Shot 3
***

Above is a pic of Kriti 👆

Next day :-

After a stressful night and a dreamless sleep, Naina opened her eyes to see a pair of brown eyes staring back at her.

She squeezed her eyes and then opened it again to see it was still there. Just then the realisation struck to her that Karan was staring at her, his face inches apart only.

She pushed him and sat on that place, slowly remembering everything from yesterday night.

"I'm sorry for pushing you like that. I got scared to see someone so close." She said and Karan nodded his head.

"Thanks for helping me though and letting me stay here after Kriti left me here." Karan said.

"You remember everything from yesterday night?" Naina asked being embarrassed of the confession.

"Yeah I remember everything I guess." He said feeling unsure.

"Oh..okay then.." Naina said and got up to go to the bathroom for getting fresh, when Karan held her wrist and she turned back.

"You really don't hate me? You said it yesterday right?" Karan asked.

"Yeah.. I don't hate you." She said and again turned.

She didn't want Karan to remember her confession. She thought it was still not the right time for Karan to know she loves him as for her clearly Karan don't love her back. She wanted to start their friendship. She was not ready lose Karan once again because she loved her.

"Naina.. Wait!!" Karan stopped her once again and she turned back crossing her fingers.

"Uh.. Did..you...I mean do you.. love me....means did you say..that you love me...yesterday?" Karan said scratching his head and his cheeks turning into deep shade of red.

"That's it.. He remembers!! And he is embarrassed of it.. But I think he is still not sure of it... What should I do? Oh god help me!" She thought in her mind.

"No... I did.. didn't say it...I think you saw...some dream.." She said and immediately regretted it.

"Stupid girl! Missed your chance once again!"

"But I don't want to go more far from him."

"What if he loved you back."

"He doesn't. That's why he was embarrassed."

It was like her mind and her heart was fighting a battle where finally her heart lost it.

Naina looked at Karan and saw him looking down. She was not able to say what was it. He looked a little sad and the next moment he looked up and smiled.

"Oh! I'm sorry for asking you.. Surely I saw a dream..." He said and Naina turned back walking from there towards the bathroom.

"Can we be friends once again?" Karan asked when she was opening the door.

She smiled and turned her head back.

"Sure.. But for that you have to get out of the hostel safely. Now go Mr Prankster." She said and went inside.

"Finally my cheeku is back from a long break!" He said and went from there.

Naina heard it and grinned ear to ear. Karan called her Cheeku! After year he called her that and she felt amazing hearing it.

It started. A new chapter of her life!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Naina was in the canteen eating food. When she came out, Karan was not there in her room and she didn't saw him in the college too. Like he disappeared suddenly. She didn't saw Kriti too.

She was taking another bite of her sandwich when somebody banged her hand on the table making Naina jump.
She looked up to see Kriti looking her. 

"I want to talk with you Naina!" Kriti said.

"Yeah.. Say!"

"Not here.. Come with me." She said and started going from there. Naina got up and kept following her.

Kriti entered in a empty class room and Naina followed her. She turned back and took a deep breath.

"Thanks for helping yesterday night."

"Don't thank me Kriti. You both are my friends." Kriti nodded and smiled

"And I'm glad that you both are friends again. Thank god, you said it to Karan." She said.

"I'm glad that I said him all I wanted." Naina said, the incident of confessing her love completely slipping from her mind.

Kriti narrowed her eyes and then asked.
"You didn't say everything you wanted right?"

"What do you mean?" Naina asked.

"You didn't confess him today that you love him." Kriti said.

"How..how do you know about it that I love him..?" Naina asked.

"Everyone can say that except Karan the dumbo and by the way I heard all your conversation from outside. You both were not whispering." Kriti said and Naina turned deep red.

"He don't love me so I..I didn't tell him that I love him." Naina confessed.

"Oh god!! Please help me.. I'm stuck with two stupid and I'm tired of playing the role of cupid." Kriti said throwing her hands up and then again looked at Naina.

"Listen... Now don't scream in between and hear what I'm going to tell you." Kriti said and Naina nodded her head.

"Your Mr Prankster loves you and that also more than a friend and he never kept his promise of staying away from you. He tried, genuinely he tried but never was he able to leave you."

Naina looked towards Kriti with wide eyes. She was shocked. This was unexpected.

"Remember the days somebody used to send you chocolates when you returned after seeing Sawri? That person was Karan. I knew it but I said you that it was just some secret admirer. But Karan is your secret admirer. He wanted you to get your mood fresh. Every time he did the things that makes you happy secretly. Let me tell you about recent time, the tickets for the concert, he tried to get three tickets but failed so he just skipped it for you. There was no cousin's birthday. And I made him drink not someone else so that I can leave him with you."

Kriti stopped for a little and then again spoke.

"When you were upset to know Karan was taking me to concert and you went to the library, Karan stayed there just to make sure you were safe. He followed you to home as you were afraid. He sat there whole night under the tree just to see you safe. He asked me tell you that he was there for study. But he was not. He was there just for you."
(cutepup10 ,mansi0404 Sakahi1234 you were right. He followed her 😜)

Tears started flowing from Naina's eyes. Kriti noticed it and wiped it.

"Just like you were there every moment to make sure he was okay, he too was there for the same. You both secretly made each other feel happy. So please Naina don't give you or Karan more pain. Please go and confess to him. I told him these things but he said he asked you this morning but you don't love him. So please Naina you should take a step forward. I can't see you both in pain anymore now." Kriti pleaded to her.

Naina was happy. She was angry too. She wanted to jump, dance happily and shout at a same time. After a few minutes she spoke.

"Wh..where is Karan?" She asked.

Kriti smiled and then replied "He is in the ground now."

Without saying anything to Kriti, Naina ran to the ground. She saw Karan playing with a ball at a corner.

She went and turned Karan towards her and looked at him. He looked shocked seeing tears in her eyes. Before he could say anything, Naina slapped him hard on his cheek.

"That hurts.." Karan said rubbing his cheek and Naina hugged him tightly. Karan smiled and hugged her back.

"I missed you Karan.. I missed you so much." Naina whispered.

"I missed you too Cheeku.." Karan said and hugged her more tightly.

"You are an idiot!" Naina said breaking the hug.

"I know.." Karan said scratching his head.

"You were with me the whole time." She said.

"Yeah." Karan said looking down.

"I love you." She said.

"Yeah! ....Wait...what?" Karan asked, his eyes popping out.

"I said I love you idiot."

"Oh my god! Wait.. I am not awake right? Kriti said me but I never believed her.. Wow... I'm so happy..I have always wanted this... Thank you.. This is the best thing..."

Karan was speaking continuously and Naina started laughing. He stopped and looked at her.

"You...just could have said I love you too... You are so cute." She said and pulled his cheeks.

"Hey I'm not cute. I'm handsome."

"Whatever.." She said rolling her eyes.

"I love you too Cheeku!" Karan said suddenly pulling her towards him.

Both smiled and looked at each other. Suddenly they heard someone clapping. They turned around to see Kriti.

"Finally my mission Nairan is successful." Kriti said and Naina, Karan moved back from each other.

"So Naina and Karan now you both can give me fifty thousand each for making you a couple." She said forwarding her hand.

Naina and Karan looked at each other and then jumped on Kriti hugging her and they started laughing.

***

THE END!

Soooooo another story completed!
Hope you all like it.

Do comment below and let me know what you felt about it. And if you like it then do vote and share it :)

Thanks to all the silent readers for choosing this story. Thanks for adding it to your reading lists. And thanks to all the people who commented and voted on it.

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A big hug and loads of love to you all.. Because of you all this book came #76 in short story.. I'm so happy.. Thanks to you all and sorry if I missed somebody's name.

Loads of love. ❤