UNEDITED [ DIDN'T PROOFREAD, TYPOS CAN BE POSSIBLE ] 

Shiva's POV :

Just because I was the only person jo talli hoke nahi ghum raha tha, I had somehow gotten unanimously elected as the official servant.

"Shiva," Aryan moaned from the couch where he was curled up in fetal position.

"Kya hai?" I couldn't help the exasperation in my voice as I replied.

"Aspirin dena bhai."

"Jaake khud lele, Mein assignment kar raha hun." 

Aryan groaned before turning over , " You are never any fun, Shiva. It's the least you can do since tu theek se bed pe pasar ke likh raha hai and mein yaha marr raha hun."

I rolled my eyes , "You know tu thodi bhi pi sakta tha agar chahta toh, fir aise situation mein aata hi nahi." I suggested.

"Toh fir bhai maje kaise karenge." Aryan muttered , somewhat muffled by his pillow.

"Actually, filhaal ke liye toh mein bahut maje mein hun." I contradicted him.

He groaned louder , "Mujhe bas Aspirin laake de de."

Without responding, I grabbed the bottle of the counter and threw it at him. He grunted a little as it hit his stomach before gulping down a couple pills.

I shut my laptop and grabbed my coat off the hook. Yeh assignment kabhi khatam nahi hoga, agar mein yaha ruka .

"Shiva!" Karan yelled from his room, "Thoda paani laayega bhai?"

"Sorry!" I yelled back , not the least apologetic , "Mein library jaa raha hun, I can't"

I quickly rushed out the door before anyone found a reason to keep me from leaving.

On the bus, my mind was running a marathon as i had time to go through the events of last night. Woh sab sach tha kya? Mein ek relationship mein kaise reh sakta hun? woh bhi ek ajnabee ke saath jo sirf meri behen ki acchi dost hai?

Aisa lag raha tha, meri life khud ek movie bann gyi hai, It can't be real, but somehow it had happened to goody-two-shoes , boring old Shiva.

Kya mujhe regret hai Raavi ke agreement se? Maybe thoda sa, but I was mostly just excited. Waise bhi arse bit gye hai, meine apni zindagi mein koi decision impulsively nahi liya hai and To be honest , it felt great.

Plus, I'll admit that I'm looking forward to telling the world ki meri bhi ek girlfriend hai aur fir kaise sabke muh khule ke khule reh jaate hai. 

And especially since Raavi isn't necessarily a bad looking girl and she had something which screams "I'm Cool!". And that would be cherry on top. Since mujh jaise ladke ko ek khoobsurat girlfriend milna kisi ne expect bhi nahi kiya hoga. I was excited to blow their minds.

The bus lurched to a stop, and last minute I realised that I needed to get off. I dashed down the aisle and the steps, a light breeze hitting me as I exited the bus.

Frost girna band hogya, and all left is fog around. Little amount of snow from the snow fall last late night is making the streets look more beautiful. Indeed Shimla is queen of hills and one of the most beautiful places of heritage and beauty.

My first stop was my favourite coffee shop for a caramel latte. Apparently lagta hai aaj sabko caramel latte hi chahiye, I concluded after seeing line stretched nearly to the door. A small cafe shop it is, but their caramel latte is famous all over plus mood bhi achaa tha mera , So I didn't mind to wait.

On the way out, I opened spotify and selected a melody 90s music station before utting in my earbuds and walking the last block to the library.

Atlast I reached the library. I rested down at on of the tables and wrote a couple more paragraphs or my assignment before my phone rang. Without looking to see who called, I ignore it and turned the sound off .

(A/N: this things are done by your mad author. IDK it's rude or not, but it's my habit. And aajkal toh I just put my phone in DND mode. 🙂)

The only people whi that ever called me were my roommates, my maa , papa and meri woh dobi behen and I didn' want to talk to any of them at the moment jab mujhe mera important assignment complete karna hai.

Within seconds , my phone began vibrating viciosuly on the table. Getting slightly irritated, I ignored the call once more and redirected my focus to my laptop.

When it rang for a third time, I finally picked it up and went to the hall before answering.

"Kya hai?" I snapped

"Ohh, Shiva, please ab tum apne iss awaaz se hi mera kattal mat kar dena. Ek hi toh jaan hai mujh jaisi masoom bacchi ke paas." I immediately recognised the saccharine sweet voice on the other end.

"Raavi!"

"Haa, mein hi hun , aur kaun hogi." She confirmed, "Waise kya kar rahe the?"

I sighed, "Woh mein apne economics ka assignment kar raha tha, 90s classical song sunke, jab tak tumne apne phone se mujhe pareshaan nahi kiya tha. Aur ab mein tumse baat kar raha hun."

"Ouch, Samajh gyi mein, kis tareeke ka appreciate kiya tumne mujhe. Agli baar se yaad dilaa dena mujhe ki mein tumhare aur old people writers, baba aadam zamaane ke music ke beech na aaun."

I rolled my eyes and started to feel myself relax. It was hard to stay mad at Raavi when she used phrases like "old poeple writers."

"Usse music composer bolte hai by the way. Aur mein aise hi gaane sunta hun and I'm just 23. Koi old wold nahi hun mein."

She laughed "Ahh, Par tum dil se buddhe ho Shiva."

I smiled and gave in, "Theek, ab jaisi jiski soch. Kya chahiye waise tumhe?"

"I want a date with my Boyfriend."

"Fake Boyfriend" I corrected her.

"Oh come on, this isn't fake Shiva. Hum sachme date kar rahe hai. Mein tumhara haath pakdungi and kiss karungi jab bhi mann ho, just it's like a more no-strings attached way, than other real couples."

"If you say so, Ms. Girlfriend."

"It's Princess to you. I'm your Knight in Shining Armour , uske saath saath though Prince Charming Cindrella ko bacchaya tha, but our case is different. I'm your saviour."

I laughed at her enthusiasm over calling herself Saviour. "Okay fine. Princess, ab theek hai?"

"So Prince Charming, what do you say about visiting Ice world and do some ice skating with your favourite Princess today?"

"Aaj? Par mein kabhi nahi gaya. Mujhe skating bhi nahi aati." I tried to hide the nervousness already sneaking up on me , but I had a feeling that I was failing miserably.

"Come on Shiva, aise excuses mat do. Meine kaha tha na tumse tumhe comfort zone se bahar nikaal ke khatron ke khiladi banaungi. Aur hum easy cheez se shuruwat kar rahe hai. Bilkul hard nahi hai, ekdum bike chalaane jaisa hai."

"Raavi, 'Like bike riding' waise logon ke liye hi applicable hai jinhe skating aati hai. Aur meine toh aaj tak skates bhi nahi pehene hai zindagi mein, so "like' mere liye applicable nahi hai. Shimla mein thodi si snow fall se jab zameen slippery ho jaati hai, mein tabhi fisal ta hun, yeh toh fir bhi ice hogi woh bhi woh blades pehenke kaise chalunga. 

Mein aur ice skating, bahut hi khatarnaak idea hai." subconsciously I started cracking my knuckles and picking at my cuticles, a horrible habit I adopted when I'm anxious.

"Shiva, bas ice skating hi hai, trust me you'll be fine. Aur hum 7 baje mil rahe hai okay?"

"Raavi, par mujhe.. haa woh assignment bhi complete karna hai. Mere paas sirf ek hafta hai isse complete karne ke liye. Aaj complete karna hi parega." I could feel that I was losing and I didn't like it.

"Charming, deal yaad karo humari.Tumhara paper bhaag nahi raha hai ek hafta hai. Also agar tum aise tantrums karoge toh mein tumhe khatron ke khiladi kaise banaugi... I mean tumhe comfort zone se kaise nikalungi?"

I sighed, admitting defeat "Fine."

The playful tome returned to Raavi's voice, "Mujhe pata tha tum mere charm ko resist hi nahi kar sakte, infact koi bhi nahi kar sakta. Anyways, see you at seven. Bye Prince charming!"

"Bye" I muttered to my phone, even though she had already hung up. Ab mujhe samajh nahi aa raha hai, Did I really took the sane decision to agree with the deal?

____

Four hours later, Raavi and I arrived at the ice world and currently seeing the frozen-over lake all bundled up.

Last minute I realised that I didn't have any ice skates. It was a beautiful realization , once I hoped to use to get me out of this 'date'.

Just as I was about to vocalise my dilemma, Raavi pulled a second pair of skates out of her back pack.

"What's your show size?"

"Eleven" I answered her. glancing warily at the scuffed up skates she had set in my lap.

Raavi reached down to lace up the skates on her feet "Mein soch rahi thi ki tumhara size aisa hi kuch hoga. Woh 12 hai toh aaj ke liye chalega. Woh mere Cousin ka hai and somehow Puraane college shift hone se pehle meine apne waale ke saath saath uska bhi pack kar liya. So aaj iss cheez ka faayda hua humme."

I hesitated before slipping them on my feet "Pata nahi, mujhe yeh pehenna.." But was cut off 

"Arrey mere Bhai ko pata bhi nahi chalega. Plus agar usko itni hi fikar hoti toh toh ek saal se jo yeh mere paas hai nahi hota. Aake le jata. "

Seeing as my list of excuses to get me out of ice skating had been thoroughly depleted, I sighed before pulling the skates on and tightening the laces.

Raavi stood up and offered her hand to help me up, but I ignored it. To my dismay , jaise hi mein khara hua , I lost my balance and fell down harshly.

Raavi burst out laughing . I glared at her before trying to stand up again, this time suceeding. I was certain that I was going to fall on my face any minute.

Raavi offered her hand to me. Accepting that there was no way I would stay up without holding anything, I placed my hand in hers begrudingly.

"Aww, Don't look upset. Almost saare ladke wait karte hai ki, ka kab unhe mere strong par khoobsurat haath pakadne ka mauka mile." 

I rolled my eyes , "Lets just get this over soon."

Slowly but steadily I made my way to the lake with Raavi's assitance. Cautiusly I planted my right foot on the ice and then my lfet. A smile broke on my face when I didn't find myself falling. Not Bad , Shiva.

"Meine kaha tha na, it wasn't bad." Raai looked at me with an easy grin on her face. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold .

I smiled and slowly we continued. I stumbled over so many times that I lost the count but every time I need help She would say "Khud se try karo, warna skating nahi seekh paoge."

"Try again"

"EK baar fir se koshish karo."

Were the only words I could hear from her. 

I was wobbling trying to make some better steps when Suddenly I felt someone brush lightly against my arm before rushing by "Sorry" The man apologied , but I had already fallen, my cheek almost crashing in the hard ice.

"Raavi, idhar aao." I demanded and saw her coming to me smoothly gliding.

"Haa?" She grinned at me. I looped my left arm through her right and intertwined our hands.

After refusing my plea of help, I also held the attitude to say "Aisa nahi hai ki mein iss baar help maang raha hun, bas merehaath thande hogye hai." I thought she doesn't argue with my false narrative.

"Hmm, Mujhe pata tha mein hu hi itni khoobsurat, sach toh yeh hai help maange ke bahane ou couldn't resist me." Raavi stated a tad boasting.

"Ab jaisi jiski soch." I mumbled under my breath.

Hand in Hand we skated on for a few minutes. I was just deciding that ice skating could be enoyable when a child fell only feel in front of me. 

Realizing that I have once again lost my balance and I can run over the small child any second, I quickly pushed Raavi to the side. I narrowly missed the child, but I soon found myself ramming into Raavi and toppling her over.

With a splat she landed on the ice with me laying on top of her.

Instantly, my cheeks flamed and Raavi started laughing. The feeling of her stomach muscles contarcting underneath me as she laughed and her weight crushing on me made me more embarrassed and I felt myself blush intensly.

"Humm, No need to throw yourself at me Prince Charming. Tumhe bas mujhse pucna tha, if you wanted me so badly." she joked in between spurts of laughter . She reached up and put her gloved hand on the back of my head, taking the support of my shoulders to sit up straight, but she kissed one of my already crimson cheeks.

I was once again left in a spat of what to react but then recalling her words I muttered "Whatever" and helped her to get up.

We continued to skate for another half an hour, a grin finding its way back to my face easily as Raavi and we held hand. Somehow a person that I had only met the previous day was already better at making me happy than people I had known for years and I didn't mind at all.

***

The following skating scene was taken from the original book "The Rebound" I don't claim the idea as mine , but the last scene where Shiva and Raavi falls , woh mera hai. TYPICAL ITV SCENE.  :p [  Coz I don't want to copy. Next chap is entirely my idea. and I hope you guys will like that too. ]