Red! Blood red!

That was all that Dev could see, standing at a few feet away from Arvika who was lost in her own la-la land, again without having an ounce of an idea about her own stained crimson red blood on her hips, completely unaware about her first menstruation cycle which had left a stain. And her crimson red had instigated a sudden feeling of possessiveness, protection in Dev. How could she be so naïve and irresponsible, the sentence had immediately left his mouth when Dev had finally noticed how much dazed she was, busy in looking at nature.

Earlier his mind was occupied with the thoughts of Ashish and the fight which he had with him along with the 'kiss' word which had raised the flow of his adolescent hormone, igniting the fire of desire and passion in him, for his Arvika, his one, and only Arvika.

The girl who ruled his heart, the girl who made him weak as well as strong at the same time, the girl who had enchanted him like a moth to a flame, the girl who was the reason behind the first-time sensation of adulthood that she had made him realized about!

Every teenager boy or girl has some kind of attraction, some deep feelings for the opposite gender, and Dev was no saint. He too had fantasied a lot about many beautiful actresses out there but never had he ever felt like this, being super possessive, obsessive about someone whose minute ache pained him like some big injury to him.

The moment their eyes had first met, Dev sensed an inexplicable connection, a bond so deep that it seemed to defy explanation. It was as if destiny had woven their fates together long before they even knew it. Initially, he dismissed it as mere intuition, unaware of the deep currents of love and affection stirring within him.

However, the sight of her vulnerability last night that tugged at his heartstrings, ignitingn a fierce protectiveness within him and something shifted deep within his soul. In that moment, Dev realized that what he felt for Arvika went beyond fleeting attraction – it was a love that was as unexpected as it was undeniable, blossoming amidst the rawness of her tears. Dev couldn't deny the truth any longer. 

He loved her. 

No glamorous actress or seductive pop star could hold a candle to her. Arvika had a way of touching his heart in ways he never thought possible. She had made him laugh, she had humbled him to apologize, she had even brought tears to his eyes. In her presence, Dev discovered facets of himself he never knew existed, except for the occasional clash – after all, he was no stranger to anger even before she entered his life.

Love often stirs a whirlwind of desires within.

The longing to caress her, her smile a powerhouse of joy in the dullest of days.

The yearning to embrace her, her gaze captivating and holding yours in an enchanting spell.

The craving to be cherished by her, swept away in the depths of affection.

The hunger to kiss her, her lips beckoning, tantalizingly close, tempting to taste.

And amidst it all,  the surging desires of hormonal overshoot of your adulthood!

His love for Arvika was a blazing fire, consuming him from within, yet he dared not express it. She was too young, too innocent to grasp the depth of his affection, the intensity of his longing for her. He yearned to pour out his heart, to confess his burning desire, but he held back, fearing he would only confuse and frighten her. So, he buried his emotions deep within, masking them with a gentle smile whenever she was near, silently cherishing every moment spent in her presence, knowing that someday, when the time was right, he would find the courage to reveal his love. 

But right now, something graver needed his priority. 

Reality crashed in as voices shattered the reverie. Saket emerged, flanked by his cohorts, his gaze meeting Dev's, unaware of the presence of the girl who ignited the previous night's conflict, concealed behind foliage and Dev's protective frame.

Arvika was in the very first row of the garden, having her back to Dev who was in the middle of the garden, hiding her body from the eyes of Saket, while Saket was just going to walk towards the other side of the resort from the main gate with his men. All in all, Dev was doomed, who was in a turmoil, not knowing what to do to protect his girl from facing any of the dirty remarks of the same man who was as dirty as a pig and as vulgar as some B-grade Bollywood movie's actor.

'Do something before he sees her,' Dev mumbled to himself, observing the swollen and hideous face of Saket.

Having the need to protect her from any of the humiliations and embarrassment, Dev ran towards Arvika, and without wishing her a single word of greeting, he turned her abruptly towards him, breaking her peace, and pushed his lips on hers, while putting his both hands on her hips, trying to hide it from any of the intrusive eyes of the men along with Saket!

In a moment of urgency and protection, Dev's lips found Arvika's, his hands anchoring her firmly against him as he braced for the passing crowd. With closed eyes and a heart racing with determination, he pressed his lips to hers, a silent plea for safety and sanctuary amidst the chaos. Though a part of him savoured the closeness, relishing the softness of her lips against his own, his primary focus remained on shielding her from any potential harm or humiliation.

Meanwhile, Arvika's heart pounded with confusion and fear as she felt the unexpected touch of a stranger's lips upon her own. With her eyes squeezed shut, she struggled to comprehend the intrusion, her mind reeling from the suddenness of it all. She instinctively sought to push him away, her attempts at resistance met with the firm grip of his hands, holding her in place with an unyielding strength.

As Arvika's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurred by their proximity, she struggled to make sense of the situation. She couldn't even see who was the molester who was kissing her like this. Her attempts to break free were thwarted by Dev's unwavering hold, his touch igniting a whirlwind of conflicting emotions within her. Despite her efforts, she found herself ensnared in his grasp, her senses overwhelmed by the intensity of their connection.

With determination etched upon his features, Dev refused to relinquish his hold on Arvika, his desire to protect her eclipsing all else. With one hand keeping her firmly in place and the other concealing the red bloodstains, he stood as a silent guardian, shielding her from prying eyes and potential harm. And as the tumultuous events of the night unfolded, he remained unwavering in his commitment to keep her safe, no matter the cost.

But what they both didn't know was that the whole school too had returned now, witnessing the most scandalous & scurrilous scene of Arvika's life that'd leave her ultimately to shreds.

"What's happening over here?" The booming voice of Mrs. Sarita, St. Xavier's sternest teacher, shattered the serene ambience of the garden, abruptly halting the century's most scandalous kiss between Dev and Arvika. Dev's demeanour stiffened instantly at the sound, and he swiftly withdrew from Arvika, leaving her in a state of shock, her senses jolted by Mrs. Sarita's authoritative presence.

"F***," he cursed under his breath, reluctantly pulling away from Arvika, granting her the chance to catch her breath and confront the perpetrator who had brazenly kissed her against her will.

Arvika was stunned and deeply shaken by Mrs. Sarita's thunderous and incensed tone, but what disturbed her, even more, was the individual who had stolen her first kiss, violating her without her consent.

The person whom she called 'Bhaiya' till today had kissed her, the person whose life she had wanted to save from some strangers had kissed her, the same person who had gotten her pads, yesterday had kissed her, whose real intentions were now disclosed in front of her, his all dirty intentions of why he had helped her.

Arvika looked at him in utter disbelief and abhorrence while Dev's eyes were glued on his teacher who was busy in killing him with her glaring eyes.

Alas, every student bore witness to the sight of their senior, known for both his versatility and his intimidating anger, kissing a girl who appeared much younger, a mere minor. The air buzzed with disapproving murmurs, punctuated by audible gasps and exclamations of 'hawws' and 'ohhs', as they collectively called for the teachers to intervene and punish those bold enough to engage in such public displays of affection behind their backs.

The students were utterly dumbfounded yet exhilarated, eagerly awaiting what might unfold in the next few moments with these audacious romantics who dared to kiss so openly, an unprecedented event in the annals of St. Xavier's history!

The group of five teachers swiftly approached, eager to address the matter of the 'Adolescent kids' now.

"So, that's why you both didn't join us on the tour today, isn't it?" Mrs. Sarita's piercing gaze locked onto Dev, her big, round eyes reddening with simmering anger. How could her students engage in such behaviour right under her nose? Such audacity had never been witnessed before in her tenure as the school's vice-principal! Or perhaps, she pondered, such incidents had occurred without her knowledge.

"Dev, what on earth is going on? And you, young lady, what were you thinking? Why in the world were you both kissing in plain sight of the main gate? Have you lost your minds?" Mr. Abhinav, the beloved, student-friendly science teacher, vented his frustration. Despite Dev's notoriety and rebellious streak, he remained one of the school's brightest students. Yet, Mr. Abhinav couldn't fathom how Dev could act so recklessly as to kiss a girl in such a conspicuous location, knowing full well that teachers or others could appear at any moment.

"What are you even saying, Abhinav Sir? You are worried about where they were kissing and not why they were kissing, how ridiculous," the orthodox and conservative statement left Mrs. Sarita's mouth, eyeing both the juveniles in hate and disgust.

Arvika now fixed her gaze upon the ground, unwilling to meet the hostile yet inquisitive stares of both teachers and students who were relishing the unfolding drama, except Sakshi. She observed with concern, her heart aching for her innocent friend amidst the chaos, disapproving of the amusement many students seemed to find in it. Meanwhile, Dev directed his glare towards the lady teacher, his eyes narrowed with disdain as she spouted whatever nonsense came to mind.

"This must be the fault of this girl, Sarita Ma'am, you know how girls are these days, trying to allure and seduce boys like Dev, I know my brave boy pretty well, this girl over here might have allured him only," the narrow-minded, sports' teacher spoke out with his every word dripping with venom and just poisonous venom against the whole girls' community which immediately made Arvika look at him in utter shock and humiliation.

Dev felt a surge of anger, wanting to cut off his teacher's tongue for his disgusting words, but before he could interject, Mrs. Sarita continued her tirade.

"I can't understand what values these girls are taught at home, what kind of upbringing results in such shameless behaviour. Aren't you ashamed?" It was a familiar catchphrase, history repeating itself once more.

In Ramayana, Goddess Sita was asked to prove her chaste and virtue,

In Mahabharata, Draupadi was called characterless for marrying 'five men',

In the contemporary world, every raped woman is blamed and not the rapist,

And in an instant, Arvika found herself unfairly bearing the brunt of the kiss, her only fault being her gender. She stood there, a helpless girl, unaware of the bloodstain on her back, which had prompted Dev's impulsive kiss.

"Ma'am, why are you speaking about her like that? Both are wrong, why are you only blaming her?" Mr. Abhinav tried to intervene, but his senior's one hand movement was enough for him to shut himself up.

"No, sir, girls like these are truly a disgrace," the sports teacher continued, eyeing Arvika with palpable hate and disgust.

"Indeed, look at the audacity of this girl, how dare she," Mrs. Sarita marched toward Arvika with purposeful strides, seizing her chin firmly in her right hand, compelling Arvika to meet her fiery gaze. Meanwhile, Dev stood nearby, struggling to contain the rage building within him as he witnessed the unjust accusations hurled at Arvika, tarnishing her reputation for no fault of her own.

Arvika's eyes welled with unshed tears, a sense of betrayal enveloping her as she realized the person she had regarded as a protector was actually her tormentor. 

"Why?" Mrs. Sarita demanded, her voice dripping with contempt.

Displeased with Mrs. Sarita's harsh interrogation of Arvika, Dev promptly intervened, forcefully pushing her hand away from Arvika's chin. The unexpected defiance from Dev caught Mrs. Sarita and others off guard, for as the vice-principal, she was accustomed to unwavering obedience, yet here stood Dev, daring to challenge her authority in defence of his beloved Arvika.

"Ma'am, I can explain, it isn't her fault, I can explain...." before Dev could have spoken anything, Arvika's tight slap landed on his lightly-stubble cheeks, a sudden pain being inflicted on him which took him by complete shock along with others, and before anyone could comprehend what actually happened, Arvika was already running towards the resort, with the red-stain on full-show for the whole school and teachers to notice!

The slap was less shocking than the red stain which tainted her back!

Arvika's slap reverberated through Dev's being, sending shockwaves of disbelief and apprehension cascading through his mind. As his cheek stung from the impact, a whirlwind of questions swirled within him, each one more troubling than the last. Would Arvika see his actions as a betrayal? Would she recoil from him in disgust, casting him out of her life forever?

Even as Dev grappled with his own turmoil, he couldn't ignore the stunned disbelief mirrored in Sakshi's eyes. The realization of what had transpired between her brother and her best friend hit her like a bolt of lightning, shattering her perception of their relationship. How could Dev, her protective and caring brother, have committed such a shocking act? The disbelief mingled with a sense of betrayal, leaving Sakshi at a loss for words.

****

Author's Note:

I know many of you will bash me for framing Dev as a bad boy, an abuser, and whatnot, but I just wrote the feelings and emotions a teenage boy has to go through, and especially a teenage lover. Think from his point of view as well.

And don't forget to leave your comments and votes, guys, please, that thing only motivates me for writing, and that way only, I can update every day, I swear.