I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.
~ Friedrich Nietzsche

Devansh

I booked her ticket online, and reserved a cab for us to get to the station. We didn't talk much in the cab, she kept looking at her phone with her father and mother's name flashing on it. She never picked their calls up, after a few minutes she turned phone of. Remind me to never get on her bad side.

We reached the station by 10:45 and have been waiting at our villages designated junction sitting beside each other in less crowded area of the bus station, while she is looking around like with amusement in her eyes.

"Is this the bus we are going in?"  Jagruthi asked me with the same excitement looking at every bus which is coming into the station.

It's almost 11:15 now the bus should be here any minute.

Every time she sees a bus, her eyes light up and her smiles fills the room, She looks excited by a bus.

"There it is!" I told her showing the bus coming in.

I looked at our bags placed in front of us. Mine is a backpack and She has a medium sized duffel bag with the letters LV monogrammed all over the bag. When I tried to take it from her to carry it, she yelled at me saying that she can carry her own bags.

We showed the tickets to the conductor and settled our selves in the assigned seats, which are in the end because of the late booking.

"Wow! This has a TV too. How exciting is that?" She told me looking amused by an old movie playing on the small screen in the front.

"Can we pick the movie?" She asked tapping me while I was helping the other lady with her bags.

"No! Only the bus conductor can."

Shouldn't she know all these? Why is she behaving like she is getting on a bus for the first time in her life?

After helping the lady before us I settled in my seat and looked at Jagruthi who's looking for something by the seat.

"Did you lose something?" I asked her in a worry.

"No, I'm looking for a seatbelt." She said trying hard to look for a seatbelt in a bus.

What is happening here? Why would there be a seatbelt in a bus?

"Is this your first time on a bus?" I asked, she nodded and continued looking for the seatbelt.

" Are you telling me for the last 17 years, you never stepped in on a bus!" I asked her with shock written all over my face.

"Don't judge me, I didn't have to. Karthik has a car, he used to drive us around and my parents never let me out. So I never got the chance to get on one till now, To be truthful I am loving it, I missed out on a lot of stuff." She said looking at me with a smile which gave me an uneasy feeling.

What about school? She had to step on one at some point of time right ?

I know that Karthik bhaiyya is rich, his car is a BMW 3 series. I took my phone out and quickly googled the letters LV duffel bag and found her bag for a fucking 1,90,000 Rs.

Who would buy a bag that's more expensive than a bike or a yearly income of a low class family?

"Did you know that bag costs almost 2 lakhs?" I asked her showing my phone.

"Hmm...I didn't but this was a gift from my aunt, you know Kar's mom." She said and clutching her bag.

Whatever, I shouldn't care or think about her relationship with Karthik. It's none of my business. I needed some time to come into terms with the fact that she never stepped on a bus till now. How is that possible? This all seems unbelievable, Is that why she was excited looking at buses?

"There are no seatbelts, no bathrooms. And they won't serve you food either." I told her rudely explaining all the things she won't be getting like she would in an airplane.

"What if I had to pee on the way?"

"Hold it in or don't drink any liquids" I said to her curtly.

"That's not healthy, what if I had diabetes? Maybe we should inform our transportation minister about this problem." She replied.

"Give me a minute I will call him and inform about this." I told her pulling out my phone while she eagerly waited for me to do that.

After a few minutes she realized, that I was making fun of her, gave me an angry glare and turned away from me after hitting me on my shoulder.

I looked at Jagruthi in shock, who's head is out of the window looking at people with a broad smile and amusement on her face.

If she is rich am I taking her into my poor world? She raised her eyebrows at me and I shook my head and turned away.

I felt suffocated being there, so I got out of the bus, bought some water and chocolates for the neighborhood kids to get out of the thoughts in my head. Bus driver started the bus and I walked in and joined Jagruthi who's looking at me with concern.

"Are you okay? Do you feel nauseous during bus rides? Are you scared of buses?" She questioned me with concern as soon I sat beside her.

"I am fine, just went out to buy some candy for the kids in my neighborhood." I said showing the plastic bag in my hand.

"Can I have some? I am hungry." She asked me with a cute pout rubbing her stomach like a baby showing that she is hungry.

With everything in my mind, I forgot to ask if she had dinner. Where are my manners?

"Did you have your dinner?" I asked her and she shook her head.

I gave her the bag and she picked out a Kit Kat and Munch from the bag. She broke the Kit Kat into two pieces and shared it with me.

If she is rich, why can't she be a rich snob?

Oh god! please show me something which can make me hate her. The more time I spend with her the more I am falling for her.

Look at her enjoying the wind blowing on her face, watching the TV and eating chocolate within any concern of what she is doing to me.

Soon the lights dimmed down as we reached the city outskirts. They were playing a really old movie so I closed my eyes and dozed off up until I felt something on my arm.

"Dev! Dev." Jagruthi poked me on my arm.

I got up and looked at her for an answer.

"I can't sleep, the bus is too jumpy and I'm scared that I will fall out of the chair." She said in a worried tone folding her legs closer to her chest.

I pulled out the armrest in between us and held her hand.

"You won't okay! I won't let you fall down. If you want, we can get off the bus and book a cab." I told looking at her worried face.

" No! I love this. Thank you for inviting me to your house. I wish it was day time so i could see the roads." She said holding my hand tight and turning towards my seat.

"There are so many fields in my village, you can see them tomorrow." I said enjoying the view infront of me.

She closed her eyes and squeezed my hand every time the bus jumped a bit due to spead breakers on the road. She looks so cute when she is scared too.

Something is definitely wrong with me.

I moved closer to her and pulled her body on to me. Her head is right under my nose, I am practically hugging her, Her hair smells like watermelon, and I can feel her face on my chest.

Can she hear my heart speed up for her? I leaned closer and sniffed her smell while she snuggled into my body like a soft pillow and slept through the night, While I couldn't even wink for a second. I stayed up all night enjoying her in my arms.

" Janu! wake up. We have to get out of the bus." I whispered brushing her smooth hair.

"Please papa, let me sleep. I will give you a kiss as a bonus." She said snuggling closer and clutched my shirt tight, kissed me on my chest where the button is open.

My heart stopped when I felt her lips pressing my skin. That one touch felt so sensual that there are fireworks in my body and my chest is on fire.

What is happening here?

Did she just kiss me to not wake her up?

She thinks you are father idiot and why would she kiss you.

"I..Jagruthi, It's me Devansh we are near the stop. Get up." 

She got up with a jerk and looked around in shock, which was entertaining to look at. She turned away from me I think she remembers kissing me now. How I wish I could see the blush on her face?

We got out of the bus and I found my friend Mani waiting for me at the small shop smoking his cigarette.

I told this man to quit a thousand times.

It is 6 AM now and from here we have to go on a bike for 30 min to reach our home.

"Mani! " I called him out gaining his attention.

He has a puzzled look on his face and I turned my head around and found him look at Jagruthi looking around the bus stop and the place around wandering like a child as if it's her first time out of the house.

Why does she have the same excitement at everything? I saw that look on her face on our first day of college, the bus station yesterday. Was she locked in a room her whole life?

"Who's she?" He asked raising her eyebrows and making faces at me.

I smacked him on his shoulder to keep quiet looking at Jagruthi walking towards us. Her face looks fresh so early in the morning, like a lotus bud ready to bloom.

"Hi! " She sang looking at Mani, scanning him.

Mani is almost as tall as me, people say we look like brothers. He has limp in step because he suffered from polio and as a small growth issue in his left leg. He hates when people show him sympathy because of his condition. He is studying in Mumbai, while Raj and Vignesh are in the village looking after the farms.

"Hi, I am Mani. Ansh's best friend from grade 1." He introduced himself forwarding his hand. She looked at me for a second before joining her hand with his.

"I am Jagruthi, you can call me Janu. " She said placing her bag on the floor giving him her hand.

Is she flirting with Mani?

She asked me to call Janu last week, which is almost 2 years after we met and look at her smiling at him.

"Let me carry your bag Janu, this Idiot doesn't have any sense." He said.

Now she is going to yell him that women are not fragile they can carry weights and stuff, I looked at her to listen the words come out of her mouth. Instead she smiled at him and gave the bag as he walked away form us to get his bike.

"You didn't give me your bag but you gave him." I whined at the differentiation she showed.

"You already have your bag to carry and he looks free and pretty strong." She said looking at Mani disappearing.

"Dont you wanna know about his limp?"

Because thats what most people do, the minute he walks away they ask me about his impairment.

"I could directly ask him and what's wrong with you? Why are you asking me all these stupid questions?" She said looking irritated and I shrugged.

What's wrong with me? Whats wrong with her? Why cant she behave a like a regular person?

He came in on his bike and I sat behind him. I looked at Jagruthi to get on a bike but she kept looking at me with a puzzled face.

"Do you know that almost 1235 bike accidents happen every day in india? I don't want to be a part of that number." She said moving back as Mani purred his bike engine.

I thought she would be excited to get on a bike like every other thing but why is she scared.

"Don't worry Janu. I am a good driver, I won't let you fall down and become a part of that statistics." Mani said encouraging her but she kept moving back.

"Trust me Jagruthi! You will be fine, I am here right before you." I told her and gave her my hand.

She looked between me and my hand for a few seconds and said.

"How do I get on?"

I felt a bubble of happiness burst in chest as she trusted me enough with her life.

"Place your hand on my shoulder, and push yourself like you are sitting on a high chair. Hold me tight." I told her while she did the same.

She kept squeezing my shoulder placing her bag between us not letting us touch, mumbling something which I couldn't hear over the wind. We reached my house and Mani stopped the bike.

As soon he stopped she jumped out of the bike.

"I am never getting on that again, I feel dizzy and not good at all . Don't ever let me get on a bike." She cried looking at her feet which are shaking in fear, her hair is all disheveled, eyes dried up.

He chuckled at her looking with amusement in his eyes, while I wanted to hide her away from everyone. I hate that her whimsicalness is attracting him. I don't like anyone looking at her like that other than me.

"Bye Mani! Will see you tonight." I told him walking into our house dragging this girl along with me.

"I can walk you know. And I like your house it's so peaceful and green, It makes me feel serene." She said pulling her hand away from mine looking around.

"Raghav, Anshu should be home by now. Call him and ask where he is." I could hear my mother's voice as we were stepping in.

She must be in the kitchen and dad should be in the backyard with all the animals.

"Maa, I am here." I yelled back.

I walked into my house towards the kitchen and smelled my favorite Vada which is making my mouth water.

"Raghu, Anshu is here. Ratna will come and take care of  the animals." She told my looking out the window talking to my dad.

My dad loves his animals, we have cows, buffalos, goats and chicken, We also have a few pet ducks and dogs.

As soon as I entered the kitchen my mom hugged me and kissed me pulling my head down. I missed her, the comfort of her hug and the smell of our house. This feels like home.

"I missed you Anshu, it's so boring without you. Looks like you lost a lot of weight." She started saying holding my hand looking at me with love.

"Stop smothering him, Sudha. How's everything going on at hostel? " My dad said coming into the room wiping the sweat of his face with a towel.

"Everything is fine Nanna(father). I will change and feed the animals, you should sit and take rest."

"Wait Anshu, where is your friend?" My mom asked me before I could go to my room to change.

Oh shit! I completely forgot about her. I walked out of the kitchen and went the main door but I couldn't find her there just her bag was at the door.

I ran to the front yard and heard some noise coming from my right. I walked there and found her crouching on the floor holding a our pup Daimond, the newest addition to our family. And surrounded by our other 4 dogs, Snappy, Chiku, Peanut and Laya. Laya is the mom and all the others are her kids.

She let Chiku, Snappy and Peanut lick her, at which Daimond is barking at his siblings to let go of her. She looks so happy and smiling with them, She pulled Laya to her and nuzzled its neck.

"Is she one the you got home?" My mom asked me and I nodded not wanting move my eyes away from her.

"She looks pretty!" My mom commented.

"Peanut! Chiku! Snappy! get off of her. She is a guest." My dad yelled at the dogs, gaining her attention.

They all moved away from Jagruthi and hid behind Laya.

"Don't yell at them uncle, you are scaring them. He is so mean..woof..woof." She said petting diamond making faces and taking dog language to them.

Did she just tell my dad not yell and that he is mean?

I looked at mother who has the same shocked look on her face.

My dad served in military for 10 years, I am scared to talk back to him and look at her demanding my father to keep quiet.

"I am so sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jagruthi, Dev's friend. Remember the happy girl on first day of college, that's me." She said folding her hands doing Namaste looking at my parents.

She got up from the dogs still holding Diamond in her hand.

My mom and dad stood still in shock for 2 reasons,

1- She is drenched in mud, her dress looks like she just fell in a mud pit.

2- She called me Dev, the name I didn't let anyone call me after my grandparents death.

This is going to be bizarre.

Do like bikes or bicycles?

I hate motorbikes and bicycles, they just scare me to death and so uncomfortable to sit on, you can't even move and adjust yourself on that thing.

Any way How are you doing people?

Are you enjoying the story so far, let me know if you feel something is weird and wrong?

Sad and exciting news.

My Summer break is over and my college is reopening tomorrow, and I won't be online for the first two weeks because it's gonna be crazy busy.

I am excited to go back and at the same time sad thinking about all the courses ready to eat me alive😢😢😢.

So, See you after two weeks.

Stay Safe and Take Care till then.

Also Don't forget to Vote and Comment.

Love,
Sneha