The Unwavering Love

~CHAPTER 9~

AUTHOR'S POV

The college ground was alive with the sounds of laughter, chatter, and the occasional crack of a ball hitting a bat. The sun was beginning to dip, casting a warm, golden hue over everything. Near the far edge of the field, under the shade of a large banyan tree, two friends sat cross-legged on the grass, Shivansh and Advik. It was their usual spot, a place where they'd shared countless jokes, deep conversations, and even moments of silence.

But today, there was an unusual tension in the air.

Advik leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows as he watched Shivansh, who seemed lost in thought. For the past week, Shivansh had been distant, quieter than usual. Advik had his suspicions, but he decided to let Shivansh talk when he was ready.

After a long silence, Shivansh finally sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Advik, have you ever felt like what you do and what you feel is totally different? Like your heart and your brain are pulling you in two completely different directions?"

Advik raised an eyebrow, sensing where this was going. "You mean ki tu na chahte hue bhi behudi harkatein karne laga hai?! jaise.. ki mujhse baatein chhupana!" he said while being a bit serious.
(You mean your are doing ridiculous things even if you don't want to?! Like.. Hidding things from me.)

Shivansh chuckled, though it was more out of nervousness than humor. "Yeah, kuchh aisa hi samjhle... but this is different." He looked out across the ground, his gaze distant. "It's about her. You know... Kiara." he stated hesitatingly.
(Yeah, something like that.)

Advik straightened up, his expression growing serious. "I figured this much.. So, what's going on? don't tell me bhaii you started liking her."

Shivansh hesitated, searching for the right words. "I don't even know how to explain it, man. I mean, Kiara has always been a good friend someone I can joke around with, But lately... it's like everything's messed up. When I see her laugh, it does something to me. When she's around, I can't focus on anything else. And when she's not, I keep wondering what she's doing, who she's with, if she's thinking about me at all."

"Tujhe pta hai... uske samne aate hi na saare rang berang dikhne lagte hain.. or dikhta hai to sirf ek hi rang matlb uske noor ka rang...uske pyaar ka rang!" He imagingly added.
(You know.. Whenever she comes in front of me, every colour seems to be colourless... And the only colour i can see is.. The colour of her charm.. Colour of her love.)

"Ohhoo!! Gulzar ka bichhda hua pota. Yeh shayari ka bhoot kabse chad gaya tujhe!" Advik replied laughingly.
(Ohhoo!! Lost grandchild of Gulzar. From when did you started being fond of shayari.)

In order to respond this Shivansh just started humming a few lines of a song, in his sweet voice.

"Main shayar to nahii, magar ayee haseen...
Maine dekha jabse usko, mujhe shayari aa gayii!!"

Advik's expression softened. "Sounds like you already have fallen for her. And that's okay. It's big, it's scary, but it's real. You just have to decide ki tujhe Kiara ko yeh baat abhi batani hai ya thode time bad. Either way, I've got your back."
(That you want to tell this to kiara now or after sometime.)

Shivansh nodded, a mix of anxiety and determination brewing within him. "I know I need to talk to her, specially after this vihaan wala incident so that she can trust me and can share a bond with me. But i just don't know if I am ready or not."

Advik gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You'll know when the time is right. Just don't let fear make the decision for you. Sometimes, taking a chance is the only way to figure out if it's worth it."