Merry Christmas! 🎄

Guys, I saw some doubts by the readers in the last chapter. I would like to clear them for now and I hope you understand and take them well.

1. The story is slow-paced-You should not expect the characters to directly jump on the main event.

2. The story is the story of a girl who had faced some serious issues and emtional turbulances throughout her life-You will equally witness the episodes of her trauma and emotional surge along with the healing journey. It is going to have cliché scenes, tears and let me warn you, it's going to be a lot.

3. The story is going to have very slow-updates-It's not something I can control but I try my best to write and upload whenever possible.

This was just to clear the confusions of the readers and if you've any more queries you're always free to bring light upon them. I'll try my best to appease you with my answer.

Note-The major past revelations has ended. The next chapter will begin with the present.

Also, I had an important query. My question is that-

-"the story is exceeding more than the earlier decided chapters. They're going way past 80 chapters so I wanted to ask if I should continue the story in the second part?"

Leave your feedbacks here:-

▪︎If yes, then, comment here.

▪︎If no, then, comment here.

It's important. So, do not ignore.

💙

|I know what it is like to hold the end of the frail thread of our fate. The fear of breaking faith and the chances of retracting hope, both gifts me sleepless nights|

by medicallymessedup

•recent past•

"Dude, c'mon that old hag must be waiting for us.." Someone from Geetika's boy mate offered in the most unpleasant voice Aryan had heard.

'Well, you sound like an old hag right now!' Aryan scoffed internally.

"Oh yes, he can't begin without the presence of his favorite old wine and you of course, our Aryan boi!" Another laughed.

"I'm not in the mood for such shitty entertainment right now." Aryan exclaimed, vexed with the headache that was increasing with every passing second, getting twice with their shrieking voices, "You guys go ahead." He vocalized.

Geetika who was observing Aryan's odd behavior told the rest of her gang to leave while she herself stayed back aware of the aftermath, due to the occurrence since the library mishap.

She, putting a hand over his shoulder, questioned, "Well what's wrong with you, Ranjhe?" Aryan clicked his tongue before he could answer, confirming her doubts.

[ Ranjhe - Hero of a famous love epic of a Punjabi folk tale.]

She accelerated, "Your Heeriye saw us together in the library, isn't it what's bothering you?"

[ Heeriye - Beloved of Ranjha.]

Aryan reluctantly shook his head looking away as it's high time since that matter. Though, he knew his unintentional acts threw him under the radar but this time it was extreme. Ruchi undoubtedly believed that he was a walking STD as claimed by her best friend, Samiksha.

•The day when Ruchi saw them in the library•

Aryan glared at Geetika who was equally annoyed standing in the secluded corner of the attached store room in the library which was never meant to be used except for the researchers who were into carnal dalliances.

"Do you really mooch around with these dumbfucks?" Aryan questioned incensed on guarding the ones busy inside eating each other's face. "Who the fuckin' fuck fucks in this greasy shit!"

Geetika snickered audibly, "You're saying as if I'm enjoying the honors of being a janitor, Aryan!" She poured, "And not everyone holds guts enough to court each other and get a bedroom in their house."

"Geetika you're just seeking fun out of my misery-" Aryan rebuffed.

"Toh tu bhi toh wholesale rate mein bhav kha raha hai, Aryan!" She pointed, "Chup-chap se khada nahi reh sakta thodi der? Abhi ho jaayega in dono ka-"

["Then what? You too are being grumpy on a wholesale rate! Can't you stay quiet and stand over here for some time? They both will be finished soon-"]

"Par yeh murdaghar hi kyon?" Aryan objected, "They would've got a decent room for themselves."

["But, why this graveyard only?"]

"Har koi teri tarah tip mein 2000 ka note nahi thama deta!" She said, "They both are homos and if they get caught in their house then you have no idea what will happen to them!" She implied.

["Unlike you not everyone handovers a note of rupees two-thousand for a tip!"]

"Kya hoga, bhala?" He implied in ignorance.

["What can happen?"]

"They're going to be disowned by their parents or worse betrothed to someone else." She termed getting Aryan's attention, "And they don't have a gifted mansion to flaunt na, Aryan!" She mocked fumbling through her phone which rang suddenly.

Meanwhile her friends Binoy and Sahib made their presence known trying to look decent enough to make their act obvious. Geetika snickered while Aryan gave her an irritated glare that led to her phone to drop on the ground.

"Three men in the room yet each one with a thick brain." Geetika muttered, bending down to pick up her cell when Aryan stopped her, sensing the discomfort she might have wearing a dress.

He just got up when Sahib knocked upon his undone shoelaces resulting in Aryan who unluckily stumbled near Geetika who made a sound feeling her knee hit the creaking door.

"Kya kar raha hai, Sahib!!" Aryan chided hissing angrily while Geetika shared the same pissed off look matching his, "Did your eyes drop too while undoing the pants?" Geetika scorned.

["What are you doing Sahib?"]

"Sorry, yaar woh- Shit!" Sahib hyped looking near the shelves, "Someone is here!"

Binoy and Sahib stayed in the dark meanwhile Geetika and Aryan who were distressingly closer were witnessed by someone who was picking up books until they could locate the exact position of the trespasser, when an abrupt human voice followed by a noise caused due to a fallen book.

It was Ruchi whose blanched eyes witnessed their togetherness ultimately kindling her heartbreaking tears while she watched their proximity act which could've given blatant doubts to anyone in her place describing his genuine relationship with Geetika who he never saw as anything more than a good friend.

But who in their right minds could possibly believe the truthfulness he was eager to show knowing the track record Aryan Mallik's Casanova profile displayed.

Maybe someone but definitely not Ruchi Batra whose agonizingly wretched gaze passed an incommutable verdict against him.

•scene ends•

"No matter what I do, I'm going to always end up being a cheating manwhore in her eyes."

Geetika couldn't help but feel hurt by his depressed tone addressing the girl who he seemed to be smitten even before she met him at a party hosted by her father and an instant liking towards a rarely noble badboy like him took over her progressive teenage mind.

Even when Geetika knew the base of her and Aryan's friendship sailing through the initial rocky phase had always been due to the campus's infamous crybaby.

She couldn't help but feel jealous sometimes; why it always had to be that ignoring dumb girl when someone popular girls like her was ready to be the arm candy, rich kids like Aryan who carried one of the strongest surname in the country were used to flaunt in front of the world and amongst the crowd.

Why would Aryan still prefer to go behind a nobody like Ruchi who had never spared a good glance at him. What was so special that Aryan never approached her but his unsettling object of interest had always been restricted to that bookworm.

Geetika knew him for the last five years but there wasn't a day she didn't find Aryan secretly glancing for Ruchi who was too engrossed in her own little world to know the life happening around her.

It was one such day during their first year that intrigued her to befriend Ruchi in order to gain the trust of Aryan but only ended up being envious of the unseen adoration and respect Aryan had in himself for her even when she wasn't a physically acknowledged part of his life.

He always counted by the repercussions of his lame actions just for gaining her eyes on him but it sincerely failed yet Aryan never fell hopeless.

But Geetika's overwhelming resentment led to problems arise in the amicable bond shared between her and a polite Ruchi as selfishness took the better of her and she made a genuine person look down on herself without any fault of hers.

She was partly to be blamed for being an obstacle in Aryan and Ruchi's story although she learned it the hard way and then gave up by now.

She knew Aryan felt something more than just liking Ruchi and would continue doing so however he may deny his lingering curiosity about the nerdy girl.

"Why don't you tell her about it then?" Geetika suggested. "Go and confess your feelings for her." Even if the idea was against her will and wish she was well aware that there wasn't any use of dragging the mess any further. She had given up the idea that Aryan would outgrow on his likeness towards the unknown.

"There's nothing to confess, Geetika." Aryan replied solemnly.

"Oh yeah, as you say!" She scoffed but added, "It's just not you but someone else crushing over the poor girl since this long."

"It's technically termed as stalking."

"Only if done with ill-intentions but you're just looking out for your Heer in a silent way Ranjhe! You've never suppressed your wishes on her like some typical Kabir Singh found on every street nowadays. There's a difference." She explained.

Geetika had deeply pondered upon being an active spectator of the things that turned ugly for Ruchi and it had a lot more than it happening that evening but Samiksha had clearly warned her to not spill out anything to an ear which sounded absolutely absurd. She decided to abide by that but she could certainly drop a hint or two to Aryan concerning Ruchi's well-being.

"So go ahead before her so-called fiancé sweeps her off the ground. Stop calculating and analyzing your feelings like a bloody glutton and man up because I think your beauty needs the beast more than anyone else and..." She trailed, "before it's too late."

"What do you mean?" Aryan interrupted with worry.

"It was never my story to tell Aryan but all I can say is you better hurry up and act fast."

And that was all the moments he had with his mystery girl and motivation all together Aryan needed to gate-crash the buttoned-up life of his beauty which he wasn't going to let strain anymore neither his unrequited feelings will go in vain because he will be giving her a fair chance to explain her actions from years back. And if their most awaited conclusion was meant to happen then he had to take the first step for both of them this time.

🖤🖤🖤

Aryan parked his car in the school campus quite earlier than the timings of his or anyone's scheduled classes. He noticed the curious glances of the campus guards who were used to catching him sprinting before the first lecture ended and here he was at the time of sanitizing the building.

Thanks to his excitement and worries he couldn't sleep the whole night nor could focus on his work. He sat tracing a brush aimlessly on a plain canvas which led him to nowhere near his destination. A part of him was pulled to the idea of barging at Ruchi's residence whose address he had learnt by his heart. The location inked on his heart and mind even when he stayed in London for nearly a decade.

The rugged carcass of the fountain pen his beauty gifted him on her birthday was kept in his chest. An automated smile pulled up on his lips on her sweetness because who on their birthday gifts others but she did even in her immaturity she made him feel important and wanted in her life unlike his other friends. The long forgotten smell of wild flowers implementing her essence was still afresh to his senses.

The crinkled papers on which he wrote her letters all these years posting them in secrecy with the help of Ved from London still gave him an amiable tour of nostalgia.

Oh, my innocent Baby! A very Happy belated Birthday, sweetheart!! How are you? Did you read my last letter for your birthday?

If not then I'm sure that the postman is messing up with my letters to you and that's why you never answer them. But, I hope you get this one and accept my apology.

You know with Mala Aunty's help I baked your favorite blueberry muffins and sang a happy birthday song for you later cutting them along Ved who ate them all like a monster. He's very bad, you know! He ate them all but I saved a muffin from my share, Baby! I'm sending it to you. Have it and tell me how you found it?

Also, do you know it's winters in London again and I'm freezing like an ice-cream. Hehe... How's it in Delhi? How did your mid-year exams go? Does Joshi Sir scold you for writing poorly again? Whatever, let him say what comes to his mind but my topper, I'm sure you're getting the student of the year award just like every year. And when I come back home, I'll give you a big celebration party. But, we won't invite that Sammy as she makes fun out of my weight and she also calls you as hers. I don't like it. Don't get angry but you're mine, right?

Oh, shit!! Ved is here with Uncle to sleep. I'll have to go now but I will post this letter tomorrow so it reaches you early. I promise I'll come back to you soon. Also, I love you!

With Love,
Your Aloo!

His each new trial was hopeful than the last one pushing him to work harder for that one moment where she would forgive him for a deed he never committed.

Aryan wanted to return to India asap thus he planned to not write his papers properly convinced that his parents would take him back with them but it never happened because he failed the year. His parents were shocked but influenced that his poor performance was due to his reckless actions which had changed him. They refused to bring him back for years until he mended his ways and that's exactly what exactly occurred that began his journey to write letters for Ruchi.

Sometimes recalling his unanswered letter gave Aryan tears in his eyes but he decided to be stronger and await an answer that'd surely be returned one day until Ved finally fed up of his pathetic persistence confronted Aryan for his behavior and condemned him from wasting his efforts for someone who never acknowledged his efforts. He stopped sending letters to her after six consecutive years but his longing never ended.

Aryan returned to India after almost a decade on his mother's instance as Anchal felt guilty of taking away the right of her only child on her and her husband for a subtle mistake Aryan contingently did in his childhood. She was devastated to realize that she deprived her son of experiencing boyhood with his family and home.

Everyone who knew Aryan Mallik after his return saw him as a rich guy privileged with the women community who were ready to be under him with his one beck and call but the truth was far away from their opinion praising the glitters in his life. He never ever for once approached a woman with romantic intentions or even brought another female's thought to his mind except the mother figures in his life, Samiksha Khanna who was hard to be ignored given that she was his girl's best friend along that she was his heartless bully and Ved's sister, Prisha who was like a sister he lost before he could remember her.

Since the day Aryan discovered the feeling of a pure emotion named love, nobody but Ruchi Batra had conquered his heart and soul. She had the power to manipulate him without her words and ocular presence.

Every emotion of his, associated with her was stronger than he could ever convey by the medium of his words. Even her absence from his life didn't waver his determination to see her one day and speak his heart out.

And one fine day, it finally happened. She was right in front of his eyes in living flesh and bones. His Ruchi was here breathing in the same place as him, his happiness knew no bounds but like a storm on a pleasant night his heart crashed beneath him.

Once again, she acted like a stranger with him. Let alone denying his face, she was never customized to his presence. She once again made him feel unwanted through a message from Samiksha that was crystal clear. It meant she didn't want to remember him or their past and was pretty good without him.

Aryan saw her for hours and hours during their shared lectures but she acted nonchalant to his stares and if somewhere mistakenly their eyes met, she would look away as if his gaze burnt her existence.

He tried and tried for her to appreciate his presence in her life, gain her interest but he miserably lost to her crude gestures. The final blow came by the news of her engagement with somebody who wasn't him and she seemed happy.

This broke Aryan's sanity harshly, hooking away his faith in their love and her. He felt stupid to wait for her like a fool for years assuming that maybe she'd reciprocate his emotions someday but it was like a dream hard to sleep on once woken up. He hated himself for acting gullible when she had made everything clear since that day at school.

Yet, his stupid heart hauled him here, waiting for her yet again with an ardent dedication incognizant of her grieving circumstances.

Lots of Love,

ANKITA