Eyes weren't moving off the phone when the clock started ticking for eleven times. By now, half of the trial must have been done already. Sakshi's heart had started to fight the gravity.

Continuously checking the news, the headlines, the time—she had lost the appetite at not finding any updates. She had thought about sending a Good luck message to Shrey in the morning, but the safety reasons made her back up from the idea.

Now all she could do was wait for the result. She had been praying continuously in her heart, by all her might, reminding that God about how this was the case of a soul she couldn't live this life without.

"Sakshi, have some fries at least. Fasting is not going to do any better. You will have to be all active to see him all smiles after the decision," encouraged Aarush while sliding the plate full of fries and a burger in front of her.

Aditi observed the tension on her friends' face, noticing how the day wasn't any better in her life. Sakshi's problem would forever surround her days unless Aarush stop caring about her. Yet her own heart would melt up at the sight of Sakshi worrying about that guy.

Even an insane man could conclude that she loved him.

Aditi shook her head in thought, wondering that poor professor was better than this guy being all framed as a rapist. Even if he would win the case, the facts would surround his life anyway.

Sakshi looked away from the plate, gulping slightly. The churning in her stomach wasn't going away. Everytime she would blink, Shrey being proven as guilty would flash in her mind.

Taking a deep breath, she got up. "I need to know what's going on," she said while putting her pen and notepads inside her bag. Picking her phone and hanging her bag on her shoulder, she gave the couple a last look.

"Aditi," pleaded Aarush, giving her a face that said everything would be alright if only she could stay positive. "You need to calm down. We all can go to the court if you want. . ."

Aditi raised her eyebrows at his words and looked back at Sakshi who seemed interested somehow. But then, she shook her head. "No, he had told me to not. It's risky. There will be his family members. They can recognize me, especially his elder cousin," she replied.

"Then, what can I do?" Aarush groaned. "Your brother's going to hang me up if you get to faint-"

"Aarush, I am fine. I am just. . ." She closed her eyes, breathing slowly. "I will just go spend some time in library. I need some peace," she said, shrugging her shoulders and turning around without even giving them a glance.

In a sky blue top with a white pant, she was glowing in the mild sunlight among the crowd in the cafeteria. Her long black hair were in big waves, reminding Aditi that she hadn't cared for them well this time in utter worry.

"Do you think, he will be saved?" She asked her boyfriend while staring at her retreating back.

Aarush sighed, lowering his eyes and picked up his half-eaten burger. "It all depends if Shrey wants to be saved," he said while looking up at Sakshi's disappearing form. "For me, I think he really has got so many reasons to wish so."

_______

Stomping inside the library, Sakshi finally felt some coolness filling her mind. Walking towards the racks, she sighed slowly. No matter how much she had try to distract herself, her mind would again find it's way to Shrey's case.

All of sudden, her phone rang loudly, startling everyone in the hall. "Fuck," she muttered, while glancing at the screen.

Bhabhi

She closed her eyes, shaking her head. Of course, she would be wanting to know about how she was doing today. She wished it was that explainable. But it wasn't.

Rejecting the call, she put the phone on vibration and pushed it inside her pocket. Going towards the literature section, she went through the famous names. For any other person, she was a curious student looking for a new novel. But deep inside, her soul was begging for some mercy from that God.

Walking absentmindedly, she didn't even look at most of the names. For even once if she got to know that the fifty one per cent of the case in Shrey's favour, she might be at peace for sometime. How would he be dealing with all the questions?

Those accusations could again remind him of giving up his life. No, that couldn't happen. She should really listen to Aarush and stay positive about this. Shrey was innocent and he had to be proven innocent, anyhow.

"Ouch," she winced while stabling her steps and staggering back after bumping into the person who was groaning hard.

Shame reached her ears when the person in front of her was none other than the geek her Tai ji was crazy for.

"Miss Rathore," escaped his mouth, as he slightly bent to pick up the books that had fallen.

But before he could do, Sakshi reached for them, picked up the other three too and straightened up. "I am really very sorry," she bit her tongue, feeling her face warming up. She had literally just bumped her whole body into him like a dumb. "I wasn't watching. I hope, I didn't hurt you."

Kabir rubbed his shoulder while offering his hands for the books. She handed them politely, lowering her eyes. "I am fine," he said, correcting the position of his specs that had changed during the bump. "Are you?"

Her face tinted red as she wiped her cheeks in embarrassment. "I. . . I am fine. I was just so into the names," she covered up, her eyes lowering again.

But just as they fell on the floor, she caught his phone. Bending down, she picked it up from near her feet, smiling when she saw the wallpaper on the screen. Kabir was smiling a very pretty smile, standing near a bridge. It looked as if it was a dam in the background with all that water. Beside him we're standing his parents.

A man who looked so similar, almost an older version of him, fair and handsome and the woman was pretty with dark complexion.

"That must be my phone," he said when she slowly raised up and handing him. The smile wasn't leaving her face to which Kabir smiled back. "So, where were you lost?"

Sakshi blinked, almost forgetting what he was talking about. "Ah," she smiled nervously. "Just some concerns. Nothing much."

His one eyebrow raised on fleek, catching her attention. "If it hadn't been much, you wouldn't have bumped into the person you hate the most."

Sakshi widened her eyes, feeling guilt spreading in her chest. "Oh my God, Mr. Nair. Please don't say that," she squeezed her eyes in utter embarrassment, remembering how she treated him at the terrace that night and in the class when she playing the Rathore role so well.

"Of course, I would say that." Kabir chuckled. "You aren't the only person who hates me, anyway. I am a frustrated, boring professor. Aren't I?" He smiled.

Sakshi smiled sadly. "That's not true. You know that."

Kabir breathed slowly, observing her dark eyes. "What were you searching anyway?" He looked at the section's label. "Romance?"

Sakshi couldn't help with the goofy smile that appeared on her face.

"Typical," he commented.

Her eyes fell on the books he was holding. "As if you aren't standing in this section," she said.

Kabir smirked, pointed at the other label. "Mystery," he said, earning her interest. "But having four already, I wanted to get fifth one for my niece. She is studying literature, lives in South India. Only books are what keeping her intrigued to not ask for going back home," he chuckled.

"That can't be true," Sakshi smiled. "Show her the glaciers."

Kabir nodded. "We were thinking about it but if I leave, who is going to teach you then."

"Well, that's something to take care of." She laughed, when he shrugged his shoulders and bowed dramatically. Her eyes fell on the books on the shelf that Kabir had started to look for the fifth one. "So, you have a big brother?"

Kabir clicked his tongue. "Cousin, of course. From my mother's side."

Her eyebrows raised as she wondered, "Your parents had a love marriage?"

Kabir nodded. "Mom's from Kerala. Met my father when he was there for some internship. Both mingled and the first intercaste, inter-religion, first love marriage happened," he smiled, somehow proudly. "And I am the result of encouragement, this daring couple received."

Sakshi laughed in utter adoration. "That's amazing. But wait, so your father's Punjabi? Bhatia Aunty's brother?"

Kabir nodded. "Yeah. Mr. Kehar Chopra. But I like using my mom's surname. It kinda suits more. Don't you think?"

Sakshi picked up one of the books, nodding thoughtfully. "Yes, it really does." She bit her lip, thinking how she should convey the message to him. "Um, hey."

He looked back at her, blinking softly. She smiled. "That gift, the scented candle. . ." Her smile faded just as Kabir looked away awkwardly.

She too gulped slowly and completed, "That was so thoughtful of you. And I wanted to tell you that I have accepted the apology. But I too wanted to apologise. . ."

Kabir looked back at her, his lips partying. Her eyes observed the way he pushed his specs back up his nose.

"It wasn't your fault that my family was forcing me on this marriage proposal. I judged you so immediately, which was so wrong. I was rude and arrogant, said hurtful things to you. I mean, there could be many reasons why you were agreeing to the proposal. But none of them couldn't be to hurt me. Right?"

She looked down at the book she had just chosen. "Its just I am not ready for such a big thing to happen in my life. When the God would really be wanting it to happen, it will happen on it's own. Even if I might be against it. It will just happen," she said, meeting his eyes.

"Whatever happened between us, I want to apologise for that. The rash behavior, the insults. I am not that kind of a person but I did it to drain my anger, absentmindedly. Or maybe, knowingly."

Kabir cleared his throat, observing her face turning sadder by each second.

"I have gone through heartbreaks, Mr. Nair. And I understand how bad you would have felt when I asked for rejecting the proposal. I want you to know that by no means I did that because of you. I just wasn't ready with the idea. And I don't hate you," she said quietly.

"But of course, I would never accept anyone bad mouthing my family, so I won't take back what I said for their protection. I am a Rathore. Aren't I?" She said, giggling when she saw him rolling his eyes.

"Yes, of course." He blinked, his smile turning tighter by each second. "Everything is fine now. And I am glad to know, that you don't hate me."

She chuckled but it all turned awkward when he suddenly asked, "Can I hope for this proposal thing to reopen anytime in the future?"

She sucked in a slow breath, raising her gaze to see so much hope in his eyes that she didn't want to break. "I don't know," she truthfully answered.

He smirked slightly. "That's better than a 'No'."

She smiled goofily, turning around slowly. "Though, neither Chopra nor Nair would suit my name. It isn't hopeful at all then," she teased while finally turning around and walking away.

Kabir corrected the position of his specs and bit his lip. "I would change mine to Rathore, if that's possible." He grinned, making her laugh and turn her head at him.

"Have a great day, Mr. Nair." She said, shaking her head and walking away with a smile on her face.

Kabir took the support of the shelf, breathing hard as the natural forces of attraction had awakened him from each part of his skin. He was warm all along, not believing that she went so cool on talking about their wedding.

"A great day, indeed."

_________

"What do you think?"

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P. S. Another update ahead. 💕