Loving you is no less than

playing with death,

If procured, I can survive.

If forfeit, I'll die..

-Arpita

-------***-------

"Iske crushes ki list to Great Wall of China se bhi lambi hai." Somu di entered into room with a tray of snacks in her hands. "Sorry for disturbing you both, but khali pet counseling kaise ho skti?" She kept the tray on the table nd took the seat beside me.

"Thanks for the snacks Bhabhi nd what were you saying? Crushes ki list?"

I signed her not to say anything further but she completely neglected me, "Iske crushes ki list har mahine badti rehti h! Nd what the funny thing is? Her list of crushes doesn't include anyone of her age!" She concluded nd a nice laughter spread across the room. Both Bhabhi nd Devar shared a good laugh, even I started blushing.

That's true that none of my crush is of my age. They are all elder than me!

Crazy?

I know!

"You know me so well na di!" I said sarcastically nd hit her arm playfully.

"Of course my love!" She winked.

"BTW!" He spoke so our attention turned towards him.

"Seeing your bond, I am curious to know that how insane you both were during your college days!"

When he mentioned college, my mind drove back to those golden memories spend inside that kingdom with numerous friends. Especially.. With Him..

He is my that treasure which even though I lost but it still brings smile on my face when I reminisce it.

Abruptly a feeling of guilt rushed into my heart, remembering that dark night of my life when without my wish I had to walk out of his life... By breaking his heart into million pieces..

"Aru?.." My thoughts split when Somu di called me while keeping her hand over my shoulder. "Haan?.." I blurted out. "Ky hua tuje? Kaha kho gyi thi?" (What happened to you? Where were you lost?) She asked with concern. I wiped the sweat on my forehead with my palm, "K-kuch.. K-uch nhi.. Va... Vo..co..college.. Ki yaad aagyi thi.." (Nothing.. Actually.. I remembered our college) I stammered like hell.. That's my weak point! When I'm about to cry or extremely sad I stutter like a child who forgot all the answers learnt for exams.

Di kept her hand over mine, I looked at her nd she gave me an eye bow indicating that she understood what I felt. "Areee? Why are u both silent? Com'on tell me!" I gulped down my uneasiness nd plastered a bright smile on my face, "Mai batati hu.." (Let me tell you)

"Mine nd Di's meeting was really unexpected nd unforgettable..."

After finishing my remaining assignment in the canteen during break I was ready to head back to my classroom. While stepping out of the door my eyes fell on a shining thing. I went near it nd found that it was a diamond pendant!

I picked it up nd thought who's it could be? "Kiska ho skta h? It seems so expensive!.. Jiska b hoga that person must be so tensed.."

Break!

"Wait! Iske aage ka mai bataungi!"

"Okay fine.."

"Why do everything has to be so difficult for me? Idk where the heck I lost that pendant!" I was going insane while searching my pendant.

"Oh god! I can't lose it.. Its my first gift from Samar.."

"Samar had gifted you a pendant? That too 6yrs ago!"

"Sanam!! Don't break the link! I'll tell you that later okay.."

"Okay.."

Flashback again:- I searched that pendant everywhere in classroom but didn't find it, so I thought to go to the canteen where I was a couple of minutes ago. I rushed to canteen nd accidentally bumped on someone who was standing near the door, "Oh! I'm sorry.." I apologized nd before glancing at that person I rushed in.

I searched entire canteen nd also asked few abt my pendant but failed. "Are you searching this?" Someone asked while holding a pendant near my ear.

Its mine!

"Yeah! That's my pendant!" I quickly held it in my palm. I felt so relieved. I kissed it's diamond .

"Thank you so much!" I finally looked at the one who returned my life to me. It was a girl who was wearing a simple sleeveless floral light green dress with open hair. She was an inch or two shorter than me but her height suits her personality. Her eyes were dark brown just like dark chocolate with a beautiful smile on her rosy lips.

"Your welcome!" She replied kindly.

"Hi.. I'm Soumya! Soumya Singh.." I forwarded my hand to her for a handshake. She accepted, "Hi.. I'm Arpita Arora.." She introduced herself.

"BTW how did you know that this pendant belonged to me?"

"Honestly saying... It was damn easy.. When I found this pendant I realized that it is very expensive.. Nd itni pyari nd expensive cheez agar kho jaye.. To kisi ki bhi halat kharab ho jayegi.. Nd luckily when you bumped with me I thought that this must be yours as you were searching something so desperately.. So bas.." She shrugged with a cute smile.

"Thank you so much sweetheart.. You don't have any idea how important this pendant is for me!" I held her hand nd thanked her again.

"Are its fine.. Nd it seems like this pendant must be gifted to you by someone special.." She winked nd that made me blush. I nodded but didn't tell the special one's name neither she asked. "Are you a fresher?" I asked her. "Yeah.. Nd you seem to be my senior.."

"Ah han.. Beauty with brain!" She blushed this time after my compliment to her. "Yeah I'm your senior nd its my last year in this college.."

"Okay.. Seems to be like we met at a good point.." We both chuckled. End of the flashback.

"So this is how we met nd then our friendship became more stronger day by day. She became my lil sister which I always wished to have nd I became her ideal elder sister which she needed at that tym." Soumya di explained him.

Our interaction was I guess one of the best things happened with me during my college days. When she left the college my dad had paralysis attack nd she guided me like an elder sis but soon things changed as she had to leave for Mumbai nd then we never met again. Moreover after her departure my life was no less than a rollercoaster ride. Thankfully we met again on that Holly day!

"Woah! Your encounter with each other was really unforgettable.." He chuckled. "Nd Arpita! Thank you for helping her in finding that pendant gifted by my brother.." He said to me, I smiled.

"Are.. Be thankful to your brother for giving it to me.. Otherwise how it would have lost? And if it wouldn't have lost then she would not have found it, nd if she wouldn't have found it we would not have been sitting together here nd chatting!" As soon as she completed me nd Sanam sir started laughing together thinking how grateful we should be to Samar jiju, di also joined us. Atmosphere of the room turned into fun nd enjoyable.

"Bt ek baat to hai!" Di stated.

"What?" Me nd Sanam sir said in unison.

"Humari Aaru ka vaise to baki chizo me dimg thoda kam chalta h except studies but... when you talk about spying... She can even bit Sherlock Holmes!" She teased me, I whined like a 5 yr old, "Diiiiii.." I pout.

"Then if you wasn't a psychologist... You would be a spy!" Mr. Puri exclaimed which made me stunned.

"Detective Arpita Bakshi!" Di added nd they both started laughing except me.

Fine! Both Bhabhi and Devar wanna pull my leg.. Then let me show them my way of answering.. *wicked smile*

"I guess it's time to reveal my real identity.." I acted as if my secret was almost revealed.

"Real identity?" They both said in unison.

"Actually... I'm... Uhhh.. Leave it!"

"Tell us Aaru.. What are you talking about?" Di asked me to continue.

"I'm not a psychologist!" I said in a breath with closed eyes..

There was pin drop silence in the room, I firstly opened my right eye nd saw both of their expressions. They had there jaws yanked. I opened my both eyes nd somehow controlled my laughter. Suddenly they both started laughing and that confused me.

Lagta hai bas itne se kaam nhi chalega.. Thoda or masala add krna hoga..

"I'm not lying! Mai sacchi me psychologist nhi hu.." I said more seriously. "Yeah we know.. Tu psychologist nhi, khud ek psycho hai!" Di said btwn her laughs nd Mr. Hasmukh Puri burst out laughing really hard. I pout at her, "You guys think I'm joking? I'm not! I'm really a spy.. If you don't believe me then you only think how all of sudden we both met after 6 yrs?"

They both stopped laughing nd exchanged a look, "Tu sach bol rhi hai?" Di asked again. I nodded. They both were shocked nd were tongue tied. Seeing their expressions I couldn't control myself any longer nd burst out laughing like a maniac.

They both were looking at me hopelessly, " I know I'm an amazing actor!... Tabse dono Devar-Bhabhi meri leg pulling kr rhe the.. Ab maine mazak kiya to samjh nhi aya?" Chuckled. They both left a breath of relief, "1min ke liye to sach mai aisa laga k tu... Uff! Dramebaaz ladki!" She slapped my arm playfully as we all giggled.

"BTW.. You didn't tell us that how Sammy gave you that pendant?" Sanam sir reminded her. "Oh yeah! When I asked you, you said someone special gifted it.. You were talking about jiju?" She smiled brightly nd we both got our answer.

"But how did you and Samar meet 6 yrs ago? I always thought it was dad who made you both meet 5 yrs ago nd that's how you both got married."

"Actually.. We hide it from both the families.. Me and Samar met six years ago when you guys (Band) came to Delhi for a concert. I accidentally bumped with him in the hotel where you all were stayed. Our first interaction was really magical.. Like.. There was a kind of connection between us.. Which I guess both of us felt... Nd you know how killer your brother's eyes are!!.." She tried to hide her blush on her cheeks but to no avail.

"What happened next?" Me nd Mr. Puri said together. Di smiled, "I was spellbind by his personality nd charm. He asked me if was hurt or something.. He is a complete gentleman nd that what's made me fall for him. Next day when I went to the concert we again met during the meet & greet session. There I saw that how many girls go gaga over him.." She chuckled before continuing, "There again our eyes caught each other's."

"How romantic!" I commented.

She blushed then began, "I rushed to take his autograph, when he was busy in giving me his autograph I quietly dropped a card in his guitar bag."

"Card? Which card?" He asked.

"It consisted... Uhhh.. My number.." She told shyly. I was shocked! Literally shocked. So does Mr. Puri. "You left your mobile number for Samar Puri!" My heart was thumping crazily.

Hats off to you di!

"Haan toh? Aise thodi Mrs. Samar Puri bani hu!" She joked. "Fir kya hua?" Sanam sir asked. I call him 'sir' even in my mind! Haha..

"Fir... Usi raat muje ek unknown number se call aya.. My heart was saying that its him.. Nd I was correct. He called! Soon we became friends, even when you all left for Mumbai we used to talk daily. He tried to meet me at least once in a month... Everything went so quickly that we didn't realize when we both became an inseparable part of each other's lives.. One day he proposed me. Nd I said.."

"Yes?" I cut her off.

"No!"

"What? Why?" Confusingly.

"I mean.. I didn't say yes. I said to him that firstly he need to talk with my parents.."

"Oooo" me nd Mr. Puri said together.

"Hmm.. Then when he again came back to Mumbai.. Mummy-Papa I mean his parents were already searching for his bride."

"Siyappa!" I blurted.

"Hahaha.. You will be shocked what he did after knowing it!" She excitingly said.

Aisa kya kiya jiju ne?