Om adjusted his camera lens, focusing meters away on a guy on motorbike which had just parked it in the parking area of his college in Manali.

The guy took off his black helmet as he got off the bike and Om focused his lens on his face, not particularly to take a picture, but just to see it better.

It was highly unusual for the college to give such late admissions but the guy was definitely his age. Maybe some years younger. He looked so skinny and short that Om couldn't help but chuckle.

His wrist watch beeped, indicating that it was almost the time for his first lecture. He shoved his camera inside his bag left the terrace.

English was definitely not his favourite class. It was boring and seemed to stretch for year, and when it was in first period, it was just slow death.

Mr Banerjee was lecturing about the deepness of- As we know it and Om was finding it almost impossible to keep his eyes open for even a second.

It was then someone stumbled into the class clumsily, almost falling down, tripping in the air at the first step.

It was the same skinny guy on the bike, Om recalled.

"G-Good morning," His voice was shrill and now just few meters away from Om, he looked a lot more petite, with no facial hair at all.

Puberty had terribly failed the poor lad.

"Boys, this is Chulbul. He is a scholarship student from Bareiliy. The boy was busy with some family issues so he missed the first two months but I am sure you all will help him out," Mr Banerjee paused for the respond but when no one even pretended to pay attention, he sighed.

Sir Mathew Boys college was cramped with arrogant and rich boys from all over the country who couldn't care any less about some skinny boy from town they haven't even herd of.

"I will help him with everything Mr Banerjee, don't you worry," Om said.

"Thank you Mr. Oberoi." Mr Banerjee smiled.

Om was easily everyone's favourite and the most popular guy, not only because he was the dean's son and insanely handsome but he was he was easy going and had a nice heart.

"Mr Sharma, please take your seat,"

With a slight nod Chulbul walked towards the empty seat at back of the room and sat.

***

"Nice bike you have," Om said as he walk towards lonely standing Chulbul.

"Thanks," he said with a ghost of smirk over his lips.

He had really pretty doe shaped brown eyes.

"It's not allowed you know? For the college students."

"We are not allowed to do a lot of things," Chulbul said with what it seemed like a hybrid of smirk and grin.

"Yeah.." he grinned back.

"I can help you hide it you know? Or else you'll be restigated,"

"Yeah sure..thanks." Chulbul replied with a smile.

Om nodded and walked away thinking of it was weird that the found his smile kinda adorable.

***

"Chulbul! Are you ready?" Om yelled from outside of his dormitory.

It was half past 11 and boys had decided to throw a killer new year party with booze and girls. The whole college minus the teachers were invited to join the outrageous madness at the lake house of Arjun, another insanely rich guy from Chulbul and Omkara's college.

And because over the short span of two weeks Om and Chulbul had managed to become best friends, they decided to the party together.

Chulbul came out of the room wearing a white with black leather jacket and washed jeans with white vans.

"Someone is planning to get laid tonight." Om winked at him.

Chulbul bit his lip awkwardly, forcing a smile on his face which looked more like a cringing frown.

"You should stop being so shy or else you will never get a girl. But don't worry, I'll definitely set you up with a hottie tonight," Om smirked at his best friend.

Chulbul's face paled.

"I am not in a mood tonight Om," he said with a shrug.

"What are you talking about dude? Every guy is always in a mood quick bang,"

Chulbul cringed.

"Yeah but not tonight."

Om looked at Chulbul for any possible signs of illness and when he didn't find any he just narrowed his eyes at him.

"Sometimes I doubt if you are a guy at all," Om flattened his lips and rolled his eyes.

"What are you saying Om?! I am really a chirayyi- I mean chirrota!" Chulbul argued in panicky voice as his face flustered.

"Yeah dude I know that, no need to get worked up! Now come let's go," Om said as he wrapped his arm around Chulbul's shoulder, something which he apparently loved to do and walked him to his car.

The part was wild. Like it-might-need-to-call-the-police wild. There were lots of girls in the party which Chulbul has never seen ever.

Girls in short and filmy cloths.

Girls which kept throwing themselves at Om .

Om noticed how Chulbul was almost stuck to his side like a chewing gum. It was probably his first part ever.

Some drunk guy passed by them, hitting Chulbul hard on his shoulder which made him loose his balance and he was about to fall, face first when Om grabbed his waist, preventing him from falling.

There faces were pretty close with Om's head almost into chulbul's neck.

Om felt a jolt of electricity shooting from where his hands had strongly gripped Chulbul and he immediately realised him. Chulbul too seemed to feel the electricity because he almost jumped away from Om.

"S-static," Om grumbled almost instantly.

Chulbul nodded fiercely.

"You smell really nice,"

Chulbul's eyes shot back at Om, wide and full of surprise and Om realised what he just said.

"I-I'll get you the drinks," he literally ran away from there towards the booze counter.

After few shots, luckily both of them forgot about what happened.

Apparently Chulbul has very low resistant to alcohol, so after just three drinks he was dancing around the lake house, mumbling Gibberish.

After the party when Chulbul puked and passed out over the girl who tried to kiss him and Om had to literally carry him in his arms, to his room. He felt awfully light for 21 year old guy.

He placed him on his bed and tucked him nicely before closing the dorm gate and leaving.

In the middle of night Chulbul woke up feeling suffocated, not because the weather was hot but because he had been wearing his [I]suit[/I] for the whole day now.

Taking of the t-shirt and removing tight white bandages around [I]her[/I] chest, she finally took a breath of relief when cold air hit her almost bare chest, covers just by a white bra.

It was hell of difficult pretending to be a boy!

***
Gauri Kumari Sharma aka Chulbul had always been a brilliant student but unfortunately her family was too poor to financially support her for higher studies. She had literally given up hope on becoming a journalist when her cousin [I]Chulbul[/I] told her that he had got a scholarship to St Mathew boys college, the most prestigious college of India but he won't be able to join it because he was more interested in a job which was offered to him in America.

It was a golden opportunity for Gauri. With help of some of her friends who made little changes in the application form, Gauri Kumari sharma became Chulbul sharma.

And the plan of getting through the college and learning as much as she can was going just fine until she started feeling this tingly feeling every time her best friend would wrap his arm around her shoulder, ruffle her short hair or even high five, which was really pathetic.

Om was insanely hot but she was Chulbul, not Gauri.

She was a dude!

And all those touches meant literally nothing!

She would always refuse when Om would ask her to join him and his friends to the lake for a dip because she wasn't sure what she would do if she saw him naked. Seeing him decently clothed was a torcher enough.

With a sigh, she let herself fall on her bed and stared at the roof.

The next two years in the college were definitely going to be the hardest two years of her life.

***

"What are we doing at the roof?" Gauri asked.

It was another boring English class and just when Mr Banerjee excused himself to washroom, Om grabbed Gauri's hand and dragged her out of the classes, up to the terrace.

"Chilling?" Om said with a smirk.

Gauri hated skipping classes but English was something she could handle easily so she didn't mind skipping it with Om.

Gauri was absorbing the nice view of mountains and trees from the terrace when she smelled smoke.

She snapped her head to Om smoking.

"What do you think you are doing?" She asked with narrow eyes.

Om pulled the cigarette between his two finger, away from his lips and shrugged at Gauri.

"What?"

With a snap, Gauri snatched the cigarette away from his hands and threw it off the roof.

"What the hell Chulbul!"

"You should not smoke Om! It's not good for your health!" Gauri snapped.

"Don't try to be my mom ok?" Om snapped back rudely.

"Passive smoking is more dangerous, please forgive me for thinking about my health," Gauri hissed, though it was a half lie.

She genuinely cared about his health.

For the next few minutes none of them spoke.

A baby bird flew to the trace and fell down near Gauri's feet. She bent down to pick it up and while was standing up-

"What the hell!" She almost jumped back as if she was a spring.

"I am peeing," Omkara replied
casually

Gauri's heart was beating fast. She stood up with baby birds in her hands as Om was finishing his business.

And as much ill mannered and sick as it sounded, Gauri did try to peak a little.

After a while they just sat on the edge of the terrace looking at the mountains.

"Are you happy here?" Om asked.

Gauri nodded lightly.

"I am sorry for being so rude.."

"You weren't. You were right. I am not your mom," Gauri replied with a shrug.

"Yeah but you are my best friend Chulbul." And when Om said that she turned her head to him.

There faces were pretty close. Gauri's gaze fell to his sweet looking lips and her heart started thumping harder and harder.

She moved her gaze up to his eyes only to find him staring back at her intensely. The air around her had rich aroma of his spicy cologne which was sending butterflies into her stomach.

Her eyes dropped to his lips again, which magically seems more kiss full now and the next moment her lips were on his.

The kiss broke as soon as it started and it was Gauri only who jumped back.

"I-I am.." the words died in her mouth as she whipped around and ran to her dorm without looking back.

***

She fell on the bed with a thud. She wanted to yell into the her pillow loudly.

How could she give up to her temptation so easily?

How could she screw up everything in just a moment?

How could she!!

This could mean end to everything! To their friendship! To her dream to learning something in this college!

Feeling like the biggest fool in the whole world she groaned loudly.

And while she was mourning, the door of her dorm knocked and she immediately stood up. As she had forgotten to lock the door in haste earlier, Om opened it and stepped in.

His face looked very pale.

Gauri wasn't sure if she was ready to face him now.

"Chulbul-"

"Om it's not what you think-"

"What happened at the terrace-"

"I should have not-"

"Mistake-"

"I am so sorry-"

"It was stupid-"

There were both grumbling if there own, not listening to the other. They were both so overwhelmed that they hardly felt what was happening around them or cared what the other wanted to say.

"I think we should forget what just happened!" Gauri blurt.

"Yes you are right. It was just a stupid mistake," Om said.

"Yes! Absolutely! Definitely! Positively!" Gauri rambled.

"Friends?" Om held his hand out for a handshake.

"Friends,"she mumbled, taking his hands.

After that he left and this time Gauri looked the door before falling on the bed.

Just Friends