Flashback

Devisha was sitting on the last bench alone when she hears the familiar voice of the boy from yesterday.

"Hi," he says.

"Hmm," Devisha says uninterested.

"Andar khisko na, mujhe baithna hai," he says.
(He gestures for her to move so he can sit.)

"Kidhar aur jaake baith jao, mujhe akela chhodo," Devisha says grumpily.
(Go sit somewhere else, leave me alone.)

"Kidhar jagah nahi hai, isliye idhar aaya, warna main paka tumhe disturb nahi karta," he informs her.
(There is no space elsewhere, so I came here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bothered you.)

Devisha looks up from her book to see whether he is lying or not. Upon finding no empty seats, she shifts a little.

"Ye lo, tumhari book, kal tumne wapas nahi li thi," Adwait says, giving her the book back.
(Here, your book. You didn't take it back yesterday.)

Devisha just takes the book from him and keeps it with her.

"Main Adwait, tumhara naam kya hai?" Adwait asks.
(I'm Adwait, what’s your name?)

"Devisha," she replies, her voice barely audible.

"Oh, aur--" Adwait starts to say something, but Devisha stops him in between.

"Kitna bolte ho, chup raho na. Nahi karni mujhe tumse dosti bina wajah, kal se chipak rahe ho. Give me my space or apne kaam se kaam rakho," Devisha snaps at him angrily.
(You talk too much, stay quiet. I don’t want to be friends with you for no reason, you've been sticking around me since yesterday. Give me my space, and mind your own business.)

"Sorry, I won’t bother you from now," Adwait says, thinking maybe he should not bother her at all from now.

A few days pass by, but Adwait didn't approach Devisha at all.

But he wants to talk to her, comfort her, and be there for her. There is this magnetic pull that is attracting him to Devisha.

On the other hand, Devisha also feels the same. Since the day she snapped at Adwait angrily, she has been feeling that she did wrong, but her fear of betrayal is higher. Still, she can’t deny the fact that she is attracted to his charm — the way he brings energy into the room when he is present. His smile, his facial structure, his voice, and especially his eyes make her feel sensations she can't quite understand.

Devisha was walking in the corridor when she hears a girl talking to Adwait.

"Adwait, you are so good," the girl says, standing extremely close to Adwait, making him feel uncomfortable.

"I think I have feelings for you. Like, of course, you have to be liking me, after all, I am so your type," she says, touching Adwait’s arm.

"Plz, dur raho na," Adwait says gently.
(Please, stay away.)

"Arre, kyu dur rahu? Don’t say you are not enjoying our closeness right now, aren't you?" she whispers, trying to get him.

Devisha, seeing the scene, remembers how people blamed her for doing the same thing to Arush.

"Beshram ladki, iss ladki ka character hi acha nahi hai. Aisi ladkiyon ke maa-baap bichare, chhi, Devisha se dur raho sab," she hears the whispers.
(Shameless girl, her character is not good. Parents of such girls would be so shamed, stay away from Devisha, everyone.)

All the taunts from the students and teachers start to echo in her mind.

She tries to compose herself. She takes long breaths, refocusing on the surrounding.

She then sees the girl leaning towards Adwait, but seeing Adwait making no move — just standing there frozen with his expressions showing that he does not approve — Devisha feels that she should do something.

"Arre, kya kar rahi ho tum? Mere boyfriend se dur raho, samjhi?" Devisha says, her eyes blazing with anger as she points an accusing finger at the girl.
(Hey, what are you doing? Stay away from my boyfriend, understood?)

"Kuch bhi, ye tumhara boyfriend kaise hua? Tum dono toh bas starting mein saath dikhte ho, uske baad kahan thhe," the girl says.
(How is he your boyfriend? You both were just seen together at the beginning, where were you after that?)

"Ha, toh ladai nahi ho sakti kya? Abh jao yah se, samjhi?" Devisha says fiercely.
(Yeah, so what, can’t we fight? Now go from here, understood?)

The girl stomps her feet and goes away.

"Tum aise toh itna bolte ho, aur woh ladki se acha feeling nahi aa raha tha toh chup kyu baithe the?" Devisha inquires, raising an eyebrow.

"Thanks meri help karne ke liye, par tumhare questions ka answer dene ke liye main liable nahi hoon," Adwait says and goes away from there.
(Thanks for helping me, but I’m not liable to answer your questions.)

"I think I hurt him, jabki he was just trying to be nice to me. I think I should say sorry to him," Devisha thinks and makes her way to where Adwait went. After searching for him for 10 minutes, she finds him sitting in the library, deeply engrossed in a book.

"Hi," Devisha says.

"Hmm," he replies.

Devisha takes the book from his hand, making him look at her.

"Kya hai, meri book wapas do," Adwait says, trying to reach out for the book, but Devisha keeps it out of his reach.
(What’s this? Give me my book back.)

"Arre, mujhe baat karni hai, aur tum aise mujhe ignore kar rahe ho," Devisha says. (Now I want to talk, but you are ignoring me.)

"Devisha, dekho, tumne hi kaha tha tumhari personal space ki respect karu. Main toh jab kar raha hoon, toh tumhe kya problem hai?" Adwait says, irritated.
(Devisha, look, you told me to respect your personal space, and I’m doing it, so what’s the problem?)

"Arre, ab main hi aayi hoon na, samne se toh baat kar lo," Devisha says, smiling sheepishly. (Hey, now that I'm here, talk to me.)

"Devisha, dekho, main koi khilona nahi hoon, jiske paas jab man kare tum aa jao, aur jab kare usko chhod do. I know kuch hai tumhare man mein, jiske wajah se tum rude behave kar rahi thi, but meri bhi feelings aur self-respect hai. Toh please meri book do aur jao," Adwait says rudely, his words prickling Devisha’s heart.
(Devisha, look, I’m not a toy, that whenever you feel like it, you come to me, and when you’re done, you leave. I know something is bothering you, which is making you behave rudely, but I also have feelings and self-respect. So, please give me my book and leave.)

"Main sorry bolne aayi thi. Maine tumhare sath itne rudely behave kiya, jabki tum bas mujhse ache se baat kar rahe the. I am sorry, aur dosti ke liye aayi thi, par theek hai agar tumhe mujhse dosti nahi karni toh fine," Devisha says sadly, returning Adwait his book. (I came here to apologize, I behaved rudely to you even when you were just being nice to me. I am sorry, will you be my friend. Its okay if you don't want to be.)

"It’s okay, par tum aise behave kyu kar rahi thi?" Adwait asks. (Its okay. But why werr you so rude.)

"Woh baat main sirf mere naye dost ko bataungi. Tum ban rahe ho kya mere dost?" Devisha asks, smiling innocently at Adwait, which makes his heart flutter.(That I will say only to my friend, so are you ready to be one.)

"Ha, ab bolo kya reason hai," Adwait asks. (Yes, now say.)

"Woh mujhe laga ki tum bhi mujhe hurt karoge jaise meri purani dost ne kiya tha, isliye main tumse dur bhaag rahi thi. Par sorry, maine tumhe hurt kar diya uss wajah se," Devisha says, her head bowed down.
(I thought you would hurt me like my old friend did, that's why I was running away from you. But I’m sorry, I hurt you because of that.)

"I promise main tumhe kabhi hurt nahi karunga," Adwait says, smiling, and his words made Devisha feel at peace.
(I promise I will never hurt you.)

Back to the present

Devisha:

"Tumne jhooth kaha tha, Adwait. Tumne mujhe dard pohochaya, bohot dard pohochaya. Tumhara wada jhootha tha, tum jhoothe ho, jhoothe!" I try to shout, but the words don’t come out of my mouth. It feels like someone is squeezing my throat, and I am not able to speak at all.

He lied to me. He broke his promise. He did hurt me. He hurt me.

Why did you do this, Adwait? Why?

I still turn a few pages and then I open the page — the day Adwait proposed to me.

To be continued...