*Kavitha Pov*

"You dropped her home?" Rakesh asked the moment I reached them and I gave him a nod before glancing at others.

At present everyone except Abhi is sitting at the café and I can see the sadness in their expressions.

"What did she say?" Vikesh asked glancing at me when I sat down.

"She didn't say anything. Do you guys really think all this was necessary? I am still not sure doing this to her is a good idea from any angle." I commented and they just sighed.

"None of us think this is a good idea but this is what he wants. We don't know what he will do if she finds out and that's why it's better to follow his wishes." He replied looking down.

"He will get better for sure and we will apologize to her along with him. He is thinking that even after the surgery he will not get better but that will not be the case." Kalyan added.

I don't know why but it doesn't feel right even after hearing those words. However, I can't ignore the promise I made to Abhi at the same time.

"But can we act near her like this until he returns?" I asked and there is no answer to that question from them.

I glanced at Rekha who is the only one silent right now and found tears in her eyes. I placed my hand over hers saying, "He will be fine."

"Of course! I am like this because of that." She mumbled taking a deep breath as if to stop the tears.

"Because of your words to Mihira?" I asked but she still shook her head.

"I had to! Abhi is really weak right now and that slap would have hurt him. What if it goes out of control? I regret saying those words but I am ready to apologize for sure." She replied before glancing at us.

"Do you guys know that when I proposed to Abhi, he rejected me?" she asked and this is a surprise because today was the first time we heard she even proposed him but seems like Mihira already knows from their conversation.

"Mihira knows that but she didn't say those words at all. I regret not trying to be close to her and always ignoring her kindness and her friendly nature. Now, I don't think we can ever be normal friends as this will always stay at the back of our minds." She explained and I sighed not knowing what to say after hearing those words.

"When will he join the hospital?" I asked changing the subject.

"Next week as they are going for the second opinion but they may choose this hospital only as there is Mihira's Mom who can take care of them." Kalyan replied and that's another matter.

Even her parents have to hide all this from her. I hope she recovers from this soon and I will beg her for forgiveness when he returns.

"We will go to his house during that time as it will be college hours and you can also come by skipping the classes in the middle but make sure she stays in college. After that, we will visit in between and show him our support." Vikesh said looking at me.

"Okay!" I mumbled nodding at him and I felt a hand covering my hand under the table and I turned to glance at Rakesh but he just patted my hand as a way to comfort.

It's a surprise for him to reach out first like this but at present, I can't even reject because of the doubts I am bearing in my head.

****

I glanced at Mihira who is still looking absent-minded during the classes but I don't even have proper words to comfort her.

"Kavitha! Let's go somewhere today." She asked glancing at me during the lunch break.

"Let's go with others. I am being too childish by ignoring them during these few days and it is childish for ignoring me in return. This is not my first break-up, right?" she asked clearing her throat and gave a forced smile.

I opened my mouth but didn't know what excuse to give her as they all are absent today to spend time with Abhi as he will be shifting to the hospital today and will stay there until he recovers and I was supposed to go there in the afternoon.

She messaged in the group as the classes are still going on but everyone replied they are busy making her frown.

When the class ended, she called Abhi directly while I tried to stop her but she was adamant about talking to him thinking they are ignoring her because of him.

"Abhi! I know we broke up and I am still not accepting the words or excuses you told me. It will take some time before I can ask you again and for us to have a proper talk. But why are our friends ignoring me like this?" she asked without giving him a break.

"I think it is better to have that talk today. I don't want to lose their friendship no matter what. And I want a correct excuse instead of your lies." She added fisting her hand.

Suddenly her phone slipped and I had to catch it before she took it back and placed it near her ear.

"What... I... I didn't disturb you at all, right? I am doing this because of our friends and I am fine if you don't want to tell me the truth." She started pleading making me frown.

"What happened?" I asked looking at her.

"Abhi! Don't take a break from your studies because of me. I will never appear in front of you. Trust me!" she continued to plead and I immediately took the phone away from her hands before calling his name.

"What did you tell her?" I asked looking at her expression.

"I told her I will be taking a break from college and will stay with my cousin. I don't know what else to say other than this." He replied and I hear the frustration in his tone.

After that, he cut the call while I called Mihira's name but she just closed her eyes tightly while taking deep breaths.

"Was I being stalkerish towards him, Kavitha? Is it wrong to ask a proper excuse for his sudden change in the behavior?" she asked looking at me and I shook my head.

"You didn't do any mistake. Don't think like that and let him do whatever he wishes." I mumbled holding her hand.

"Even our... his friends are ignoring me. They are now with him to send him off and they are already at the airport. Why didn't they say a single word to me?" she asked rubbing her forehead.

"I was right about Rekha's matter and they were lies but why did he have to lie." She mumbled and I felt tears seeing the way she is thinking so much like this.

"Mihira! Don't think about the excuses and just think about his decision." I said stressing the words and she glanced at me for a few seconds before nodding.

She checked her phone during the lunch and glanced at me saying, "Swapnil Sir is scolding me for skipping to meet him all these days. It is better if I go and meet him today itself after the lunch break."

"Yes! Just think about your life and this will pass, Mihira." I mumbled and she nodded before replying to her Mentor.

"Next class we don't have any lecture, right? What will you do?" she asked glancing at me.

"I will go home, Mihira. I... I got cramps and it is better if I take rest at home." I replied clearing my throat and she nodded.

"Will you leave college after meeting him?" I asked remembering she should stay at college.

"No! He will take class later, right. It is better if I don't skip classes today." She mumbled checking the schedule and I completely forgot about that.

She never skips college if it is his class for sure and is that why Abhi chose today to leave. It could be the reason! I thought nodding at her and left her to reach Abhi's place.

We all sat in his room as they already helped him to pack everything and I tried not to say anything but he glanced at me before asking, "How is she?"

"You should thank Swapnil Sir. He scolded her and her mind is concentrating on that right now." I replied and she looked down nodding before switching off his phone.

After some time, it was time for him to go and I calmly asked him, "Where are your parents? I didn't find them while coming here."

"They went to talk to her parents." Vikesh replied while shifting the suitcase from the bed.

"Everyone has to lie to her now, right?" I asked still not fine with this plan.

"Yes! It would have been fine if we were just been in a relationship instead of also being best friends and also neighbors like this, right? Then she would have accepted everything I told her that day and her parents need not get involved to lie like this." He mumbled and I looked down not able to see his hurt look.

"Everything will be fine after you return, Abhi. Let's plan something so that she will forgive you immediately." Vikesh said.

"Yes! I will be the one to plan that." Rekha assured him and I glanced at her feeling surprised for a second but then I remember her words from that day when she cried.

"So, don't think about all this and just concentrate on getting better soon. We will continue to visit you. When is the surgery scheduled?" Kalyan asked looking at him.

"After two weeks but it may change depending on the situation." He replied before placing his phone on the table desk.

"But... that is not what important. What if it doesn't end in good results? And even after surgery what if..." He started and they all immediately scolded him.

"Don't think too much!" That's all any of us can say as none of us know what will happen, right.

We all left his room and reached Mihira's house as his parents didn't return and we found his Mom crying along with his Dad while her parents are consoling them.

However, they controlled when they saw him and Mihira's Dad smiled at us before looking at Abhi saying, "Don't worry about anything and just return soon, Abhi."

"Yes! We will take care of Mihira and your parents." Aunty assured him and he smiled at them with a nod but that is nowhere a normal smile for sure.

*Vikesh Pov*

"I can't believe you both patched up while he is going through something like this." I teased looking at the usual couple.

"Shut up!" Rakesh mumbled but I continued to tease him along with others.

We are finally relieved that the surgery was a success and at present, he is recovering slowly but then there is still more to go with the other therapies.

"This time he was the one behind her. I have never seen him going crazy like this and she played hard too." Rekha joined.

"Love! The magic is not something anyone can ignore." I laughed at Kalyan's words and glanced at Kavitha who is checking her phone.

"Mihira will not join us today for the movie." She said when I asked her what is it.

"She is still angry at us even after a month passed?" I asked and Kalyan sighed beside me.

"We are the one at fault by ignoring her to escape from lying to her. Who wouldn't be hurt?" Kalyan asked and I nodded at his words.

We all didn't have another choice but to just escape most of the time so that we will not be saying any more lies.

However, that in turn made her ignore us completely. She is very rarely joining us for lunch and even then she is lost in her phone most of the time.

She is spending more time with Kavitha but that is also very less compared to before as she is really busy with her mentor. Seems like he is now a full-time mentor for her as he is even sending her around for errands.

"The exams are starting next week. She must be busy with them too." Rekha commented and I glanced at her still surprised by the way she is supporting Mihi.

"Then let's meet him today instead of going for movies. We will not be able to meet him until he returns to college as per his request, right?" Rakesh asked looking at us and we nodded at him.

As the radiation and chemotherapy will start soon, Abhi didn't want us to visit him at all and wishes to not meet anyone until he recovers.

"He will just join college from next year, right? He can't join the next semester." Kavitha asked and we nodded at her.

"But he wants to study the third year instead of getting transferred." I said making her frown.

"Why? He can just write third-year exams as supplementary, right?" she asked and that's what we thought he would do.

"He said that writing exams together for fourth and third will not be helpful as it will be just finishing exams. He wants to learn things properly and not concentrate just on passing the exams." Kalyan explained and she slowly nodded hearing those words.

"Then he will be my classmate and also..." she trailed off realizing what will happen.

"We need to patch them the moment he returns." She added and we all nodded at those words before leaving the canteen to meet in the evening so that we can go to the hospital together.

****

"I told you that I will pick you up and drop you every day." Rakesh complained not liking the fact that Kavitha didn't stop using her vehicle.

"And I told you that let's not be dependent on each other like that. Let's give space and then our relationship will be good." She retorted and we sighed looking at their banter.

"Isn't that Mihira's vehicle? Didn't she leave? Your classes finished long back, right?" Rekha asked looking at Mihi's vehicle.

Yes! That's another change from her as she bought a vehicle a few weeks back and using it every day and her driving is better than all of us.

"No! She said she has some work in the staff room." Kavitha replied and gestured us to leave fast and we did ignoring the truth we all know that she will be meeting her mentor.

We want to say something even near her but then we don't have any right now and all we can do is wait for him to start college.

"They are together now?" Abhi asked looking at the pair and we nodded while he is looking really weak as he needs to recover from the surgery for a few more days.

"While contacting her to pass the news about you, he took a chance for himself." I added making the couple glare at me.

"Everyone is here?" we turned to find Mihira's Mom entering the room.

"Is everything fine, Abhi? Let me know if you need anything." She asked looking at him after greeting us.

"You are getting troubled when you are already busy, Aunty." He mumbled but she shook her head.

"My work reduced too much. Mihi is helping me at home completely and now she even started cooking. Do you know she is learning from your Mom?" she asked chuckling.

"What?" we asked but Abhi didn't look surprised and must have heard from his Mom.

"Mom told me she is at present just at the beginner stage." He mumbled and she nodded hearing those words.

"So, you can ask for anything and that's why I am disturbing you like this." She commented and left after staying for some time but asked us to inform her as she will be staying with him until his Dad returns from college to be with him.

From night to the next day afternoon, his Mom stays with him, and then Mihira's Mom will be available to be there for him until his Dad returns from college, and then during dinner time, he goes home after Aunty comes.

Everyone is really trying their best and that's what helps him to recover soon and I hope next time we see him, he will be completely fine.

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Finally, next one will be the prologue... The story before prologue was supposed to be just ten chapters and then after prologue kind of ten but I dragged all this way without thinking much... But I hope you guys enjoyed it because I will try the next one to be more intense...

How is the chap???

comment plz and vote...