.Riya

2.Neev

3.Sachin

Suggest me some of your favourite people:) or send me a picture!

Love you!