*Akhila Pov*
When it was lunch break I got up along with Rani and Zakeer only after we saw that Khushal walked outside.
We three were slowly walking outside the class and saw that he is walking in the opposite direction to the canteen as always.
I gripped the keys in my hand and took a deep breath. With that I ran towards him and placed the keys in his hand.
"I am sorry about morning." I mumbled and it felt déjà vu but I just rushed near Rani and Zakeer.
We started literally running when I heard him shout "Wait!"
I groaned and decided to continue with my running but stopped thinking I really can't ignore his third call too.
"Yes?" I asked turning around.
He calmly walked towards me and placed his keys in my hand. I was about to ask him why but he just walked away just like that.
"Why did he return them?" Zakeer asked me.
"Oh he gave me the reason but I forgot it." I replied sarcastically.
"Cool Akhila!" He said raising his hands.
I sighed and we three walked inside the canteen towards our friends. When I spotted Ri sitting alone I walked towards her instead.
"Give these back to him and apologize." I said placing the keys on the table.
"What? Why should I Di?" She asked frowning.
"Because you did this stupid thing not me." I replied.
"I didn't." She said shaking her head.
"You did! And accept it Ritika." I heard someone saying and that is not me.
I turned to see four guys standing behind me. I looked at them confused and then remembered that I saw one of them before.
"What?" Ri and I asked at a time.
"Yeah! You did a stupid thing and you even decided to get me involved in it." One guy said glaring at her.
"Excuse me? Who are you to say anything to my sister? Leave from here right now." I said glaring at him.
"Why do I always say stupid things infront of her sisters?" He mumbled to himself and walked away along with his friends.
"Don't worry Di! I know how to deal with them." Ri said and placed the keys in my hand.
I was about to protest but she just walked towards those guys table. Why is everyone placing the keys back in my hand and walking away?
"So Akhila, will you dance in the fresher's party?" Ramya asked when I walked near my friends.
"No! I will not and it is this weekend right?" I asked her or confirmation.
"It is! And all the preparations are over." Zakeer replied.
"Princi even said that we are doing good work." Ramya added and I nodded at her.
Our Principal is way cooler than anyone and nothing like Hades. But why is Khushal just keeping on calling Princi and that too his father Hades.
Thinking about Khushal I just need to give him his keys as soon as possible.
*Ritika Pov*
"So I am stupid right?" I asked Kalyan standing infront him.
"Just accept that you were at that time. I mean who does that and that too with Khushal." He said shaking his head.
"You know him?" I asked him frowning and then added "Experience?"
"What? No way! But I have heard the stories about him." He replied glaring at me.
"Chill Kalyan! Today is the day we need to be happy." Ram said rolling his eyes.
"Why?" I asked turning my attention to Ram.
"As we are playing basket ball representing our college and we needed a court for practice. Princi said he will get the old court ready after the freshers party." Ram replied excitingly.
"And then you guys will play competing with other colleges?" I asked him smiling.
"Ye.." he was about to reply but Kalyan cut him off saying "She doesn't need to know everything about us."
"Actually I need to know everything about my boyfriend." I said rolling my eyes.
"I am not your boyfriend." Kalyan said looking at me like I am crazy.
"Who are talking about you? I am talking about Sid here." I said looking at him back like he is crazy.
"Oh!" that's all he said like he just remembered that.
"So boyfriend, when am I going to see that lucky girl?" I asked turning to Sid who is actually lost in his thoughts looking to his right.
I followed his gaze and saw a girl who is talking to her friends very excitingly. I calmly observed her and can say only one thing about her.
And that is she is girly like completely girly. The way she is blowing on her nails or touching up her face and that too in a canteen.
I immediately had the vision of her walking with two girls on either side of her. I shook my head removing that image.
I need to ask Kritika stop making me watch those chick flicks. I turned towards Sid and saw that puppy love look on it.
"She is your crush?" I asked him again hoping that he says no.
"Yes! Isn't she the most beautiful girl in this world?" He asked sighing.
"That she is but with makeup as package." I mumbled to myself.
But when I heard snickering I realized that I said it out loud. Seriously Kritika! How many other habits will you get attached to me?
Except Sid the guys are chuckling and Sid is just having an expression like he is dying of heart attack.
"Don't sulk! Like I said I will help you but within limits. I already told my conditions to Kalyan ask him." Saying that I walked towards my table and continued waiting for Khushi and Anita.
"So how is practice?" I asked them when walked inside the canteen and sat beside me.
"It went great! I can't believe that we are dancing in the fresher's party." Anita said excitingly.
"And I am nervous wreck." Khushi said groaning.
"What? Why?" I asked her confused.
"This is all because of you." She suddenly accused me.
"What did I do?" I asked her confused.
"You were the one who made me accept to do a performance." She replied shocked like she couldn't believe that I forgot that.
"You have been eating my ears saying that you want to dance from morning. And I just said that 'Yeah you should'. So what I do not understand is from what angle did I make you accept?" I asked her raising my eyebrow.
"Just accept that you made me do this Ri. I will feel better thinking that it is because of you and not because of my stupidity if I get humiliated myself on the stage." Khushi said pleading.
"Ok Khushi! I am the reason you are actually going to give a performance." I said and she smiled.
But I am not finished so I continued to say "I am the reason for you to join MECH. I am the reason for you to join this college. I am the reason for you to get such good marks. And I am the reason to... well that's enough I guess."
I stopped when I saw the furious expression on her face. I pulled her cheeks and said "Such a sweet friend I am to you right?"
She couldn't help herself and burst out laughing forgetting all the nervousness. I smiled at her and saw that Anita gave me a pointed look telling me she understood what I did.
We three continued to talk and I glanced around to see Kritika with a sulking expression and her friends just talking on and on. I can definitely see the teasing smiles on their faces.
And then saw that girl but immediately looked away thinking to do all the thinking later and spoil my present mood.
*Akhila Pov*
After lunch break I placed his keys on his bench and sat beside Rani but my hopes got damped when he returned those placing them on my bench.
I tried to give it to him in middle of the classes too but he just returned them everytime. Slowly this made Rani and Zakeer think all this as some funny thing.
So they forgot to worry and enjoyed my struggle. Even Ramya teased me in the lunch break.
I had enough so when the final bell rang and we all walked outside I walked near him with determination.
"Here take them and do not return them." Saying that I placed the keys in his hands and walked away towards Kritika and Ri.
"Di I need to go to Sanjay's house now and he said he will drop me saying I will again not get tutored today giving some excuses." Saying that Kritika walked away towards some bike.
"Who is Sanjay?" I asked Ri confused.
"You forgot? Our neighbor guy Di." Ri replied.
"He is her tutor? Why didn't she tell me?" I asked frowning.
"Relax Di! He became her tutor yesterday only." She replied and I nodded.
"Did she say 'his house'? How can she go there and that too alone?" I asked her worried when we started walking out and from there we will go on our own ways.
"Di! She can take care of herself and I will be in the house right. I will keep an eye on his house. Don't worry too much." Ri said smiling.
"How can I not? I am your sister." I said smiling back.
"You are the best sister in the world." She said side hugging me.
I immediately tensed hearing that. No Akhila you can't think about that. You are fine for all these months right so just stop thinking about it and forget it.
"You three are best than me." I said and we both turned when we felt that someone is following us.
And that person is none other than Khushal. Ritika smiled sweetly at him and he glared at her and I just looked at them in confusion.
*Kritika Pov*
"What are you waiting for?" I asked looking at Sanjay who is taking his sweet time to start driving.
"Nothing!" he replied smiling and drove us towards his house.
When I entered I saw that it is locked and turned to see him taking out his keys. I looked at him in panic.
"There is no one in the house?" I asked him.
"No! Mom has to attend some function so she will be here after few hours. Come in!" He said unlocking the door.
"No! We will sit here only." I said flopping myself on the ground before he could say anything.
"What?" he asked me confused.
"I will not go inside alone with you when no one is around. Now sit here and teach me." I replied coolly.
He glared at me but I didn't budged. He finally sighed and sat infront of me. He slowly started teaching me the easy chapters.
After one hour his friends called him telling him that they are going to come here so he decided to stop for today.
I thanked him and walked out of his compound and entered my house. He just shook his head smiling and went inside.
What? I care about my safety and I don't care what someone thinks about the measures I take for that safety of mine.
*Akhila Pov*
"Here!" He said placing the keys in my hand.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked him with frustrated voice.
"I lost them at your home and I will find them at your home." He replied shrugging making Ri and me look at him in shock.
"Shall we?" he asked and started walking towards our house direction.
Ri and I sighed and walked with him. Ri suddenly started grinning looking at both of us.
"So Khushal, how is your day?" Ri asked and both Khushal and I glared at her.
I glared at him immediately for glaring at her and he finally stopped glaring.
"Am I smiling sweetly Khushal?" Ri asked and indeed smiling sweetly.
He was about to glare at her but I immediately gave him a look and he looked ahead.
"I am smiling Khushal and I am not even Kritika. It is awesome isn't it?" She asked and sighed.
She really has a death wish on her head. I turned towards her and said "Be quiet Ri. You don't want him to get anymore anger than he is already right?"
"Why Di? I am just teasing him and he is not some monster to eat me alive. Do you think he is monster Di?" She asked teasingly.
Immediately I felt Khushal's accusing stare and I looked at him shaking my head. I sighed in relief when we finally reached our house and Ri just dashed inside bidding her 'Bye'.
"Take them." I said placing the keys in his hand.
Thank god! He finally took them and placed them to his bike. I am surprised that his bike is still here and not stolen.
I turned and started walking away to get some transport and reach the company as I may get late.
He stopped beside me making me stop and gestured behind him. I contemplated but finally sat behind him.
"I know I shouldn't have decided something for you like yesterday without your consent. I will not do that again." He said calmly and I just stared his back in shock.
"It's ok and I am sorry about today morning." I said finally realizing that I should say something.
"And thanks for not saying anything to Ritika." I added because if he had then I would have lashed at him.
"I know she did it for you and wanted to have some fun. Even if I said something I know you would have killed me." He said making me look at his back in shock again.
After the work is over he dropped me back but stopped me when I started walking away asking "Am I really a monster?"
"No!" I simply replied and walked inside to see Ri and Kritika studying.
I started cooking immediately as I really got late today and they both just smiled saying I shouldn't worry about it.
We three had our dinner having our general chatter and went back to our own rooms. I lay down on my bed and smiled remembering how he asked regarding him being a monster.