The Path to Love

Chapter 3

Uday came and snatched the diary. "Ask before you touch my stuff. My personal, important, essential things."

"Essential, huh?"

"Oh shut up and leave the room."

"Ugh, fine."

Uday was a bit scared. "Uh, did you read anything?"

"Of course not."

"I don't feel like trusting you even a little, but whatever."

After Uday left, Nishita mumbled, "Thank god, bhaiyya's such an idiot."

Mounika entered the classroom very joyful. Uday thought, "It's not her birthday, it's not her sister's birthday, why is she so excited?"

Akanksha, sitting right next to her, asks, "Why are you so happy? Anything special?"

"Not really. You know how my sister's engaged but there was something that was postponing the marriage date? They fixed it! It's on the 12th of next month! I'm so excited!"

Uday seemed happy hearing that news, but he calmed himself down, a little too much. We are not being invited. I repeat, we are not being invited.

"Congrats Mounika! Please invite me, it's been ages since I saw a wedding. The last one I saw was my chacha's (uncle's) wedding, which was ten years ago."

"I'd fight for you darling, I can't live without you!"

Uday thought, Ugh, when will she say that to me?

As the cold air touched Mounika's cheeks, she saw Aakarsh out the window. "Darling, don't get too dreamy."

Mounika got out of her cinematic mode and rolled her eyes. Uday, on the other hand, just admired her, without looking out the door. She looks so cute when she gets annoyed. Aw!

And then it was lunch time. The time when a series of events happen. Every. Single. Day. 

First, Mounika lies that she forgot her spoon or her fork, and she brings Akanksha with her to the station at the back of the cafeteria, so that she can escape when Aakarsh, sitting right next to that station, catches her staring. Uday, wanting to get attention from Mounika, goes to the same station and sometimes even bumps into her. Aakarsh never caught Mounika, and Mounika never caught Uday. They both go back to their seats, disappointed.

All three groups have a discussion of what goes on. Mainly Akshay and Aakarsh. "She came today as well. Either she has amnesia or she really likes you, Aakarsh." 

"Or maybe she likes you, Mr. Akshay. Shut up and eat."

Next was Mounika's group. Everyday, Akanksha asked, "Will you ever stop playing around and actually muster your courage and tell him?"

"Probably in your next life." Mounika smirks.

And then there was Uday's group. His best friend, Anand, asks everyday, "Why do you like her so much? What's so special?" And Uday always says, "She never acts. She's always herself. I admire her personality." And Anand always smiles and eats his food. 

That night, Nishita came into Uday's room, slowly, without disturbing Uday, who looked like he was studying, but she realized that he was smiling. "Bhaiyya, what are you doing?"

Uday immediately closed the book and answered, "Um, nothing."

"Look, there's a big spider on your diary!" And Uday immediately goes to the diary, to find that Nishita tricked him to see what's in the book. 

She saw Mounika's name being written 64 times so far, numbered. "Bro, what is this?"

"Some baba (saint) said that if you write a person's name 108 times, they'd come to us."

Nishita was confused. "Bhaiyya, weren't you the one who shamelessly laughed at the priest who did our housewarming pooja when he said to do some other pooja's to get rid of problems? And you're the one following some saint? Stop being so crazy. If you want her bad enough, she'd come to you no matter what happens."

"True, but-"

"No 'but'. Mom's calling us for dinner."

"Fine, I'll change." Nishita leaves.

No matter what happens, I'll write this everyday. I need her in my life. I need her.