ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇɢᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ [ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ]

• Part 54 •

Mayukh POV:

I guided her on the couch, then went and got a cup of chai for her and then sat down next to her. She took the cup and waited.
I sighed, "So... where do I start?"
She looked at me, "I don't know."
"Okay, so.... We were together in 12th and for a bit, but we later broke up because...."
"I... I know."
"You know?" I asked her, "How?"
"Ved told me." She said, looking down.
"Oh, okay then." I was fine with Ved telling her anything, because I knew he'd be honest about it, "So, as you already know everything.... It's now coming back because she suddenly shows up. I don't know why she's here."
"Do you still.... Like... want to meet?"
"Meet? Who?!"
"Me..." she said, looking down.
Is she insane? How can she say that?
"How can you say that? Why would I stop meeting you Mishbo?"
"I... I don't know... it's always..."
"It's always what?"
"Nothing."
"Mishbo.... Come on, tell."
"It's nothing. What can I do to help you?"
"I don't know." I said, leaning my head back, "I don't know what to do. I don't even know why she's here and what she wants."
"It'll be fine." She said, putting her hand in mine.
That itself calmed me down.
Her hand in mine.
I tightened my hold on her hand, "Thank you."
"I'll leave now." She said, and I looked at her.
"Already?"
"Yeah, you... you can take some time if you want, to yourself."
"I don't want to take time to myself. I want to be with you and around you."
"But... look at your house." She said.
"I'll clean it. Relax."
"I'll help you." She said, getting up and started to clean the room.
I watched in awe as she silently managed to clean everything so quick. It then hit me that she's doing everything alone so I ran and held her hand, "What are you doing?"
"I'm just cleaning...."
"This isn't your job. I am just helping you."
"I'll do it or we do it together."
"Okay, we do it together."
I smiled and let her hand go, and we started cleaning the whole room.

After 20 minutes, the house was back to normal and I couldn't help but feel in awe having her there, with her hands helping me. I smiled at her as she looked contentedly at the house now.
"It looks good." She said.
"It really does." I said, looking at her.
She looked at me, "I meant the house."
"I didn't." I smirked.
She hit my arm playfully, "Shut up."
I grabbed her waist and pulled her close, "Make me."
She looked down, blushing.
This blush is to die for.
"Let me go, Mayukh. I'm gonna go now."
"Why are you always in a rush to leave?"
"I'm not. I just have to study." She said.
"Okay fine. That I can't argue with." I said, letting her go but holding her hand, "But, you are still coming with me this weekend, right?"
"Of course. Lonavala is waiting." I smiled.
"Are we going to be able to come back on time?"
"I'm driving you babe. We leave morning and come back by night, don't worry."
"Perfect! Now let me go!"
"Okayyy, but never say let me go." I said, letting her go. She smiled and walked out the house.

I looked around. She was really the light of my life. She was making everything easier.

~•~

I got dressed in my white shirt and jeans and went outside after taking a good shower. I came downstairs where my family was sitting having their breakfast.
"Mayukh!" Mom said and I turned, "How is college now?"
"It's good, I like it." I said, sitting down.
"How is everything?" Gautam Dada asked.
He was referring to Nikita.
"Good." I said, then turned to Dad, "Oh, I'll be going to Lonavala this weekend."
"Lonavala? How come?" Dad asked.
"It's... with a friend." I said, embarrassed.
"You're going with Nikita, aren't you?"
I smiled looking at Mom, who asked, "Yeah?"
"Yep." I replied.
"You're going out with Mishthi Di?" Jhanvi said, entering the room.
"I guess I am." I said.
"You know it's her birthday this weekend!"
What?
It's her birthday?!
Is that why she wanted to go to Lonavala?
"What?" I asked, "On 16th?"
Jhanvi nodded, "Yes! It's her birthday."
"Oh wow!" Gautam bhai added, "We should give her something for the day."
"I don't think she wants anything. She didn't even tell me." I said, "I don't know."
"Maybe she wants things private, it's okay."
"Bring her home. We'll throw her a nice party!"
"Do you think she'd want that?"
"She wants to go to Lonavala."
"Well, you take her, does she want to go with friends or with you alone?"
"I don't know."
"Then go and ask her."
"I'll ask her." Gautam Bhai added.
"How will you ask her?"
"Because I'm coming to your university today for some work anyway."
"I am, I need to sort out the new chancellor for this university after the Riya issue."
"Perfect!"

We walked down and drove to university, with Bhai with me. Ved and all joined us too. I reached the entrance and got down, Bhai got down with me and we walked inside.
"Where's she?" He asked me.
"Heading to class. She must be there. You wanna come meet her?"
"Of course I do. Take me there." He said.

We walked towards class and Bhai was greeted by a lot of people. Bhai's aura was unmatched. He didn't use to come into public as much and everything about him was so private. He always kept his relationship and his entire life so private that no one knew what was going on.
Seeing him around was a rare sight.
We entered the class and saw people just sitting and talking and then my eyes met hers. She looked at me and then smiled and came down.
"Hi." She said, looking at me.
"Hello..." I said, giving her a side hug, "Look who's here to meet you."
She followed my eyes and saw Gautam Dada and her face lit up, "Dada?"
"Hi Nikita!" He said, giving her a side hug.
"How are you?" She asked.
"I'm good. How are you?"
"I'm good. Here for some work."
"Can I help?" She asked, "I can do a little."
"No need baba! You focus on your studies."
"Okay okay! But meet me before you leave!"
"Okay! Done! Now go sit, both of you!" Bhai said to both of us and showed us to sit.
Then, he walked out.

We sat down and started the class but soon after, the one girl I didn't want to see walked in. Shruti.
She came and sat next to me, despite clearly knowing that I don't want to see her around. She sat down and looked at me, I looked ahead. I could see that Nikita hadn't seen her yet - I want to keep it that way.

Once class ended, we were packing our stuff and I turned to Nikita, "We meet Dada now?"
"Yes!" She said, "I think we sh—"
She stopped.
"What happened?" I asked her.
She didn't answer, so I followed her eyes and turned around. She was looking at Shruti. Her eyes went down and she turned away.

My jaw clenched and I turned to Shruti; who was looking at me. I gave her a glare and then turned away to Nikita, who was very awkward and nervous, "Come. Let's go."
"Mayukh!" Shruti said as I started walking. We stopped walking, "Can we talk?"
I looked at Nikita, who looked at me. I sighed and gave her an assuring smile and then signaled her that I'll meet her. She nodded and walked away.

"So what do you want?" I said, glaring at her.
"You." She replied.

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