Read author's note in the end to answer all your questions!

Enjoy Reading (:

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Flashback:

Ten Years Ago:

Zara's First Day In IIMR:

She was walking in the hallways. Each turn was more confusing than previous. Though she visited the campus with her dad on the day of admission still she wasn't familiar with the campus.

Finding the lecture hall in this campus was like solving a complicated puzzle. She should have waited for her roommate but her roommate got up late and being the punctual girl Zara was she left the dorms alone.

Irony was that she was going to be late anyways. She saw few seniors coming on her way and her heartbeat immediately increased. Ragging though officially banned wasn't entirely non-existent in the campus. She has heard so many stories about it that she immediately started sweating.

There were three of them; one guy and two girls. The guy was handsome and looked friendly and the girls were beautiful. Gosh! Everyone in this college is so good looking and here she was the ugly duckling. She doesn't even have a skin care routine or anything closely resembling to that. May be in a year she will also learn from them.

She just wished them politely and was surprised to see them smiling and returning her greetings. It was a pleasant smile and not a sarcastic one.

She looked at the girls carefully. One of them had curly hairs and glasses that gave her such a cute look that Zara just wanted to pull her cheeks. She bit her lip to remove that weird thought from her mind.

The other senior girl had long brown hairs tied in a ponytail and a friendly look. Well, that was what Zara could catch from her smile. She didn't know what was in that girl but Zara really felt this overwhelming need to respect this girl. She was commanding respect without even asking for it. She didn't look at the guy though. One because she was too shy; second because she didn't want to offend them by staring too long.

The trio were waiting near her, talking to each other; discussing second year subjects. So they were her immediate seniors. Zara stood beside them feeling too tired and unsure. She was waiting to see any fresher who could help her. She can't muster the courage to ask those seniors however friendly they might appear.

"Where is that monkey?" The girl with glasses said in an annoyed voice to her friends. "Does he not know that Dr. Sharma don't take late comers in the class?! I don't want miss my pathology lecture attendance just because his highness is late!"

"Pakhi... You know that we could enter the class right? He won't mind!" The other girl said in a calm voice and Zara felt like fan girling over her voice.

"Shenu, you know that we always enter together. So it's not an option." The guy said and the Shenu senior just smiled.

"I guess Rahul just answered your question Shenu. I hate that monkey but class would be really boring without him!" Pakhi said in annoyed tone.

Now this made Zara really curious about that monkey senior. He was lucky to have such a good group of friends. Zara looked at her watch and realised that her class was going to start in five minutes. Great! Now she was going to be late. She was about to walk away but collided with someone and immediately noticed a pair of blue eyes looking at her.

Beautiful.

His ocean blue eyes were so beautiful that for a second she forgot her resolve to not look into any boy directly. They gave her the feeling like she wants to look into them forever but immediately heard the group behind her going silent.

Suddenly realising her situation she whispered, "Sorry Sir." Her voice was so low and her nervousness was visible.

She wasn't the only one at fault but she knew she can't expect a senior to say sorry. She only hoped that he won't rag her. The thought gave her chills. Because as beautiful those blue eyes were they didn't give her any assurance that they will protect her. Not that she was looking at him directly now. She has down casted her eyes so she can't read his expression. Then again she wasn't any good at that.

"Finally monkey arrived." She heard Pakhi's voice and understood that this was the guy they were waiting for. She didn't know why but she wanted to know his name.

"You are late Bir." Shenu said but she wasn't accusing him. Just stating the fact.

She didn't look at him but knew that he was looking at her and that made her nervous. Was he angry and going to rag her?

"Sorry again Sir." She whispered. She can't even run away from him. She didn't know why but she just can't.

"You are scaring her Bir." Shenu said and walked near them. Now that got his attention. He looked at his sweetie pie and she felt his tension getting relaxed.

"Sweetie pie." He finally spoke and his voice gave her goose bumps.

"I'm not interested in scaring a newbie. I'm just thinking what she is doing here when she should be in the lecture hall number one, upstairs towards right. This is where juniors are supposed to be right?" The guy replied and Zara felt as if he said the words only to help her, even though he wasn't looking at her.

Danger bells were running inside her head. This guy was dangerous for her. But even unknowingly he helped her finding her way.

How could he help her and scare her at the same time; she didn't know. What she did know was that she needed to go away from him. Her father always said that her face is the window to her soul and she didn't want this guy to know what was going on in her mind.

So she made her mind to walk away from him, finally. She trusted the Shenu senior whom he called sweetie pie to stop him from doing anything to her. She didn't know why but she did which was very weird.

She started walking away when she heard Rahul saying, "Let's go to the class now, Kabir."

Kabir.

The name got imprinted on her mind and may be soul. And she ran away fast trying to ignore these new feelings.

What she didn't know was that even though she was running away she was running in the direction he told her.

***

"You did that intentionally right?" Sanaa also called as Shenu by her friends and sweetie pie by Kabir; asked in a low voice as they entered the class.

"Did what sweetie pie?" Kabir asked in a normal tone with a smirk on his face.

He had no fear of professor.

This guy!

Sanaa thought and sighed, leaving the question and concentrating on the lecture whereas Kabir was in his own thinking world, not giving a damn about anything.

Sanaa noticed it but didn't say a world as Kabir rarely paid attention to lectures and after the lecture was finished she and Rahul were discussing something while Pakhi, their cute friend with spectacles and Kabir were again fighting.

And that question remained unanswered forever. 

***

I'm truly Sorry for disappearing without any notice. I really am.

Things are tough all around the world and I was just trying to process the stuff happening around me. I hope you and your loved ones are safe. I and my family are safe to thanks for your wishes which I have been receiving.

But now I'm back and I don't know if I will be regular or not but I will try my best to be.

Coming back to the chapter, this is how Kabir and Zara first met. The beginning of their story.

 What do you think of Sanaa's question?  Any guesses?

Next few chapters are flashbacks. I hope you enjoy them.

I will try to update next week. But know that even if I don't do, I haven't forgotten the story or you guys. I will always come back.

Till then vote, comment and share. It really cheers me up! 

Stay healthy and blessed.

and Smile,

Because Zoya is back (;