I'LL LOVE TO BE LOVED

FRESHERS

Akul went to US without even telling me and I really thought about it and concluded I wasn’t so special in his life.
Well I moved on. I didn’t even realize when I completely forgot about him. It took me just two months to crush all my feelings for him not all actually, I still liked him but not like earlier. Well I was a freshmen now and first day in college is never easy especially when your best friend is not with you. Lucky for me I was in same college with Aahana but different sections, summarizing we were not in same class. Attendance was must in college but attending class was not must. And talking about Aadi it was the third time he failed getting into army in short he had already failed  NDA twice and was not eligible for the exam anymore. Actually he never tried passing it. It was father’s choice to be in army but Aadi wanted to be a graphic designer. So my first day in college didn’t start how I wanted it to be. Aadi showed us our classes and there was my first shock when Aahana wasn’t in my class. I was standing in the hallway that I saw Vineet and Reyansh roaming in the same hallway and first thing that came in my mind was, ‘Vihaan’. Well they weren’t in my class. I asked them about there rest of the friends and was told that they were in different colleges. And then came an important question.
    “And that guy?” I spoke with full hatred.
    “Vihaan. I bet it is Vihaan. I mean this much hate from you is for him only.” Reyansh laughed.
    “Bad luck. He isn’t right here.” Vineet spoke.
    “That’s a good luck silly.” I spoke in excitement.
    “No, bad luck. He isn’t right here he is standing behind you.” He spoke and I turned quickly and seriously he was there. My heart literally was crying.
    “Good luck, really? Well, hi fake brave repeating again, fake brave.” He spoke and I hated each word.
   “Why are you here? At least spare me here.” I spoke.
    “You see God too want us to fight. He wants us to set an example of perfect enemies.”
    “Can’t argue with that. But please tell me our classes are different?”
    “Bad luck.” And he smirked and I knew what it meant. I caught my head and went inside the classroom. My habit was sitting in front row but it was occupied so I got 3rd row. Well that was good cause Vihaan was a last bencher so it prevented me from seeing his face. I was looking at everyone and was busy absorbing my new habitat that boys sitting behind my row started talking to me, they seemed nice except the fact that they started flirting. I was alone and was an introvert so I turned ahead. I knew they were still murmuring about me and I was not liking it. I laid my head on table and waited patiently for the teacher.
    “Get side.” I heard Vihaan’s voice. I didn’t move. So he pushed me and that was enough for me to give him seat. I found that the murmuring stopped.
    “Why are you here? Go back.” I  ordered.
    “My wish. This isn’t your seat.”
    “Well it was until you pushed me in.”
    “Is your name written in this bench? If there isn’t keep shut.” He argued.
    “No I won’t. This isn’t school where people are scared of you. This is college Mr.”
    “I know. Fake brave. And by the way I have one thing that can make you shut up.” He spoke raising his brow. That made me very curious.
   “What?” I  asked playing it very cool.
   “Akul, my first crush. I don’t know why I have this sudden desire to pick up my phone and send this pic to Akul.” He showed me the pic of my own song book which  was lying in a forgotten corner. I became red in shame. Although I wasn’t that fond of Akul anymore but I was so sure that I still liked him a bit and he knowing about my huge crush on him was my biggest nightmare come true.
    “So you did read it? Huh?” I spoke with the mixed feeling of rage and embarrassment.
    “I didn’t want to. I just opened your book and, voila this was right in front of me. I clicked the pic cause I knew it will come handy one day and see it did.”
    “I hate you.”
    “I never said you liked me joker.”
    “Stop calling me that.”
    “Well stop annoying me then. Let me do whatever I do.”
    “Like I say and you stop. I still remember myself begging for my life but you didn’t listen to me did you?”
    “Well who asked you to hide that song and yell at me.”
    “Are you even thinking before saying anything. You are talking about past.” I shouted.
    “Like you are talking about present, right?”
    “Now you are exaggerating.” I replied, my rage on peak.
    “Oh I’m exaggerating. Wow! Like you are sitting quietly listening to me. Miss look at yourself first.”
    “Miss? You can respect someone?”
    “No clear it out today what do you think I am?” He asked me turning to me.
    “Not a human that’s for sure.”
    “Well you can stop there?” We were interrupted by a grownup’s voice. We turned and saw a middle-aged man standing in front of the whiteboard and whole class staring at us and I mean literally staring.
    “May I know you names please?” We told him our name and he continued.
    “So Shravya and Vihaan I am professor Mohit Tyagi and in my 30 years of teaching career I have never been greeted like this. I am standing here since 10 minutes and you guys just keep going on and on. Please stop. And leave my class.” He spoke so politely that I didn’t even wanted to argue but then we apologized and he smiled and agreed for us to stay. Vihaan and I shared a glare and sat about 4 feet away from each other. Well that was very bad day and now that he knew Akul was my crush my days went like hell. It took me about two months to absorb the fact that I had to bear him everyday. 6 months passed and now we were back to normal fights. Like twice a day not whole day. First semester ended and by this time we stopped attending the classes. Our small team used to be in the canteen and being with me meant group studying. By this time Vihaan became quite popular, especially after performing a song on fresher’s party. Girls liked him and Shruti was madly in love with him. She was rejected by him. But love is love. I used to laugh looking at Vihaan’s reaction whenever Shruti used to be around him. Hilarious reactions. Well I was fully enjoying my college life.
One day as I was all ready to go to college I came down and saw Aahana sobbing while Aadi consoling her. As I was going to say something, Aadi looked at me and gestured me to stop and that he had got it. But I was curious to know what happened. A while later she stopped crying both talked about something and she went without talking to me. Can you imagine, without talking to me.
    “What’s wrong?” I ran to Aadi.
    “Problem in college. Boys.”
    “She told you?” I asked.
    “No, my darling God came in my dreams and told me. Well of course she told me.”
    “Ok. What will you do now?”
    “Handle myself and in worst case principal will handle them.”
    “You are concerned for her, aren’t you?”
    “Well of course I am. She is my best friend.” He explained.
    “You are fine right? You are not being bullied?” He asked. I replied with a smile full of proudness, “Nah! I stay with Vihaan.”
    “Well that explains everything.” He spoke and went out.
I knew Aaditya was lying to me and was thinking of a strong reason for him to lie. I was busy building up a story in my mind that my phone beeped.
    “Where are you?” It was a text from Vihaan. Seriously first thing that came to my mind was, ‘Where the hell did he got my number?’
I didn’t reply. There was the same text again. I wanted to annoy him so I didn’t reply to any of his text. So he called and guess what I didn’t reply it either. Phone was ringing in my hands and I was laughing looking at that.
    “Pick it up. Will you?” The voice startled me. It was Vihaan’s voice. I looked up and found him standing at the door along with Aaditya.
    “What are you doing here?” That was my first question. I looked at Aadi who was reactionless.
    “You go first. Why aren’t you replying to my text nor are you picking my calls?” Vihaan questioned.
    “My phone was in silent.” I made up something and that was so stupid.
    “Really? Your phone is in your hand and as I walked in you were gazing at your screen. You stink at lying.” He spoke.
    “Ok I admit my mistake. Now answer my question will you?”
    “Actually I have some work today so I can’t  come to college with you so I called Vihaan.” Aadi interrupted.
    “Where this is going?” I asked.
    “You are coming to college with me.” Vihaan spoke.
    “Bhai?” I  looked helplessly at Aadi and trust me he had the same reaction.
    “Trust me he can protect you?” Aadi spoke.
    “From whom? And by the way, a genius once told me not to depend on boys to save myself. I need to protect myself and I can do that now.” I argued.
    “No she can’t. Please help her.” Aadi spoke to Vihaan before leaving again.
    “What’s on your mind?” I asked him.
    “What do you mean?” he asked.
    “I know you can’t help me. What’s on your mind? Why you wanna come to college with me? Why you agreed with my brother? Tell me what’s going on.”
     “Someone was so proud being with me that Aadi called me to help that person to get to the college and not to miss the attendance.” He spoke.
    “You don’t have bike right?” I asked begging him to say no.
    “What else could it be?”
    “This is my worst nightmare?” I spoke.
    “Like this is a dream come true for me right?” He spoke.
That was the time when I seriously hated the situation and was cursing Aaditya. But the thing that was troubling me most was Aadi's behaviour. He was hiding something and I wasn’t liking it at all.
We were sitting in the canteen while everyone copying my notes. I found Vihaan glaring at someone. I nudged Aahana and lured her attention on Vihaan.
    “Who are you looking at?” She asked him.
    “No one.” He spoke without moving his gaze.
    “Come-on let’s go to the class.” Vihaan spoke to me gathering his stuff.
    “I’m not coming.” I spoke.
    “You know what, I’m not asking.” He spoke and caught my arm and dragged me after him.
I looked back at my band and they were laughing at my situation.
    “What are you doing, leave me?” I pushed his hands away.
    “You never attend class. What’s going on with you today? First you came to pick me up then you were lost glaring at someone and now forcing me to attend class with you, what is going on?” I asked sternly.
    “I am not answerable to you. Do what I tell you.” He ordered.
    “I’m not your slave, did you get that. I’m done following your rules and being scared of you. Either you tell me what’s going on or ....” I thought of what I actually could do to him that he spoke, “ Stop overthinking. Your mind will explode, which I doubt is present or not. Well there’s a very important lecture today. And I thought you must attend it.”
    “Oh really and who exactly told you this cause ever since the start of this semester you didn’t even enter the classroom.”
    “Shruti. Yeah. She told me.” He spoke stealing his gaze. Not a good lier either.
    “Shruti really? Vihaan stop lying ohk. What’s the truth? Stop fooling me cause I know you are lying.”
    “Oh really. We spended just six months together and you now understand my mind. Isn’t it great?”
And that was enough for me to stop. For a moment my heart raced as my mind was busy processing his words.
    “Okay fine. I am attending the class but not because you want me to, it’s because I myself want to do so.” I spoke hesitantly. I looked at him and he sighed with relief.
He was behaving really odd that day. Constantly gazing out of window and in campus too, his eyes weren’t stationary at all. He was looking for someone as if hiding from someone and on the other hand Aadi was depressed too. I was busy thinking about both and I discussed it with Aahana.
    “What happened to Aadi? Is he all right? I’ll talk to him.” She spoke really worried.
    “You stop right there. You also hide a lot from me. Why didn’t you told me that you were having trouble in the college?” I asked.
   “Me? Trouble in the college? What trouble?” She asked me, totally confused and I was so sure Aaditya told me she was having trouble in the college.
    “So you are not being bullied by boys?” I asked in astonishment.
    “No. Why would you think that?”
    “You were crying in the morning so I thought..” As I spoke this she grew silent and started gazing at the floor.
    “Oh! That one.”
    “What’s the matter?” I asked.
    “Nothing. Oh yes! My dad went to Germany so I was sad.” I didn’t fell for her explanation. I knew something was going on between three of them but I didn’t know what.