Third Person's Pov

After some long discussions everyone was present in the library, as they all sat around at different tables in the groups of three as they all were grouped for the assignments!

Hardik was pretty much busy as he was drawing something onto a paper with much seriousness while Tanya was busy in her phone when the next moment Manjot banged his head on the table startling both of them, as he said looking at Hardik first, "Tu kaunse art competition me part le rha hai? Because looking at this I can tell that you're gonna be at last position!"

"And you!" He said pointing at Tanya making her look up from the phone, "You look like someone who's out in the garden to chill"

"You know I'm not really good at assignments. But I can draw some diagrams for you, I'm pretty good at that, log humesha meri drawing ki tareek kiya krte hai" Hardik said and Manjot gave him a cheeky smile while Tanya said, "And I've never made an assignment before and I also don't think I have any talent, so please tell me if you need something useless to be done"

"You guys are impossible!" Manjot said holding his head when the next moment Rishabh spoke up from the next table, "Baby don't take much stress okay! Agar jyada kaam ho toh tell me, I can always help you"

"Ayee hello romeo! Would you like to help in your own group's assignments?" Mayank asked him patting his shoulder and Rishabh just made a face saying, "I'll think about it bro"

"That's not an option. Here's the topic, gather information on it for now" Nikita said handing him a paper and Rishabh just yawned while turning to Mayank asking, "Does she always boss you around like this too?"

"Sometimes!" Mayank whispered to him and they both chuckled while Nikita said without even looking at them, "I can hear you guys!"

On the next table Shriya was preparing the important points for the presentation while Abhishek was telling her a new joke every minute while Ishan had went to gather some stuff from files as Shriya had instructed him to.

"Chia tell me what french fries do when they catch up after a long time?" Abhishek asked Shriya and she looked at him confused asking, "What's this question? I don't know!"

"They ketchup!" Abhishek said making Shriya laugh, when the next moment Ishan kept a box full of presentation stuff in the middle of the table with a bang and startled them, "I'll also ask one! What did the librarian say to the students who were making an assignment?" Ishan asked gritting his teeth and they both looked at him confused as Abhishek asked, "What?

"Keep silence if you don't want to be kicked out!" Ishan said and they both made a face while Ishan sat taking out a chair beside Shriya and she shifted her chair closer to him while smiling slightly as she whispered, "Are you being jealous right now?"

"Yeah! I have the right to be, I don't want you to smile like that at any other guy! It's just so pretty" Ishan said making a face and Shriya's smile grew wider as she blushed and Ishan pulled her cheek slightly, "See that's the smile I was talking about. Ahh! Be still my heart" Ishan said keeping a hand on his heart.

"Ahh! Be fine my ears, I know this is all so cheesy to hear" Abhishek said covering his ears and they both looked at him giving out a weird look.

"Ahh! Be still my hand, because I want to punch Abhay!" Shriya said showing him a punch and he laughed while Ishan patted her head giving out 'I'm proud of you' look.

"You three are gonna go crazy at this rate!" Shubman said passing by their table and and the three of them made a face as they finally tried to focus on their assignment!

"Guys come with me, I've found all the books we need!" Shubmam said coming upto Arshita and Manish who were busy looking at some weird old literature authors in Manish's phone and laughing as their topic was historical backgrounds on some literature authors!

"Books me aisa dekhne wala kya hai! They're all boring anyway" Manish said looking up from his phone and Shubman gave him a look saying, "That's because you never read them!"

"I get sleepy the moment I open a book" Arshita said and Shubman just sighed as he grabbed both of their arms and started dragging them to another corner where the books they needed were present.

"Look here! This is for the first author. This is for the second one...and that one is—" Shubman was saying while Manish was staring at his face with a blank look so he stopped and then asked, "What's wrong. Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I've been partnered with someone so dedicated for the first time" Manish said and Shubman just gave him a look while shaking his head.

"Do you need more books? I'll bring them for you so I can be of some help" Arshita asked smilingly and Shubman just chuckled slightly saying, "Yeah there are two more in the last row with brown cover page!"

"I'm on it" Arshita said as she went towards the last row and Manish made a face asking, "I'm seeing her willing to work for the first time"

"I'm also a bit surprised actually" Shubman said and they both did a high-five while they kept talking when suddenly they heard Arshita's voice, "Owww! Ouch my head! What the heck?"

Manish and Shubman looked towards her to find some books on the floor which had fell on her head as she was trying to take them out of the top shelf!

Arshita cursed while looking at the books while rubbing her head when she heard Manish and Shubman laughing, making her look at them, "Don't laugh!" she said giving out a deadly glare to both of them while they couldn't stop laughing, "Why are you cursing the books? It's not their fault that you're a shorty!" Manish said laughingly as he came and rubbed her head slowly.

"It's okay, you could've told if you weren't able to take them out" Shubman said as he finally stopped laughing while his eyes were fixed on Manish's hand as he was caressing Arshita's hair slowly while chuckling.

"I wanted to do something! And I'm not a shorty" Arshita said hitting Manish's hand and he chuckled when the librarian spoke up startling the three of them, "Silence, this is not a place for you students to joke and laugh! Get out the three of you"

"Ma'am but we just—" Shubman was going to say when Manish and Arshita just dragged him out with them while Manish said as they were out of the library, "She doesn't take excuses! She's really stubborn!"

"What do we do now?" Shubman asked making a face and Arshita looked at her watch lazily saying, "It's finally the time to leave. I just wanna go and sleep, it's finally saturday tomorrow!"

"Why don't we meet up tomorrow? Somewhere outside, because I don't think the library would be able to put up with us" Manish said and Shubman nodded saying, "I'm okay with it"

"I'll see if I can wake up tomorrow" Arshita said and they both gave her a look while she just gave out a silly smile while Manish bid them adieu as everyone had left already!

"I should also leave! I guess I still have some hangover effects from last night" Arshita said as she was going to walk out too but Shubman held her hand as he pulled her towards the back gardens which were empty as most of the students had already left.

"Did you forget something?" Arshita asked him while Shubman stopped and made her stand in front of the wall and smiled while holding her shoulders, as he said, "Is your head okay?"

"Are you making fun of me?" Arshita asked making face and Shubman chuckled while shaking his head, "No I'm serious! Does it hurt?" he asked while removing strands of hair from her face and Arshita smiled while shaking her head in denial saying, "I'm fine! I guess this is why books and I never get along"

Shubman just laughed as he kept looking at her face and Arshita smiled asking, " Why are you staring like that? You wanna say something?"

I'm gazing! Lovingly. You know, because sometimes I really miss you even when you're in front of me, maybe because I can't show my feelings in front of everyone, it's feels like injustice sometime because there are times when I can't hold myself back" Shubman said caressing her cheek and Arshita looked in his eyes while a big smile came upto her face, because there wasn't much times when Shubman would express his feelings so openly to her, he was always the shy and introvert one in the relationship.

"You just made my heart flutter! You can come to me anytime you miss me, I'll always be there waiting for you on the other end!" Arshita said keeping her hands behind his neck and Shubman smiled as he pecked her lips slowly when the next moment they were startled by someone's voice,"Hey there love birds!"

They both immediately pulled away from each other as they turned to find no one else but Shriya, so they both sighed in relief while Shriya gave them cheeky smiles.

"You scared me Chia! I almost had my heart out" Shubman said and Shriya just chuckled, "Oops! Sorry I was just finding my brother so that we can go home"

"You ruined such a good moment. I don't think I wanna let go your brother right now" Arshita said making a face and Shubman just chuckled while pulling her cheeks as he said, "You aren't sleepy now?"

"I don't think so!" Arshita said in the quick reflex and Shubman chuckled more while Shriya held his arm saying, "Your eyes say something else, Arshu! I'm taking my brother. Bye!"

"Byeeee!" Arshita said making a puppy face and Shubman smiled while waving at her as he went on with Shriya and Arshita also drove back to home!
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Next day in the morning, Arshita was as usual sleeping enjoying her Saturday morning when her phone rang but in reflex she threw the alarm clock straight at the door!

The phone kept ringing and she groaned while finally picking up the call and keeping the phone on her ear as she was till laying, she asked in a sleepy voice, "What do you want?"

"You. Outside your house right now, Shub and I are waiting and you're still in the bed!" Manish said rolling his eyes as Shubman and he was standing in front of her house as they had agreed to go out to work on their assignment!

"It's almost afternoon" Shubman said shaking his head while looking af his clock while Arshita spoke up again, "Are we going somewhere?"

"Arshu open your eyes and come to your senses! Maybe you'll recall what I'm talking about" Manish said and she just sighed while getting out of the bed and looked out of her window, she waved at them while rubbing her eyes with the other hands and they both laughed, "You look like someone who just got up from hibernation" Manish said over the phone and Arshita showed him a punch while Shubman said chuckling as the call was on speaker, "It's fine, we'll pretend like we didn't saw you like this, just get ready and come out".

"That would be better" Arshita said nodding her head as she ended the call and turned to find her dad standing on the door who looked at the broken alarm clock and then at her.

"I guess I should stop bringing new alarm clocks for you room, aren't they just inconvenient for you" Her dad asked giving out a sarcastic look and Arshita just gave out a silly look while murmuring a small sorry.

Her dad just chuckled as he nodded and then said, "Get ready, I'll receive your friends till you're getting ready, they shouldn't stay out for too long"

"I won't take long" Arshita said and her dad nodded while smiling saying, "I know I know"

Arshita went to get ready while her dad went out and Shubman and Manish looked at him so they immediately got out of the car while standing up straight in front of him.

"Good afternoon sir!" Shubman said while Manish also spoke up, "Hello uncle!"

"Don't be so tensed up boys, we're not in college!" Arshita's dad and said and they both eased up while he took them both inside.

Manish and Shubman were sitting in the living room while Arshita's dad had went to ask someone to bring out some drinks and snacks for them while Shubman looked around the house as he had came here for the first time except once when he had just barged into Arshita's room late at night through her window.

"I never thought that I'd be coming to my college trustee's house like this! This feels really weird" Shubman whispered slowly and Manish chuckled while patting his shoulder as he said, "Don't worry! Uncle is totally different at home, he's cool! And just think of it as going to a friend's house"

"Yeah right, actually my girlfriend's house" Shubman murmured to himself and Manish asked, "What? Kuch bola tune?"

"No... I.. I was just saying that's great, I mean I was scared for a moment!" Shubman said and Manish nodded his head while Arshita's dad came and sat with them, while a servant served them drinks and snacks!

"So are you guys going out to enjoy the weekend?" Her dad asked them and they both shook their heads as Manish said, "No uncle we were just meeting to discuss about an assignment, the three of us are grouped together"

"That's new coming from you Manish" Her dad said and Manish just gave out a silly smile while her dad looked at Shubman saying, "I guess he's putting on some good influence on you guys. Keep up the good work!"

"Thank you sir! But they're also giving their best" Shubman said and he nodded when finally Arshita walked down the stairs and looked around the living room as she said, "Look at the atmosphere here! I almost thought a serious meeting was going on"

"Really Arshu? We were actually talking about how much more time you were gonna take to get ready" Manish said and she just showed her tongue to him, while her dad chuckled, "Arshu I must say that you should still take some classes from Shubman, you at least scored better when he had taught you for the last semester" Arshita's dad said and Shubman smiled widely while looking down.

"Dad! No talks about studying on the weekend please! But I'm sure Shub will help me out if I need" Arshita said giving a small smile to Shubman and he nodded his head while her dad said, "Okay you all can go on! I won't take your time"

"Bye dad!" Arshita said waving at him as the three of them finally came out and got into Manish's car while Shubman sighed in relief!

"I was so nervous!" He said and Manish just chuckled as he started the car and Arshita patted Shubman's shoulder from back as she was sitting in the backseat while they both were at the front, "It's okay, he's my dad! Not a hitler!" Arshita said and Shubman nodded his head.

"Btw what are we gonna eat? Should we go for an Italian breakfast?" Arshita asked after a moment and Manish gave her a look saying, "We aren't going to eat and hangout if you know!"

"Excuse me! I didn't even had breakfast yet and you guys dragged me! I really need something to eat to start working!" Arshita said and Shubman laughed while saying, "Btw it's almost time for the lunch! But I won't mind Italian"

"Well what can I do, I don't like getting up early on weekends" Arshita said shrugging her shoulder and Manish scoffed saying, "You mean you don't like getting early ever!"

"Yeah, whatever!" Arshita and he laughed while Manish stopped the car in front of her favourite Italian restaurant and Arshita smiled widely immediately getting out of the car.

The three of them went inside and sat around a corner booth while looking up the menu when Manish said, "Don't waste your time, I know you're gonna order your favourite dishes as usual! I'll just go and order!"

"You're the best!" Arshita said showing him a thumbs up and Manish smiled while Shubman was looking between the two of them, it was all really different for him with Manish around them, not like he hated him or something but sometimes it just made him feel envious, Arshita and Manish just knew way too much about each other.

Manish went to order the food while Arshita kept her hand on Shubman's hand smilingly and his trance broke as he looked at her and said, "I wish I could hold your hand all the time!"

"Aww don't worry, we're gonna spend as much time as we can together!" Arshita said and he nodded while smiling when she saw Manish coming back and pulled back her hand immediately making Shubman frown!

Manish came back while their food also arrived soon and they enjoyed the amazing breakfast which was actually brunch!

The three of them had enjoyed the day after eating and roaming around which wasn't even the actual plan, but they couldn't help but enjoy the weekend! In the mean time, Shubman had been getting bothered by the way Manish always act around Arshita, he was always ahead of everything she wanted to do or say. He just knew everything before she would even say, so Shubman tried to hide his jealousy the best he could, but that didn't actually helped him much.

After almost in the evening the three of them were sitting in a cafe while finally discussing about the assignment as Shubman was writing some notes about it and Manish was searching some data about it, meanwhile Arshita who was supposed to be marking out important notes out of the books was actually half asleep as she kept keeping her head down every now and then while yawning.

"Are you that sleepy?" Shubman asked her smilingly while tapping a pen on her head slowly and she immediately sat straight while Manish laughed looking at her face and said, "Hibernated bear!"

"Shut up you monkey" Arshita said throwing a tissue at him and he laughed more while Shubman chuckled as he took the books from her hands and handed the notes he was writing, "Write this instead, reading will make you more sleepy"

"Thank you! I appreciate it" Arshita said as she started writing the notes while Shubman kept looking at her with a small smile on his face, "I'm already exhausted. You're such a dedicated partner bro! I've been paired with someone like that for the first time" Manish said startling him and Shubman immediately looked away.

"I'll take that as a compliment" Shubman said and Arshita also nodded while saying, "I know right. You're great because I've never worked this hard ever before"

Shubman just chuckled as she showed him a thumbs up and the next moment yawned again, "I guess you should stop it for today, you look like someone who'll pass out soon" Shubman said smilingly and she sighed while nodding her head, "Should we go for some drinks?" Manish asked suddenly and they both gave him a look while Arshita said, "Are you crazy? I can pass out without drinking already! I'm leaving, you guys can have a drinking party if you want!"

Arshita got up her from her seat while taking her bag when Shubman and Manish held her either hands as Shubman said, "I'll take you home!"

When at the same time Manish also said, "I'll give you ride home!"

Arshita looked between the two of them while they also looked at each other and then at Arshita who stood there confused in dilemma!

"Uhhh...It's okay guys.... I can take a cab" Arshita said trying to make the situation normal as she knew that accepting one of them would make things worse!

"No you won't, I'm saying I'll take you. I always do that" Manish said and she looked at him when Shubman said, "I'm also your friend now right. I can do it sometimes too!"

"Why would you —" Manish was going to say when Arshita pulled her hands out of their grips and said, "Guys I said I can go alone! Okay, don't worry"

"But —" Shubman was going to speak again and she gave him a pleading look so he stopped as she immediately booked a cab for her while Manish gave her a look, "You're really stubborn you know, call me when you get home"

"I know! And I will. Byee" She said as she immediately went out leaving the two of them alone when Manish sighed saying, "Let's go for some drinking, don't say no because I need a partner"

"Areyy but I—" Shubman couldn't even complete as Manish was already dragging him out of the cafe so he finally gave up protesting as they both drove off to a nearby bar and sat in ordering some drinks.

And when they were down to three drinks Shubman had thrown his hands up in surrender as he wasn't much a high tolerance, while Manish kept going on!

"You know bro..... Nowadays it keeps getting harder for me" Manish said looking down at his drink sadly and Shubman looked at him keeping his hands under his chin as he asked, "Why? What's wrong?"

"My feelings......I can't seem to handle them well enough to hide them! It really hurts sometimes" Manish said while slurring a bit and Shubman nodded while saying, "I know, these darn feelings doesn't let us take over the control, this heart feels however the way it wants and we can't seem to handle to it"

"Exactly! That's what happens when we try to hide feelings, they actually keep getting harder day by day and you can't help but fall more" Manish said and Shubman nodded his head again saying, "Right, it feels so bad when you want the whole world to know about something, to show off someone you love but you just can't. Sometime it's too frustrating"

"Correct! It's so frustrating! I want to say everything my heart feels but it scares me!?" Manish said and Shubman looked up at him as he was somewhere aware of Manish's feelings but wanted to know them for sure, so he just asked the question which had been lingering in the back of his head since the day he had started dating Arshita,"DO YOU.... LIKE... ARSHU?"

"YES BRO! IT'S OBVIOUS RIGHT? I'M TOTALLY, MADLY AND DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH HER!" Manish said and Shubman looked at him as he grabbed another glass this time and gulped it in one go because now he was just much more insecure even if he knew that Arshita liked him only. It made him think of many other possibilities which scared him of the fact that he could lose her.
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Finally I've finished this chapter guys! I hope you all liked it because these were last few moments of Shubman and Manish's genuine friendship because now Shubman is aware of Manish's feeling for Arshita! ❤️❤️

What do you all think is gonna happen? Keep reading and voting to know. 💖💖