Chapter 19 - "Putting A Full Stop To The Beauty Of Our Life"

I stood out of the examination hall, waiting for the rest of them. It was our last exam and the results were to be out approximately a month later. I was already emotional as they all would not be beside me in the college anymore. Though we had promised ourselves we wouldn't be like those friends who would get each other introduced ten years after their college, promises are always meant to be broken, aren't they? This one was broken too. 

"Hey! Kaisa hua paper?" DD came, waving at me. 

"It went well. Yours?" I asked back, twisting my head back to find for the others. 

"Nice one unlike others." He laughed. 

"Why are they not here yet?" I asked, getting worried now. It was nearly half an hour that the exam was over but three of them did not come out. 

"Aatay honge. Don't worry." DD said, sipping some water from his bottle. 

"Finally, last paper tha! I am free now."DD spoke, pointing towards Rhea subconsciously as we spotted her running, trying to fetch her bag in her hand along with her books.  

"Aagayi tu? Why are you not carrying you bag on your shoulders?" I asked, grabbing her books in my hands. 

"Arey woh mota supervisor hai na? Sequence mein rows ko bahar nikalne ki waja se, he wasn't letting my row walk out since it was the second last. Abhi tak 21 out of 60 hi bahar aayi hein. So, I got up, stealthily and joined the 21st row that was walking out. Kisi ko pata hi nahi chala! Issi chakkar mein books aur bag counter se jaldi jaldi uthaane mein ye haalat hogayi!" She told, trying to catch up on her breathe.

"Good. Very good." My tone held sarcasm. "Wo dono kahan hein?" I continued.

"They aren't as clever as me!" She stressed on her words, holding her head up. "They're in the last row. Maasoom banke wait hi karenge aur humein bhi karwayenge." 

I sighed, wiping off the sweat beads that appeared on my forehead. 

"Aaj kal larkay maasoom aur larkiyaan shaatir hein! Wah! What a generation!" DD interjected, as usual, in his poetic, calm manner.

 
After waiting for about thirty minutes more, we could see them both walking tiredly towards us. A smile made it's way to my lips seeing him finally.

Before they could spot us, I grabbed DD's and Rhea's hands and pulled them to a corner behind the large tree. They looked at me quizzically and I just signalled towards them both. Getting it, they smirked lightly.

"Where are they?" I could hear Ali saying.

"Avni told me that we have to wait for each other near this tree." Neil stopped just in front of the tree that hid us.

"May be they didn't come out yet?" Ali's sentence sounded more like a question.

"Pagal ho? Their rows went out before us. Ours was the last." Neil spoke, looking here and there, his forehead creased. I swear, he looked so cute! I felt like pulling his cheeks but I had to resist my urge since I was fooling him.

"That means there's no hope they are inside." Ali spoke, sighing loudly.

At that instant, we could see DD trying hard to suppress his laughter. His nostrils flicked as he kept his hand on his mouth, trying to not laugh.

I nodded lightly and walked out. Their backs faced us. Slowly, I covered Neil's eyes and Rhea did the same to Ali.

Before both of them could react, we heard DD saying, "Find me someone whose eyes can be covered by me too!"

I pinched my eyes tightly as I voiced out a loud, "DD!" And the same was done by Rhea at the same time.

Plan failed!

Ali and Neil turned around laughing. "Kuch karna ho tou pakke khiladi liya karo!" Ali said, still laughing.

Rhea slapped DD on his shoulder as I rolled my eyes, murmuring a small 'idiot,' that Neil heard.

I sidehugged him as he said, "It's okay. Don't blame him. You guys shouldn't have chosen him at the first place."

DD frowned and I finally laughed out.

I saw all the happy faces surrounding me. They had become my life in such a short time. How would I even step into this college without them? That was all I could think.

I didn't know when the tears started pouring out of my eyes.

"Avni? What happened?" Neil asked, holding my shoulders lightly.

"Why are you crying?" DD came to stand beside me.

I looked at them all, biting my lips.

"You guys are going. College is best part of our lives and I feel like this is just the end of the beauty of our life. " I uttered, trying hard to not cry.

"Hey shh." Neil hugged me, stroking back gently. "You people are leaving me alone." I murmured again.

"Avni! We will be with you always, come on!" Ali said, pushing his phone into his back pocket.

"Stop crying!" Rhea spoke, holding my bag.

"You guys go, I'll be back with her." Neil said.

Once they went away, he took me to the near by small greenery area and sat me down on the grass.

I still couldn't help the heavy sobs that escaped my lips.

He sat beside me, pulling me to him. I kept my head on his chest, clutching onto his shirt.

"Avni. You know, I love you, right?" He spoke, sincerity laced in his voice. I nodded, smiling lightly.

"And they love you too?" He continued, gently caressing my back time to time.

I nodded again, biting my inner cheeks, not really knowing how to react.

"Then? Why are you worried? We won't leave you ever. I promise, we will be always there for you, with you, beside you. You just have to face this college alone from now. Nothing more.

It is not that we are leaving the college means we are leaving you. There's a difference. How can we leave the person without whom our lives cease to exist? Hmm?"

I looked up at him, my eyes full of unknown emotions that I managed to feel at a time. I couldn't explain how this man meant everything to me.

He read me like a book and turned all the pages according to his will.

It was as if he had control over everything that I do. He made me cry and smile at the same time. I didn't know how was he so good at learning me!

I leaned up and pressed a kiss on his cheek, pouring all my love and every feeling that I went through in that particular moment.

I sensed him smiling, my eyes closed, my lips still on his cheek. Moments later, I pulled back whispering a small, "Thank you."

"I am so in love with you Mr Neil Khanna." I mumbled, wiping off my tears. He smiled heartily, kissing my forehead. I looked at him with all the love and thanked God silently for sending him to me.

I enjoyed being in his arms, not knowing this would be the last time I could feel him. Alas! This was what it was.

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So guys! Since many of you were confused as to what is past and what is present, I have italicized all the chapters that are telling the past. The lines that are regular are the feelings of either Neil or Avni depending on the chapter. The time the past will end, the text will be back in regular. I hope there's no confusion.

Do vote and comment to let me know how did you likw this one.

Much Love.