"Prithvi, this is technically proved already. Why don't you check this case in the notes?"

Handing her personal notes to Prithvi, Preeta leaned back on the chair. Both of them were seating at the table in Prithvi's bedroom. At first, Preeta felt extremely uncomfortable being here alone. She had come to his room many times before as Raamya and Raashi used to be with her. But now she was alone. Only if she would have known that's what Prithvi wanted at all.

But right now as the time passed quickly, Preeta was getting comfortable with Prithvi in the same room alone. They both were studying from the previous hair and Preeta had successfully cleared Prithvi's doubt. To which he was getting nervous slowly as the chance was coming closer where he would try his luck again.

The work was done almost, now. Preeta was getting restless as she wanted to leave and study herself too. She saw Prithvi taking the look on notes and finally nodding his head in understanding. Seeing him, Preeta finally smiled. It was the last question and she could easily leave now after finally helping her friend.

She softly said,"I hope everything is clear, now." Prithvi nervously smiled and closed the books. Keeping them aside, he sighed and nervously looked at the beauty in front of him.

"One question is still left."

Being confused, she raised her eyebrows. Her gaze fell on the notes as she again took them out of her bag. She heartily said,"Tell me." To which Prithvi only get more nervous. He shook his head and put hands on the notes which Preeta was opening.

"Its not related to the exam."

Preeta looked up at Prithvi confused. What was he thinking? She was curious as she could see the unfamiliar expression on his face.

"Okay."

She waited for his response as Prithvi slowly got up from the chair and walked towards the window. He didn't want to ruin his chance. This was it. He had to make her agree. He would have to convince her. Taking this was the only chance, he turned and looked back at the girl sitting consciously on the chair. Her beautiful brown eyes were staring at him with uncertainty as if she knew whatever he was going to say wasn't something normal.

"I-I wanted to say this to you from long time, Preeta. But respecting our friendship, I had kept my mouth shut, kept my feelings apart." Prithvi looked at her to get the response and he surely got one. Preeta had stiffened hearing him talking about feelings.

She looked away from him. Keeping the eye contact was getting uncomfortable in his intense gaze.

"You have already told me, you don't want to hurt your parents by choosing a life partner by yourself. And keeping this in mind, I have planned my way."

Preeta flinched as she heard him walking towards her. Prithvi stood near her and immediately sat in front of her chair, making Preeta's eyes widen in surprise. Her heart started beating faster.

"Prithvi, what are you doing?"

Before she could stand up from the chair in nervousness, he put hands on her knees and pleaded with eyes. Preeta stopped moving and looked at him with blank expression on her face. A feeling was crawling in her heart that this wasn't going to end on a good note. She just wanted to leave because she knew Prithvi would be disappointing her now.

"Please."

The word made Preeta letting out a long breath as she looked down at her knees and started fidgeting with her fingers.

"What are you doing, Prithvi?"

He didn't reply just kept on staring at her with intensity in his eyes which was scaring Preeta. He saw her putting one strand of hair behind her ear in nervousness which made him realise how creepy he would be looking right now. Coming back to the senses, he shook his head.

"I-I love you, Preeta."

That's it. The scary words were enough to make her clench her jaws and trying to get up but Prithvi again blocked her by completly sitting in front of her.

"Move, Prithvi."

He shook his head and pleaded,"Listen to me once. I promise, I will not bother you anymore, then." His pleading voice made her gulp. She hated this. Why the boys always have to ruin this? The bond, the purity between friends.

"I love you, Preeta. I have loved from the day I saw you for the first time. Things have changed for me. I can't think of anything. All I see, think, hear you only. Isn't this love, Preeta? I need a girl like you to spend my whole life with. I want to meet your parents and want to inform them how much I need you."

A tear fell from Preeta's eyes making Prithvi shut his mouth. He was scared of losing her.

"We will be graduating soon. I'll be loyal to you. I'll care for you. I'll make you the happiest. Give me one chance, Preeta. I want to love you, marry you. Just give me one chance."

Preeta let out a long breath as she looked up at him. She felt her heart squeezing seeing the genuineness, hope and love for her in her eyes. She bit her lip in being speechless. How would she reject his offer? Who wouldn't want a boy like him for spending whole life with? He was smart, caring, a charmer. She would have to be stone hearted.

She blinked the other tear as she looked again at him. She shut her eyes in nervousness. She had to do this. She couldn't lie or put him in dark by giving false hope. A little part of her wanted to accept him in a blink but could she for real? The answer was so obvious.

"I am sorry, Prithvi. Its not possible."

She was scared of Prithvi's reaction. She very well knew how a boy could react after rejection. Karan had showed her all the deeds. She reluctantly gave her an apologetic look. Her legs started shaking as she saw Prithvi's blank face. He was just staring at her with no emotion. He suddenly started speaking through gritted teeth.

"What's not possible? You! Me! Together! What is the problem, here? I know you don't hate me. We are very good friends. We care for each other, enjoy with each other. Isn't that enough for you to think that we will be fine? We will be great together, Preeta. Just a 'yes' from you."

Her eyes got watery hearing him pleading with heart. He was scared of losing this chance. Preeta knew it could get worst, if she stays here for more time. She needed to get away from him for now. He needed to accept the truth.

"We can't be together, Prithvi. You are late."

It felt like those words broke his heart like a hammer. Prithvi was numb. He had expected her to deny his pleadings but not hearing her telling about someone else whom she loved. He shook his head.

"You are lying. We are friends from almost two years. You never talked about someone. You said you won't betray your parents. Right?"

His hands had started reaching her which made her more aware of the depth where this scenario could go. She jerked away her hand from his and glared at him. Prithvi actually noted that.

"No. That was long time ago. Now, I have found someone, Prithvi. We love each other. I am sorry but you are late."

"Are you kidding me? Late? I am late? I had already proposed you a year ago, Preeta. You rejected. I understood and gave you space. I waited for you and you are saying now that I m late."

Preeta pushed Prithvi's hand away from the chair and got up from the little space she got even which Prithvi was blocking. She was afraid of making the boy angry. She walked hurriedly and grabbed her bad, putting her notes, she looked disappointingly at him.

"I should have known, you called me for this. Then, I wouldn't have wasted my precious time coming here."

Prithvi felt his face fuming in rage. He clenched his jaws and got up.

"This is not fair, Preeta. I have everything you need. I am eligible for you in every sense. Keeping in mind your morals, I am ready to meet your parents. Why can't you feel my love?"

Preeta zipped up her bag and hanged hurriedly on her shoulder.

"Because I don't love you."

Her heart was hammering in chest as she had never talked so rudely with her friends. He had started sounding like Karan. She was getting her fears back. She wanted to end it before the things get worse this time. If Karan would have been here instead of him, he would have manhandled her by now and forced her to get agree to him.

"I will kill the guy who is stealing what's mine."

Preeta felt really scared. But she knew that Prithvi and Karan could never get in each other's way as this was Delhi and Karan was many miles away in Chandigarh. She looked at him with a sad smile on her face.

"I feel extremely hurt at how you ruined our friendship. I want to leave Delhi with a smile on my face, Prithvi. Knowing that I had upset my own friend, will not let me move forward. I already have someone special in my life, Prithvi. I am sorry."

Saying this, Preeta shut her eyes in relief. She hoped that she didn't hurt him much. Her stomach churned in disgust when she mentioned the special person to Prithvi. She wasn't imagining someone, when she talked about him. It breaks her heart imagining an ideal lover for her. She knew it wasn't in her fate. But at least she had mentioned this lover finally. May be it would give Prithvi motivation that she couldn't be with him by any chance. It would help him move ahead in life.

When she didn't heard Prithvi's voice, she realised either he would stay silent like this or could snap at her anytime. It was her cue to leave. She turned on her heels without any word and left the room, leaving the broken Prithvi statued.

Preeta rushed out of Prithvi's big home. She was sobbing in shame. She broke her own friend's heart. She insulted him, hurt him by talking about another guy. Why was her fate so cruel? She wanted to accept him. But the weight of diamond ring in her finger reminded her that she wasn't available now. She was someone else's even though she didn't want it actually.

Wiping her tears, she put helmet and left the place on her scooty. Her heart was heavy with guilt and pain. She just wanted to run back and say yes to Prithvi. He was kind and deserving enough for a chance.

"I am sorry, Prithvi." She muttered to herself as she rode on the main road. She was still afraid of the consequences. Silently praying, she took the final turn towards her home.

Hope, he won't become another Karan.

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