Lying about a lie, that's practically telling the truth.

~David Shore

Devansh

"Why do have that goofy smile every time you talk to her?" Aarthav questioned me looking at the disappearing Jagruthi.

This was the best lab session we ever had. I started to learn things about her and it was fun, if 1 hour was that fun, imagine a lifetime with her.

"She wanted me to thank you for supporting her today." I told him packing my bag.

"I was pissed with Sharath, I also have something else to deal with, I will meet you at the ground," Aarthav said making fists.

"Are you going to meet Vikas?" I asked him walking towards Sahastra's class.

"I am not gonna hurt him physically, He can't be rude to her. Manjula is a nice person beneath all the anger towards the society. I will just scare him for doing that." He replied and I could see that he was really angry.

"Do you like her?"

"No! I don't." He shrugged at me.

"Ignore all you want, I see how you go all mellow and how the douche shield goes down when it comes to her."

"That's all your imagination, I gotta go." He said and left towards the mechanical department.

I wish I could go with him and play cricket instead of walking Sahastra to her hostel.

"Hey! How was your day?" I asked her as soon as she walked to me.

How can she make a boring uniform like ours into a pretty one? She said she wants to be a fashion designer, with her skill she might succeed.

"It was okay! I have too much homework to do." She slumped her shoulders because of the heavy backpack

"You can complete it, don't worry." I tried to cheer her up taking the bag from her shoulders.

We talk to each other more like friends these days than two people in a relationship. In way we are just friends.

"I can't be with you today. I have a cricket practice, there is big match coming up with KNU this weekend." I said walking her to the hostel.

"Oh! That sucks. This semester seems exhausting, there is too much work and  we don't get to spend a lot of time together. I miss spending time with you." She said in a sad tone holding my hand interlacing our fingers.

She held the same hand Jagruthi held today to start our friendship. I glad she broke her promise because I was not able to keep myself together without talking to her.

"We should plan a vacation with our friends." Sahastra said in excitement making her eyes big.

"Sure.. we can do that during this semester break." I told her looking at the loud voice coming from the girls hostel.

I turned my head towards the voice and found Jagruthi, Manjula, Kajal running, shrieking out loud trying to catch Nidhi. You never hear their voices unless required at school but look at them yelling and screaming.

My eyes focused on the only person that matters to me, who's faking a fall down sitting on the floor with a sad face.

I never saw her wearing clothes like that, she is wearing a black full sleeve shirt with a victory sign and leopard print PJ's that reached her mid thigh showing her bare legs.

She looks so cute and hot at the same time, her hairs open flowing along with the wind. As soon as Nidhi came to her, she smiled with a sly look on her enchanting face.

"Devansh, Are you listening to me?" Sahastra asked me shaking my hand which was in hers.

I turned my head away from them and looked at Sahastra with a blank face. I should breakup with Sahastra, this is not fair for her. I don't deserve her either, me thinking about Jagruthi feels like cheating.

"Unbelievable, stop staring at them." She said angrily pushed my hand away.

"I'm sorry, I've never seen them this loud and happy in college." I justified my actions.

"They are always yelling, giggling or fighting at the hostel, but when in college they act like quite and nice girls who don't know a thing. They were reported at least 30 times to the warden for being loud at night." Sahastra said clenching her jaw me while I analyzed her face.

"You both are partners for the lab right, did Jagruthi say something about me?"

"No, she barely talks to me." I lied through my teeth. Looking at her furious face, I couldn't bring myself to tell her that we are friends now.

"Good for her." She said and I didn't like her being to Jagruthi.

"I never asked you but what happened between you too? You used to be close during the first semester, why so much hatred now?" I asked her not able to hold my eagerness to know what happened between them.

"On the first cricket match of yours, I got her along with me because I didn't want her to be left alone but that stupid senior Karthik came to us and yelled me in front of every one and dragged her away. I asked her so many times what was her relationship with him, she always told me that he was her cousin and nothing else but Deeksha saw them kissing in the car that day. I got furious, and when I confronted her she yelled at me for questioning her relationship with Karthik."

"I don't know what their relationship is but it's not normal. He rules her life, he says who to talk to and where to eat. That's not a relationship I have with my cousins." Sahastra replied, her nose flaring, chest rising up and down with anger.

I felt queasy at her answer, Karthik bhaiyya kissed Jagruthi, they kissed. Is that a brotherly kiss or a Romantic one?

Are they in a relationship? Is that the reason for her not being with me. If it is why is she trying to be friends with me now. Why does Karthik rule her life like Sahastra says?

I heard that they are cousins from Samrat but I never felt comfortable with their relationship.

It always puts my heart in despair how he could suspend the people who hurt her, how she thinks of him the minute she gets into trouble like the day with the Dean.

"Ignore her and leave, you are late for your practice." Sahastra said and took her bag away from me.

"Yeah, Bye. Take care." I said to her and she started walking away.

I waited for her to walk all the way in and that's when I saw Jagruthi waving at me, my stupid hand waved back like a reflex.

She can't have this much authority over me, I hate that she makes me do feel all these things. How do I get over this girl? I have to stay away from her, but I can't. I like her way to much to push her away.

I pushed all my thoughts away and joined everyone at the ground. Cricket helps me get out of any void in my life. This is the sport which gave me happiness in life when ever there is sorrow.

We won the match against KNU that weekend. It was a close call but we won.

And guess what our Aarthav did? He kicked the crap out Vikas for being mean to Manjula, and I found him texting with her quite a few times. So, I guess their train is going on the right track to the right destination.

And the week flew by, Today everyone is leaving the hostel for Holidays. I asked Aarthav to come along with to my place but his family has people coming over so it won't be possible for him and he left yesterday.

I wanted to introduce him to school friends Raj, Vignesh and Manikanth. I have to call my Mother to update her about me coming home for Ugadhi. Just when I was about to call her she called me.

"Anshu, how are you? When are you coming home and what time does your bus start?" My mother flooded her questions before I could tell her anything.

"Maa, relax. I am fine, the bus starts at 11 here and I will be there by 6:30. Don't send Nanna(father), Mani said he will pick me up from the station." I replied answering all her questions.

"How can I relax when my son is coming back after 4 months? Raj came by today with some food his mom sent for you." She said I smiled at her words.

She stills thinks of me as 5 year old, but I'm a freaking 19 year who has to be at home and help my dad but instead here I am enjoying college life. I hate that my father works so hard and I'm no help to him.

"Maa, I will call you later. Sahastra's calling me." I told her and cut the call.

Yes, she knows about Sahastra and me and I decided to tell Sahastra today about us not working out anymore.

"My cab is here." She announced as soon as I picked it up.

I know what that means now, it means she wants me to walk her to the cab and say goodbye.

"Sure, I'm coming to the main gate." I told her and walked there and found her dragging 2 big suitcases.

"You know it's just 5 days right?" I asked her taking the suitcases from her hands and loaded them in the car trunk.

She huffed at my question and rolled her eyes.

"I have to get all the clothes washed from the last 4 months, there is no way I'm washing them."

I know that she is rich, but one should know how to do basic things like cooking, cleaning etc to survive. I know how to cook, my mom taught me that when I was 10. I help my dad with farming and our animals, so I know how to clean too.

I'm not saying that everyone has to know it, but it's better have the skills handy.

"Sahastra, I have to tell you something. I don't think it's working between us." I told her after a lot of pep talk with myself.

"Devansh! What are you doing there? Move or else I am gonna be late for my flight." She said through the car window.

When did she move away from me?

Just when I thought I could get it done, why is this so complicated?

"Bye, take care. Call me after you reach.." I told her as car started after paying for the cab and she left.

My bad luck is doing a tap dance on my head, why can't I do this?

I looked at my wallet and realized that I had to get some money from the ATM.I started walking to the nearest cafeteria. There is no crowd it's all empty, this is the quietest I've seen this campus, you can hear your own heartbeat if you concentrate at this rate.

"How can you do that to me Papa? You know this is a holiday right. I've been waiting to come home. You could've told me earlier so I wouldn't get my hopes up about seeing you and Mama."

I heard Jagruthi's voice and followed it without knowing, that's when I saw her sitting on a bench in a secluded corner behind some trees.

"Don't involve Karthik in this. He is on vacation to Bangkok with his friends and I'm not going to Auntys house."

It's almost 8 and the screen light from her phone showed me the tears in her eyes. It felt uneasy to look at her crying. I wanted to walk away and stop snooping but my foots not moving seeing her like that, it's like someone superglued them to the ground.

"No Mama, you and Papa love your other daughter more than me. She has always been your first priority."

I could see the tears rolled down from her eyes. What does she mean by other daughter? She is an only child right.

"I don't care, don't talk to me. You don't want me to come home and I'm not. I'll stay here alone with no one in the hostel. Just so you know you guys hurt me real bad today, I am disappointed, sad and I HATE YOU guys." She said and cut the call holding her head with her hands.

I couldn't walk away from while she is sobbing like that, I don't care about her relationship with Karthik. I am going to her.

She is a nice person and my friend, and most of all right now she needs a shoulder to cry on and a friend by her side. My mother raised me better.

"Jagruthi!" I whispered and walked to her.

She lifter her head and there are tears flowing out like a river, her nose is all red and eyes are swollen.

As soon as she saw, she brushed the tears off and put a smile on her face. I know how hard it is to smile when you are in pain, seeing her like that all vulnerable is breaking my heart.

"Hey Dev, sorry you had to see all this."  She said brushed her tears again which wouldn't stop with a napkin from the table.

"Is everything okay?" I asked and sat beside her enjoying the watermelon smell.

"My parents had some work come up and they are going to Delhi. I have to stay here for 5 days. They didn't even think of telling me this before."

"It might be an emergency, don't worry you can see them later. I'm sure they will make it up for you." I tried to convince her.

"I'm really mad about that right now. So don't support them unless you don't want to be my friend." She said with anger and I smiled at her comment.

I had the worst awful idea come to my mind, and before I could think twice about it my heart got so excited and asked

"Come with me? To my house. My parents will be glad to have you there."

"That's so nice of you. It's okay I'll manage."  She politely declined but I couldn't leave her alone in this big campus.

"No Jagruthi, trust me you are not going be a burden. My mother likes to have people over. You've already saw her remember." I told and held her smooth hand to comfort her.

"I want to go home and see my parents. I miss them so much. Thank you for inviting me but I don't want to invade your privacy." She said with tears pooling her eyes again.

She looks like a small baby asking for her parents, I would never leave her if I was her father. After a few minutes she calmed down and stopped crying.

"Hey I can't leave my friend alone right. So come with me to our place. I promise that you will love it." I said to her.

"Are you sure your family will be okay with this?" She said thinking over her decision.

I nodded in agreement with her.

"Okay fine, this way I can teach my father a lesson for ditching me, let's go. But you can't tell anyone that I'm going with you." She said standing up and pulling a small duffel bag from the other side.

"How come you have your bag already? Did you plan all this?" I asked her to annoy her.

"No, Shyam bhaiyya was supposed to pick me up here. Can you believe that my parents forgot to inform me till I called them? They are so dead I am not going to spare them this time." She said making her eyes big and wide making my heart smile looking at her.

She looks better now, I don't think I can ever see her in pain. I hope I will never be the cause of her pain, because her happiness illuminates the world and stopping her shine seems like a sin.

"Let's start to the bus station and get a head start with this traffic. Wait for me at the gate while I get my bags." I told her and ran to the hostel.

I texted my mother that I'm bringing a friend who couldn't go home. I don't know if my decision is a good one or a bad one, but the girl I like is meeting my parents and staying with me for 5 days. Hope this brings us together and makes us stronger.

Are you excited for the next chapter?

Dev and Janu in the same house for 5 days.

I know I don't write much about living in a city because I never lived in one and I don't know how it feels.

And the engineering colleges stuff here, let me know if the college seems unbelievable.

Don't forget to Vote and Comment.

Till then.

Love
Sneha