Hai Tujhe Bhi Izazat

Chapter 10: Library Lessons

Time passes faster when you are with the right people. Hours look like minutes when you are with your best friend and minutes feel like hours when you are attending a boring lecture.

This one month that Aaradhya has spent in Varanasi seems to be blurry. She has made many new friends and learnt a lot about living on her own away from the family. Though her relatives live here she never asks for any favours. She has lived in a hostel before when she was in Kota. But that was very different. There everyone just studied. Here it was very different. Though they all were burdened with academic work still they explored many places nearby. Her favourite was assi ghat. It is a place where one can spend hours without any disturbance.

Aaradhya shifted her focus from these random thoughts to the book kept in front of her. They soon have their mid-sem exams. She has a lot of studies to do. Just then she saw Abhi entering the library. He directly went to his usual seat. Almost everyone has a friend group by now and their hang-out places.

Soon Teena entered and went to Abhi. As expected, though Aaradhya. Teena is always seen near Abhi. They both are not a thing yet but there is a ninety-nine percent chance that they would be.
It's not like she keeps a tab on them. This is a general observation. Many girls have a crush on Abhi. Stupid. She doesn't care. But she cannot deny the charm he carries around him. Also, she has seen him helping her classmates many times. He is not a bad person. But why is she thinking about all this? Her focus should be on 'Neuroanatomy' which she was trying to read for the last 45 minutes.

"Aaradhya" she heard Abhi calling her. Oh god! Why is he calling her? Did he notice her observing him? Oh no! That would be so embarrassing.

"Aaradhya? What happened? You ok?" he said. Now standing near the chair she was sitting on.

She cleared her throat. She can feel her cheeks getting red. But why?

"Yeah, I am completely alright. It's just a little hot here, isn't it?"

"Hot? It's almost November. Some students have already started wearing sweaters."

"Yeah, that's right. I think I have a fever. I have to go. You wanted to say something?" she asked hurriedly. She just wants to escape this situation. She is so dumb. Hot? Really? She could have said anything but she had to say she was feeling hot in November. Great. Just great.

"You need any help? Do you want any medicine? I can bring that from the store. " he sounded concerned.

"No, it's alright. I'll manage."

"Ok. But if you need any help you can tell me. And I wanted this book. They don't have more copies left in the library. I'll just get a photocopy and return it to you."

"Okay," she said forwarding the book towards him.

"Thank you! By the way, nice ring. Gift from boyfriend? " he asks taking the book and looking at her index finger.

Aaradhya could feel her cheeks getting redder. Boyfriend? Does he think she has a boyfriend?

"No, my mother gifted it to me after my 12th results. And I don't have a boyfriend." she wanted to make it clear to him.

"Really? I thought you and Dev have a thing, you know."

Her eyes widened. Dev? Why would he think that? Dev was her good friend. He was on the same DH table as her in the Histology lab. And according to Aaradhya, he was a very sweet, gentle, decent and helpful boy. He usually joins her and Tanu in the canteen and on evening walks too.

"Why would you think that? Have you heard it from somewhere?" she asked

"No. But he is usually behind you almost everywhere. So I assumed."