Hello Fam :)

Guess who's here. :P

Happy Reading...

A week later, every professor had successfully scared all the first years to fail their exams, especially Prof. Kapoor. He even gave them assignments based on the topics on which he didn't want to waste his time teaching. It was Saturday and all the boys were cramped in room number 7 as Mahi explained the topics to them. Since Raina felt he could understand better when he is studying alone, he left for the library. Just when they were in the middle of their assignment, Rohit got a text from Ritika. A frown formed on his face as he started tapping the mobile on his book. The others looked at each other at his sudden change in mood.

"Is everything okay, Ro?", asked Mahi. "Whose message was that from?"

Rohit glanced up. "It's Ritsy. She is feeling homesick."

"Why don't you go and visit her then?", asked Virat.

"She is missing home, Cheeku. I can't bring her home, right? I will say something and she will start crying again. She is very close to her family", explained Rohit.

Mahi stood up from his place to sit beside Ro. He wrapped an arm around him. "Sometimes, only one person's presence is enough who is close to the bunch of people we miss. You are the closest family she has got here and hence, she found you when she is down."

"Like when I find you for all my trouble, right, Mahi Bhai? You are my family", grinned Virat.

"Trust me, this guy makes himself a part of every single conversation", mutters Faf, earning a glare from Virat.

"Ro, distract her with the assignment. We are already half done. You can carry off with the other half with her. It will take her mind off her home", told Hardik out of all people.

The boys were gaping at him as if he has appeared from the thin air.

Virat shook his head, a disbelieving look etched on his face. "Harry, I never knew you can talk sensible too."

"Mahi Bhai, he is being rude", complained Hardik. He grinned widely when Rohit ruffled his hair on his way out.

XXX

Rohit knocked on Ritika's door. Sakshi opened it and waved at him widely.

"Hello, lover boy", she said.

By then everyone was so used to irrelevant random nicknames given by Sakshi and they collectively decided not to comment to save themselves from any crazy long explanations. Hence, Rohit just grinned and asked for Ritika.

"She is inside. Why don't you talk to her? I have some pending conversation left with my neighbor", said Sakshi and knocked on the door opposite hers.

Rohit held both of his thumbs up at her and closed the door behind him. He found Ritika on a Skype call with her parents and joined her, wrapping his hand around her shoulders.

Now that Rohit is there, I am sure you will be fine, teased Kunal, Ritika's brother.

"Hello, brat. How is school going on?", asked Rohit. He stroked Ritsy's hair as she rested her head on his shoulders. They both listened to the latest trouble Kunal got into.

It was near to an hour by the time every member of the Sajdeh family talked to the two, their pet dog Magic included before they asked the kids to study. Ritika's father promised to fly down to Mumbai if she was still feeling homesick by the end of the month.

After shutting down the laptop, Rohit tugged at her hand. "Hey, Rits, they would come here within a heartbeat if you want them to but we are here for our education and it doesn't look good, right?"

"I am sorry. Today was just gloomy."

"No need to say sorry. How about we see Jurassic Park? It would take your mind off home and then we can start on the assignment?"

He sighed in relief when she agreed and grabbed the chips she had in her room.

XXX

The room in front of Sakshi's was always locked. The curious soul that she is, she enquired it with the warden and got to know that she was a day scholar. Sakshi felt hurt at losing an opportunity to add a new friend to her circle. Hence, when she found the room unlocked, for the first time since she came, she followed her instincts to knock on the door.

Sakshi impatiently tapped her foot on the floor when a girl opened the door. The girl, who was wearing a loose top and a pair of pajamas, was devoid of any makeup. Usually, Sakshi felt every girl applies at least a bit of makeup even if they claim they don't but this one standing in front of her, her hair tied in a messy bun with the support of a pen, was so damn naturally beautiful that she would have felt jealous if she was not trying to remember her face. The girl looked familiar, way too familiar for Sakshi's comfort because Sakshi hardly forgets her close friends, which includes most of the familiar faces.

She pushed her thoughts away and threw a huge grin at the girl. "Hi, I am Sakshi. I stay in your opposite room. I heard a new girl got admitted into college after a week, so I thought of introducing myself to you. Isn't your roommate a day scholar? You must be bored. Do you need help unpacking your stuff?", she ranted and pushed her way inside when the girl was gaping at her without a response. Sakshi knew she had a way with people.

Half an hour later, Sakshi was arranging the books in the rack while the girl was folding her clothes, nodding at every proper time for the story of Sakshi's unrequited love for SRK. The girl didn't throw her out of the room which was itself an advantage in Sakshi's dictionary. Suddenly Sakshi realized something important.

"Did you not say your name yet or did the air has lost it while transmitting from you to me?" When the girl raised an eyebrow, Sakshi flipped her hair dramatically. "Waise, naam mein kya rakha hai but I need a name to call you."

The girl chuckled. "Sorry. I am Anushka."

"Hey, Anu", waved Sakshi and wandered into the room once she was done arranging the books. "Aren't you a whole week late for your admission?"

"Yeah, I had viral fever. I was asked to stay in isolation", explained Anu.

Sakshi raised an eyebrow. "Do you need help talking to the principal? I am familiar with him." She felt Anushka was being amused, by what she didn't understand. She brushed it off. "Do you want to do something fun? I actually have an assignment to do but my roommate's boyfriend is in here and I am trying to give them some privacy. She has been looking down since morning."

"It's just been a week and you are already fighting boyfriend issues? Shall I talk to the principal when I next go to him?", teased Anushka.

Instead of getting offended, Sakshi grinned widely. "Anyone who would believe your silent demeanor will miss your hidden sense of humor." Her face threatened to split in two when Anushka gave her a dramatic bow. "Anyways, they aren't a couple yet just two best friends who are too cute not to be a couple. Waise bhi pyar dosti hai, Senorita. I am just waiting for them to realize they are in a relationship."

"Okay, wait. So, they are in a relationship and they don't know it themselves. Fantastic", said Anu, sarcastically.

"Hey, my guesses are hardly ever wrong", protested Sakshi. "For example, I don't want to come out as a stalker but I guess we have met somewhere before. You look familiar but I am not able to filter out my memory."

Anushka shrugged. "Don't stress. Tell me whenever you remember."

Their conversation then drifts to books, clothes, sports, Mumbai's traffic, and any other random topic their neurons could catch on.

Nushkie is here. And no, it's not covid. She was just not well. :P

I haven't decided what's next but I sure can see heart eyes in the near future when Anushka meets certain someone. :P