*Abhilash Pov*

"Are you sure, Doctor?" she asked again not accepting his words at all.

As I thought, she brought me directly to the department where no one would think of unless she already knows about everything.

When I saw her Mom waiting for us, I thought she must have told her but even she is staring at Mihi in surprise but didn't say anything except for taking us both directly to my doctor and he conducted the check-up without asking anything.

However, when he said I am completely fine and it was a normal bump just how everyone gets if they get hit, she is not accepting that fact and is continuously repeating her question.

"But the ball reached him at full force from the other side of the court and it must have hit him hard. Is he really fine?" she stressed making him smile at her while I just stared at her.

"Mihi! Stop doubting him like this." Her Mom commented and he chuckled before glancing at Aunty.

"Who is she?" he asked and stared at Mihi in surprise learning that she is her daughter.

"Doesn't she hate hospitals and that was your huge headache, right?" he asked leaning back while I placed my hand over hers remembering that just now as I was still in shock that she knows everything.

"Yeah! But seems like she doesn't during particular times." Her Mom commented and Mihi suddenly stood up before thanking my doctor and started walking out.

"Sorry for disturbing you like this, Doctor." I mumbled rushing behind Aunty who is already out of the room.

"Mihi! Let me drop you. You are shaking." Aunty said stopping her from walking away and I found our friends waiting outside the cabin.

"I... Mom..." Mihi whispered those words and suddenly slipped but we both held her before she can slip completely.

She hugged her Mom while pushing my hand away and my hands shook when she started to cry. I stepped closer before placing my hand over hers to assure her everything is fine but she suddenly stopped crying within a few minutes and stepped back from her Mom while brushing her tears away.

"Is it fine to leave now, Mom?" she asked staring at her while ignoring my presence along with our friends.

"Sure!" saying that Aunty walked away with her while I stood there still feeling shocked with everything that happened.

"Are you fine, Abhi?" Rekha asked hesitantly approaching me and I nodded at her question still staring at the space where she was standing earlier.

"It was too painful to watch her crying. But before I could reach out she suddenly stopped crying and I didn't know what to say." Kavitha whispered and I glanced at her realizing even she must have not known that Mihi already knows.

"She already knows about your condition?" Kalyan asked frowning at that thought.

"If she already knew, then she wouldn't have been this cold towards Abhi for sure. Maybe she was generally worried about him as he got hurt on his head." Vikesh commented but I shook my head still remembering her conversation with her Mom.

Make an appointment with his doctor! That's what she said and that is not a simple sentence and I am sure she knows but to get answers for all the questions I need to ask her myself.

I can no longer stop myself while walking on eggshells around her thinking how to tell her the truth. I need to ask her right now.

"Drop me at my home." I asked Vikesh and he nodded before we all left the hospital and he stopped his vehicle before Mihi's house.

"Let us know what is actually happening tomorrow or if possible today itself through message." He commented before driving away while I stepped inside her house where I found her Mom sitting on the couch while talking to someone on the phone.

"Abhi is here! Just come home when you are free from that work." Saying that she cut the call before approaching me.

"Aunty! Did you tell her about my matter?" I asked to make sure I was right in thinking she didn't.

"No! I was confused with her call but then thought you must have told her everything and that's why I made an appointment with your doctor itself." She explained and I shook my head in negative at her thought.

"How did she found out?" I mumbled rubbing my forehead.

"That's not important right now, Abhi. After leaving the hospital, her behavior completely changed like today's incident didn't even happen. She is talking with a smile on her face and there is no hint that she just cried in my arms." Aunty said with a worried tone.

"I will go and talk to her." I mumbled and climbed the stairs to reach her room and knocked on the door which she opened after a few seconds.

"Yes?" she asked in a normal tone.

"Can I come in?" I asked back and she nodded before shifting away from the door before walking towards the dressing table in her room.

"Mihi! I need to ask you something." I mumbled to which she nodded before taking out something from the desk and walked back towards me.

"I took your money to pay for the cab earlier. Here is it!" she said placing the money bills in my hand before glancing at me.

"Done? I need to study right now. Can you leave?" she asked gesturing the books lying on the bed.

"This is not what I want to ask you about. Earlier, when I got hurt, you already knew everything, right?" I asked looking at her.

"Earlier? What happened? What do I know? What are you talking about, Abhilash?" she asked frowning at me and there is not a single hesitation while asking those questions and it's really like the incidents didn't even happen.

"I am talking about my condition." I mumbled and she continued to stare at me with a confused look.

"I don't know what you are trying to ask or even say. Can you leave now?" she asked sighing and I immediately took hold of her shoulders.

"You know the reason behind our break-up is not true already, right? I am sorry for hiding everything but just... just talk to me." I pleaded to which she shrugged off my hands from her shoulders.

"You broke up with me because you don't feel any attraction towards me anymore and you didn't even want to be my friend as I was suffocating you with my presence. I already knew all these things and accepted them long back. Why are you apologizing? Are we good acquaintances now?" she asked smiling at me in a normal way.

"Acquaintances? Is that how they behave like the way you did when I got hurt? Be angry with me or shout at me or just hit me but don't pretend like this, Mihi." I pleaded with her.

"Pretend? I am not pretending and we care for even strangers when they get hurt. If you don't want me to feel guilty that I got worried like that then it is better if you leave right now." She warned before pushing me back towards the entrance and closed the door on my face.

I knocked on her door again but she completely ignored me and I had to leave for now as I heard Uncle returning home.

"What do you mean she knows? Didn't they all pretend along with us so that she never finds out until he says? Are you sure he didn't say the truth and that's how she knows?" Uncle voiced reached out and I had to pause on the steps hearing those words.

Pretend? Yes! We all pretended before her all this time and everyone did it without missing anyone and she is doing the same now.

She is showing her anger this way and I don't know from when she knew everything but I can't let her be like this and make sure she let out everything. With that thought, I left their house after nodding at her parents and told them I didn't tell her the truth which made them think how could she know everything then.

*Mihira Pov*

"Mihira! I will drop you to college today. I heard you left your vehicle at college itself." I glanced at Uncle who is standing near Abhi right now near my house with their car as I was just about to leave and catch an Auto.

"It's fine, Uncle!" I assured him but he shook his head with a determined look.

"You left your vehicle because of my Son and if I don't do this then I will not feel good." He mumbled and I couldn't help but think if he acts this way at the college then it would be an epic event.

I sighed nodding at him before opening the back door and they both got in after I sat inside the car. During the drive, Uncle just asked about how the classes are going on and everything.

"Abhi needs to write third-year exams as supplementary along with fourth-year ones. Please help him out if he has any doubts." He requested.

"Okay, Uncle!" I mumbled not knowing what else to say.

"Then can you brief me what was taught this past month so that I can prepare a bit from now on itself." Abhi asked turning his head to stare at me and I glanced at Uncle who is also waiting for myr response.

"Sure!" I mumbled before hating myself for not being able to show my rudeness before his parents no matter what.

I sighed when we finally reached the college and got out along with him while Uncle... The Principle as we are on college grounds right now, went to park his vehicle.

I started walking towards the basketball court as I left my stuff at the locker room I am using from the last semester after requesting the coach for a long time, I felt him following me.

"What is it?" I asked turning around.

"You left your things here because of me and that's why I am accompanying you." He replied and I opened my mouth to stop him from doing that but then I felt it would just lead to unnecessary conversation and immediately stopped the words before ignoring his presence.

When we reached the locker rooms and I started taking out my things, he silently stood behind me and I rushed to finish this before going to my classes.

"Do you remember this place, Mihi?" he suddenly asked and I stiffened hearing that question because I remember what happened here for sure.

"I don't know what are you talking about." I mumbled closing the locker before turning around to leave but he is stared at me with a smile.

"I can remind you a bit." He whispered stepping forward and I covered my mouth as a way to cover my cough.

"It is too dusty here." I whispered still covering my mouth along with the nose before rushing out and he chuckled behind me.

I can't believe I got scared that easily because of him. I sighed walking towards my classroom and he followed me even there but I didn't even ask him what is he doing as I know his classes will start soon anyway and he left after I entered the classroom.

"Were you running from someone?" Kavitha asked passing a tissue when she found me covered with sweat.

"Stalker!" I whispered thanking her but she stared at me with a guilty look.

"What is it?" I asked her frowning.

"I was completely against it, Mihira. But I kind of understand him too on the other side. Please forgive me!" she pleaded while our lecturer entered the classroom.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Why is everyone apologizing to me?" I mumbled before the class started and she didn't say anything after that but kept on glancing at me.

****

"Why are you in a hurry?" Kavitha asked following me as I was rushing to buy lunch and even walking fast towards the table.

"Because I need to meet Sir within fifteen minutes." I replied sitting down and found everyone staring at me.

"He is really treating you as a slave." Vikesh mumbled and I glanced at him before nodding at his words but started eating my lunch.

"Mihi! We are really sorry for hiding everything like that. I know you must be hurt for the way we lied to you and even acted but please forgive us." Rekha mumbled holding my free hand and I think this is the first time she is using that nickname of mine.

"Please, Mihi! Just give any punishment but forgive us and also Abhi for everything. Next time if any of us will lie to you then the others will definitely boycott that person." Vikesh assured me.

"Just forgive us and even Kavitha." Rakesh commented giving an awkward smile.

"I am sorry for hurting you with our lies, Mihi." Kalyan added and I sighed while staring at all of them.

"What happened to everyone? Why is everyone apologizing like this? Like, let me have my lunch as I really need to hurry up." I mumbled giving them a confused look before trying to finish my lunch soon.

"See? Let her eat in peace right now." Abhi mumbled and passed something from his box to my plate which is the curry I like a lot.

"Thanks!" I mumbled accepting it before finally finishing it before the time I need to go and meet him.

"I will be leaving then and we don't have a class immediately after lunch, right? The work will increase for sure." I sighed standing up before walking away after nodding at them.

"There were a few mistakes within the notes she sent. I noted them down here and ask her to correct them." He passed another note which is filled with the page numbers which are supposed to be corrected I guess.

"Sir! Why don't you just mail her these numbers? Why do I need to send this note personally?" I asked feeling tired as she stays at the floor below and I need to walk a bit too.

"Did she mailed me the notes directly? She mailed them to you and you mailed them to me. So, just do this without asking these questions. And did you won yesterday?" he asked glancing at me.

"Yes!" I mumbled while feeling embarrassed about everything that happened after I won the game.

"Good! Now just go and do it. There is no other work for today." He said waving me off.

"Sir! Why do you hate Maam so much like this? You know she is kind of a role model for so many and is as amazing as you with her lectures." I mumbled and he frowned hearing those words before glancing at me.

"I hate her? Who started making you as a mediator instead of contacting me herself last semester? I don't bully people like that and it's completely her wish to do this." He said while I rolled my eyes.

"Except me!" I mumbled hearing him say he doesn't bully people.

"What is it? Feeling tired to do the work? Did you forget our deal?" he asked raising his eyebrows while tapping on his keyboard.

"No, Sir! This is an amazing experience and I should thank you for that." I mumbled smiling at him before walking away from his table while fisting my hands.

But he is kind of right as Maam is the one to start this and I always thought he is just bullying me. So, if I solve it on her side then my work will reduce for sure.

Why is she against on meeting regarding the work? I thought and immediately remember the rumors about him from the past. I need to clear these rumors near her and everything will be fine.

"Maam! Can I ask you something?" I asked looking at her after passing the note which she took calmly.

"Are you bothered by the rumors about him? The present ones are fake and the past ones too." I assured her.

"The past ones? The one with another student three years back?" she asked and I nodded at her.

"No one knows what happened and I think it's that student's fault but not our Sir's. So, please don't misunderstand him and just remove me as a mediator." I requested her.

I know I am talking too much near her but somehow we became closer than I expected during these past months and she wouldn't mind my words for sure.

"Mihira! The moment I entered this campus I heard them saying bad about you and immediately defended you. So, I was not thinking it is any of your mistakes and not even your Sir's. Then why are you thinking it is the mistake of that student and not your Sir's so confidently?" she asked in a serious tone and I stiffened as this is the first time I felt her this serious as before it was just her tone.

"Because I know him and I don't know her. It is our human nature to just think from the side of the people we know, right?" I asked and she nodded hearing that reply.

"Then what if I say that student was me? Then will you still think the mistake lies completely on her?" she asked and I just stared at her hearing those words.

"Maam!" I whispered and she smiled hearing my voice going out of tune with the way I just called her.

"But then it was my mistake and I never wished for such rumors to be around him and I truly regret it." She mumbled and all I can do was to just stare at her feeling lost while not believing her words but then feeling shocked at the same time.

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So, I actually thought of writing a separate one for her mentor but then I felt this is also fine... The next chap will be about the past and nothing about the leads...

How is it???

comment plz and vote...