♡ 2 ♡

As soon as I stepped inside the house after the exhausting day at school, my one and only mom bombarded me with questions.

'How was your first day at school?'

'Did you made new friends?'

'Are you comfortable over there?'

'Is someone bullying you?'

'Did any teacher punish-'

"MUMMMYYYYYY!!!! Thamba!" I covered her mouth with my hand which she removed and glared. "My first day was better than I expected, ha main ne naye dost banaye, yes I comfortable over there, nahi! koi mujhe bully nhi kar raha agar kisine kiya toh aapko lagta hain main usse karne dungi." I proudly said the first line fixing my uniform collar.

[Mom, Stop!]

[My first day was better than I expected. Yes, I made new friends. Yes, I am comfortable over there. No, Noone is bullying me, if anyone tried to bully me do you think I would tolerate it.]

"Good! Jaldi room mein ja, uniform change kar aur fresh hoke niche aa. Khana ban gaya hain." I gave her the salute pose when she ordered me all this, to which she just smiled while shaking her head and going to the kitchen.

[Good! Go in your room, change your clothes, gets fresh and come back down. Lunch is ready.]

I ran upstairs to my room and changed clothes then soon my eyes fell on my phone. Thodi Der dekh leti hu, fir niche chali jaungi. With this thought, I opened my phone.

[Let me use it for some time then I will go down.]

"ISHA! I KNOW YOU ARE USING YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW! PHONE RAKH KE NICHE AA VARNA TU AUR TERA PHONE DONO KE DONO GHAR KE BAHAR DIKHOGE." That thing was enough for me to throw my phone on my bed and run downstairs.

[ISHA! I KNOW YOU ARE USING YOUR PHONE RIGHT NOW! PUT YOUR PHONE ASIDE AND COME DOWNSTAIRS OR ELSE I WILL THROW YOU AND YOUR PHONE OUT OF THIS HOUSE.]

When I reached Mom was still in the kitchen, so I sat on the sofa in the living room, pretending that I was sitting there for a long time. "Mumma Kitna time lagao ge, mujhe bhuk lagi hain."

[Mumma, you take so much time to prepare. I am starving.]

"Come here and help me." I stood up and walked towards the kitchen. I helped mom carry the food to the dining table and I sat there.

As we sat down to eat, Dad walked in, his lunch break over. "Ah, perfect timing! I'm starving."

"Khane mein kya banaya hain?" My dad asked taking his seat.

[What's for the lunch?]

"Bhagwan ne Aankhein di hain, khud dekh lo." I covered my laugh with a cough at my mom's reply when Dad glared at me.

[God has given you eyes, see it by yourself.]

The aroma of freshly cooked vegetables and spices filled the air. It was Masali bhindi, my favourite, with roti, of course, and basmati rice with Dal.

"How was the school?" Dad asked, his eyes locked onto mine.

I took a bite of my roti with bhindi, chewing slowly before responding. "It was good. Had a nice time with new friends at school."

Mom's curiosity kicked in. "And? What about your friends? How are they?"

I nodded, recalling the laughter and chatter. "They're great. Krish, Anaya, Kritika, Rhea, Yash and Jay...we had a nice time together and Karan bhaiya too"

Dad's eyebrows rose. "You met Karan?" I nodded. "I hope there will be no complaints from the school about you."

"Papaaaaaa! Main ne kuch nahi kiya tha. Voh ladki ne sab kiya tha aur usne naam mera diya and the fact that teacher believed her just because uski school mein reputation acchi hain." I pouted, remembering that stupid girl who blamed me when she was the one to put the fake spiders in my classmate's bag who was Arachnophobic.

[Papaaaaaa! I had done nothing. It was that girl who was the culprit and she gave my name that I was the culprit and the fact the teacher believed her just because she had a nice reputation in school.]

The conversation flowed easily, with Mom and Dad sharing stories about their morning while I shared the stories of school.

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I don't understand one thing: when I am busy, I find everything interesting on my phone, but when I have no work to do, at that time nothing is interesting. I yawned while scrolling through my phone.

Then Krish came into my mind, his curly hair, his brown eyes. The way he smiled while looking at me. I covered my cheeks with my hands feeling them warming.

My heart skipped a beat as I recalled the way Krish's eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. I felt a flutter in my chest, and my cheeks grew even warmer. I couldn't believe how easily I blushed, remembering him.

I dropped my hands, trying to compose myself, but my mind refused to let go of the memory. I remembered the way Krish's curly hair fell across his forehead, the way his brown eyes sparkled with amusement.

Haye mere Kanha ji! Yeh mujhe kya ho raha hain. Main toh unse aaj hi mili hu. Aur aaj se hi yeh sab suru ho gaya.

[Ohh my Lord Krishna! What's wrong with me. I met him today only and from today onwards all this feelings started.]

To divert my mind from him, I thought of something else, but nothing came into my mind except him. Then I remembered I didn't have the numbers of Kriti, Anaya and Rhea. Karan Bhaiya must have their number, right? Probably yes, since he is friends with them.

Isha: Karan bhaiyaaaa

I waited for his message for half an hour, staring at my phone screen, but I got irritated when I saw no there was no message.

Isha: helloooo

Isha: Jinda ho?

[Are you alive?]

Karan: Haan ji boliye

[Yes. Speak]

Isha: Mujhe aap se ek bohot important kaam hain.

[I want you to do something important for me]

Karan: Kya hain?

[What is it?]

Isha: mujhe Rhea, Anaya aur Kriti ka number chahiye. *smiling emoji*

[I want numbers of Rhea, Anaya and Kritika.]

Karan: yeh important kaam hain tera? *expressionless emoji*

[This thing is important for you?]

Isha: Haan! Mere liye toh important hain.

[Yes. For me, it is.]

Once he sent me the numbers, I saved the numbers quickly and texted Kriti. We decided to meet each other.

The door of my room and Ikshan Bhaiya walked in and sat beside me on the bed.

"Toh chhoti chipkali aaj ka din aapka kesa gaya?" And for the second time, I repeated the whole story of school.

[So little lizard, how was the first day?]

"What about you? College kesa tha? He ruffled his hair and sighed "It was okay." And there he told me everything.

[What about you? How was the college?]

"Yeh college aapko Karan bhaiya ne suggest ki thi na?" He nodded. "Ha uske dost ke siblings yaha padhte hain aur usne bola ki yeh college idhar ki best college hain."

[Karan bhaiya suggested you this college, right?]

[Yes, his friend's siblings study over here and he also said this college is best over here.]

He looked tired than usual "Aap jake rest kijye bhaiya." Before standing up, he nodded his head in a yes and went to his room.

[Bhaiya, go and have some rest.]

I looked at the time. It was already 3.50, so I decided to get ready. I was wearing a black tube top with a white shirt over it and with light denim wide jeans. Wearing a black watch on my left wrist and adding my usual perfume, I left the room.

"Mummaa! I am going out to meet Kriti, I will be back soon." It was a 5-10 minute walk from my house, toh fir main ne pedal chali jana socha.

When I reached, Kritika was already there busy on her phone. So, I went behind her and stood in silence. "Hayyee!! Koi itna phone mein busy hain ki unko pata hi nahi ki unke piche unke intezar mein koi khada hain." I said in a dramatic voice.

[Hayee! Someone is so busy on their phone that they don't realize someone else is standing behind them waiting.]

She flinched "Ohh maaa!" She put her hand on her chest while she calmed down. "Aese kon aata hain!"

[Who comes like this?]

"Main" I smiled innocently. "Mujhe nahi pata tha ki tum itne mein dar jaogi." I laughed.

[Me.]

[I didn't knew you would get scared easily.]

"Bas bas ave" She hit me in my arms.

[Enough.]

"To hume kaha pe jana hain?" She asked while looking at me. I pretended to think, then answered, "Date pe jate hain na." I replied in a flirty way.

[So where should we go?]

[Let's go on a Date.]

"Ha! Kyu nahi, candle light dinner pe jaye?"

I nodded at her suggestion, "Chalo fir." We started walking while laughing.

[Yes, why not. Want to go to the candle light dinner?]

[Sure, let's go then]

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We soon reached a stall of pani puri. "Pani puri of here is best." She exclaimed.

"Bhaiya 10 ruppay ki 2 plate dena." She asked the pani puri wale bhaiya. He handed us two bowls.

[Bhaiya give us 2 plates of 10 rupees.]

"Tum sab ek dusre ko Kab se jante ho?" A curiosity was there inside me since the morning after their closeness.

[Since when did you all know each other?]

"9th grade. Rhea, Anaya aur main hum sab 9th mein mile the." Uncle handed her the panipuri which ate then continued to speak. "Anaya aur main issi school mein bachpan se par hum dost nhi the aur Rhea ne toh 9th se hi join ki thi school."

[9th grade. Rhea, Anaya and I met in 9th grade.]

[Anaya and I are studying in this school since childhood but we were not friends before and Rhea joined in 9th.]

"Aur fir Jay se, Karan bhaiya, Yash bhaiya aur Krish bhaiya se toh hum tin trip pe mile the, even though they were our seniors in school for years but we didn't know it that time. We got to know about their existence during that trip." she simply smiled.

[And then Jay, Karan bhaiya, Yash bhaiya aur Krish bhaiya met us on the school trip even though they were our seniors in school for years but we didn't know it that time. We got to know about their existence during that trip.]

"Tum Jay ko Jay bhaiya nahi bulati?" I gulped the pani puri down my throat. "Nahi! Bhaiya is for someone who deserves respect, not him." She scoffs.

[You don't call Jay as Jay bhaiya?]

"Kuch hua hain kya tum dono ke bich?" She looked at me and answered, "Kuch nhi."

[What happen between you two?]

[Nothing]

But there was something that she was hiding.

After eating pani puri, we went to a nearby garden. "Do you know there are puppies over here?" She said as we entered the garden.

"Where? Where?" I panicked looking here and there. "You fear dogs?" I nodded while still looking around for the dogs. Yes, kutto se mujhe dar lagta hain. [Yes, I fear dogs.]

"Don't worry, they are inside." I calmed to hear that. "Any reason for fearing dogs?"

"Kuch nhi, jab main chhoti thi around 8-9 Saal ki tab mere neighbour mein do-tin kutte the toh ek din jab main vaha se cycle leke Jah rahi thi, toh sab ke sab mere piche bhage us dar mein main hir gayi aur ek kutte ne mujhe kaat liya." I looked at her, and I could tell she was holding her laugh.

[Nothing, when I was a child, around like 8-9 year at that time there two-three dogs in my neighbor. So one day I was passing through that road on a cycle and all those dogs ran after me. Cause of it, I fell and one dog bitten me.]

"I always come to play with them when I have a holiday from my coaching." We walked towards the opposite direction as Kriti said they don't come to that side.

"You go to coaching?" I asked.

"Yeah, I am preparing for NEET. So, yeah, but today is a holiday."

"You want to become a doctor? Like the MBBS one."

"Uhh... I still haven't decided that kyuki mujhe pata hi nahi hain ki mujhe karna kya hain. NEET ke baad sab dekha jaega."

[Uhh... I still haven't decided that because I myself don't know what I want to do. After NEET I will see it.]

"Rhea wants to become C.A and Anaya want to become Architecture. What about you?" What about me? Well, I have already decided what I want to do.

"Fashion Designing." Yes, fashion designing. "Nice, NIFT?" I nodded. Well, that's what I have decided now.

"Look Parth bhaiya and Krish bhaiya over there." She pointed at the two boys who were walking out. "Let's go!" She dragged me.

"Hey, Kriti!" The other boy with Krish, whom I supposed is called Parth, greeted me.

As I glanced at Parth, I noticed the striking resemblance between the two. They shared the same curly hair, piercing eyes and chiselled faces. However, Parth bhaiya's face seemed slightly more angular, and his height fell a little short of Krish's frame

Parth bhaiya was Krish's mirror image- same curly hair, same eyes but without the glasses, and slightly shorter.

He is his elder brother.

"Hey Kriti and Isha!" Krish's voice was like honey, warm and soothing, making my heart skip a beat.

I blushed, my voice barely audible. "H-hi."

Krish's bright smile faltered for a moment as he turned to his brother. "Bhaiya, this is Ishanvi, our school's newest student."

Parth bhaiya's expression softened. "Welcome, Ishanvi. I'm Parth, Krish's elder brother.

"Bhaiya, kabir bhai kab aaenge?" Kriti asked Parth bhaiya. Ab Kabir bhai kon hain?

[Bhaiya, when Kabir bhai will arrive?]

"He has already arrived yesterday. He is with Mom, and we were going to them only." Hearing this Kritika's face turned surprised.

"He has arrived?!! Krish bhai aap ne bataye kyu nahi aaj subhe ko." She scolded Krish.

[He has arrived?!! Krish bhai you didn't even bother to inform me.]

"Sorry! Bhul gaya!" Krish rubbed the nape of his neck with his hand while glaring at Parth bhaiya who laughed.

[I forgot]

Soon his phone rang. "Haan!! Aa rahe hain hum dono" "Haaaaaa!" He talked to another person on the phone after picking it up.

[Yes, we are coming.]

"Chalo hume chalna chahiye, mummy ne bola jaldi aao." He said to Parth bhaiya.

"Toh hum chalte hain."

[We should go now. Mom ask to come fast.]

They bid us goodbye and left running outside.

Ugh.... why can't he stay longerrrrr.........

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Hope you all liked the chapter.