#Past in Italics#

*Mihira Pov*

"Is something wrong, Mihi?" Mom's voice brought me out of my thoughts and I glanced at her only to find both of them staring at me with a frown.

"Everything is fine, Mom." I mumbled but she glanced at my plate and I stared at that direction and found I am rubbing the rice on the plate which made it into a paste subconsciously.

"I think I am not hungry." I added getting up before taking my plate to wash it properly as I made it into a huge mess.

After reaching my room, I sat before the system but just stared at it. I don't have any work to do as he is mad at me for today's event.

"Principal invited me for dinner today for helping his son regarding the notes and stuff." He commented the moment I reached his table after the lunch break.

"You will enjoy the dinner, Sir. His wife is the best cook and you will wish to eat such food every day." I mumbled while he stared at me.

"I will be going while thinking that the Principal is just treating me for lunch and not to thank me." He mumbled leaning back.

"I wouldn't have accepted if it was not the principal who invited me. If it was a normal parent then I would have ignored the invitation. I don't involve in any student life and I wish the same from the students otherwise I may cross the line." He said with a serious look while I frowned at him.

"What do you mean by the heartless man story?" He asked and I realized why he said those words.

"I mean nothing, Sir." I mumbled fearing he may cross the line which I don't want him to but he continued to frown at me.

"She told you, didn't she?" he asked before staring at his system with a blank expression as I couldn't act like I don't know what he is asking about.

"Sir! Don't be mad at Maam because she just explained all that as I was scolding that student as I did near you. I remember you got angry at that time but now I understand why you didn't want me to think bad about that student." I explained but he continued to act as if he can't hear me saying anything.

"She was telling me that you were not at all at fault and it was all her fault. Don't think too seriously about my words. I still respect and admire you as my mentor." I added and he finally glanced at me.

"Is this what you want to learn at the college? Gossiping with your lecturers and get involved in personal stuff? If that is the intention then you can stop being my mentee." He warned and I stared at him in shock.

"Gossiping? Who was the one to get me involved in these petty affairs of yours, Sir? I don't see both of you acting like my lecturers at present then how can I treat you like that." I said and I felt tears forming in my eyes.

"I always followed your suggestions and didn't back out from any work but still you are saying that, Sir. Now I can relate to that story." Saying that I left his room and reached my class.

The moment I sat down, I realized what I have just done. What if he talks about me at Abhi's house? I need to tell Abhi to not let Sir talk about me and I can find some excuse while saying that.

Did he follow my advice or not? I thought while rolling on my bed not able to sleep with these thoughts running on my mind.

The dinner must have finished by now and maybe he even left but I am scared to look out to check whether his vehicle is still there or not.

Well, if Abhi doesn't call me or come here then I can assume he didn't say anything about me otherwise I don't know whether I am ready to face the questions.

****

I groaned opening my eyes when I heard the continuous knocks on my door. Why is Mom waking me up today when I usually sleep longer unless I tell her that I will be going to college even during holidays.

"What is it, Mom?" I asked opening the door while trying to stop yawning but they are not stopping at all.

However, I moment I saw him standing near the door with that determined look, I stood there with my mouth half-open.

"What is it?" I asked him frowning.

"We need to have a small talk, Mihi." He replied and I know that mentor of mine must have said something near him but I hope I am wrong.

"Let me freshen up a bit." Saying that I closed the door on his face while pacing in my room.

I will just get ready first and I can always ignore it for sure. Sir must have spilled something but he is not the type to spend time while explaining all the details for sure.

After getting ready, I opened the door and found him standing at the same spot. He walked into my room when I shifted towards my bed before sitting on it.

"You knew that I lied about everything the day I told you about taking a break from the college?" I got startled hearing that question but composed myself before lifting my eyes to stare at his face with normal expression.

"I don't know what you are talking about. Didn't you break up with me because you don't feel any attraction towards me anymore and even took a break from college because you were feeling..." he cut me off by reaching closer to me and placed his hands over my cheeks.

"Mihi! You know in your heart that it is not true and you already know everything, didn't you?" he asked in a whisper.

"In my heart? I know all those things were true no matter what other things happened." I replied shifting my head so that he can remove his hands but he didn't do it making me frown.

"I am sorry! I am sorry for lying to you like that but I didn't want you to feel hurt and sad because of my condition. I can't see you suffering no matter what. I thought that was the best thing to do as I didn't know whether everything would have been fine with me and I was scared to think that you will... I don't know how to explain that feeling. I am still scared but I want to be with you more than anything." He continued to talk even when I gave a disinterested look.

"Mihi! I am sorry that you found out some other way instead of hearing it from my mouth." He added and I scoffed hearing those words.

"Don't worry! I heard everything from your mouth only." Saying that I turned to stare straight at his eyes and his hands slipped from my face.

"If I didn't know at that time then how should I react this moment if you just told me what happened?" I asked not able to act as if nothing happened.

"I told you to bring the other textbook and not this. You ignored all the work I gave you for a whole week and even stopped coming here and now why are you so lost? If you are not feeling well, just go home and stop disturbing me." Swapnil Sir's shout suddenly broke the shock I am still feeling after hearing from Abhi that he is going to take a break from his studies and must be already out of the country right now.

"He... he is going to stop attending college because of me, Sir. He said he will be taking a break. But I didn't do anything, right? Why is he going to take a break from studies like this? It would be bad for his career." I mumbled not able to stop my tears while saying all that.

"Who?" he asked frowning.

"It's Abhilash! I showed you my boyfriend last month, Sir." I mumbled while trying to control the tears as I still can't believe I caused him to suffer in this way without any intention towards it and I hate myself right now more than anyone.

"Don't cry! Maybe he thinks it is better to take a break as he already missed the internal exams. Some students do that if they can't concentrate on studies suddenly at some point." He assured me but I stared at him in shock.

"Missed his internals?" I asked in a whisper.

"Yeah! I think he was present for the first one but lost consciousness and I had to call Principal as he is his father and that could be because of the stress but he didn't come to the other two ones when I was in charge and I found he was absent for all exams." He replied.

I stared at him not believing his words at all. It must be someone else but then Abhi is the son of our Principal and no one else.

"He didn't attend any of the exams?" I asked while remembering his severe headaches before the exams started.

And... and that hug... that day he told me he didn't do well and that's when he said he will be staying with Vikesh.

"I need to go, Sir." I said ignoring his next words and rushed out of the college while feeling hands shaking with the new revelations.

I was right! Abhi would never think about me like that and I was not wrong about him. He is hiding something from me but missing all the exams... I need to talk to him right now.

I took a cab and immediately reached the house but I when I stepped into his house compound I heard my Dad's voice from my home garden.

"I don't like that Abhi is hiding all this from Mihi but then I can understand him too. I don't want my daughter to feel such pain this early in her life even though I must seem like a selfish Dad." I frowned standing at that spot.

"We can understand and don't think you are selfish. Even we don't want her to go through the same pain we are feeling the moment we found his condition." Uncle mumbled and I covered my mouth to not make a sound.

"Don't worry! His attending Doctor is my close colleague and I already had a talk with him and I too work there which will make me check upon him continuously." Mom added.

"But... I can understand how much he likes her and I don't think I can find anyone like him for her even if I try. I want him to return to us completely cured and I will never object to their relationship." Dad continued and I frowned before walking into his house before climbing the stairs to ask him directly what is he hiding.

It must not be serious at all. No way! How can he have a serious condition and it must be a small thing but he must be stupid to keep it away from me.

I assured myself with each step I climbed but the moment I reached the door, I stiffened at my spot hearing the conversation from inside the room.

"Where are your parents? I didn't find them while coming here." I can hear Kavitha's voice.

"They went to talk to her parents." Vikesh replied and I frowned thinking why is she here. They all know?

"Everyone has to lie to her now, right?" Kavitha asked and I closed my eyes not believing that they all were lying and acting near me all this time.

"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." His next words however made me forget about everything else while a sob nearly slipped my mouth.

Abhi! How can you say that? Do you regret that we are this close? I thought taking a deep breath still not believing whatever I am hearing right now.

"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 while I felt dizzy with all the information entering my mind.

No! It must be a simple thing for sure and they are unnecessarily worried for me and that's why they are hiding it.

"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.

My knees shook hearing those words and I slid down the wall. Surgery? He is going to have surgery? Why? I felt my breathing to fasten up but I made sure to not make a sound no matter what.

"After two weeks but it may change depending on the situation." He replied. Two weeks?

"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 saying the tumor will go completely and it will not return.

Tumor? They are saying it's just a tumor. Where? Why didn't he tell me and why is he saying it is not good even after surgery? I stood up before walking away from that place to ask my Mom directly and reached near the gate.

"Maybe we can tell Mihi calmly about everything. I never saw her that sad." Dad mumbled as their conversation is still going on.

"I want to request you to not do that. Abhi said he will wish to go to another city to get operated if she knows. He doesn't want her to visit the hospital because she doesn't feel good there or feel worried about him as the results are not completely in a positive manner." Uncle commented and for the second time that day, I felt my knees go weak.

"Everything will be fine and ask him to not think like that." Mom assured them.

"But his doctor said it could lead to blindness after the surgery and there is a chance for the tumor to return after the surgery and he needs to get checked up continuously." Aunty said and I can feel her crying with the tone she is using.

"Every surgery has such side cautions. Let's think that it will be fine." Mom consoled her while I stepped out of his house compound with the tears flowing down and I don't know how I was able to take a cab but returned to the college before walking to the library where I left earlier and found Sir still checking the textbooks.

I want to... I want to cry out loud right now. I want to cry hugging Abhi while assuring him that everything will be fine. I want to cry while letting my parents hold me. I want to cry while hugging my friends and console them back. I want to be there with him... I just... I just... I stepped out of the library before rushing towards the washroom and locked myself inside one cubicle before crying out but made sure to not make a sound.

I shouldn't... I shouldn't let them find out that I know and worry him about me. I need him to just think about his condition and nothing else. If I... stay beside him then he may get worried and don't concentrate on his health. It is better if he doesn't know and... staying at this hospital will be good for him and it is not good if he gets transferred to another city.

I continued to think about the things that shouldn't happen and the reason I need to hide these tears before stopping them after some time and returned to the library but made sure Sir didn't find out all this. However, it is suffocating to hide the tears and sadness, and my thoughts like this.

He stared at me with tears flowing down while I looked away to brush my tears before standing up from the bed not believing that I told him everything like this but the anger I felt hearing his words was not something I couldn't control anymore.

"I knew everything and let our friends pretend before me whenever they were trying to meet you or trying to escape from lying to me. I let my parents hide all those things and didn't let them know how much I want to know your condition." I said stepping away from him.

"I just stayed in my room while trying to listen to my parent's silent talk to know whether you got operated or not for a whole month. And to know how were you doing but I couldn't know any of that matter making me stand on my toes feeling scared every second thinking what is happening to you." I added remembering those days I spend while standing near this door while telling them I am going to sleep.

"Do you know how I found out that your operation was a success? When I saw a big smile on Aunty's face and everyone else's faces. I don't know how much I wish I was there beside you to hug you and just be there beside you to feel the relief by looking at you directly." I closed my eyes not wishing to cry like this.

"So, what else do you want to talk about? Let me know!" I demanded looking at me but he just stared at me with a guilty look making me look away as I don't want to see that or wish him to feel that.

"It was a Pretense from you guys and I don't blame anyone for that but I ask the same from you guys to not blame me for doing it. I don't want to remember any of those things as I was tired during each day during these past months from that day onwards." I mumbled sighed before taking the college bag from the desk before walking towards the door.

"I didn't just lose you that day, Abhi. I lost everyone and I never felt that lonely before even during the time I was always lost in my world as I got used to being with you guys and not alone anymore and I realized how much of a dependent on you guys I was during that time. Now, I don't want to go back to that place again as next time I will not be able to bear it." With those words, I walked out of the room and stopped in my tracks finding our friends standing near the door.

What are they doing here? I thought for a second but continued to walk passing them as at present I don't want to think about anything.

However, I had to stop for another time when I found my parents sitting with Abhi's parents and are looking at me with the same guilty looks that were given by the people whom I just passed.

"I am going to college, Mom." That's all I said before stepping out of the house before driving off to the college after taking a deep breath to not cry while driving.

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That was a long chap... emotional? or not?

And the main reason why is she being distant to Abhi is still not revealed I think... By the way the conversation she heard without them knowing is from the chapter 20 and it's in Kavitha Pov...

How is the chap???

comment plz and vote...