*Rashmi Pov*

"Finally done talking with your boyfriend?" I teased when she finally entered her room.

"I thought you will get yourself settled. You were waiting for me?" she asked, walking towards the closet and returned with a towel.

"You can freshen up and there is extra soap and needed toiletries." She added gesturing the washroom.

"Thanks!" I mumbled, walking away and finally felt fresh after that journey.

When I walked back into the room she took her turn while I sat on the bed at the edge looking around. I have been to her room before, but each time it was for a short time. Now, that I am going to sleep is definitely causing an awkward feeling.

"Why do you look so awkward?" she asked, walking back into the room.

"I don't know! I have never stayed over before in your home, right." I replied and she frowned at me before sitting near the mirror.

"And whose fault is that? Even with Preetha's personality, she stayed over so many times. But you never did, no matter how many times I asked." She pointed out.

"We never bonded no matter what I tried. It's like you blocked me and I don't know why did you do that. But it's been three years since we know each other. Don't you think it's high time to accept me as your friend?" she asked, turning around to stare at me.

"I think of you as my friend, Chitra. When didn't I?" I asked her in a shocked tone.

I didn't know she was thinking like that all this time. She is definitely one of my friends because of which I am even comfortable with bickering we share.

"I feel that sometimes, Rashmi. Have I done anything to you? Or is it because I am Kalyan's girlfriend?" she asked frowning.

"What has Kalyan to do with anything? And you need not think like this. You are as close to me as the others." I replied and she just sighed.

"I know! You are like this with others too, and that's what makes me feel maybe I am wrong. You don't seem to be close to all of us except Mehrin. Even though you know her later than these people. Maybe it's just how you are with friends and I am reacting too much." She literally talked to herself while I kept quite not knowing what to tell her.

I was definitely closer to them more than Mehrin. I knew Mehrin when we all started engineering, but I know remaining when I was in junior college itself. But somehow even though I didn't want to, I let the situations take charge over my feelings towards them. Maybe I am being too childish and I just have to let it go.

I really like all of them and if not for that how would I have let go of the matter regarding the bet and join their group back. Somehow there is another reason behind it, but I wanted to be their friend too.

"Why did we start talking about serious matters? Why don't we go to sleep? They all will be here during lunch time, which gives us a lot of time to rest too." Her words brought me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah!" I mumbled lying back on the bed and closed my eyes, wishing the thoughts wouldn't go for a run right now. I don't want to think about him right now, but seems like my wish is not going to get fulfilled.

#PAST-SIX YEARS BACK#

"You have to do one more step." I screamed, hearing the voice and turned to see a guy sitting on the bench next to mine.

"Excuse me?" I asked and choked on the sandwich I am eating.

Did I actually talk to him with a mouth full of food? I closed my eyes, remembering my crazy behavior I was showing because of this assignment.

Were those guys not enough and now I have to deal with another person? Will he tease me but what was he talking about? I calmly chewed my food and turned toward him to see he is actually looking at his books.

Did I just go over the board with my thoughts when he doesn't seem to be looking at me at all? Great! However, I cleared my throat and he glanced at me with a frown.

"What were you saying?" I asked him with a smile.

"You got the solution wrong because you are not doing the next step." He explained.

"How do you know that?" I asked him frowning.

"I am doing the same work." He replied pointing his books.

"No! I mean I know you are in the same class with me. But how do you actually know what I was doing wrong when you can't see my book at all?" I explained my question again.

"Because you are talking loudly about the question and solution for a long time." I pressed my lips tightly, hearing his reply and slowly turned back to my work.

Could this be any more embarrassing? Why did I even ask him that question in the first place? I would have been fine if I didn't know how I was behaving for sure.

"Did you get it?" I glanced at him to see he is staring at me curiously.

"No!" I replied and again turned back to my book.

"Here!" I got startled and turned to see him sitting beside me.

I calmly sat while he explained the mistake I was doing and he just continued to help me with the remaining questions by himself. He is really good at explaining but I kept on glancing at his face.

Am I finally going to have a crush or what? Why am I feeling this awkward with just a guy sitting beside me which I never felt before?

Before I can question myself more, he stood up and packed his books. I opened my mouth, but closed it not knowing what to exactly say to him.

"You have bread crumbs." He mumbled pointing at his upper lip.

"Damn!" I mumbled, taking a tissue and brushed them away while he chuckled.

"No need to think so much about all this. I would have behaved even more weirdly if I was stuck with some problem too." He must have thought those words will assure me.

"Are you saying that I behaved weirdly?" I asked staring at me.

"No! I mean... well, it doesn't matter. I just don't want you to think too much about all this." He replied shrugging.

"Thanks! I am Rashmi!" I said forwarding my hand.

"Rashmi?" he mumbled, shaking my hand with a frown.

"Thanks for your help. Please accept this." I said forwarding another sandwich I packed.

"No thanks! My friends are waiting for me in the canteen. I need to go." Saying that he walked off after giving me a nod.

I stared at his back until he is out of sight and smiled to myself. I finally have a crush on a guy. Wait! I don't know his name.

Damn! What should I do? Should I ask him in the classroom today? No! There are too many people and it will be very stupid to do that.

"Yes!" I mumbled to myself and packed my books before rushing towards the canteen.

I searched for him and finally found him but paused when I realized he is sitting with that crazy group. He is part of that? I thought and sighed, realizing I missed a chance to be a part of his group.

Should I just give up? But this can be my crush and I should just leave it like that? I asked myself as many questions as possible before finally taking a step towards the group.

Well, I can still do it if I just brace myself and hope that they will not reject or ridicule me for doing this. Finally getting to be a part of this group, I took a chair to sit with them while planning on how to ask for his name.

I stilled hearing Kalyan's words that all this is a bet between them. Did I just get a crush on a guy who talked to me because of a bet? He is not actually as amazing as I felt in those few moments? And here I approached them myself.

I thanked Kalyan and walked away holding my bag tightly, trying to hold down my disappointment. This day is definitely a bad day for me.

****

"Rashmi!" Kalyan called me the moment I step out of the classroom.

"Come on Rashmi, let it go. He honestly explained everything. You wouldn't have known if not for him."Rohan added while Preetha stood beside them silently and I finally snapped not able to ignore anymore.

For the past few days he is apologizing even though I already told him it's completely fine. I am actually not upset or angry at them for doing all that because I never expected anything from them before. I was upset only because my first crush was a big flop.

"Kalyan! I seriously didn't take anything to heart and I already forgot everything about it. I am not that great friend who deserves your attention, to join your group. We are still classmates and I will talk to you everyday but I don't think one should just barge into your group which formed a long ago like you told me. So, let's just drop this. I was being silly when I joined you guys and maybe in future if we became close I can do that again." I explained and finally took a breath while he stared at me in shock and I smiled at them genuinely.

"If you don't join then how will you become close with them?" I heard the guy's voice whose name I still don't know.

This time I didn't smile and just stared at him before giving the other a nod and walked off from the class to go to my regular place I am using during the lunch break. Even though the first day experience was not that good, I really like this place and I don't want to ignore it.

"You seem to have hijacked my place." I immediately turned to see him sitting on the bench beside mine.

Hijacked? He was not here all these days and I was sitting here everyday. Just because I am doing that recently doesn't mean he is right. I just ignored him and started having my lunch.

"You will talk while taking help but not other times?" this time I immediately stood up covering my lunch to leave immediately.

"I already showed my gratitude. If it was such a problem, then you shouldn't have helped me." Saying that I took a step but his next words stopped me.

"It was just a bet, which Kalyan himself exposed. What's so wrong about it that you are acting this childish?" he asked and I immediately turned to stare at him.

"I am acting childish? Well, I am not some adult here and it is not wrong to act childish." I pointed out staring at him.

"And I am completely fine with them. I am even talking properly and I already forgot about that incident and I don't mind what they did. It was completely harmless and it's fine." I added to which he frowned at me.

Why? Why him out of everyone? He has even called me childish. That day when he prompted that I behaved weirdly, I was not this angry, but now I really want to hit him.

"So, you are fine with the people who are part of the bet, but not fine with someone who is not at all part of it?" he asked in a confused tone and then shook his head.

"What? You are not part of it? You helped me not because of the bet?" I asked him frowning.

"What? When you introduced yourself, I found out your name and realized you are the Kalyan was talking about." He replied, standing up and started walking away crossing me but stopped beside me.

"Seems like everyone likes you and wants to try out being your friend. You shouldn't miss that." He added and took a step to leave.

"Wait! I don't even know your name. How can I be your friend?" I asked, turning a little to face him and felt my heart skip seeing his smile.

"I am Karthik!" with that he walked off while I stood there grinning like an idiot.

I took a little time to approach them again and to my luck Kalyan and Preethi became my partner in one assignment and I immediately grasped the situation before becoming a fixture in that group.

My crush is back for sure and I like the others too. They are fun and real and I was just silly by dodging them all these days. Everything will be just perfect from now on.

****

"Why are you studying so hard? There is still a lot of time for exams." I said, sitting beside him and offered him the sandwich I bought.

"Thank you! Why are you still having lunch here when everyone is inside? You are still eating canteen food and it will be better to eat there itself, right?" he asked taking it.

"I want to sit beside you so that whatever you study can pass on to me. Then I need not study hard." I replied smiling.

"And if you study in the canteen then I will also have my lunch there." I added to which he immediately shook his head.

"I can do that if others are also doing any work in the canteen otherwise they pass so many comments that really frustrates you." He explained as if he went through that.

"You actually mind when they pass those comments?" I asked, staring at him and he turned to look at me.

"Who wouldn't? Like everyone, even I want a life where someone doesn't taunt me or say things at least not to my face. If they say it behind me then I can't do anything." He replied, turning his attention back to the book.

"You can't stop all that." I mumbled leaning back enjoying the atmosphere and mainly spending time with him alone.

"I can if I try my best. I want to be invisible and if I have to be popular then only because of good comments. Otherwise, I don't think I will bear negative comments or any of that stuff." He explained making me smile.

"Finally, you have a weakness." I chuckled saying those words.

"It's a secret just between us. Others just think those irritate me but only you know I can't bear them." He said looking at me.

"Your secret is safe with me. I never spill my friend's secrets to anyone." I promised, smiling and he smiled back.

"Now, I will get back to my studies while you get the knowledge from me by sitting beside me." He teased at the end but I stopped him to clear another curiosity.

"You study too hard like you have to accomplish something. Do you have any specific goal?" I asked, staring at him.

"Shall I share another secret?" he asked like he really wants to.

"Please!" I replied, not able to hide my excitement to know things which no one else knows about him.

"I want to study at London Business School and that became my dream two years back. Then I want to open my own IT company." He replied and I know he will definitely achieve that.

"Then give me a job when you do that." I asked grinning.

"I want to form the best company, though." He pointed out and I immediately hit on his shoulder but paused realizing what I had just done.

"I was joking! But you really have to work hard. And only if you really want to pursue this side." He added and I smiled in relief when he didn't think bad about the way I hit him.

"You definitely have strong arms. My shoulder is paining right now." His words made me hit him again while he laughed.

Am I being too silly enjoying even a small moment with him as a precious one? But I am really happy and I don't want to change even though I am this silly.

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For you 

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