Returning Shlok's notes,the next day in college Bhargavi mumbled a, "Thank you!"

He said with a startled look," I didn't know Prabir borrowed my notes for you."

Everyone's eyes turned in her direction. She replied firmly, " Yes! He did."

"Are you two dating?" Shivangi one of her classmates enquired.

"It's none of your business,"she replied non-chalantly.

"Hey! Would you mind just introducing me to him?" Asked Shekhar.

"I won't,"she replied annoyed.

"Hey! What's with that attitude? Why do you always have to be so mean and rude ?" queried Priyanka.

Walking up to her, Bhargavi glared icily making her gulp hard noticing the angry glare in her eyes.

"My attitude doesn't need a fix, but your clumsy mind does. I am not obliged to fulfill your wishes," Bhargavi replied rudely.

Turning to Shekhar, she carried on,
"If you want to be a friend of Prabir, go introduce yourself on your own. It's not like he is a celebrity and you need an appointment to see him."

Shifting her glare to Shivangi, she said frowning, " As for you, I am not interested in sharing my personal details with anyone. If you want to talk to me about anything else, you are most welcome."

There was a crippling silence following her remarks.

************

Bhargavi, went to the library to re-issue a book during free time and while returning, she witnessed a strange sight from the glass window panes in the stairways, that provided abundance of sunshine. Prabir was carrying Keya in his arms and striding rapidly towards the dispensary.

On their way back from college, Bhargavi was extremely quiet unlike the other days. Prabir knew he might be smelling of some lady's perfume and this was probably the reason, she was mad at him.

"Bhargu...she had a sprained ankle,"
Prabir made an attempt to explain but Bhargavi did not even pretend to be listening to him. She plugged her earphones securely in her ears.

He knew the only way to make her listen to anything he said, was to take a shower, that smell indeed had to be gone before he approached her again.

*************

Parul had a long face, and dismay reflected in her eyes as she returned from school. As they all sat for lunch, Prabir enquired," Paru ...are you okay? What happened?"

" Bhaiya, everyone is avoiding me in school. No one wants to talk to me," She replied mournfully.

"Damn! Your life is so peaceful Paru," Bhargavi exclaimed with immense joy.

"Di!" Parul shrieked annoyed.

"Sorry! Ask him what should be done," she said feeling guilty." I'll again mess things up."

Prabir proposed, " Paru...be patient! They have learnt it the hard way that they were wrong. I am sure they will come around soon."

"Wow! That's the most precious piece of advice I have heard in my lifetime," exclaimed Bhargavi sarcastically.

She then glared at Prabir before fixing her gaze on Paru and advised,
"Paru...take some chocolates to school tomorrow and distribute it amongst all. Tell them that your relative - any uncle or aunty; who may or may not exist in reality brought them for you, and you would like to share it with them."

"Bhargu...you are teaching her to lie?" Prabir scoffed.

"Nope! I am teaching her to bribe people," she chuckled.

They howled with laughter and then Prabir suggested, " Okay! Then let's give it a try."

Following lunch, when Parul had left for her room upstairs, Prabir noticed Bhargavi looking daggers at him.

" Bhargu...Are you still angry with me?"He humbly asked.

"Aha! So you notice that too?

How many million philanthropists must have died...um..I mean sacrificed themselves...for the greatest philanthropist in history like you to be born?

Why don't you try baby sitting for a change, as your job profile?" She said in a sarcastic but angry tone.

"What are you blabbering Bhargu?" He asked innocently.

"An ugly lady, who doesn't even know to walk, marches into the college with six inches high stilettos, happens to sprain her ankle and you cradle her up in you arms like 'YOUR BABY ', taking her all the way to the dispensary. Seriously?"She replied sarcastically.

He giggled out aloud, then pulled her chair, moving her close to him as he slid in a chair in front. He held her palms and looked into her eyes delicately.

Taking her right palm, he placed it on his chest and murmured, " Bhargu... I can take you to Parili now, if you want to help your Maa with packing and for tomorrow I have already arranged for a truck and a few people to help carry the heavy furnitures and load it on the truck. I'll call up the truck driver to know exactly when he will be reaching Parili".

Wow! Now he dodges my questions so easily, doesn't even find it necessary to reply.

"Bhargu...please can you let me hug you just once," her thoughts were interrupted with his innocent and desperate plea.

She nodded slightly, putting all her guards down and he immediately draped his arms around her, embracing her in a warm hug, whispering, " I am sorry! I am so sorry Bhargu!"

He did not try to give any explanation for doing what he did but apologized sincerely.

"My Bhargu is so hurt...She's not my baby Bhargu...YOU ARE ...YOU ARE MY BABY  and I already miss you so much," he said with a trembling voice.

She drew back a little to look at him, the pain and agony in his eyes made her feel overwhelmed with unknown emotions. He again pulled her back to him softly.

Why is he so upset about me leaving? I was not going to stay at his house forever? It's not even like I am going to a distant land far away, out of his sight. Why does he have tears rolling down his cheeks? Why is he in so much pain? Did he have me starring in one of his nightmares, where I was dead or something? What does he even mean...My Bhargu?? My baby??

Her chain of thoughts was broken when he whispered, " Bhargu ...you want me to make some carrot halwa for you? It's your favorite, right?"

She looked up at his red and swollen eyes and chortled, "You are such a cry baby."

"I know," he admitted and stood up moving to the kitchen platform.

She moved forward and held his arm, " Give me your phone,"she demanded.

Instantly, he took his phone out fishing in his jeans pocket and placed it in her hands. She saved her number and said, " Prabu...when you make something for me...Just give me a call. It's not like I'm going to stay light-years apart, I am staying right nextdoors. okay!"

He had a heart-warming smile on his face, as he smiled through tears. She wiped off his face and urged, " I'll give you half an hour. Get ready, we need to go somewhere."

Prabir changed his T-Shirt and put on a sky-blue shirt, washed his face with water again and again to soothe his red eyes and was downstairs in the living room within fifteen minutes.

Changed into a black skinny jeans and a full sleeved casual v-shaped floral printed T-shirt, Bhargavi dressed up quickly. She had made a voluminous bun and used some dusty red lip balm on her lips.

Prabir had informed Parul that they were leaving for sometime, she was stunned to see both of them dressed so well and gestured a thumbs up, winking her eye at Prabir, as they left.

"Where do you want me to take you Bhargu?" Prabir enquired gently.

" I want to buy gifts for you, Paru and Uncle," she said softly.

"You don't have to...Bhargu," he replied but was hit lightly in the stomach.

"You think Paru will like a teddy- bear ?" Bhargavi asked as her eyes fell on a snow-white teddy bear, when they were passing by a gifts' store.

" She will love it! "He whispered.

Having purchased the teddy, she looked at him with curiosity and asked, "What do you want Prabu?"

" YOU.."she glared at him awe-struck, then he concluded," you can give me anything you want Bhargu, I'll treasure it."

She looked up at him and said, " I know what you need,"and walked towards a shop that had dreamcatchers wind chimes , she selected a beautiful one - with soft fluffy white and brown feathers used in combination, along with dark and light coloured wooden beads to complement it . In addition it had small bronze metal balls attached which made gentle sounds as winds passed by.

"You like it?" She asked curious.

"It's lovely!" He agreed.

" I don't know if it really works, but the sound of these tiny little bells might help soothe you. Place it somewhere near your window, and leave it open at night," She added.

She then strode about in the market, looking for something she could gift Mr. Banerjee for his generosity.

She found a small idol of Lord Ganesh, it was a polyresine figurine where Lord Ganesh was shown playing  Dholak. It was beautiful. She turned around to ask Prabir, if his father would like it, but could find him nowhere near. She held out the money to the shopkeeper and asked him to gift wrap it.

Suddenly, she felt something cold slide on her throat and held the chain that was being placed on her throat as Prabir hooked it up. It had a silver charming bow pendent. It seemed elegant and was extremely light.

"Prabir why did you...? This must be so costly?"She glowered at him and burst out angrily.

He had a soul-stirring smile on his face, " It's my money Bhargu...not Baba's. I saved some money that I got for designing some websites and helping some you-tubers edit their videos.

You look amazing Bhargu," he whispered in her ears.

While returning, Bhargavi said in soft whispers, "Thank you Prabu!" as she touched the pendant lightly with her fingers.

"Four days passed away so fast, it feels like it was just yesterday when I ...", He sighed.

She held him tight in a back hug,
"Prabir.... I am not going anywhere, don't panic.

Don't behave like you are letting me get married to someone else," she chortled.

"I know, I understand... Bhargu but I am just feeling  a strange fear and don't want to let you go even as far as Ghosh Uncle's residence. I am scared Bhargu...I am worried...I had these same feelings when Maa received her last chemo and the doctors discharged her, but within a week's interval ...it relapsed and she couldn't make it,"he confessed.

" Prabu...nothing will happen to me.
I know you are worried because of the incident at the temple but...I am a lot more stronger than you think I am," she assured him.

Parul was full of beans cuddling with the snow-white teddy, and she thanked Bhargavi whole-hearted. She had many Teddy's in her room, given as gifts by Prabir and now this was a new one in her collection. In her delighted state, she completely forgot all her plans to mock her brother for being on a date with a beautiful woman. She did not even notice the necklace on Bhargavi.

Mr. Banerjee was also highly enraptured on being presented with such a lovely idol. He thought of placing it on his table in his room.

Prabir had hung the dream catcher on the window, as suggested and joyfully touched the feathers again and again running towards it, when he heard the soothing tingling sounds made by the small metal beads.

Then he felt very gloomy. Everything would change from the next day as she would be shifting to her new house. He felt like he was going to be abandoned by his Bhargu...

She did not like to depend on others, will she even confide in him about her worries and anxieties?
What if she struggles to deal with all her problems on her own, not wanting his help?

Could she shut him out completely from her life? He dreaded with fear. She had known him not for years but just for five days.