"Woah, what happened to her?"

Aditi glanced at Sakshi, silently asking her if she should tell Aarush what happened last night. But giving her no reaction, Sakshi looked away and sat on her seat quietly.

Aarush taking the chance, sat beside Aditi, asking her again.

"I will tell you, later." She told him.

Aarush twitched his lips as the professor had already arrived and he couldn't afford talking and thrown out early morning by Mr. Kabir. But he won't deny, how in worry his mind wasn't working. He didn't know with in a night, what could go wrong with Sakshi.

Her eyes were bloodshot and tired, there were bags under them. She looked sick and unhappy.

On top of that, Mr. Kabir teaching actively as if nothing was more important than learning his subject today, was annoying. Aarush didn't want to concentrate and think more about possibilities of why Sakshi was sad. But Mr. Nair had planned to lull him greatly by his booming voice.

Between the lecture, the professor's eyes fell upon Sakshi and Aarush couldn't help but look at her immediately. With narrowed eyes, he observed how she was looking down at her notes and quietly writing what the professor was saying.

He looked back at the professor, perfectly noticing the curiousity in his eyes. A smile curved Aarush's lips as he thought, if this guy was that interested in Sakshi's life, did he play a good stalker and found out about who the guy was last day that Sakshi was hugging, burning the professor's ass.

From which, a sudden of glimpse of Ronnie Shekhawat being angry at them, flashed in his mind. Aarush thought deeply, could he be jealous of that guy? But why would he be? He never liked Sakshi that much. He just wanted to molest her two times. This wasn't something backed by feelings.

But Shrey was such a handsome guy too. Watching him hugging Sakshi wasn't a pleasant sight for all those who had crushes on her. Many dreams must have been crushed, he knew and smiled to himself. He was happy that the professor got to know his place and might get a hint that he had no place in her life. Same goes with Ronnie.

But Shrey. . .

Oh God, was it something related to Shrey that Sakshi looked like this today? Aarush looked back at her and observed her. Her hand on her notes and other on her cheek as if wanting to hide her face. Her eyes were down because she was scared to show her emotions.

She was affected.

It was Shrey, he understood. But what could go wrong within one night? For all he knew, they were spending quite the luxury time together in the fort. Sakshi was happy for him, and he was happy to be with her.

Aarush felt like his stomach was flipping from such suspense. God, how could someone wait for the two hours to get over. His ass had started to ache from sitting flat and ignoring Mr. Kabir who would smirk here and there at nerdy girls, telling the class he had his charms set.

Rolling his eyes, Aarush opened his notebook and started making notes, finally giving in to the moment to distract himself. Or he would die out of utter suspense.

The lecture was over finally but Mr. Nair wanted to own this classroom. Aarush gritted his teeth when he didn't move from the table and kept staring at Sakshi, watching her stepping down the stairs slowly.

His eyebrows were furrowed in confusion at seeing her behavior today. "Miss Rathore?"

Aarush could swear, he wanted to strangle the guy. Before anyone, he had the right to know what was wrong with his best friend.

"Stay for a minute."

Aarush glared at the professor who couldn't keep his eyes off his best friend as she looked up at him and sighed heavily. Without any usual moody face, she stayed aside.

Aditi pushed at Aarush's back, making him move out of the class. "She will be fine."

"What's wrong with her?"

Aditi sighed, stepping away from the corridor and taking him to a nearby seat. "I myself don't know. But I heard her crying in the night. I came to her room, asked her what's wrong. She didn't explain but said that, it's always her own fault."

"Is it something related to Shrey?"

Aditi stared at him as if he didn't know about it. "Didn't you see her poker face in the car? Shrey too looked like a kid with those clenched jaws and driving fast. Something did happen between them."

Aarush twitched his lips. "To an extent that she would cry to sleep? That's bizarre."

Aditi shrugged her shoulders. "See if the professor has the same views," she smirked.

_______

"You look utterly sad," he commented, unfolding his arms while observing her.

Sakshi wanted to cry her eyes out, at the frustration she felt. Even when now everything was right, something bad had to happen.

"I am fine," her voice came out a bit raspy that hadn't settled from crying last night.

Kabir's eyebrows raised. "I don't want to be nosy but I don't want to be ignorant too. Is it anything in which I could help?"

Sakshi shook her head, looking up at him. "You can only make it worst, Mr. Nair."

His lips twitched. "What?"

She smiled sadly and walked ahead, reaching just one step away from him, making him crazy. Looking in his grey eyes, she collected her lips.

"Have you ever loved anyone so much that it hurts?"

Goosebumps risen on Kabir's skin as he looked at her in shock.

"Tell me," she whispered.

Kabir wanted to make a move out of this by flirting a little. But she seemed hell serious which made him think of the guy she was with yesterday. His fists tightened.

"No," he said. "But I think I am falling for someone. And it hurts already seeing her ignoring me."

It wouldn't take even a foolish person to conclude that he was talking about her. Sakshi chuckled humorlessly. "Why do everyone thinks that I am ignoring them? When in real, it's them who push me to do so."

"I have apologized for my behavior," said Kabir, looking in her dark eyes that screamed pain.

"Why did you have to be cocky?" She blinked, her eyes glistening all of a sudden that had shocked him. "Why couldn't you be a decent guy whom I had said yes the first time? I could have moved on easily."

Kabir's heart thumped loudly as he realized something.

"We can still marry each other?"

Sakshi shook her head, observing his beautiful face. "We can't. Because my heart," she pointed at her chest. "It never lies to me. It says the truth," she choked out. "It just tells me what I want and how difficult it is get what I want." Her voice cracked.

She blinked, wiping a tear that had fallen and made him frown. She turned around and was walking away when he grabbed her wrist.

"Sakshi, I can be the comfort that you crave. Just give me a chance?"

She chuckled helplessly. "Chance? Such an easy word for people to ask. No one knows if the person had his or her heart left inside the chest to give that chance. It's not that easy," she choked out. "It's not that easy, Mr. Nair."

"What is wrong? Tell me. I can talk to your family again, arrange things again. We can try again." He pleaded.

She turned around and this time, stared at him with wide eyes. Anger surfaced her face as she pointed her finger at him. "Don't you dare do that," she warned him through gritted teeth. "Just because I am troubled, doesn't mean that I have forgotten how creepy you had been."

"Was it that bad to be excited about your future when all your life you have been an introvert?" He asked scoldingly.

Sakshi ignored him and was about to turn around when he still didn't leave her wrist.

"It's that guy. Isn't it? That guy with the car? How great it would be if I tell your big brother about it and ask him only?"

Sakshi's eyes widened in sudden horror as her heart reached her throat.

"You love him that much that it hurts," he taunted. "So, it has been him who is coming in between me and you."

She looked back at him and covered his hand on her wrist. "It's not him," she smiled nonetheless. "It's you, Mr. Kabir Nair. And dare ask my brother about it, you'll lose the chance to marry me forever."

Kabir's quirky smile faded immediately. His jaws clenched when she removed his hand from hers.

"I am glad I didn't move on from him. God sent him back because we were meant to be," she smiled, burning him to the core. "And whether I cry or laugh, you should keep your nose away from my business, Professor."

"You might get hurt," she said while walking away from him and could hear a loud punch on the table, that only made him breathe in horror.

______

The bell rang continuously. Aarush was about to cut the call when somebody picked up.

"Shrey?"

"Who's this, dear?" Came a polite feminine voice.

Aarush gulped and immediately responded. "I am Aarush. Shrey's friend. He was with me last night. We celebrated and then, he is not replying to my calls and messages. May I know where is he? I am quite worried for him."

"Aarush," the woman repeated. "How do you know my son?"

Aarush's lips parted. "Namaste Aunty ji. We met just two weeks ago. I am a college student and we met at a chemist's shop. We talked and he said, my brother was in his class." He made up and cringed at lying so stupidly. "Where is he, Aunty? Is he alright?"

He heard a heavy breathe.

"Oh dear, he hasn't woke up since last night."

Aarush's eyes narrowed in shock as he immediately turned away from Aditi absentmindedly and asked, "Wait. Why? What happened?" His heart beats had fastened.

"He-He was happy when he arrived last night. He said that he had great time. He didn't do the dinner because he was already full. He then went to his room. In the morning, I went to wake him up but he wouldn't," his mother choked out. "We called his doctor and took him to the hospital. He got an anxiety attack last night, dear."

Aarush's eyes stunned as the flash from the chemist's shop actually came in his mind.

"The doctor's said, his heart rates aren't fine. His breathing is intense. He was happy last day. I don't know what caused this. Doctors say, it could be a nightmare or something else. . ."

"I am coming," he said immediately. "The hospital name?"

It was the same where Sakshi went to earlier to stalk him. Aarush hung up right after telling her that everything would be fine.

"What happened?" Aditi seemed uncertain.

Aarush shook his head in utter shock. "I need to go. Shrey isn't well but he'll be fine. I will tell you on the phone later, but listen, don't tell anyone about it. With anyone, I mean-"

"Sakshi," she nodded, earning a kiss from him on the cheek, that had her shook to the core.

Aarush was rushing towards the parking lot to get to his car that made Aditi hell serious.

Shrey wasn't really well.

______

Kabir glared at the front in utter anger. His blood was boiling from the incident that happened. What a great start to a day? He looked forward to each day just that he could see her. But no, that Rathore chick was getting out of hands.

He pulled out his phone from the pocket. "Fucking meet me in my room," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Fucking now."

Within five minutes, the door burst opened and came in Mihir with a taunting smile on his face.

"What's wrong, professor?"

Kabir wiped his chin, thinking deeply. "Call your mother and tell her to rearrange everything for me to get the Rathore girl."

Mihir's eyes bulged out, he laughed. "Wait. What? Want to get insulted again? Don't you remember, his brother put a comma on the proposal?"

"Damn his brother. I don't fucking care. Call your mother just now. I fucking want her."

Mihir observed his anger and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Kabir. Bro, what happened all of a sudden? Is it about yesterday, the guy with the car?"

Kabir looked at him, his eyes narrowing. "Get to know about that guy. Find about him. It's time, I work the right way. Enough of my silence. It's time to speak. Either it will be those photos, or me."

Mihir smirked and nodded, calling his mother. He turned around and started to talk about the proposal, trying to convince his mother.

While Kabir thought deeply and recalled that he had seen that guy somewhere but he couldn't really remember, where.

________

"What do you think?"

Please vote and comment.