The morning sun crept through the curtains, but it wasn't the light that woke Mythili—it was the phantom sensation of a soft touch on her forehead.
She blinked, her fingers instinctively reaching up to touch the spot. A small, shy smile played on her lips as the memories of the previous night flooded back.
She carefully sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Taking a deep breath, she stood up, putting her weight on her feet. She winced, expecting a sharp jab of pain, but to her surprise, it was just a dull ache. The swelling had gone down significantly.
"Wow... macho policeMAN ki first-aid skills kuda baane unnayi." she whispered to herself. (Macho policeman's first-aid skills are actually pretty good.) He is a police kutty he knows basic first-aid.😔
She knew if she stayed in bed, her friends would treat her like she had survived a war. "I know they care about me... but for me, they are monkeys only." she chuckled.
She got ready for college in record time, determined to show them she was perfectly fine.
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Expecting to find her friends snoring like Kumbhakaranas, Mythili walked toward the dining area—and stopped dead in her tracks.
The aroma of freshly made Poha and tea filled the air. Sandhya and Sowmya were already at the table, fully dressed for college and sipping their tea.
"Eh? What are you both doing here this early? Is the sun rising in the West today?" Mythili asked dramatically, leaning against the doorframe. "Is it raining outside, Sowmi? I thought the monsoon still had time to arrive."
"Ha-ha, very funny, Mythu papa." Sowmya replied, waving a spatula at her. "Come and have breakfast. We actually set an alarm for once." (Here papa denotes a girl)
"Seriously... you both woke up early? Just for me?" Mythili asked, her heart melting a little.
"Don't get too emotional." Sandhya joked, though her eyes were soft. "We just didn't want you to strain yourself. Your elbow and leg were a mess last night. We thought we'd handle the 'kitchen department' today."
"Aww, so chweet of you!" Mythili said, putting on an extra-sweet, sugary voice that made Sowmya gag playfully.
"Enough drama, Ms. Reddy Papa." Sowmya said, pushing a plate toward her. "Eat fast. We need to rush if we want to catch the first bus." (Here papa notion defines a girl.)
______๑♡๑______
The atmosphere at the college was the usual chaotic mix of students rushing to labs and groups huddling near the canteen. As the trio walked through the main gates, a voice called out, cutting through the noise.
"Mythili!"
All three girls turned in unison. A tall guy with a friendly face was standing a few feet away, clutching a couple of heavy textbooks. Sowmya and Sandhya immediately exchanged a 'knowing look,' their eyebrows dancing in a silent language.
"Yes?" Mythili asked, genuinely confused. She didn't recognize him at all.
"Hi... I'm Rahul, from the Chemistry Department." he introduced himself, walking closer. He had a nervous but pleasant smile.
"Oh, hi." Mythili replied awkwardly. She stood there, fidgeting with her bag strap, not knowing how to continue the conversation.
"I've seen you in the library quite often. I heard that you're the best student in your department." He said, his tone appreciative.
She blushed slightly, looking at her feet. "Maybe... I just study a lot."
"I just thought... since we're in the same year, maybe we could be friends? If you don't mind. No bad intentions, I promise." he added quickly, sensing her hesitation.
Mythu looked at her friends, her eyes pleading for a rescue mission. But her friends were far from helping; they were enjoying the show. Before Mythili could open her mouth to politely decline or stammer out an answer—
"Yeah, yeah! Why not?" Sowmya jumped in, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Friendship is always good, Rahul!"
"Umm... we have a very important class now. In fact, we're already late. Bye!" Sandhya added, suddenly grabbing Mythili's arm.
Mythili gave a small, apologetic smile. "Oh... okay. Bye, Rahul."
"Wait!" Rahul called out as they started to walk away. He hesitated for a second, then blurted out, "Can we meet at lunch?"
"Sure! See you there!" the 'monkey duo' replied before Mythili could say a single word. They practically dragged her away, their feet moving so fast they were almost running.
Once they were safely hidden behind the pillar of the engineering block, sandhya exploded.
"Hey, stupid Sowmi! Why did you accept his friendship?"
"What should I have said? 'Hey, get lost, we don't want to talk to you'?" Sowmya argued, adjusting her bag. "He was being nice!"
"Exactly!" Sandhya added, folding her hands. "You would have said that."
"Then why didn't you said that 'get lost' thing."
"You didn't gave us a chance."
"Because he wasn't looking at us! His eyes were glued to mythu like she were the only person on campus." Sowmya teased, nudging her.
"Stop it, raa..." Mythu said, feeling a sudden pang of guilt. Her mind wasn't on Rahul or his friendly smile. It was stuck on a forehead kiss and a stern, deep voice. "Let it go. He just asked for friendship, that's it. Let's go to class."
For two whole seconds, they were silent. Then, Sandhya whispered, "But did you see his shirt? It was a bit too bright, no?" And the fight was back on.
______๑♡๑______
Meanwhile...
"How is the investigation going?" Ram asked.
"We are searching, sir." his team replied.
"Well, make it fast." Ram said firmly.
They discussed few more points and dismissed the meeting.
______๑♡๑______
After college.
The final bell rang, signaling the end of a long day of lectures. The three girls walked out of the main building, enjoying the cooler evening breeze. Mythili was carefully navigating the steps, her ankle feeling much better than in the morning.
"Mythili..."
She didn't even have to turn to know who it was. Rahul was waiting near the parking lot.
"Bye... see you tomorrow," he said with a bright smile, waving at her.
"Oh... bye, Rahul," Mythu replied, giving a polite wave back.
As they walked toward their scooties, Sowmya leaned in. "Look at that... a 'Good Morning' and a 'Good Bye' on day one.
