An Innocent Crush ✓

14 | He praised me?

"He literally took a surprise test today, I'm sure I'm going to fail," Kiara said while munching on a chocolate bar. Vikram, who was sitting beside her, nodded but soon glared at her.

"It was your fault, you provoked him!" he said, lightly kicking her leg. Kiara quickly finished her chocolate bar before grabbing Vikram's leg and pinching it.

Kiara let out a mischievous giggle as she pinched Vikram's leg. "Ouch! Crazy woman!" Vikram cried, releasing his leg from her hold.

"You're blaming me for everything!" Kiara exclaimed. "Sir was angry because of you and Reshmi," she added, rolling her eyes.

Vikram chuckled, rubbing his leg. "But you're the one who teased him..."

"Because such opportunities don't come often," she said before grabbing a glass of juice. Just then, Vikram's mother entered the living room, all set to go out.

Today, Vikram's and Kiara's parents were attending a wedding, so Kiara was staying at his house.

"What's going on here?" Vikram's mother, who is Kiara's aunt, asked. Kiara sighed before sitting up straight. "This Dhruv sir is very strange, and perhaps he has some separate issue with me. Always calling me idiot, stupid, and crazy," she ranted about him to her aunt.

Her aunt chuckled before shaking her head at Kiara's rant. Vikram let out a sarcastic laugh. "Because you are," he said.

"But Dhruv was on your side, he said that Kiara is a very good student," she said, sitting on one of the stools. Kiara, who was angry a moment ago, looked at her aunt with a softened expression.

She gulped before glancing at her aunt again. "Did he really praise me?" She asked, not believing what she just heard. Her aunt nodded with a small smile on her face.

"Yes, he did say that. Bhaiya said Kiara is a good student, but she talks a lot. All the time, she keeps chattering..." Vikram added, laughing at Kiara's 'so done' expression.

"I'm leaving now, and don't misbehave, you two," her aunt said before taking her leave. Kiara kept staring at the glass of mango juice in her hand.

"Vikram?" Kiara called him.

"Hmm," he replied while checking his phone.

"Let's go."

"Where?"

"Sir's house,"

Vikram stopped for a moment before glancing up at his sister, he frowned at her words, "why?" He asked.

"Oh, come on!" Kiara exclaimed, quickly getting up from her seat. She held his hand and started to drag him towards the door. Vikram tried to stop her but her strength was surprisingly high today.

"But why?" he asked again as they started walking on the main road, Kiara grinned mischievously.

"To clear something with Dhruv sir, of course! And maybe to get some extra credit for being a good student," she said, winking at Vikram.

Vikram sighed and shook his head, knowing there was no stopping Kiara when she had decided on something. As they reached Dhruv sir's house, Vikram could only hope that this impromptu visit would end well for both of them.

Kiara's grin widened as she rang the doorbell at Dhruv sir's house. She glanced at Vikram, who was trying to hide his anxiousness.

Vikram gave Kiara a doubtful look, but before he could say anything, the door creaked open. Standing there was Dhruv, looking surprised yet somewhat amused to see them.

"Sir! Surprise!" Kiara chirped cheerfully, waving at him. Dhruv sir blinked, momentarily speechless.

"Umm... What's happening?" Dhruv asked, his eyebrows raised in bemusement.

"Surprise visit, sir!" Kiara declared with a wide grin, making Vikram cringe a bit at her boldness.

Vikram attempted to intervene, "Sir, it's not what it seems-"

"You two here together?"

Before Vikram could respond, Kiara jumped in again, "Yes, sir! And I brought my personal translator along," she teased, nudging Vikram, who shook his head in exasperation.

"Translator?" Dhruv looked bewildered.

"Yes! He's going to translate all your 'sir-language' for me," Kiara giggled, nudging Vikram again.

Vikram gave Dhruv an apologetic look, "Sir, she's just-"

"Curious!" Kiara finished his sentence, earning a weary nod from Vikram.

"Curious about what? What do you mean?" Dhruv asked, not getting what they were talking about. His eyes fell on Kiara who was glowing under the light, her cheeks a bit flushed and her eyes twinkling.

"You praised me in front of Vikram's mom, didn't you! She told me everything... So, can you please praise me in front of me once too?" she said with a playful smile.

"Stupid! Go home, it's late..." Dhruv said and was about to close the door when Kiara held the door's handle. "Hoo! What harm will it do if you praise me just once?" she said, looking at him with her big, innocent doe eyes.

Vikram shook his head at her silliness, and Dhruv inhaled a deep breath before giving a faint smile.

"Okay, you're not that bad," Dhruv finally relented, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Not that bad? Is that even a compliment?"

"It is, now it's time for you to go home, both of you," Dhruv said, gesturing towards the gate.

Kiara finally released the door handle with a pout on her face. As they walked back home, Vikram glanced at Kiara who was practically skipping beside him. "You're a weirdo," he said, shaking his head.

Kiara nudged him, "that's why it's fun to be with me!"

"It's not fun, it's terrifying!"

"Whatever!"