Adarsh(scared): Aanya....Aanya......open your eyes!

He looked around and saw a glass of water. While getting it, he noticed the pills on the table. He kneeled down beside Aanya and sprinkled a few drops of water on her face. Panic surged through him. He took a deep breath and jerked her shoulders.

Adarsh: Aanya, can you hear me?

His voice was urgent. He patted her cheeks. She didn't budge. He checked her pulse and sighed in relief. Her body was on fire and her eyes remained closed.

Adarsh(desperately): Why aren't you waking up? You're scaring me.

He did not take his eyes off her even once. He grabbed the bottle and splashed a few more drops onto her face. He looked at her chest and then at her lips.

Adarsh (in mind): Should I give her a CPR? Should I call her parents? What if she gets in trouble? Kya karun main more maiya!

He remembered the words of Aanya's father.

"YOU ARE MY BIGGEST REGRET IN LIFE!!!"

He decided to take the matter into his own hands. He was about to place his hands on her chest but withdrew it back. He didn't want to touch her. He was torn between guilt and urgency. He bent closer towards her lips, awkwardly.
Adarsh(in mind): Maaf kar dena mujhe, Aanya. Main yeh sab tumhe bachane ke liye kar raha hoon. (Forgive me, Aanya. I'm doing all this to save your life.)

Their lips softly brushed against each other. Before he could trail further, he heard a soft groan. Aanya's eyelids fluttered open, her eyes struggling to focus.
Aanya(whispered in a weak voice): Ada..rshh...
Adarsh(sighed in relief): Ha, main hoon! Tum bilkul theek ho! Main hoon yaha tumhare saath! (Yes, it's me! You're going to be okay! I'm here for you!)
Aanya: Ple...please...st....stay!!!
Adarsh(rubbed her hands): Kahi nahi jaa raha main. (I'm not going anywhere.)

Later, Aanya fully regained her consciousness.
Aanya: Tum yaha kaise? (How come you're here?)
Adarsh: Khidki se aaya. (I came up through the window.)
Aanya(shocked): Kyaa!! (What!!!)
Adarsh: Through the water pipe...
Aanya: It could be dangerous.

There was a moment of silence between both of them.
Adarsh(in mind): Does she remember that our lips.....no way!!! She was unconscious.
Aanya: Thank you Adarsh!
Adarsh: Ab mujhe jaana chayeye. Kal school mein milte hain. (I should get going. Meet you at school tomorrow!)
He climbed down the water pipe and rode off towards his home.
Aanya touched her lips as he rode off. Adarsh didn't know that she was faintly conscious and clearly remembered their lips touching each other.

Elite High School

Saanvi(groaned): I hate the morning assembly.
Aadya: Next week se class tests shuru hai. (Class tests will commence from next week onwards.)
Manya(groaned): I hate class tests.

Misha and Kriti quietly listened to their conversation.
Aadya: Aanya, kitna padha hai tune ab tak? (How much have you studied till now?)
Aanya didn't hear as her eyes were focused on her notes.
Manya: Uska third ya fourth revision chal raha hoga. Fir bhi padh rahi hai woh. (It must be her third or fourth revision. Still she is studying.)
Aadya: What about you guys?
Misha: Maine abhi revision start nahi kiya hai. (I haven't started revision yet.)
Kriti: Mera syllabus hi start nahi hua hai, revision toh bohut door ki baat hai. (Leave revision, I haven't started my syllabus yet.)
Saanvi: Bhaiii....meri copy incomplete hai!!! (My copy is incomplete!)
Manya: Maine toh teacher ko assignment bhi submit nahi kara. (I haven't submitted my assignment to the teacher.)

Adarsh's eyes softened as he looked at Aanya. His eyes showed concern yet relief at the same time.
Adarsh(in mind): Is she a psychopath?! Or a sociopath?! How can she behave normally in school, as if nothing happened. Anyways, I should focus on 'my crush'.

Aditya: Kaha khoya hua hai bhai tu? (Where are you lost, bro?)
Ayush(teased): Bhabhi ke khyalon mein. (Lost in thoughts of our sister in law.)
Adarsh(suddenly): Tumhari bhabhi mil gayi!
Yuvaan(shocked): Ayein!
Ishaan(double shocked): Baigan!
Ayush(triple shocked): Yeh kab hua? Main toh mazaak kar raha tha. Tune sach kar diya. (When did this happen? I was just kidding. You turned it into real.)
Maahi: Kissi ne bataya kyu nahi? (No one told us?)
Yuvaan: Hume bhi kaha pata tha. (As if we knew.)

Aditya turned towards Adarsh.
Aditya: Sach bata! (Tell the truth!)
Adarsh: Sach hai! (It's true.)
Aditya: Bataya kyu nahi? (Why didn't you tell?)
Adarsh: Kuch time hi hue hain. (It hasn't been that long.)
Ishaan: Par hamari bhabhi kaun hai? (But,who is our sister-in-law?)

Everyone turned to look at Adarsh.
Aditya: Aanya?
Adarsh: Nahi oye!
Aditya(in mind): Uske alawa kaun ho sakti hai?
Adarsh(blushed): Misha!
Aditya: Kaun?
Adarsh: Hazaar baar bulwayega kya?
Aditya: Maine pucha bhabhi kaun hai?
Adarsh: Mujhe Misha pasand hai.
Maahi: Finally.....the deserving one got Misha.
Yuvaan: Congrats Bhai! Bandi mil gayi!
Adarsh(laughed): Thanks! Par abhi bandi bani nahi hai.
Ayush: Kab se iss baat ko chupa raha hai? Ab toh tu gaya bete!
Ishaan: Mujhe laga tha teri gf physics hai.
Maahi: Congrats bro!
Aditya: Kasam kha ki tu serious hai....
Adarsh: Main....

The assembly started.

Aditya's POV
It's hard to hide my love from her. My mind keeps thinking about her. My eyes look for her. I trust her so much. I want to see her happy. I wish I could hug her. I'm heartbroken over a relationship that never happened. I want to prioritise you and give you all the love that you deserve. I'm unable to describe my own emotions. Everything in me is crying, except my eyes. You're the story that I never wanted to end. I'm losing myself. I crave for your love. I can fight against any man, but not against the one whom you love. Damn....the things that you do to me. You mess me up in the best way possible. It feels like there's a riot of a storm inside of me. I can't think straight and my heart is on fire.

Aditya's Message

Dear readers,
The hardest battle is between what I know in my head and what I feel in my heart. Some stories are hard to share. Some problems are hard to explain. Accepting reality can be very different from the imagination. The reality can make anyone give up on their little happy world of imagination.