The truth is still the truth, even if no one believes it. A lie is still a lie, even if everyone believes it.

~Unknown

Jagruthi

What the heck is that sound? Ughhh..

My head is blasting its like a thousand drums blaring in my head without a rhythm. I am trying to open my eyes to look at the sound but my eyes won't budge, it's like my lids are stapled to my skin.

I forcibly opened them and that stupid sound is my phone ringing. God I should change me ring tone to something soothing.

I lazily grabbed my phone from the night stand and picked it up.

"Hello!"

"Hello! Good morning Mam, we are calling from This bank, to let you know about your credit card approval." Some lady said in a cheerful tone.

Don't yell at her and ruin her day, say no and cut the call politely.

I wasn't going to, stop being a pain. To be honest your voice in my head is more hurting than hers.

"Sorry mam! I am not interested in a credit card right now. Thank you though, have a great day." I said and ended the call with an immediate urge to pee.

After the immense pleasure of peeing, washing my hands at the sink, I found a stool and all the and all the memories of last night played before my eyes.

Raj and Vignesh challenged me that girls can't take in as much alcohol as guys and I had to prove them that we can. So, I had a total of 10 beers last night. Thank god Devansh pulled me back before I drank some more.

He carried me all the way home, he was not even a single bit annoyed with me and my stupid tactics. I made him do all that to just test his patience.

When he did everything for me, even brushing my teeth. I couldn't control, So I confessed my love to him. I kissed him and told him he is mine. I know he would never initiate anything and break my promise so I had to.

I made him promise me but I broke all of them, with whatever I did yesterday. I even told him that I'm Jagati. I know that it's not the complete truth, Something is better than nothing right!

You said all that and why is there no panic on your face.

That's because I am relieved that he knows my feelings about him and I have something less to hide.

Do you really think there is a scope for your relationship? You still have a few more things to tell.

Let's cross that bridge when we reach there but for now let me have this small happiness.

With that I pushed away my conscience and walked back into the room. There is a large jug of water with a some breakfast on the side. My stomach yelped in hunger as soon as my eyes saw the food.

I quickly freshened up and ate all the food and water. After eating the food my phoned blinked showing a message which made me happier.

Good Morning! Mom went to temple. Dad and me are out at the market for some fish. Have that breakfast and rest. Hope it cures your hangover.

See you soon

~Dev

A goofy smile hit my face looking at that message, how can one message from him make me into a happy mess.

I'm so excited to see him today, I freshened up and wore a plain white tee and jogger. I called my Mom and Dad. They said that they will be staying in Delhi for a few more days.

I can't believe I'll have to back to college the day after tomorrow.

What if Devansh can't break up with Sahastra?

Nope! I'm not going to think about all that. I'll enjoy the present now, I'm not going to let the future scare me.

I pushed all the what if's to the back of my mind and walked downstairs. Dev and Uncle are already in the kitchen.

"Good morning Uncle!"

"Janu! It's almost noon. How are you feeling? Dev said you have a headache." Uncle asked me while I kept looking at the man who's attention I wanted to grab.

"I'm fit as a fiddle Uncle, so tell me how can I help you?"

Devansh didn't even look at me. What's wrong with him? Why is he not sparing me a glance?

"You go and watch the TV Janu! It's us boys day in the kitchen. Just take rest." He said and shoved me out of the kitchen.

I stomped my feet feeling sad and went into the living room and turned on the TV. I started shuffling through all the channels and there is nothing good on the TV right now. I sighed at my luck, turned it off and walked back to the kitchen.

"Can I at least watch what you guys are doing? I'm so bored." I pleaded them with my best puppy dog eyes.

"There is no getting rid of you right!" Uncle said while I settled myself on the kitchen counter top watching them both cook.

Devansh is cutting the onions while uncle is massaging the fish with spices. They are working in unison like two peas in a pod working magic. I never knew Devansh could cook, I am going to make him cook for me all my life.

Lazy sack of potatoes.

He looks good while cooking, why not enjoy that beauty all my life.

He is not even looking at you and you are planning your future.

Hey! He might be shy after my confession yesterday, but are you made of stone who could look that good while cutting fish, only my Dev.

You are weird and creepy.

"Anshu! Look who I found at the temple." Aunty yelled coming into the kitchen cutting my inner rant.

I was excited to see who she found that she wanted to show her son, who's not sparing a glance at me.

Aunty moved away from the my visual path revealing a girl my age wearing a lehenga. Wow!She looks really pretty, the moment she saw Devansh her cheeks went pink and I felt a pang in my chest.

My eyes went down to my outfit, I look like a mess compared to her. She looks like an Indian princess while I look like her maid.

Stop comparing yourself to her.

"SAMANVI!" Devansh yelled looking at her, his eyes all excited with complete attention on her.

Where was his voice when I wanted him to talk to me? I'm going to kill this hooman.

Why can't she have an old school name...She has a fancier name than me.

Devansh left whatever he was doing and walked out with her leaving me, Aunty and Uncle in the kitchen.

I'm burning with anger towards him. How can he do that to me when I specifically told him that he is mine. Ughh.. I have this uncontrollable urge to smack someone to control my anger.

"How can he ditch you like that Uncle? Do you want me to help?" I asked Uncle to turn my mind away from the giggles coming from the living room.

"They are childhood friends, let him enjoy. I just have to fry this fish and we will be done."  Uncle shrugged me off.

I can't take this, the sound of her laughter is making me furious. I'm going to kill him.

And let's bury him near the barn behind all those Mango trees.

"Aunty! Why don't you give some company to Uncle? I'll be back in a minute." I announced and walked out of the kitchen into the living room.

I found them sitting side by side, their legs are touching each other talking their brains out. I wanted to go upstairs, dress up and show him I'm beautiful too, but my stupid ego is not letting me do that. Her giggles are just annoying the fudge out of me, I have to do something. So, I walked to them.

"Hi! I'm Jagruthi. Dev's friend." I introduced myself to her standing before them while she scanned me with her stupidly glamorous eyes.

"Hi, I'm Samanvi." She said giving me a fake smile and turned towards Devansh.

I'm not going to look at that Idiot Devansh. I will kill him after she leaves, and I'm gonna make sure she leaves as early as possible.

"Dev, Can you move to the other chair? I want to watch the TV and you are sitting in my chair."I asked him.

She looked at me with confusion and gave me that I'm unbelievable look, while Dev is has an evil satisfying smile on his face, like he won something.

Thank god there is just one 2 seater couch and the other 2 are just 1 seater's. Now they are far away from each other without touching.

I turned the TV on and watched the movie Hase Toh Phasee, staring Parineeti Chopra and Sidharth Malhotra. They spoke for sometime about people I don't know, the movie is really good but my ears were completely focused on their conversation instead of the movie.

Uncle announced that the lunch is ready and invited Samanvi to join us. But she said that she has to go back home as she has some other work to do.

Why am I so mean to her when I should be mean to Devansh for bringing this pain to my heart? She didn't do anything right.

The lunch was yummy, fish fry with rasam. Uncle is almost as good as my Papa. Aunty and Uncle went to their rooms for an afternoon nap, and Devansh is in his room. So, I walked to Devansh's room to talk to him and kill him for what he did.

I knocked on the door

"Its open!" He announced, so I opened the door. There he was lying on the bed looking into his phone with no care in the world what he did to me today.

"What did I tell you last night? And what did you do today?" I stormed at his peaceful figure and threw my phone at him and it landed on his stomach.

And his laugh at my question just irked the life out of me.

"It's not funny Dev! I am mad at you and you are the worst person ever." I yelled and slammed his rooms door.

I heard him yell my name and follow me. But I went into my room which is adjacent to his and locked it rethinking all my decisions.

I have to figure myself out. This is not fair for me, I can't possibly be this jealous at his actions. I know that I love him but looking at him relaxed like that not bothering hurts me, did he take my confession for granted or is he just trying to rile me up?

Whatever it is I have to keep my cool, I can't act like this.

I heard Dev knock on my door from the last 5 min but I ignored it.

"Jagruthi open the door, I'm sorry!" He requested from the other side of the door.

Ignore like he did you most of today.

"I am mad at you and I'm not talking to you, leave." I replied to him as he was by the door from the last 10 min.

"Can I talk to my Jagati at least? "

Did he say my Jagati?

And that's how ladies and gentlemen, my anger just went from level 100 to a complete zero when I heard my name from his mouth.

"I'm sorry, I was scared that you wouldn't remember what you said last night. It's still unbelievable for me. I'm not sorry but I did really enjoy you being jealous of my relationship with Samanvi, She is our senior and I don't like her like I love you. So, don't worry I will always be yours to hold, kill or kiss." He said and I chuckled with tears flowing out of my eyes.

I opened the door small enough for him to get in.

He walked in and sat beside me behind the door, he held my hand into his and interlocking our fingers together.

"I still can't believe it." He whispered looking at me:

"Belive what?"

"That you love me too! That you are willing to make a step forward with me. I've been waiting for your love from the past one year. I thought you and me will never happen, and us being together was something only I was hoping for. " He said looking at our hands.

His every word made knots inside my stomach.

"You better believe it and be ready I am not easy to manage. You don't know so many things about me. I can be a snob, petty and violent." I said to him and he chuckled.

He pulled me to his arms, hugged and kissed me on the temple of my head and that small action turned me into a pile of sludge.

"Did you just sniff my head?"

"You smell like a watermelon and I love it." He said and hugged me tighter.

The watermelon smell is my shampoo and I'm glad that he likes it. I enjoyed his warm embrace. We stayed like that the whole afternoon, no words from our mouth just our skins and hearts doing the talking.

That was the best afternoon of my Ugadi vacation. The next day was pretty much the same, I pestered Uncle and Aunty while they were prepping food for Devansh and his friends. Now, it's time for us to leave this beautiful house and go back to the boring old college.

I am happy that I get to see my friends but at the same time I want to stay every moment of my life with Devansh.

"Thank you so much Aunty, Uncle. It felt like I was at my own home. I don't feel like going back now. Can you adopt me? I promise to help out in all the chores." I asked them to stop the tears in Aunty's eyes.

She just hugged me.

"Come back for the Summer, Take care Janu! Take care of Anshu too!" His mom said breaking the hug.

"I will Aunty! Bye Uncle. I will miss you." I told him and hugged him.

"Take care, Study well. Next time inform your parents before coming here." He said patting me on my back.

I saw Devansh coming out of the house, I waved them bye and went to the car. I want to give them some privacy.

Devansh joined me in the car and Aunty started sobbing as soon as the car started to leave, which made me cry.

We hopped into the bus, and I remember how annoyed Devansh was at my stupid questions regarding a bus.

"Dev! I am scared." I whispered looking at him.

"Why?"

"I don't know. I have to tell Karthik, you have to do whatever you have to with Sahastra. Will it work? Are you sure we can do it? " I asked him all the questions bothering me.

"We can and will do it as long as we are together and on the same page. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. We will take it slow, We don't t have to tell everyone." He pacified my worry and I hugged him.

"I love you Dev!"

"I love you more than I can ever imagine, Jagati!" He said and kissed me on my head.

I can never get over him calling me Jagati and I am excited to go back with him and enjoy this new phase of life.

Hola people!

I am back again, please excuse all the grammatical and typo errors. I didn't have the time to edit.

Hope you enjoyed the update.

Anyone excited to read the next part?

How will Sahastra take Devansh's break up?

Will she raise hell against Jagruthi?

Keep Imagining and don't forget to vote and comment.

Love,
Sneha