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Welcome back to another chapter!
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Author Pov
The next day at school...
The girls were already present in the classroom, but Netrabhan, Eshaan, and Ishvik were nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, outside the classroom, the three boys were standing in front of the Principal's office.
The Principal was clearly not happy.
"Netrabhan, you are the Head Boy. How can you come late? If the Head Boy himself behaves like this, what will the other students learn? They will also start coming late."
While the Principal continued scolding him, Netrabhan wasn't listening properly.
"Mai pagal dikhta hu kya jo aaj ke din mai jaldi aaun? Woh bhi kis liye? Rakhi bandhawane ke liye? Woh bhi Aarzoo se? Usse achha toh mai Principal se punishment hi na le lu."
"Are you even listening to me?" the Principal snapped.
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Netrabhan replied immediately.
Finally, after another lecture, the three boys were dismissed.
The moment they stepped outside-
None of them went towards the classroom.
Instead...
They disappeared.
---
Inside the classroom...
Aarohi frowned.
"Kidhar reh gaye yaar yeh log?"
Saanvi got up.
"Main dekh ke aati hu."
She stepped outside but couldn't find any of them.
When she returned, Kashvi suggested,
"Hum sab ek saath nahi jaate."
Aarohi looked confused.
"Matlab?"
"Alag-alag dhoondhte hain."
Both girls nodded.
Unfortunately...
Ishvik had heard the entire conversation while hiding nearby.
His eyes widened.
"Baap re!"
He immediately ran away.
---
A few minutes later...
Ishvik found Netrabhan and Eshaan.
"Arey bhago! Woh log aa rahi hain hume dhoondhne!"
Netrabhan blinked.
"Kaun?"
"Kashvi, Saanvi aur Aarohi!"
The three boys instantly straightened.
"Aur agar rakhi nahi bandhwani toh alag-alag bhago!"
Eshaan frowned.
"Alag-alag kyun?"
"Kyuki agar saath rahenge toh ek saath pakde jaenge!"
After a second of silence...
All three nodded.
Then ran in three different directions.
---
Netrabhan hid on the terrace.
Ishvik hid inside the canteen.
Eshaan hid inside the sports room.
---
Terrace
Netrabhan stood behind a pillar.
"Yaar, aisa thodi hota hai. Khud ki behen ko rakhi bandho. Yeh school mein kya zaroorat hai..."
A soft giggle reached his ears.
He froze.
Slowly peeking out...
He saw Kashvi standing there.
"Aap yahan kya kar rahe hain?" she asked.
"Ku-kuch bhi toh nahi. Main jaa raha hu. Mam bula rahi thi."
He tried escaping.
"Rukiye."
He stopped.
"Mujhe bhi aapko bandhani hai. Haath aage kijiye."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Netrabhan's eyes widened.
"...Kya?"
"Haath aage kijiye."
Immediately, he hid both hands behind his back.
"Kyun?"
"Haath aage nahi karenge toh bandhungi kaise?"
"Lekin iski kya zaroorat hai? Hum toh dost hain na!"
"Toh kya hua?"
"Aarzoo... mujhe chakkar aa rahe hain. Main class mein jaata hu."
Kashvi bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"Aisa hai toh aaiye. Class mein aaram se bandh deti hu."
Netrabhan stared at her.
"Kashvi... aap sach mein bandhengi mujhe?"
"Haan. Kyun?"
"Kyunki aap aisa nahi kar sakti hain."
"Kyun bhala?"
"Kyunki hum dost hain na."
"Ha toh kya hua? Haath aage kijiye."
When he still refused, Kashvi crossed her arms.
"Fir main baat nahi karungi."
That worked.
Immediately.
Defeated, Netrabhan slowly extended his hand.
Kashvi smiled and tied the rakhi.
The moment he felt it tighten around his wrist-
His eyes closed.
His soul left his body.
And he collapsed.
Straight on the floor.
"KYA?!"
Kashvi gasped.
---
Sports Room
Eshaan was successfully hiding under a table.
At least...
Until Saanvi entered.
A few students were already present there.
Saanvi searched around.
One student secretly pointed under the table.
She smiled.
"Eshaan."
The boy froze.
"Bahar aao."
"Nahi aaunga."
"Bahaar aao."
"Mam bula rahi hain."
"Jhooth mat bolo."
"Sach mein!"
Suspiciously, Eshaan crawled out.
"Kahan hain Mam?"
Saanvi grinned.
"Koi Mam-vam nahi hai."
"DHOKHA!"
He immediately turned and ran.
"Pakdo usse!"
Within seconds, a few students caught him.
Eshaan looked horrified.
"Tum aisa nahi kar sakti!"
"Kyun nahi kar sakti?"
She took out a rakhi.
"Aarey tum log haath pakdo iska."
"Nahi!"
After a short wrestling match...
Saanvi successfully tied the rakhi.
The second Eshaan felt it-
He dramatically dropped to the floor.
Unconscious.
Everyone stared.
Including Saanvi.
"...Yeh sach mein behosh ho gaya?"
---
Canteen
Ishvik sat at the last table.
Muttering to himself.
"Pata hai, all Indians are my brothers and sisters... lekin itna bhi nahi ki sabko brothers and sisters bana lu. Ahhh! Pata nahi Principal ko kya zaroorat thi."
"Aur nahi toh kya."
Ishvik nodded.
"Haan toh -"
Suddenly he froze.
Slowly turning his head...
He found Aarohi sitting right in front of him.
His soul nearly left his body.
"Aa-ro-hi..."
Aarohi smiled sweetly.
"Haan, main."
Then she extended her hand.
"Chal. Haath aage kar. Tere liye kuch layi hu."
Ishvik blinked.
Something for him?
Immediately he became curious.
Without thinking-
He extended his hand.
The next second...
Aarohi tied the rakhi.
Ishvik stared.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then looked at the rakhi.
Then at Aarohi.
Then at the rakhi again.
"Aa-ro-hi..."
And collapsed face-first onto the table.
THUD.
Aarohi rolled her eyes.
"Chal uth. Natak mat kar."
No response.
She shook him.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Slowly...
Realization hit.
Her eyes widened.
"OH GOD!"
---
Meanwhile...
On the terrace...
In the sports room...
And in the canteen...
Three girls stood frozen.
Because somehow...
All three boys had fainted.
Just because they got tied a rakhi.
ā·ā·
Terrace
The moment Netrabhan collapsed on the ground, Kashvi froze.
For a few seconds, her mind completely stopped working.
"N-Netr...?"
No response.
Her heartbeat started racing.
"Netr!"
Still nothing.
Panic immediately took over.
She quickly rushed towards him and shook his shoulder.
"Uthiye na..."
Nothing.
The more she looked at him lying unconscious, the more scared she became.
Her breathing started becoming uneven.
Fast.
Too fast.
But she ignored it.
Right now, Netrabhan was more important.
Without wasting another second, she ran towards the classroom, grabbed a water bottle from her bag, and rushed back to the terrace.
Her hands were trembling.
She knelt beside him and sprinkled water on his face.
"Netr... please uthiye..."
A few drops fell on his forehead.
Then his cheeks.
After a few moments, his eyelashes fluttered.
Kashvi immediately leaned closer.
"Netr?"
Slowly...
Very slowly...
His eyes started opening.
Relief instantly washed over her face.
"Aap uth gaye..."
But before she could say anything else, her own breathing became worse.
Seeing him unconscious had scared her more than she wanted to admit.
Her chest started rising and falling rapidly.
Netrabhan blinked a few times before focusing on her properly.
The first thing he noticed wasn't the fear in her eyes.
It was her breathing.
Her hands were shaking.
Her breaths were becoming shorter.
His expression immediately changed.
Without thinking twice, he sat up and pulled her gently onto his lap.
Kashvi's eyes widened.
"N-Netr-"
But he ignored her completely.
Instead, he held both her hands.
"Aarzoo."
She looked at him.
"Breathe slowly."
His voice was calm.
Soft.
"Breath with me."
Kashvi tried.
But her breaths were still uneven.
Then she whispered softly.
"In...ha...ler..."
The moment he heard that word, Netrabhan quickly reached into his pocket.
He always carried it.
Just in case.
He handed it to her immediately.
After a few moments...
Her breathing finally started becoming normal again.
Slowly.
Steadily.
The fear in her eyes disappeared.
Exhausted, she rested her head on his shoulder.
Both remained silent for a few minutes.
Netrabhan didn't move.
His hand remained around hers.
Making sure she was alright.
Finally, he asked softly,
"Aap theek hain?"
Kashvi nodded.
"Hmm."
Silence again.
Then after a few moments she asked,
"Aap behosh kyun ho gaye?"
The second she asked that question-
Netrabhan remembered everything.
The terrace.
The rakhi.
His fear.
The tying.
And then...
His face went blank.
Kashvi immediately noticed.
His eyes were slowly widening again.
As if he was preparing to faint for a second time.
She sighed.
Then suddenly held his face between both her hands.
Netrabhan froze.
"Agar firse behosh hue na..."
Her eyes narrowed.
"Toh achha nahi hoga."
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then quickly nodded.
Kashvi finally relaxed.
"Ek baar apna haath dekhiye."
Netrabhan looked away dramatically.
"Kya dekhu ab? Dekhne layak bacha hi kaha kuch."
A small smile appeared on Kashvi's face.
She gently took his hand in hers.
Then with her other hand, she continued holding his face.
"Dekhiye toh sahi."
He shook his head.
"No."
"Netr..."
His heartbeat skipped.
She rarely called him that.
"Please."
Defeated.
Completely defeated.
Netrabhan slowly lowered his gaze towards his wrist.
And then-
He froze.
A smile immediately appeared on his face.
His eyes softened.
Slowly he looked back at her.
"Yeh friendship band hai?"
Kashvi nodded.
"Haan."
"Maine hi baandha hai."
He looked at it again.
Then again.
Then again.
Almost as if he wanted to make sure it was real.
"Matlab rakhi nahi hai?"
Kashvi shook her head.
"No."
The biggest sigh of relief escaped him.
"Sach bataun?"
Kashvi nodded.
"Main toh dar hi gaya tha."
That made her laugh softly.
"Sirf aap hi nahi."
"Huh?"
This time her smile disappeared.
She slowly held his face again.
"Aapko aise behosh dekha..."
Her voice became softer.
"Main bhi dar gayi thi."
Netrabhan's expression changed immediately.
Kashvi continued.
"Yaha tak ki mujhe saans lene mein bhi dikkat hone lagi thi."
The realization hit him.
She had gotten scared because of him.
Because he fainted.
Without thinking, he lifted his hand and gently cupped her cheek.
"Sorry, Aarzoo."
Kashvi instantly shook her head.
"No."
"Lekin isme aapki bhi galti hai."
She looked confused.
"Meri?"
"Haan."
"Aapne mujhe dara diya tha."
That earned a small laugh from her.
"Mujhe kya pata tha ki aap behosh hi ho jayenge."
Netrabhan groaned.
Honestly.
Fair point.
Still...
He felt guilty.
Again he said softly,
"Sorry. Meri wajah se aapko-"
But Kashvi immediately stopped him.
"Koi baat nahi."
Then she rested her head back on his shoulder.
Playing absentmindedly with his tie.
The innocent gesture nearly destroyed whatever remained of Netrabhan's.
His ears turned pink.
Then his neck.
Then probably his entire soul.
Meanwhile Kashvi remained completely unaware.
Or maybe she wasn't.
He couldn't tell.
"Nahi," he said softly.
"Aapki galti nahi thi."
"Main hi overreact kar gaya."
Kashvi smiled.
"Aap sorry mat boliye."
"Koi baat nahi."
"Chhodiye iss baat ko."
Netrabhan nodded.
And for a few moments...
Neither of them spoke.
The terrace was peaceful.
The cool breeze moved softly around them.
Then suddenly-
Kashvi realized something.
Her eyes widened.
Her lips parted.
And her cheeks immediately turned pink.
She was sitting on his lap.
The realization hit her like a truck.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
She looked up.
Only to find Netrabhan already looking at her.
No teasing.
No jokes.
No mischief.
Just care.
Softness.
And something much deeper.
Something neither of them were ready to name.
For a few seconds...
Neither looked away.
Then final
ly Netrabhan smiled softly.
"Chaliye."
"Kaha?"
"Class mein chalte hain."
Kashvi nodded.
"Hmm."
This time neither teased the other.
Neither tried changing the topic.
Neither tried hiding their feelings.
Because sometimes words weren't needed.
Sometimes care was enough.
Sometimes understanding was enough.
And for them...
Being there for each other was already becoming something far more precious than friendship.
So here wraps the chapter š¤
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