And please Stay Home and Stay Safe and Happy. Please take preventive measures all the time. The situation outside is not at all safe. If elders in your family didn't take vaccines do make them register for those. They are the only source of hope or us in these times.

Only with these vaccines and building immunity we can break the chain. Once again Stay safe everyone. And if you get affected then do take proper measures and stay in isolation. Don't be the reason for others to get affected by you.

Happy Reading.

***A few hours Earlier***

Writer's POV:

"Hey, Jiya!" Ajay called out for her as he saw her near the Computer Science lab. He was waiting for Tanvi for the past 30 minutes, but he couldn't spot her anywhere. He was getting impatient every moment. Of course, he was nervous, Ajay thought and smiled to himself. 

Finally, he saw Jiya, but Tanvi was not present with her. She turned around as soon as she heard him calling out her name. Jiya wore a simple parrot green kurta with a pink leggings, observed Ajay. Even she observed how nicely dressed up Ajay was. 

"Hi, Ajay. Woah! What's special today? You are looking great," Jiya said with a genuine smile. Ajay smiled widely and run his hand through his hair. 

"OMG! Are you blushing? What happened?" Jiya asked, getting more excited. She guessed something was up but wanted to know from him.

Ajay considered for a moment whether to reveal the truth now or not, but he smiled and said, "You will know soon Jiya, but for now can you tell me where Tanvi is?"

He asked her quickly and waited for her response. Without thinking much, Jiya said, " She didn't come today. She is in hostel only."

And this response was enough for Ajay's face to fell down. He felt like his first attempt itself failed. He sighed and nodded at Jiya. "Ohh! No problem. You carry on, Jiya, to your class. Will catch you later."

Jiya understood that he was in some hurry and didn't bother him much, bidding adieu to him and went to her class. 

Ajay thought of going back to his class too, but one thought stopped him. 'Why can't I go to her?'

That was it. He took a u turn and walked quickly to her hostel. He knew her hostel because he had lingered around her hostel for a few days after the rift between Sarthak and Tanvi to apologize to her. And finally, she did talk to him, telling him that she was not angry on him and it did not affect their friendship. 

On his way, he called Tanvi and asked her to come down as he couldn't go inside a girl's hostel. He kept walking while the phone rang on the other side, increasing his heartbeats. He tried again and again as Tanvi didn't answer the call. And at the same time, Sarthak was also calling him. He ignored Sarhak's call and tried reaching out to Tanvi again as he reached her hostel.

This time she answered the call. "Hello," Tanvi said with a weak voice. Ajay observed a change in her voice, but he was too excited to say what he was prepared for rather than asking her what happened.

"Hi Tanvi. What are you doing?" Ajay asked excitedly.

"Nothing, Ajay. I didn't go to college today. Not feeling great today," Tanvi mumbled.

"Why? What happened?" Ajay asked her worriedly.

"Nothing bad. Just a bit mood off. Forget it. What about you?" Tanvi asked him changing the topic.

"Well, Then let me lit up your mood. Come down. I am waiting down near your hostel," Ajay said with a smile.

"Why are you here?" Tanvi asked.

"No more questions on the phone. Come down immediately," saying this he disconnected the call. He knew if anything was not told fully, they will go mad out of curiosity. He waited  for her to come down.

Five minutes later, he saw her coming down. Same like Jiya even she was wearing a full on full blue kurta with a pair of blue bottoms. She looked so simple, yet beautiful while having a nervous expression on her face, but he kept smiling at her. 

"What happened? Why this sudden visit?" she asked as she walked down more close to him. 

"Wanted to meet you and came here."

She smiled lightly, "Anything important?" 

"Well.... are you free? Shall we go to any cafe or restaurant?" he asked her in a slow voice as he was nervous whether she would accept or not. 

Tanvi looked at him curiously. 'What's up with him?' she thought. 

As if he understood her dilemma he further added, "There is a small cafe in the next street only. Just five minutes walk. Only if you are comfortable."

She felt she was being unnecessarily being mean to him and gave a small smile and nodded at him. Ajay's heart soared, but he composed himself. "After you," he said, gesturing towards the street. She smiled more at this and went first.

The small walk to the cafe was silent. Apart from the honking of the vehicles and the chatter of the passerby, there was no other sound around them. Ajay kept looking at her face from time to time, sensing that something was wrong with her. She was not looking lively at all, and whenever she smiled, it felt like she was forcing herself to do so. And she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice when she passed the cafe. 

"Tanvi!" Ajay called her out, which startled Tanvi. 

She turned around and noticed Ajay standing behind her in front of the cafe's entrance. She closed her eyes in shame and apologized to him and before entering the cafe. They both settled down at a table, ordering a Cappuccino for herself while he ordered a Americano.

"What happened to you? You look so zoned out," Ajay initiated the conversation as they waited for their drinks to arrive. 

"Nothing... forget it. Tell me, what do you wanna talk about?" Tanvi asked him changing the topic. Though he wanted to know why she was behaving like this, but he remained clam. "Just wanna know why you didn't come to college today?"

"Seriously? For that reason you came here?" Tanvi said, a bit perplexed. Seeing her expression, Ajay laughed out loud, unable to suppress his laughter.

"Why do you always put on that nervous and confused face? You look so funny," Ajay chuckled. Tanvi looked at him with a pout, but soon she joined him in laughter.

"See? A smile suits you. Smile more," Ajay said. She just nodded her head but didn't prolong any further conversation.

Soon, the waiter bought them their drinks, and all the while they sat silently, observing a young couple of their age, holding hands, scooting closer to one another, and exchanging some sweet nothings. 

Watching them, Ajay imagined his own future with her. Perhaps, one day, they would also be like this, he thought and smiled to himself.

'Before it happens, you have to tell her your feelings quickly,' chided his heart.

He saw her stirring her drink with a spoon, and she was completely immersed in that. Ok, I will tell her now only, Ajay thought and braced himself. He sipped his drink to let his tongue dampened before he called her, "Tanvi."

She looked at him immediately. She smiled and nodded her head, asking him to continue what he was saying.

"Tanvi....." he paused a moment and continued again, "What is your opinion on love?"

Tanvi's smile dropped, and her face became too cold. To her, it was a word that had brought her and someone else  immeasurable pain, and a scar in her heart which she could never get rid of.

"It is the most beautiful word, but it is an inexplainable emotion, Ajay," she said with pain filled voice.

"Are you in love, Tanvi?" Ajay asked, keeping a calm face while his heart is throbbing rapidly. The way she had answered could make one think that she had some terrible past. There was immense pain in her eyes, which Ajay noticed for the first time today.

Tanvi smiled at his question, a sad smile and said, "I am not that lucky."

It regained a ounce of his hope and said, "Then can I make you lucky?"

Tanvi looked at him, bewildered, not understanding what he meant. Before she could ask him about the statement he had just made, the waiter brought the check. Tanvi decided to pay, but Ajay snatched the bill from her hand and paid it without giving her a chance to speak. 

Both came outside, and then Tanvi asked, "What were you saying inside? Make me lucky?"

"Well, I like you, Tanvi. I don't know since when, but I like y..." Before he could finish, Tanvi left him alone and started walking towards her hostel. 

Tanvi was shivering. Ajay's words reminded of her own words which she had once said to someone two years ago. Listening to the same words again caused her to shrivel up. Then she noticed the stream of tears that were coming out of her eyes, and she knew no matter how much she would wipe them away, they would keep coming out for a long time. 

Ajay was rooted to his place for a moment. He understood that he was rejected, but why? Why did she reject me? He thought and immediately ran after her. He stopped her by standing in front of her, blocking her way.

Then he observed her tear stained was face. She was crying. He had never seen her that way and could never even imagine her in that situation.

"What happened?" he asked her slowly.

"Ajay, I am sorry. I c-can't accept you. I am not a good p-person at all. You deserve much better," she cried and poured out her feelings with much difficulty.

"What are you talking about?" Ajay asked, not understanding what she was saying. 

"Ajay please. I am not the one for you. Please," she couldn't complete her sentence and wailed pretty badly.

Ajay couldn't comprehend anything and kept looking at her helplessly. He wanted to know why she was reacting this violently. She was not the Tanvi he know. He finally held her shoulders tight to bring her back to the reality.

"WHY? Just Why?" He raised his voice on her. He could no longer control himself and act all sweet. He wanted things to come clean and clear.

"I AM A CHEATER. I CHEATED A PERSON IN PAST WITH THE NAME OF LOVE."

This time, she screamed. There were lucky that none were present in the street. Instantly, she brought her hands to cover her face and kept crying and mumbling 'I am a cheater' like a record.

"What?" Ajay asked after a moment of trance. He had retracted his hands from her long ago and was immersed in his own thoughts. His mind weaved many plots, and everything ended at a question mark only. 

Tanvi realized that she had just said something which she shouldn't have ever said. She looked at him, frightened and closed her mouth in dismay knowing what she said. She never shared her past with anyone. She was afraid how people might judge her, how they would demean her, she was afraid of all that.

 All the time, she acted in front of other pretending that she was still the happy, strong and carefree girl. But from within, she was struggling even to breathe freely. The guilt of playing with a person's feelings was choking her every moment.

"Ajay.... Please don't judge me. Please," She cried out again. She didn't want him to think bad about her. So, she started telling her story. She told him how she had talked to someone else, whom she assumed to be her crush and how she talked with him and how she later came to know the truth and she asked him to stop talking. She told him everything except, Samyuktha's betrayal. 

****

" Thar day was the last day I ever talked to him two years ago. After that, I never heard from him. I awaited for him. At least one call, one message, one sign from him, but it was like.... it was like he vanished into thin air," Tanvi said slowly. Her crying had stopped, but the tears still remained in her eyes. 

Both Ajay and Tanvi sat on the footpath beside her hostel. It was already noon, and they hadn't moved an inch since she started telling him about her past. 

"What is his name? Tell me again," Ajay said, staring blankly at the road in front of him. Now, he understood everything. He just realized how he made a fool of himself. He realized how much his best friend had hidden from him. He wondered, 'Did he ever consider me his friend?' 

He wanted to punch him, kick him, and inflict so much pain on him as he was struggling inside his heart. Now he realized why Sarthak had behaved coldly with Tanvi. Why he never left a chance to insult her. He knew who Tanvi was all along and never said anything. Had he once, just once, revealed the truth then he would have never let his feelings grow. 

"Rohan Sarthak. That's the only thing I know," she sniffled. Ajay breathed in audibly and closed his eyes to control his rage. He said, " That is enough for me to understand too."

She looked at him. He was sitting next to her, visibly hurt and watching the void in front of him. She was again filled with guilt for breaking another person's heart again. 

"I am sorry, Ajay. I am really sorry," she wept. She saw him getting up abruptly. He stood up and looked at her smilingly. He offered his hand for her to stand up. 

She looked at him, confused for a second but immediately took his hand and stood beside him.

"Don't be sorry, Tanvi. There is no need for you to be sorry. It's that idiot's fault. Take care. Take some rest and eat something. I'll get going. Bye."

Saying this he left the place. Tanvi was left shocked, listening to his response. She didn't understand how to react. She watched him leave, and she saw him disappearing from their street. She cursed her fate and finally returned back to her room to release more of her pain through her tears.

Ajay kept walking towards the university. He was fuming with rage for one person. 'Get ready R.S. Get ready to suffer again.' He thought.

But little did he know he was going to make his suffering begone.

Hello friends.

I updated pretty fast. At least I think that.

Finally, the confusion is cleared. Isn't it?

What do you feel?

I felt it very hard to write, especially Ajay's feelings. Uff.

But I will only write about ideal men, may it be Rohan Sarthak(even he is ideal, isn't he? No matter how coldly he behaves) or Ajay or anyone else too. No violence.

Now I am worried about how to write next chapter. Don't taunt me if it comes late.

That's it.

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Thankyou.