Arth: We need to go and borrow. Where does she live?

Adhyay: At a distance of 10 minutes.

Geeta: Alright! Adhyay beta, can you go with Saransh?

Arth: I will come with you both.

Geeta: Arth, we need to submit a file.

Arth looked at her in confusion for a moment but then nodded.

Geeta: Saransh, go with Adhyay and arrange your notes. Also, take care of her.

Saransh rolled his eyes dramatically while Adhyay awkwardly looked away.

After dinner, Saransh and Adhyay left together.

---

Saransh: Tere to koi friends nahin hain. To teri ye Priya di kaha se tapki? Meri class me to nahin hain. Dusre section se hain?
(You don't have friends. Who is this Priya? She isn't in my class. Is she from another section?)

Adhyay (in a low voice): Haan... dusre section se hain. She will help me with the science project. I asked her, and she said yes.
(Yes, she is from another section)

Saransh (nodding): Annual project?

Adhyay: Yes.

Saransh: Kya prepare karegi? I mean mujhe bolti to main help karta. Pata hain maine mere project ke liye vacuum banaya tha. I mean actual electrical vacuum bahut chota sa bana tha but mast tha. Still, I use it. Anyways, tu bata.
(What are you going to prepare? You could have told me. You know, I made a vacuum for my project. I mean the real one, though it's a small one but I still use it. Anyways, you tell me?)

Adhyay: Umm... Priya di knows about chemicals. ,So other chemicals hum project banayenge shayad.
(Priya di knows about chemicals. So, maybe something related to chemicals)

Saransh: I can help you. I mean chemicals ka I don't know, but I know about electricals. If you want to we can make solar energy.

Adhyay (confused but listening carefully): Electrical?

Saransh: Solar energy banate hain. Usme lighting deke kuch try karenge. Vaise bhi I want to try it since long.
(Let's make solar energy. We can try something with lightening.)

Adhyay nodded quietly.

Soon they reached near Priya's home, collected her book and headed toward the Xerox shop.

---

Saransh: Vaise submit kab tak karna hai?
(By when do you have to submit it?)

Adhyay: Two days after exams.

Saransh: Two days are enough. If solar energy par banaye to batana. I can help you.
(Two days are enough if you want to work on solar energy, let me know)

Adhyay: Hmm...

Saransh remained busy looking around the market while Adhyay occasionally glanced at him.

---

Saransh: Aur haan- (oh yes)

He suddenly looked at her.

Adhyay immediately shifted her gaze away.

Saransh (raising an eyebrow): Kya hua?
(What happened?)

Adhyay quickly shook her head.

Saransh: Huh! Tu apni Priya di se puch kal for two hours if she can give me her notes. I will arrange my notes and return her.
(If you can ask your priya to give me her books for two hours.)

Adhyay: Okay.

After that, both stood in complete silence. Neither knew what to say.

Once the work was completed, they headed home.

---

Geeta: Ho gaye? (Got them?)

Saransh nodded proudly while showing the notes.

Saransh: Sab subjects ke arrange ho gaye hain.
(Even for all subjects)

Geeta: Jisne help ki usko thank you kaun bolega?
(Say thank you to the one, who helped you)

Saransh (reluctantly): Huh! Thank you, Adhyay.

Adhyay simply nodded.

Arth: Let's go study, Saransh.

With that, everyone returned to their respective work.

---

Two Weeks Later

Saransh and Adhyay completed their exams.

Two weeks passed with no conversation. Both remained occupied with studies and exams.

Finally, the exams ended.

As they returned home that day-

---

Adhyay's POV

"Kya bolu? Kaise bolu project ke liye? But bolna to padega. Priya di ko I said no..."

(What should I say? How to say about the project? I said no to Priya di)

Adhyay's POV ended...

Taking a deep breath, she slowly walked toward Saransh.

Adhyay (nervously): Bhaiya... (Brother)

Saransh looked at her.

Then he looked around the room.

Finding no one nearby, he pointed at himself.

---

Saransh (confused): Mujhe bola? (You called me?)

Adhyay nodded nervously.

---

Saransh: Bhaiya nahin bola kar. Pani puri wale wali feelings aati hain.
(Don't call me Bhaiya, I feel like a Pani puri vendor)

Adhyay blinked before suppressing a smile.

Adhyay: Okay.

Saransh: Haan bol? (Say?)

Adhyay (fidgeting with her fingers): Science project...

Saransh: Hmm? Teri Priya di ka kya hua?
(What about your Priya di?

He chuckled.

Adhyay (slightly shocked): You said... You will help me... so... so I said no...

Saransh (rolling his eyes): Mere liye tu usko no bol kar aayi? Bol aise rahi hain jaise mere mana karne se boyfriend ko reject kar diya.

(For me, you said no to her. You are saying like you rejected your boyfriend for me)

Adhyay immediately lowered her head.

Adhyay's POV

Kyun main unko na bol kar aayi? Isse to acha us hi ke saath banati. Vo aise mazak to nahin banati...Aur boyfriend? Huh! Inke kehne par main kabhi boyfriend ko reject karne wali nahin hoon.

(Why did I say no to her? It was better for her to help me. She wouldn't have made fun of me. And boyfriend? Why will I deny him for him?)

Adhyay's POV ended.

She returned to reality when Saransh spoke again.

Saransh: Okay theek. Shaam ko hum chalte hain to buy necessary things. Kal se we can start working.
(Fine! In evening, will go to buy necessary things. From tomorrow, we can start working)

Adhyay nodded and quietly went to her room.

---

The rest of the day passed normally.

In the evening, Arth and Geeta returned from the office.

They found Saransh completely engrossed in video games while Adhyay sat inside her room.

Geeta (annoyed): Saransh, again busy with video games?

Saransh: Mom, A new game has been launched. I want it, please.

Geeta (sarcastically): Haan kyun nahin. Tenth to har roz aate rehta hain. Aaj nahin to next year padh lena. A new game is important.
(Yes sure, Boards appear every time)

Arth: Arey arey! Geeta kya hain? Jab dekho uske upar chadh jati ho. Shanti se baat karo.
(Why are you being angry with him? Calm down)

At that moment, Adhyay came out of her room.

Saransh (grinning): Dad is so understanding.

Geeta spotted Adhyay and instantly ignored the father-son duo.

She walked straight toward her.

Meanwhile, Arth and Saransh exchanged a victorious high-five.

Geeta (cupping Adhyay's face lovingly): Meri bachi. Exam kaisa tha?
(How was your exam?)

Adhyay: Acha tha. (Good)

A proud smile appeared on Geeta's face.

She immediately pulled Adhyay into a warm hug.

Adhyay melted into the embrace and snuggled closer.

Arth fake-coughed loudly.

Saransh rolled his eyes dramatically.

Both stared at Geeta and Adhyay.

Geeta (catching them staring): Aa gaye jal kukde.
(Jealous freaks)

A small giggle escaped Adhyay's lips, but she didn't move away from the hug.

Saransh: Hume market jana hain.
(We need to go to the market)

Geeta: Kyun? Koi new game nahin milne wali hain.
(Why? You aren't in any new game)

Adhyay (breaking the hug): I have a science project. So we need to make it.

Geeta: Saransh will help you?

Saransh and Adhyay nodded together.

Geeta: Aisi faltu baaton mein iska dimaag bahut chalta hai. Par acha hai, games ke alawa kuch to karega.
(For such things, his brain works 10× times faster. But good, that's productive)

Arth: You both get ready. I will get fresh, then we can go.

As Arth said, after some time all of them left together, unknowingly beginning another small chapter of their growing bond.

To be continued...

Suggestion time...

Honestly, I love to add Hindi conversation. Chapters give a lively feel.

English chapters give me a ChatGPT vibe