It had been more than two weeks since we last met... And since I decided to close the window.
Yes, I closed the window. Maybe, it was for the best of the both of us. She actually wasn't my type. We both weren't each other's type.

Even though, it was mine and only mine decision to close the window, still I felt a stab on my heart when I actually had to do it.

The next day after the party, when I woke, out of habit I went to the window and saw her back at her drill. Looking at her, it never seemed as if she was angry just yesterday... Not even 12 hours have passed. But she has gone more silent, if that's even possible. She talks in a few words which she always used to do but it's as if she is just physically present. Her aura has become more unapproachable.

Closing the window was a very hard decision. And I knew I won't be able to do it if she will be in the balcony. So as soon as she left for her college, I banged the window shut and never looked back at it again. Momentarily, it felt kind of good but now I just stare at the closed window thinking what she must have been doing now.

I am pissed at this mess more than anything that happened in my life. Couldn't I have just stopped crushing on her but still looked at her everyday.

I miss her.

Anyway, enough of talking to myself. I think I should go to the college. That's the best way to get a distraction now. Also, colleges don't stop for your heartbreak or something, right?

                           ****

I practically ran towards the bus stop to catch the fading bus but all I got was a very silent bus stop as the bus left me again.

Good luck walking back to the apartment, Randhir!

If only Prof. Thakur hadn't forced me to stay for another hour. Times like these, I want to cuss him so bad.

Now I have two choices, either walk all the way back to the apartment and get a huge ass pain in my legs or to wait for another hour and get the next bus.

Suddenly, I saw a familiar bike cross me... With a very familiar figure riding it. Sanyukta and Phantom.

Her bike came to halt at a little distance from me and she half - turned towards me.

"Randhir!"

Is she... What... Did she just call me?
She remembers my name?

I hated that feeling of excitement in my stomach. This means I still had a crush on her. I didn't shut the window for this.

"Randhir!"

She called out again and I walked towards her, cursing myself for zoning out at her again.

"Hi, Sanyukta!"

"Did you miss your bus?"

"Umm... Yeah, I did. But next bus will be here in an hour."

"Are you seriously going to wait for an hour?" She looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Umm yeah... No choice!" I shrugged.

"Or, I can drop you."

"Hmm... What? You will let me sit on your bike?" My eyes widened at this prospect. Nobody sits on her bike. Nobody at all.

"Phantom."

"Pardon."

"It's called Phantom."

"Oh sorry."

"Now sit and tell me if I will be too fast."

With this, she started her bike and I sat down behind her still dazed that she asked me to sit with her.

I had this urge to hold her but let's not push my luck and I don't want a black eye right now! Her hair were flowing in all directions and some even touched my face giving me a ticklish touch which I was enjoying but she stopped the bike suddenly.

"My hair must be getting annoying?" She looked at me from the rear view mirror and I nodded my head in denial, "No, it's okay. You look good with your hair down."

I later realised that I shouldn't have said that. She can get angry at anything. She is volatile, so I looked at her with visible fear in my eyes. But her eyes had a soft look in them and her lips were curved in a smile which stayed only for a second after which she changed into her neutral expression again.

Sadly, she pulled up her hair and tied them in a tight bun and pulled on the helmet again.

I was thanking Prof. Thakur who made me stay late and I missed my bus, also I was thanking God that she picked me up.

During this Thanksgiving session, I didn't realise that we had reached. It was only when the bike came to a halt, I noticed that I was in front of my apartment.

Why did this had to end so soon? A bit sad, I got down from the bike... Err Phantom.

"Thanks Sanyukta."

"It's okay. What's the timing of your college?"

"10 to 4."

"Same! So why don't you go and come with me?" She asked looking me in the eyes.

What? Did she just say that?

"Are you sure?"

"Do I look unsure?" She deadpanned.

"Yeah... I mean no... I mean... It's great! Let me know if I can be of any help." With this, my fumbling is back.

"You are a maths student right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Can you teach me a few topics?" Her voice dropped a beat.

"Umm... Yeah, I would love to."

"How about Sunday... Say 5 pm? My place?"

"I will be there!"

"Cool, bye!"

Before I could even reply, she started her bike and went off to her apartment.

And I just stood there, in the middle of the road, replaying our conversation.

Maybe, it's high time the window should be opened again.

With a hop in my steps and a huge smile on my face, I raised my hand to knock on the door but before I could do it, Parth opened it.

He also had a goofy grin which mimicked mine. Ok, this makes me suspicious.

"What's with you?" I gave him a weird look as his grin got bigger and he shrugged.

Turning my expression to a neutral one, I entered the apartment.

"What?" I asked for the fifth time and he shrugged again. He has been following me since I entered the apartment. And due to him, I still haven't opened the window. I am CRAVING for Sanyukta.

"Now, will you follow me to the washroom too?" I asked fed up.

"Ok, tell me. How was the bike ride?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me, suggestively.

"Bike... What bike ride?" I turned away from him, hiding my smile. I feel like such a teenager.

"Ok, I saw everything! Now tell me!" Parth crossed his arms on his chest.
He can be such a kid at times.

"Ok, I will tell you but don't say anything to Aryan or he will puke everything in front of Sanaya."

"Not tell me what?" Entered the eternally confused Aryan, and glared at me, "You guys are keeping secrets from me?" He narrowed his eyes at the both of us.

Oh damn!

"Leave it, just listen to what our hero, Randhir Shekhawat did today! He had a bike ride with Madam Eternally Angry!" Parth winked in my direction.

"Ok, don't call her that. She is really nice and she dropped me here today." I defended her.

"Wait a minute, she dropped you? Like she was riding the bike and you were sitting behind her?" Aryan asked me.

"Yeah, why?"

"Damn bro... You ruined it." He face palmed himself and sat on the couch.

"What?"

"Have you ever seen any movie in which the girl rides the bike and the guy sits behind her? Guys are meant to drive, and girls are meant to sit behind them." He said this with utmost sincerity and me and Parth looked at each other.

"Oh, shut up!" Both of us said at the same time.

"So I sat at the back, big deal! And if it means that she will pick me and drop me everyday, I am ready to sit behind her forever."

"Ran, did you just driver zone her or she passenger zoned you?" Aryan laughed at this and Parth threw a cushion at him effectively shutting him off.

"Also, she asked me to teach maths to her this Sunday." I stated and Aryan started laughing, "She teacher zoned you too... Keeps getting better."

"You are impossible. May Sanaya tell you what compromise means." With this, I went to my room and closed the door.

Only one thing can calm me down right now.

I opened the window and looked in her room. She isn't there. Frowning, I scanned the whole room. Nah, she is nowhere. Where is she?

And then she came, as if hearing my voice. Her hair was still up in a bun and she was wearing glasses. She wears glasses? I never knew!
Keeping a stool under the wall clock, she stood up on it and took off the batteries of the wall clock and changed them.

Everything's fine, but why does this also seems attractive to me? Oh God, kill me!

As I layed down on my bed, all I could think about was when we held an eye contact in her rear view mirror.

I have seen a lot of brown eyes till then, but there were just simple, usual brown eyes. These were something different... These were the brown eyes of the girl I loved.

Why can't Sunday come sooner?

                          *****
Finally Sunday came. I got up one hour early... Or actually, I didn't sleep all night due to excitement.

I rushed out after a shower and looked at my cupboard full of clothes.
It was 4 pm. I still had an hour to go.

After a long frustrated discussion with myself, I decided to wear a formal shirt and trousers.

Wearing them, I went out and saw my roomies sprawled on the couch. They looked at me once and again... With shock.

"Don't tell me that you are going to wear this!" Parth said with a frown.

"Yes, please be kidding." This was Aryan.

"But I couldn't find anything more formal." I stated sadly.

"Randhir my boy, you are overdressed!" Aryan pulled me to the window and we saw Sanyukta sitting at her study table wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Look at her... She is in her everyday look... Casual and easy... And then look at you." He said rolling his eyes.

Parth went through my clothes and pulled out a jeans and a t shirt and handed it to me.

It took me 15 minutes to change and after receiving an appreciative nod from both the guys, I went to the girls' apartment.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked at the door. I was sharp on time. Hopefully, this will impress her.

There was some shuffling sound and then the door was opened by Vidushi.

"Heyyyy Randhir!"

"Hiiii Vidushi." I imitated her and she laughed.

"So..."

"Oh... I am here for Sanyukta." I said with a smile.

"Don't tell me that you are going to teach her Maths." Her eyes widened and did I see something like concern in them?

"Yes, why?"

"All the best Randhir, I hope you make out of it alive."

"Wha... What?" I coughed and feeling of dread set in my stomach.

"Oh it's just that Sanyu and Maths don't go well together." Sanaya joined us at the door.

Yes, I was still standing there and was in the mood to run off. I will be able to stalk her only if I am alive. But my plans to run off were trampled when Sanyukta came out of her room.

"Is Ran... Oh there you are! Come to my room." She said and turned back to her room.

No turning back now.

"Just a heads up that make sure she doesn't has any sharp items near her when you are teaching her." Sanaya said and I took God's name before entering her room.

Sanyukta was sitting on a chair twirling a pen in her fingers.

"So did Vidushi not scare you enough?" She asked not looking at me.

"Well, I came to check the facts." Hearing this, she looked at me and smiled... Genuinely smiled. Anything is worth this smile. I noticed a smile forming on my face too.

But it soon vanished when I saw the guys standing at my window in my room and looking at us and laughing.

I got up and opened the door of her room. And saw something unexpected.

Vidushi and Sanaya had their ears on the door, listening to us. They got awkward and stood up as we saw them.

"Umm... I.. we... Umm!" They fidgeted nervously under the scrutinizing gaze of Sanyukta.

"Don't worry, I am not going to kill him." She looked at me, "at least not this soon." With this she gave smirk and I scanned her face for any sort if humor but found none.

Coughing awkwardly, I turned and pulled the curtain, effectively shutting the morons out.

Soon I started teaching her, at first she was doing really well and I didn't understand why Vidushi had said all that and made such a hype out of it.

But after an hour I knew after she had broken the tip offer second pen and slammed a bottle down.

"This bloody answer... I hate this God damned thing!!" Her face was red with anger and eyes had tears.

If she were to be in a cartoon, this would have been a moment when smile started coming out of her ears. This made me smile which thankfully she didn't see or else I would have been dead by now.

"San... Sanyukta... Calm down!" I held her hands subconsciously, "Deep breaths. In... Out... In...!"

After a few minutes, she was calm.

"I will teach it to you again, in an easier way."

"There is an easier way?"

"Endless ways dear!"

That is when I realised that I had been holding her hand for too long. She hadn't noticed it yet. Clearing my throat I let go of her hand, instantly missing their warmth and pulled out another pen and did the question.

It took her half and hour to get the hang of these questions.

"I did it." She squealed like a kid, her eyes twinkling, "Thank you."

"Welcome."

"Sorry you had to stay late and witness all this." She looked embarrassed but it's okay. I don't mind. Why will I?

"It's okay. No worries."

We were silent for a few minutes when I noticed a tattoo on her right hand finger.

"Sanyukta... I noticed a tattoo on your finger." I stopped unsure of what to ask her.

"Yes, it's my grandparents' name." She said examining it.

"You seem very close to them.''

"I am." She gave a nostalgic smile.

And I did the mistake of asking her the following question.

"Where are they now?"

Instead of an answer, her face went stoic and I soon realised my mistake.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"I think you should go."

"I am really sorry."

"Be ready at 9:30 tomorrow."

Realising that there was no use of apologizing I went out if the room.

Outside, I saw Sanaya. She can give the answer now. I called her aside.

"So I asked Sanyukta about the tattoo on her finger."

"Okayyy..." She said dragging the Y unsure of where I was going.

"And then I asked her about her Grandparents." I said not able to keep the eye contact.

"Then she went all stoic and shut you out." Sanaya completed my words, "Randhir, there are things in her life which she doesn't wants to talk about. She has a past from which she is running. Anyway, it's not my story to tell. From now on please refrain from asking any questions about her family."

Giving me a small pat on my shoulder and a smile she went back to her apartment and I walked with heavy steps towards mine.

A very excited Aryan opened the door but taking in my expression they let the matter go.

I went to my room and stood near the window.

Thankfully, she had drawn the curtain and then I saw her in her balcony.

Smoking!

                ___________________
 
                 AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey guys,
So we all are quarantined and I am totally bored. So I decided to make full use of our holidays and will update sooner.

Also please stay safe!

Next: Randhir accompanies Sanyukta to an old age home. Sanyukta teaches her how to ride bike.

Until then,
Love Love ♥️
A.S.