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Her soft lips pressed against my cheek, and I froze. My breath stopped, and I felt like I was frozen too. What just happened? She kissed me. Her hands were still on my jaw, gently caressing my skin. I felt like I was melting, like ice cream.
She whispered against my lips, her voice heavy, and her chest rising and falling. She looked at me and asked, “Is this enough for you to know what we are to each other?”
I was stunned. My mind felt cloudy.
She is my Ruh, right?
Never in my life had I imagined seeing this version of her.
She was so close to me that the small mole near the corner of her lips could only be seen when you were close.
“Ruh, I might faint any moment,” I whispered, feeling overwhelmed by the shock.
“Don’t you dare, Vihaan Raichand!” she whispered back, almost yelling at me.
“Don’t faint….if you want, go faint in your bedroom. It will be easier. If Bhai and Dad find out, you might faint in a much worse condition,” she said, glancing around nervously.
I smirked, knowing she was probably worried someone might have seen us.
I leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t worry, no one knows you kissed me-well, except for me, my eyes, my heart, my brain, which is holding onto all our memories, and my cheeks which felt your soft lips…….” I began to ramble, but she placed her hand on my mouth and said, “Shh… you’re getting shameless day by day…” She said, blushing.
I smirked even more, “Look who’s talking! You kissed me on your balcony while your friends are sleeping in your room and your brother and dad are…..”
“Ahh, you’re irritating,” she said, slightly kicking my foot.
“Ouch! See, you’re getting violent….. you know you should stay away a little bit from Vani…sanghati ka galat asar ho rha hai ,” I said, teasing her.
My Ruh, who never even touched anyone, was hitting me.
“I think I should go now,” I said, looking at her as the time was getting late.
“Hmm,” she replied, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking at the ground like it was the most interesting thing ever.
“Just ‘hmm’?” I asked, and she nodded.
I smiled, finally my Ruh is back….getting shy and trying to avoid conversations.
“Wait,” she suddenly said.
I raised my eyebrows.
“Don’t use that ladder. I don’t trust it. Let’s go from the main door,” she said, glancing at the ladder with suspicion.
“No, Ruh, I have a lot of experience. Don’t worry,” I said, trying to convince her.
But she glared at me.
Now what did I do? Did I say something wrong?
“Have you ever gone to someone else’s balcony before me?” she asked, glaring at me, her eyebrows scrunched.
I loved it when she got jealous. To annoy her a little, I teased, “Yes, I snuck before but not in someone’s balcony. But, there was a girl who shifted in front of my house, and the first time I saw her, she was standing in the balcony with her hair flowing. I didn’t see her face, but I wanted to, and look, here I am, sneaking to your balcony after a very long journey.”
She glared at me, but a small smile formed on her face.
“Done, now come with me. I don’t trust you with this ladder, what if you break your legs?” she said, carefully holding my hand and opening the balcony door to her room.
I tried to protest, but she wouldn’t let me go, so I just silently walked with her.
She quietly opened the door to the hall. She opened another door and turned to look at me.
“Ruh, please lock the door carefully, check it two or three times, and make sure…” I started.
“Hn hn hn, samajh gayi. Now bye,” she said, closing the door, and I smiled.
She is so adorable.
Just as I turned around, I heard the door open slightly, and Ruh peeked out with a teasing smile.
“Good Night, Mr. Boyfriend,” she said and quickly closed the door.
I stood frozen, a foolish grin spreading across my face. She called me Boyfriend.
I’m not dreaming.
Yes, Vihu, it’s not a dream.
I smiled like a fool as I walked back to my house.
As soon as I entered and tiptoed to my room, I plopped down on my bed. Is this real? This feeling? It’s surreal. Ruh and I are together.
I turned on the lamp and looked down at the scrapbook. I opened it and saw something written- Happy 18th Birthday, Mr. Weird Species of Chimpanzee-but my most favorite species.
I chuckled at her choice of words.
I turned to the next page and saw my picture. When did she take this?
I smiled at her secretive nature.
So, I’m not the only one who takes pictures secretly.
The theme was vintage, and the next page had something written on it. She turned her diary into a scrapbook for me.
I’m feeling special.
The first page was about the first day we met, where she wrote how much she hated me. I chuckled, remembering how she always complained about me. The more I turned the pages, the more it was all about me.
She wrote about how she started feeling differently for me, how she got jealous when other girls approached me, how she realized her feelings for me, and how she felt hurt when I avoided her. She even wrote about her insecurities when I didn’t talk to her and how she overthought everything.
She wrote about her childhood, how her parents never spent time with her, how her first best friend accused her of being a liar and left her, how she met Varun and he became her first best friend, how she hated her previous school because of all the gossip, and how a senior tried to touch her inappropriately, but instead of punishing him, the principal scolded her.
I felt anger rise in me as I read about that senior and that stupid principal. How dare they? The sudden urge to punch them and teach them a lesson.
Tears escaped my eyes as I reached the last page. The way she expressed everything made me realize that she had always been reserved and alone since childhood. She was scared of getting her heart broken, yet she had the courage to open up to me.
I saw many photos of me, taken secretly by her, with notes about how she felt about me at that time when she captured it.
I stayed up all night reading her scrapbook, flipping through page after page. I lost count of how many times I read it. It felt like I just couldn’t stop, like I was getting so lost in it.
The more I read, the more I started imagining everything-her thoughts, her feelings, her memories.
It was like I was living inside the pages, even though most of it was so new to me. It started to feel like I wasn’t just reading anymore, but dreaming or imagining all of it.
I don’t even realise how many times I have read, but the more I read the more I deeply fall for her.
I smiled at her thoughtful gift and carefully placed it in a special box-a wooden antique box my Nani had gifted me long ago.
Inside, I kept things that meant a lot to me, gifts from my Nani, things my mom made for me, and now, Ruh’s gift.
I locked the box safely, then plopped down on my bed, thinking about everything.
I promised myself that I will give her all the love she truly deserves.
β’β’β’β’β’
I was standing in the park, and there she was-Ruh, wearing that beige-gold dress that fit her like it was made just for her. I mean, pretty She was so pretty, it felt like the world had stopped for a second just so I could admire her. Her hazel-brown eyes were sparkling, and her lips had that soft pink tint that made me wonder how they felt when they- okay not going there.
Her hair was blowing in the wind.
Then, she smiled at me-And I am gone.
I couldn’t control myself.
I grabbed her by the waist as she held my shoulder by her hand and we started dancing slowly in the rain.
The raindrops were falling slowly, like some slow-motion scene from a romantic movie.
As the dance ended, she came closer.
Her lips were so close to mine…I leaned in…and then I heard it.
“Vihaan, utho.”
“Hainn?” I mumbled, still in the process to process everything.
“Utho, Vihaan,” she said again, but this time, her voice sounded far away, like a voice calling from the other side of a tunnel.
Wait, what? What just happened?
I reached for her to hold her hand as i involuntarily muttered, “Ruh, tumhare komal, naram phool ki kali jaise haathon ko kya hua? Ye patthar jaise chubh kyu rhe hain?”
(Ruh, what happened to your soft, tender hands like flower buds? Why do they prick like stones?)
Only to get a Slap instead.
“Gadhe ki nalayak aulad, uth jaa, Baap hu main tera”
(You idiot, get up! I’m your father)
I froze.
My eyes snapped open.
This was not the park.
I wasn’t dancing with Ruh.
I was in my bed, holding my dad’s hand.
What the hell just happened?
My brain was still processing what had just gone down.
I looked around in complete panic-my room, my bed, and my dad’s hand, which I had been holding like it was some kind of romantic gesture.
My dad was staring at me.
“Eiiiiii…” I muttered, as I realised I was bout to kiss my dad’s hand.
We both quickly pulled our hands apart.
“Chiiiiiii,” my dad pulled his hand away, looking at me like I had just committed some kind of international crime.
We both sat in awkward silence.
“Gosh! What kind of dream were you having,” he asked, his eyes teasing but stern.
“Dad, it’s not what you think! I wasn’t trying to-” I started to explain, but my brain was still too sleepy to form coherent sentences.
“I know, I know…..You recently turned 18 yesterday, new excitement, but please control your hormones, Vihu,” my dad said as a matter of fact.
That was it.
My life is over.
Pray for me so that I could happily live with my Ruh in heaven.
I blinked.
Wait, did he just make a joke about my hormones? Does he think I’m….?
No way. At this moment i wished to get drown after drinking phenyl.
“Dad, trust me, it wasn’t like that! It was just…I was-” I stammered, but my words made no sense.
I was still tangled in the duvet.
Great, this stupid blanket.
“I understand, I was your age once,” my dad said, giving me wink and walked out of the room.
“Dad, it’s not like this, trust me” I tried to explain, but I ended up falling off the bed and landing on the floor with a loud thud.
“Lag gyi yrr!” I groaned as I lay there, face down.
(It hurts)
That’s it, this is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done.
I lay there for a moment, trying to process everything.
My heart was still racing from the dream, and now I was trying to figure out how I had ended up holding my dad’s hand.
Can I just go back to the dream and pretend none of this happened?
My mind again went to the memory lane of Ruh and me. Ahh she was so close to me. The way her her dress was hugging her body, as she drenched in the rain and it was hot. I wish I could’ve continue the dream.
I facepalmed, cursing at my phooti kismat.
Then I heard my dad’s voice from the door again, “Please get ready quickly or you’ll be late for school.”
“Mere bete ne dimag ka screw kho diya hai,” he muttered under his breath as he closed the door behind him.
(My son has lost his mind)
He didn’t even look at me properly.
Oh great, now I’ve become the ‘desperate teenager’ in his eyes.
God knows what he is thinking of me right now.
I quickly jumped up, trying to get out of this awkward mess, but just then I heard my mom’s iconic threat from downstairs, “Vihu, get up already, if you don’t come downstairs within five minutes aur agr mujhe upar aana pada phir dekhna…..”
(And if I have to come up, then you’ll see)
I shot up like I was in a race.
“Mom, I’m awake! I already wore my school uniform, just setting my hair!” I yelled, grabbing a towel like it was my only lifeline and rushing to the bathroom.
After I got dressed, I zipped my school bag and rushed downstairs, thinking maybe I could just pretend nothing weird happened today.
“Vihu, what is this? You woke up so late today! Were you up all night playing games?” my mom asked.
No I was busy dreaming about my Ruh.
“No, I was reading,” I said dropping my bag on the chair.
Technically I was reading her scrapbook.
She gave me that look-the one that makes you feel like you’ve just been caught in a lie-even if it wasn’t a lie.
I just sat down, my face turning red from shyness.
My dad was still glaring at me, not exactly angry, but definitely giving me weird look.
Oh god, today’s going to be a long day.
“Good morning,” Prisha Di came in, already ready for the day.
“Good morning, Vihu,” she wished me as she smacked the back of my head.
“Kya hai aapko?” I yelled, rubbing my head, as she pinched my cheek.
(What’s wrong with you?)
“Oh, Vihu baby ko gussa aa gaya,” she teased me.
(Oh, Vihu baby’s angry)
I hit her leg lightly, and she responded by hitting my arm. I hit her leg again, and she smacked my head. This turned into a full-blown fight.
“Vihaan….Prisha ek baar shanti se insaano ki tarah nahi reh sakte tum dono?” Mom yelled, frustrated.
(Vihaan… Prisha, can you two not behave like civilized humans for once?)
I muttered under my breath, “After adopting the Brazilian monkey, you expect her to act civilized?”
Prisha Di glared at me and said, her tone was a little bit loud, “Vihu, tameez se baat kar.”
(Vihu, behave properly)
“Tameez…woh kya hoti?” I muttered, poking my fork into the apple slices on my plate.
(Behave? What’s that?)
“Remember, Vihu, since your day one in this world till now, all your secrets are with me….so behave…you don’t know when those secrets get spilled like a raita, and you wont be able to escape Mom’s dangerous version,” she whispered again, and I froze.
I stopped murdering the apple.
She knew everything!
Why did she always catch me sneaking around the house or lying to Mom?-Just a few times. But she used that against me like blackmail.
“Di, want to have fruits?” I asked her, giving her my most fake innocent look, passing her a plate of fruits.
“Now that’s like a younger brother,” she said, patting me on the head before taking the fruits.
“Sometimes, I wish to put both of you in a zoo,” Mom said angrily, putting a paratha on my plate.
Dad suddenly spoke up, “Yeah for Vihu, it’s the best place but don’t do this to my daughter Pri,” Dad looked at Mom, and I stared at him in horror.
(Yeah, Vihu’s your son, but don’t treat my daughter like this, Pri)
“Aaj toh ye baat ho hi jaaye, tell me, am I adopted?” I asked, but Prisha Di immediately responded,
“Haan, tujhe Amazon ke baboon family se adopt kiya gaya hai”
(Today, this conversation is happening! Tell me, am I adopted?)
(Yes, you were adopted from a baboon family in the Amazon)
“Jaise aap dono ki harkatein hain, raah chalta hua insaan bhi bata dega dono baap bete hain,” Mom said sassily, irritated by our constant bickering.
(The way you both behave, even a stranger walking on the road could tell you both father and son)
I smirked at Dad, feeling victorious for a moment.
“Waise Adhya ji aapka ladka bigad raha hai,” Dad said, passing me his famous smirk that says ‘I am the Dad here’.
(By the way, Adhya, your son is turning into a spoiled kid)
I started coughing nervously, but Mom just looked confused.
She sighed and said, “Woh sudhra hua kab tha?”
(When has he ever been well-behaved?)
And then, Prisha Di and Dad burst into laughter.
I mimicked Mom’s sigh and felt like I was in the middle of a comedy show.
My whole family is a little bit cracked.
β’β’β’β’β’
I opened the main door of the house getting ready to go to school, Mom would join school in a half day.
I saw her standing there, already dressed in her school uniform.
I wondered if I was late, but then I looked at my watch-the one Ruh had gifted me-and realized I was on time.
She was standing there, as usual, with her flashcards and a single sheet in her hand, revising.
“Good morning,” I whispered in her ear, causing her to jump and turn around. She looked at me, relaxed when she saw me.
“When will you stop scaring me like this?” she asked as she adjusted the strap of her school bag, which had fallen off when I startled her. I helped her put the strap properly on her shoulder.
“Uhm, never,” I mischievously replied, causing her to chuckle and shake her head.
“By the way, what were you doing here, so early?” I asked as we walked together.
“Waiting for you,” she answered softly, and my heart raced.
“For me?” I asked, surprised.
Why would she wait for me?
“What kind of question is this? Of course, I was waiting for you. Who else would I wait for?” she replied, folding her sheet and putting it in the side pocket of her bag.
“Well, I thought I should be the one waiting for you,” I said.
“I can wait for you too,” she replied, making my heart flutter.
I had never felt so special before.
“Ahh, wait…” she suddenly stopped me.
“Hmm? What happened?” I asked.
“You won’t tell anyone about us…” she said firmly.
I frowned.
“But why?” I asked, confused by her sudden request.
“Because it’s a little awkward,” she said, searching for the right words, her eyes looking up as if the sky would give her the answers.
“Okay, but I can tell Yash and Siddharth, right?” I asked, hoping she would agree.
She shook her head.
“No,” she replied firmly.
“Whyyyy?” I whined.
I couldn’t hide things from Yash and Sid. They were the first ones to know about my feelings for Ruh, even though I tried to keep hidden from them.
“What will they think?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly, as if she was unsure about how to explain.
I finally understood what she was feeling.
“They will think how lucky I am to have you,” I whispered, leaning in.
She glared at me, but a sweet smile plastered on her face, and a light blush appeared on her cheeks.
“But still…it will be awkward. I never….” She trailed off, her voice quiet and unsure.
She avoided looking at me, and I could see her fiddling with the strap of her school bag, her fingers twitching nervously. It was clear she wasn’t sure how to express what she was feeling.
I could feel the weight of her hesitation, and it made me nervous too.
I didn’t want her to feel pressured, so I tried to ease the tension by encouraging her gently and asked her, “Tell me everything your pretty brain is cooking?”
She sighed, biting her lips and I couldn’t help but notice how she did it again. My mind started to race. I am already having not-so-good thoughts since she kissed me on the cheek….and here she is…..urghhh….I needed to stay calm.
Control, Vihu.
Control your damn thoughts.
What will she think of you?
‘That Vihaan Raichand is becoming shameless creep seconds by seconds ‘ my brain scolded me.
But the more I tried not to think about it, the more nervous I became.
After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice quieter than before.
“I….I’ve never really been in a relationship before. Heck, I’ve never been close to a guy like this, not like this….and I just….I don’t know how people will see us,” she admitted, looking down at her feet, her hands still trembling slightly.
“What if they judge me? I don’t want anyone to talk about us, not in a way that makes it feel like it’s wrong,” Her words tumbled out.
She looked up briefly, but her eyes were uncertain.
“I’ll tell Vani and Tanya when I’m ready, but….I just need time, you know? And I’ll tell Yash and Sid too… eventually, but only when I feel okay with it…if you are okay with it….”
Her voice wavered a bit at the end, and I could tell this was tough for her. She was clearly struggling, trying to figure out how to handle things with me while also worrying about what everyone else might think.
I gave her a moment to gather her thoughts, really paying attention to what she was saying. I got why she was feeling this way. It wasn’t just about how she felt about me-it was more about worrying what others might think, how they’d judge us. She wasn’t ready for everyone to know, and I will definitely respect her decision.
“Okay,” I said softly, stepping closer to her.
“I’ll do whatever you say. If you ever feel uncomfortable, just don’t hesitate to tell me ,” My words were calm, but I meant every one of them.
“I just want you to feel comfortable with all of this. Whenever you’re ready, then I am ready,” I assured her.
She looked up at me, her expression softening. She gave me a small smile, one that was full of relief. I could tell that just hearing me say that made her feel a little better, but I also knew that the fear and uncertainty hadn’t completely disappeared.
“I just need some time to think things through. I don’t want to feel like I’m rushing into anything, you know?” she told me while rubbing her hands continuously.
I nodded in understanding, “Take all the time you need.”
Her smile grew a little more, and I could see her tension start to ease.
As we continued walking, I felt a strange tension in the air.
I want to hold her hand, but I am not able to do .I had held her hand before, but now it felt different.
I hesitated, pulling my hand back, I don’t know why I am feeling this nervous, get a grip Vihu, you already hold her hand before then why this nervousness now.
But then again I wasn’t able to hold her hand.
“Ruh,” I said, my voice a little nervous, “Can I hold your hand?”
She gave me a confused look, almost like she was surprised I was asking, “But… you’ve held my hand before.”
I took a deep breath, trying to explain, “Yeah, but this time it’s different.”
I tried to hold her hand again, but I couldn’t understand why I was feeling like this. Was it because we were finally together?
Then, I felt a soft touch as she hold my hand.
I wanted to freeze this moment, to keep feeling her presence beside me, every second.
β’β’β’β’β’
It’s already been three lectures, and these two clowns won’t stop messing with me.
We’re in the chemistry lab now, and apart from these guys, the reactions are also confusing me.
“Vihaan, tell us, did you two sort things out?” Yash asked, wiggle his eyebrows, and I just nodded nonchalantly.
Ruh is focused on the experiments, and Tanya is helping Vani with the reactions, while Ruh is also teaching her the experiment.
“So, did you tell her your feelings?” Sid asked, adjusting his glasses.
“You both were outside for so long.”
Before I could say anything, I remembered Ruh’s words and i lied, “Nothing happened. We just sorted things out. And she’s not dating Varun. Actually, Varun is dating her cousin sister, whose name I forgot.”
“Ruhii’s sister?” Sid and Yash both asked in surprise, and I nodded.
“So Varun never had feelings for Ruhii, and you just overthink and assume everything,” Sid finally understood, glancing at me while shaking a beaker.
“Yes, kind of,” I said, shrugging.
I still feel so stupid about this.
“Tujhe is bewakoofi ke liye phenyl nhi, isi sulphuric acid ko peekar doob jaana chahiye,” Siddharth said with a tight grin, glancing at the chemical.
(For your stupidity, you should drink this sulfuric acid and drown in it)
“This time, I’m with Siddharth,” Yash added.
“Bechare Varun ko bekar mein gaaliyan pad gayi,” Siddharth said, shaking his head as he looked at me, giving me a look that seemed to say, ‘You should definitely win the ‘King of being Dumb’ award.’
(Poor Varun got blamed for no reason)
I glared at him who just cursed me which I happily reciprocated.
I got busy with my file after submitting it.
I glanced at Ruh, but i found her already looking at me. I scratched my head nervously, and she quickly looked away.
So, I’m not the only one feeling this way. I chuckled and enjoyed the attention Ruh was giving me.
After the chemistry Lab, we have a physics lab.
They just want us to attend every class, give the exam, and be done with school.
We only have four to five months left before school ends completely.
It’s recess time, and everyone’s sitting on the last bench. We’re not going to the canteen today because it’s raining, and the area outside the canteen is probably all muddy.
Ruh came and I quietly nudged Yash, who was busy eating his pasta. He looked at me and asked, “Kya hai?”
I whispered, “Get up and sit in front. Ruh won’t be able to sit in the opposite seat, it will be a little bit uncomfortable for her.”
He stood up and moved to the bench in front of us, turning around to sit facing us, and then continued eating.
Ruh sat beside me. She is enjoying the rain as she sat by the window, and I was sitting between her and Sid.
A few minutes later, Vani and Tanya came and sat on the other side, turning to face us.
Just then, Ragini Ma’am came in. “Class, the date sheet for the mid-term exams has been posted. Please check it. Your exams will start next week.”
Next week? Are they serious?
“What the hell? Why does this school always announce exams just a week before?” Yash groaned, slamming his bag.
Siddharth just sighed.
“How am I going to prepare?” Tanya sighed.
“At least you’ve done some of the syllabus. What about me? Mene toh book ki shakal tak nhi dekhi,” Vani spoke while busy in her sandwich
(I haven’t even looked at my book)
“You can still finish it,” Siddharth said, smirking.
“How?” She asked, curious.
“Just throw your phone away and see how quickly you’ll start studying,” he teased. She rolled her eyes.
“You know, if I throw my phone, I’ll just fall asleep. I can sleep like I haven’t slept in years. Study and I don’t have a loyal relationship,” Vani sighed, taking a bite of her sandwich.
I just shook my head, as their silly banter started and poor Tanya got stuck in their banter.
I noticed that Ruh hadn’t eaten yet.
“Why aren’t you eating, Ruhii?” Yash asked before I could.
“Ah, nothing. I’m eating,” she replied, but I could tell she wasn’t feeling well.
“Do you want something else to eat?” I asked, thinking she might not be feeling well and wanted to eat something else.
“No…I just…” she looked at her lunch.
I understood right away.
I passed her my lunch box, and her eyes lit up. She silently started moving all the peas from her lunch box to mine with a spoon.
I shook my head with a smile.
Ruh and her constant dislike for peas never changes.
————————————
Finally Chapter 45….!!!
So how was the chapter??
My Ruhii is becoming cute day by dayπ₯Ήπ€π»
Your favourite scene?
Mine was Vihaan’s dream sequence π
Did you realise I had added a few common scenes from previous chapters but this time it’s feels different. ππ
Ab bahut saare bhar bhar kr votes and comments kr do π π
I am waiting for your comments π₯Ή
(And no spam comments πππ»)
Enjoy Reading β₯οΈ
Stay Tuned for further updates….!!!
Bye Cutiepies…!!!π
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