THAT'S NOT ALL

3.THE LOVE SPARKS

Next morning I woke up to the news of Akash been brutally beaten by someone, the last night.I knew it was Arjun. I wore whatever I got my hands on and rushed to college to have a talk with Arjun about the matter.Arjun was sitting at a corner in the canteen as usual.

"See, I know you did all this. What was the need to extend that matter. Don't you know he is from an influential family. If he would complain, you will not only loose your career but ... " I was ranting at him in one breath till he got up and put his hands on my mouth to shut me up.

 I was gasping for my breath as I had ran to reach him and I just wasted my remaining oxygen in scolding him without taking in any of it in return.

"Sssshhhhhhhhhh. Don't you have any breaks to stop your words? How much will you speak? And what the hell are you talking about? What did I do?
And whom are you talking about?" He replied with shower of his questions.He was acting normal and unaware of the situation I was talking about .His calm and composed attitude made me doubt my doubt on him. May be I was wrong. May be someone else did this. And if this was true, than I was relieved. I don't know why but the relief of him being out of danger calmed me down.

He tapped on my shoulder. "O, hello. Now where did you get lost? At least answer my questions. I'm waiting."

"No. Nothing. I think some misunderstanding happened. Its ok. You enjoy your food. I should leave. " I said that much and left the canteen as fast as I could.

"Was he saying the truth? Is he really innocent? Or he just bluffed me and I got carried away in his words so easily?" The thought occupied my mind the whole day.

We didn't use to talk much about anything except work, so I was not sure of confirming what he said too. So I swiped away the thought and went to sleep.Next few months, we all were working on our projects. Authorities got to know about the incident on prom and to compensate the matter, they allowed both me and Arjun to continue with our project even without attending the prom.It was Friday morning. We had decided to go to the city to get the materials needed for our project.I was standing outside the college gate waiting for him in a light blue chiffon top and regular denims. I was looking at the couples leaving the campus for rides. A loud honk near my ears got me back." I have asked few local people, we'll get almost everything in the DKC bazar nearby" He stopped his black bike near me and gave me this information which I already knew. But I didn't mind him because my focus was anyway not on his words, but on him. He was looking extra handsome and suave in black t-shirt, black pant and blue denim jacket.... Ruffled hairs.. dancing with the air.. his stubble looked more attractive for unknown reason. He was looking like some Bollywood hero.He snapped his fingers before my eyes to break my trance."O.. Hello, come out of your dreamland. We have a lot of work to do. Sit .. hurry up. "I somehow gathered my wandering thoughts back, and sat behind him. He started the bike with a jerk and I held his jacket in reflex. And shockingly it didn't feel anything like strange or bad. Anyway, I didn't want to think much about this .We reached the market place, got whatever we needed and headed back to campus."Aren't you hungry? " I asked."There is a small restaurant nearby. I'll stop there." He said.We both were silent till we reached there. He parked the bike by side of the restaurant, and we got in."What will you have? I asked. ""Water" that's all he said and I stared at him in shock."You are seriously not hungry? I'm dying with hunger." I asked him hesitatingly"I don't eat outside." He said and took a sip of water.He's speaking like, he gets some home-made food to eat in hostel daily, I thought and gave my order because I had no intention of dying with hunger.I ate and we headed back.Next day we finally started working on final phase of our project. I had always been a focused and studious student till I met him. I don't know why his presence used to made me wander in my dreams for longer than ever.... My heart started overpowering my mind.... The chemical reactions he used to perform didn't get into my mind because some other reactions were going on inside me altogether.... Luckily those reactions were never the part of my syllabus, so I could focus on him without any loss.....
It was Saturday... we had the weekend off, and everybody had their plans with their special ones.I didn't have anyone there to spend the weekend with, so I planned to spend it writing stuffs, and listening to music. I was wandering around the campus with my earphones on when my gaze fell on him, sitting alone by the pool....... Lost in his world.... So much that he didn't notice that the birds already ate most of the sprouts he had kept nearby.....

" Hey! Are you alright? " I asked clearing my throat to get him out of his world..

He looked up at me surprisingly and I knew he hadn't heard what I just asked him..... but wait... was he crying? I could see tears in his eyes... red swollen eyes... like he had been crying since long.....I hurriedly sat beside him." Arjun... What happened? Is everything alright? Why were you crying? An.....d....and you said you were going home for this weekend....... What are you doing here.. sitting alone? What's wrong?
Please speak something..." I almost spoke in a breathe.I'll speak if you let me to. He replied frowning his brows."Okay, cool... I'll not say anything now.. you tell" and I silenced myself.

"I'm okay. Don't worry this much. Something got inside my eyes so got tears. Don't you think that you overthink.... And that too..... too much. " he covered for himself... Arjun being Arjun, you can't expect anything else from him.

"O , hello! Did you shut me up to tell this story to me? Or do you think that I'm that stupid to not know what's truth and what's not..." I replied in disgust."Stop pretending to have the perfect life... and stop pretending to be the strongest person.. and tell me what happened?" this time I was fiercer.He stared at me for few minutes and then turned his face towards the pool.....and finally started speaking.
"No one ever asked me anything so forcefully before.. actually no one cared.. why do you care what happened? Its my life..I'll deal with it myself ""When did I said that it's not your life, or someone else will deal with your problems.. I'm just saying that sometimes sharing what's in your heart makes you feel better..... I'm asking you to just speak it out... then deal with it as you want... I'll not interfere." I said.He got up to go and I held his hand. He turned to look at me and a tear rolled down his cheek. Now there was no point in hiding anything. But him being him I didn't expect that he'll still open up.