Stolen hearts

Secrecy is bliss

 "Thief  thief thief!" I heard a woman behind me yell as I was returning back home from college. What the hell, I thought to myself. Initially, I was confused but I grasped how serious the situation was when there were people who were ready to pounce on me. Then, I knew that I had to run instantly for my life. My brain told me "Bhag Kartik beta bhag, warna she is seriously going to get me beaten up" I ran faster and faster with the purse. Never in my wild dreams did I expect to get chased like this by a girl in my college and her gang. I ran for nearly half a mile. That is when I got exhausted and the people behind me got exhausted too. Then, I said "Madam and her girl gang, please stop chasing me. Trust me, I am not a thief. I respect women a lot and I can never steal their purses. I am the most well behaved boy in college. Ask my professors, they will tell you all about me"

The leader of the gang aka the "madam" then said "Oye Mendak (frog), stop your tar tar tar. I know you stole the purse. You are a thief"

"Excuse me madam, I didn't steal it. I can prove that I didn't steal it. Ladies and more ladies, open the purse. It has a picture of me. Actually not just a picture, a really handsome picture of me. Ladies, what do you think?

 Some of the young girls drooled over him. That is when madam had to step in and say "Hey, don't you dare stare at him. He is mine. I mean he is my lousy neighbor and he literally steals everything. When I was a kid, he stole my Kachoris and chocolates. In school, he stole my pencils and books. Now, he is in college and has become a professional thief. Look, he is stealing handbags. I am so unlucky that he always ends up being my classmate"

Kartik chuckled and said "Since you know everything, you should tell them whose handbag it is. Come on, Ma'am. Tell everyone whose handbag it is and what a really handsome picture of me doing in the handbag. Who is the lucky lady that has my handsome picture?"

Naughty Kartik then thought to himself "Mendak one and Sherni (lioness) Madam zero"

Madam then had nothing more to say but "Okay guys, thank you so much for helping me. I am going to handle him now. I know his mom very well and I will make sure he gets punished."

The ladies left.

Then Kartik said "Naira, what the heck was that? You accused me of stealing your purse. Thank goodness it had a picture of me. I would have got beaten badly and landed in jail had I not mentioned about the picture."

Naira replied "It was all a part of the challenge my dear Mendak. Anyways, stop constantly trying to call yourself handsome. Look at all the girls that were crushing on you. I am having a hard time controlling them."

Kartik replied "You should have told them that it was your purse and that you had a handsome picture of your lover in it. Anyways, I won this challenge and you lost. Sherni zero and Mendak one. Look Sherni, here I am standing in front of you and your plan to land me in jail was a flop."

"Nope Mendak, I won because I finally got you to run for half a mile. You ate so many Kachoris and you were becoming as fat and golu molu as the Kachoris you constantly gulp on"
Naira then gave a wet kiss on Kartik's cheek and said "this is what you get for stealing my heart along with all the other things"

"Dang bold sherni, what have you just done? I didn't know you couldn't control. We are on the middle of the road, control Sherni." Sherni roared and said "Mendak zero and Sherni one. Stop trying to call yourself handsome infront of the flock of sheep"

"Beautiful girls you mean" Kartik teased.

"Shut up Mendak" Naira said.

Kartik was about to return the kiss to Naira as according to the laws of Kaira's world, every action had an equal reaction. However, it was cut short by Naitik.

"Papa, you are here" Naira said.

"Of course princess, I wanted to give a ride back home from your college. Kartik beta, you join us. "

"Yuck Papa, I won't have a good ride if the ugly Mendak is sitting next to me. He always steals everything"

"Sure, I know how much hate your friend" Naitik murmured in a sarcastic tone. Naitik wouldn't have any of it and said "Princess, I have an eye cover. Cover your eyes. Kartik beta, you use the headphones and listen to music on them. Don't look at each other okay and please don't fight like three year old kids okay. Having said that, Naitik gave Kaira a ride back home. Naira and Kartik barely looked at each other but there was something that was connecting each other. It was their WhatsApp. Naira messaged "So, how did you like the challenge? You said I was a Bhegi Billi right and challenged me to do something out of the routine. So, this is what I did."

"Urgh Naira, I meant romance. I wanted you to think of new ways of expressing your love for me. You got me chased. I am upset"

"Even after the kissey?" Naira asked

"Yes"

"Then I know what exactly to do to make you cheer up. You have a big weakness"

"No no no, don't use my weakness Naira"

Kartik and his mom Saumya lived right next to the Singhania Sadan. Kartik's mom was almost like a family member to the Singhanias and the Maheshawaris. They always had pleasure talking to each other. Naitik too always made sure to give Kartik a ride back home every single day along with Naira.

But today something was unusual, Naira and Naitik both sensed it. It wasn't getting chased that made Kartik upset but it was something else. "What's wrong Kartik?" Naira instantly asked. Kartik said "12 years Naira. I can't believe it has been 12 years. I still remember that day very clearly. I am really really grateful Naira"

Naira said "Mendak, can we not talk about it? That was your past."

Naitik quietly said "I can understand how you feel Kartik."

So what was the incident that traumatized Kartik? What happened 12 years ago? How is Kartik and Naira's life like at college? What is Kartik's weakness ? What do Kaira do at night? To find out, read the second part of this story.