We swallow greedily any lie that flatters us, but we sip only little by little at a truth we find bitter. ~ Denis Diderot

Devansh

I've been calling Jagruthi for the past 2 hours and she is not picking up my calls. She looked devastated, scared and broken by whatever Karthik bhaiyya told her.I want to hug and glue her to my body, that way she can never leave me.

Ever since she left the lab all the worlds negative thoughts have been entering my mind.

Did Karthik find out about us? Did they take her back home? Is she gonna come back? What happened that made her so miserable? That's the saddest I've ever seen her, she is not a person who cries.

She said that she would call after everything settles down but she didn't yet and it's almost 8 hours since she left. I am losing my mind, pickup, pickup the call, all my prayers went to vain as the call went back to voicemail.

"Devansh! What happened? Is Sahastra okay? Is she still crying?" Aarthav asked me placing his hand on my shoulder as I was sitting on my bed looking at Jagruthi's picture with my mom and dad.

I completely forgot about Sahastra, she was doing better when I dropped her back at the hostel after college.

All my worry is not about Sahastra, this is about the girl, who is the love of my life and she disappeared with out giving me a reason from the last 7 hours.

"She is fine!" I told him and texted Jagruthi to pick up my call.

"Let's go for dinner! Did you know that there was chopper at our Dean's house today? So freaking cool right!" He continued telling about things while my mind and heart went back to worrying for Jagruthi.

I walked with to the dining hall and all the TV screen's were showing how our CM got stabbed while coming back from Delhi at the Airport today. He was giving a speech from his hospital bad post recovery.

Jagruthi would be devastated by this news, She is fascinated by him. Every time she looks at him on a TV Screen or talks about him, she looks happy and not the person she shows the world.

I wish I could see her happy face right now, that would calm down the storm going on in my mind. I couldn't eat anything after that, so I told Aarthav I wanted to go to the library and complete some work.

I walked to the Library and found Manjula sitting in a corner with immersed in the book she was reading. I never talked to her during the last 3 semesters, but she is Jagruthi's best friend so my feet automatically walked to her to enquire.

"Manjula! I am Devansh, Jagruthi's lab partner." I introduced myself.

She looked shocked and then quickly adjusted her demeanor.

"I know." She mumbled.

"Jagruthi left in the middle of a lab session today, I just wanted to know if everything is okay with her." I asked her brushing my hair back in anticipation of her answer.

"I don't know, She is not picking up my calls. Sammy texted Karthik bhaiyya to check in, he said everything is fine and they will be back next week." She said with a worried look for her friend.

Her words relieved me, but not to a complete extent.

I said thank you to her and went back to my books and started studying Electromagnetics and Wave Propagation. Physics fascinates me, did you know that EM waves can travel through vacuum?

I felt someone tap on my shoulder and I looked at the person, it was Manjula.

"Janu messaged me just now! She is fine." She said and went back to her corner in the library.

She has the time to message her friend but not to pick up my calls. Why does that hurt me?

Priorities! May be

I picked up my phone from the table to call her, and found a missed call from her which made me happy.

In your face priorities, she loves me more than anyone.

I walked out of the library waiting to listen to her which makes me smile.

"Hello!" She said picking up the call.

Ah! That voice is like a soothing gel to my ears.

"Hi!"

"I thought you were sleeping, did I wake you up?" she asked in a confused tone.

"No! I am studying at the library! How are you doing? Is everything okay?" I asked her not able to contain it.

"I am way better actually, everything is great now, Nerd!" She smiled through the last part making fun of me.

"I'm not a nerd! Are you texting with Manjula while on call with me?" I asked her in an offended tone.

I knew that because Manjula was smiling looking into her phone and I know my girl is the only one who can do that to her friend.

"I..uh..I am! Is she at the library too?"

"I was talking to her about Aarthav and you." She said smiling through the phone.

I wanted to see her face when she smiles, I quickly requested for a FaceTime call to see that smile which skips my heart beat.

"Dev! Why are you FaceTiming me?" She asked

"Because I want to see that beautiful happy smiling face of yours." I told her and she accepted the video call, while I walked to a secluded corner.

She is sitting on bed, her hair all messed up, swollen eyes, nose and lips showing she cried a lot. As soon as she saw me her eyes lit up and she smiled showing her pearly white teeth. There she is, My sweet little Angel.

"I look like an inflated balloon, let me fix my hair." She said and placed the phone on the bed.

That's such a big room almost the size of a living room, and the chandelier is humongous. I've always hated rich people yet here I am completely in love with one.

"Is this your room? " I asked her.

"No, It's my grandpa's. Do you want a tour of it?" She answered braiding her hair. I wouldn't say she has long hair, but it's not short either and she hates braiding her hair, I remember that I did do her hair once, when I was completely crushing over her.

After she was done, she turned the camera around and showed me the room, it was huge and fancy. When she was turning the camera back a picture caught my eye, it was boy who's kissing a little girl on her head who was in tears. That little girl looked so much like Jagruthi.

"Is that you in the picture?"

"Yeah, That's me and Karthik at the Times Square. It's my grandpa's favorite picture. I was mad at my parents because they would't let me buy a hotdog to eat. So, I stood still and started crying until Karthik went in and got one for me." She said a smile glued to her reminiscing her memories.

I hate that the smile is not because of me, Why am I so insecure about her relationship with Karthik bhaiyya?

I can't feel like that, she is mine now, Shoo..bad thoughts.

"You went to Newyork? My parents wouldn't let me get a passport because they despise that thought of me leaving India." I told her

I had to change the topic, I didn't want to think about her and Karthik. I want all her thoughts and eyes on me. Call me selfish, but when it comes to her I'd rather be selfish than selfless.

"I was born in NewYork, we moved here when I was 3 after my grandpa died." Her words shocked me.

We have said I love you to each other, yet I don't know anything about her family except that she loves her parents so much and they work for the government. I am such a lousy boyfriend! She knows everything about me, I didn't even know her grandpa died.

What kind of a boyfriend am I?

"I'm sorry! Do you miss him? Is that why you are sleeping in his room?"I bombarded her with the questions feeling guilty about my negligence.

"I do miss him but that's not why I'm here. My parents took over my room saying that missed me and I didn't any have place to sleep, they literally sandwiched me." She said grinning tooth to tooth.

She looks so happy, I couldn't see her in pain this morning, looking at her smiling face brings me peace.

"Devuu! Stop staring at me and say something." She said blushing, her cheeks are crimson red.

"I am Devu now! Can't you hold on to one name for me?"

"No! Dev sounds normal but When you add u to any name it shows love like Janu.. Adding U makes everything lovable." She said winking at me.

"Did you just use a pickup line on me?" I smirked at her while blushed red and hid her face under a pillow.

"You look so cute, I miss you."

"I miss you too. I wish we were back at your place. Anyway, Did you eat dinner?"She asked me diverting the topic.

"Yeah! A bit. What about you?" I said lying through my teeth.

"I know you didn't Dev, move your ass to the vending machine and get yourself something." She commanded me again.

I love it when she gets all bossy on me.

"I am not hungry, I want to talk to you more." I told her and she laughed and that smile blocked all the valves in my heart.

"Fine then, let's continue our game of 27 questions. You go first." She said and leaning back on the headrest.

"When did you realize you were in love with me?" I asked her the question which has been itching my mind from the time she said that.

"Ooh..Straight to the big ones huh! I realized I love you at the temple when you were crying with me."

For me, I was fascinated by her the moment I found her, she looked ethereal to me with a smile that just pulled me to her. She is the sun to my earth, I just keep revolving around her.

"Okay! My turn, mmm.. what would you do for a living if you could do anything?" The cute little one asked me.

"Farming! I am studying now so I can build things to make farming easier. If not that I would love to become a pilot, something about flying planes fascinates me." I gave her my truthful answer.

As soon as I am done with this college, I will go back to my village and start working with my dad. I am not interested in these 9 to 5 jobs, I am going to make my parents proud.

"What about you? What do you want to do after college?" I asked her while she kept staring at me living her own dreamland.

"I am gonna marry you and make you mine forever." She blurted out and then banged her head realizing what she just said out loud.

Did she just say she wants to marry me? 

"I am sorry if I freaked you out, I just babble a lot when I am around you and sometimes I just don't think and talk.." She apologized but I cut her off

How did I get so lucky with her in my life?

"Don't apologize, I would love for you to marry me and make me your husband because I love you so much and I am glad that you love me with the same intensity too." I said to her and she blushed red, those creamy white cheeks had a tint of red that would never leave her face, and I am the one who's making her blush.

I don't know if these are the things a bunch of 18 year olds talk to but I do want to her in my life every picosecond. I don't care if we are from different backgrounds, or if we lead different lives till now. I freaking love her and will marry her. Jagruthi and me, with our parents and dogs, just the thought of that feels like the forever I want.

"Devu! I feel guilty talking to you? Should we stop talking to each other till you breakup with Sahastra. Sometimes I think what we are doing is wrong, I hate these moral conundrum going on in my mind ." She said sulking with a sad pout on her face.

You don't have to feel guilty anymore, I will break up with Sahastra because she is not the one I love.

"Don't think about that right now. In this moment I am Dev and you are my Jagati. And Dev loves his Jagati so much that he can't see her sad, can you please smile for him?" I pleaded her and tears pooled her eyes scaring me to death.

Did I say something bad?

"Can you call me Jagati again?" She said sniffing her tears off.

Ohh! My baby is touched by my words and those are happy tears.

"I was scared that I hurt you. I will call you Jagati forever from now on." I told her and she shined me with a smile I can never forget in my life.

Suddenly the door in her room creaked breaking our eye contact.

"Why are you up so late? And you look like a freaking maniac with that goofy smile on your face?" I heard Karthik bhaiyya ask my girl.

"Oh shut up Kar! Mama and Papa hogged up my bed and I couldn't sleep." She said and I guess the phone is still in hand but at a different angle because I just see the roof not my cute angel's face.

"So, how was Devansh's house for holidays. Did you have fun?"

"I did, they have an amazing place Karthik , and his parents are amazing, they have so many dogs. Can you get me a dog?" She blabbered and I chuckled at her happiness.

"You can take Mozie. So, How about your crush on him? How is that going on? Did it die or did it turn into something m.." She gasped and cut the call before I could hear more.

Karthik bhaiyya knows she has a crush on me. So there is nothing going between them and she is all mine.

That thought gave me comfort and happiness nothing in my life ever did. I went into the library, packed up my backpack and went back to my room.

"Someone looks happy now." Aarthav commented as soon as I got in.

"I am breaking up with Sahastra." I announced getting it off my chest, I looked at him for a reaction but there was none on his face.

It's like he knew this was bound to happen.

"You are not shocked?"

"I am not, I think I know the reason too." He said looking at his phone but his reply made me curious.

No one knows the reason. I mean no one. He is just playing a guessing game with me, so that I will reveal that by myself.

"I don't think so." I said shaking my head in disagreement.

"Jagruthi, it's because you love her not Sahastra." He said and I was shocked beyond my core.

How the heck does he know that?

" Ever since she left in the middle of the lab today you've been sulking and in really bad mood. I've seen the voodoo Jagruthi does to you, you always look like a grinning fool after you talk to her. I also knew there was no attraction or excitement between you and Sahastra. I was just waiting for the day, to see you get the courage and breakup with her." He completed his monologue leaving me spell bound.

He knows, I just have to tell Sahastra but this time I am not backing out. 

"Jagruthi and me, We knew that we liked each other almost a year ago but we tried staying apart because she thought it would just hurt people. Trust me, It was unbearably painful and excruciating to know that the girl I want will never be mine. Whatever I did I just couldn't stop, she is the one for me. I am hopelessly in love with her Aarthav." I said to him getting it off my chest and it felt good to say it out loud.

"Just tread lightly, I don't want you to get your heart broken." He warned me and I smiled at him for his care.

My phone pinged with a message from my world.

I am sleeping, sorry had to cut our call short. Don't sleep on a empty stomach~Jagati

That's how I saved her number, she is my world, my Jagati.

Sleep well and get back here fast, Maybe you can feed me then. ~Dev

I said after a lots of thinking on what to reply, her care and love always amaze me.

Now comes the big task, telling Sahastra and I am doing it tomorrow. I just couldn't sleep imagining all the scenarios on how Sahastra's gonna react before I could plan the exact words to say to her my wake up alarm rang and I got ready for college.

I completed the dreading day of college without Jagruthi in my class. She always sits in the 2 or 3 bench near the door and I always place myself diagonal to her. There are days where she dozed off, on her phone and play with Nidhi. In all these days she never ever listened to a single class with complete attention, I wonder how she still maintains her GPA.

"Hi!" Sahastra said coming out of her class.

"Hey! How are you feeling now?" I said looking at her face, she looks better than she yesterday.

"I am okay I guess, the pain is inevitable. I just have to accept the fact that she is not going to be back again." She replied as we got out of the college.

Here comes the dreading part of my life.

"I have to tell you something." I said to her and she paused her step and turned around.

I know I am going to hurt her but I just can't do it anymore, I've tried telling her twice but she ignored it. I really hope that third time is my lucky charm.

"Every time I approach you, you brush me off. That's why I haven't been able to follow through. There's no good time to do this and I've been dreading this conversation because it's such an awful one to have. I care about you and your sadness and I just can't let your tears stand in my way anymore.

There's no easy way to say this but... I think we both know this relationship has run its course. As I promised I did try, but I could bring myself to have intimate feelings for you and it's not fair you or me to stay in this relationship. You deserve someone better than me..." I told her finally without her letting me stop in the middle.

She didn't look taken back or anything, she is calm and numb. The silence is scaring me, I stood there for her reply hoping she would yell at him, cry or do something but no emotion is all I could see on her face.

"I knew this was meant to happen sometime, bu..but not so soon I guess. You really are a nice person Devansh, I just wished you would be mine forever but looks like we are not meant to be together. I was selfish to not let end this relationship earlier, because I didn't want to lose you. I guess I never considered your feelings, but thanks for trying for me. I am glad that you tried, I hope you find someone you like. Bye...Devansh." She said with a smile on her face.

She hugged me for one last time and walked away.

I feel sad for hurting her, but I knew that this was not gonna last forever. My forever is with Jagruthi and I've waited long enough for her, She deserves all my love and attention, and from now on I am ready to give it to her.

A really long chapter, and did you expect Sahastra to react this way? 

Anyway finally, Devansh and Sahastra are done for good, and it's time for the original couple to blossom into life after so many hardships.

Things we really want in life won't come to us easily, there is always a struggle before enjoying the sweet victory.

I am really excited to write the next chapter, hope you are excited to read it which is gonna be on Monday.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Love,
Sneha