Prachi sauntered into her bedroom after going through her nightly rituals and shutting the door to the washroom after her. She sighed looking at the beautiful bedroom which was the evidence of her father's love for her. Exhilaration was coursing through her every vein at that moment and the blissful smile wasn't leaving her lips even for a single moment.

She lingered in the middle of the room for a moment to look around and then sauntered towards the window at the back of the room that opened to an enchanting view of painstakingly kept backyard.

She looked up and beamed happily at the full moon which was lovingly showering her with its silvery light. A gentle breeze blew through the window, ruffling her hair affectionately.

It was at a tranquil moment like this, a knock on her door brought her out of her musings. The smile was replaced by a light frown as she wondered who could be calling on her at this time of the night. She glanced at the clock and it showed exactly midnight.

Prachi headed towards the door and unlocking it, pulled it open. To her bafflement, there was no one in the corridor.

"Strange! There's no one here. Then who knocked?" Muttering under her breath, Prachi stepped out of her room and after taking a few steps looked up and down the corridor. However, still she couldn't locate another person. Shrugging to herself, she twirled around and sauntered into the room. Shutting the door again, she locked and turned absentmindedly.

"Aaaah!" A low shriek left her mouth as the scene in front of her startled her out of her wits. 

"Ssshhhh! Prachi! Why are you screaming? You will wake the whole house up?" Ranbir, who was laying comfortably on her bed, got to his feet quickly and tried to hush her up while looking nervously towards the door.

"Why am I screaming? Are you serious? You have just given me an almost heart attack and you are asking why am I screaming? Baklu! Who does things like these?" Prachi chided Ranbir with her hands on her hips.

"Calm down! Calm down, Queen of Jhansi! Okay, I am sorry. I shouldn't have entered like that. I just wanted to surprise you. Never thought it will shock you. Sorry. So sorry. Come on now, forgive me and give me a sweet, sweet smile." Ranbir hold his ears and made an endearing puppy face as he implored.

Prachi tried really hard to held on to the anger but when confronted with such an adorable and sweet apology, only a heartless person could remain unmoved and Prachi was by no means a heartless person.

Her lips twitched and finally she burst into fits of giggles. Her giggles brought a wide green on his face too.

"Fine. I forgive you. But don't give me such shocks again. Okay?" Prachi raised her brows.

"Okay, Your Highness. Your wish is my command." Ranbir dropped a curtsy.

Prachi giggled even more and headed towards him. As she reached him, she pushed his head back lightly with her fingers.

"Drama king" Prachi giggled.

Ranbir grinned and fall back on her bed. Before Prachi could understand anything, he clasped her hand and pulled her down beside him.

Prachi gasped at the sudden fall and glared at him while he chukled.

"What's that? What are you doing?" Prachi glared at him.

"Spending quality time with my wife. What else?" Ranbir replied instantly making Prachi turn an endearing shade of crimson.

"And what will you say if anyone sees you here in my room at this time of night?" Prachi looked at him questioningly.

"That I can't stay away from my wife, even if it is for the duration of our formal wedding. So, I have to come to visit her. And our family should not even question me at all. They are torturing me by keeping me away from you." Ranbir grumbled sulkily.

"You are totally shameless." Prachi turned a deeper shade of crimson.

"Only when it comes to you." Ranbir grinned mischievously.

Prachi swatted his arm with the flat of her hand, smiling herself.

"Now go. We have college tomorrow. Go and take some rest." Prachi ruffled his hair affectionately, running her hand through the soft and silky texture of the dark mass.

"I don't want to." Ranbir whined.

Giggling, Prachi ran her hands through his hair for some more time, making him close his eyes as an intense sense of serenity settled over him.

After a while, Prachi frowned lightly to see him laying with his eyes closed.

"Ranbir? Ranbir, wake up." Prachi patted his arm but to no avail.

Ranbir remained as immobile as a log. Now, tension began to take over the blissful joy that had till then surrounded Prachi. What would happen if someone saw him here in her room? What would the family members say? Granted they were married, but the family had asked them to stay apart till their formal wedding. Ranbir is not waking up. What could she do now? Suddenly, an idea flitted across her mind to determine whether he was really asleep or feigning to be asleep.

With a devilish smirk, Prachi looked down at the unsuspecting man.

"Aaah! My hand!" Prachi gasped.

Instantly, Ranbir's eyes flew open and in an instant, he jerked upright and took her hand carefully in his own.

"What happened? How did you hurt your hand? Where is it hurting?" Ranbir barraged questions over Prachi.

"Nowhere. I just wanted to check if you were really asleep, drama king. Now go before someone sees you." Prachi swatted his arm.

"Hawww! You are so mean!" Ranbir pouted.

"Thank you" Prachi grinned.

"But I won't go." Ranbir declined stubbornly.

"Ranbir!" Prachi sighed exasperatedly.

"Okay, I will go but on one condition." Ranbir smirked.

"What condition?" Prachi looked at him, bemused.

"You will have to kiss your hubby goodnight. And not one of those pecks on the cheek." Ranbir grinned, making Prachi's jaw drop.

"No" Prachi denied instantly.

"Okay. Good night, dear wifey." Ranbir fall back on her bed and closed his eyes.

"Ranbir! Okay, fine." Prachi huffed.

"Promise?" Ranbir opened one eye.

"Promise" Prachi rolled her eyes.

Finally Ranbir got to his feet and headed towards the door, followed closely by Prachi. Prachi almost collided with him when he stopped abruptly a few feets away from the door and whirled around. He tapped his feet on the floor with a brow raised in direct challenge.

Expelling a slow breath through her mouth, she raised herself on her toes and closing her eyes lightly brushed her lips against his. The action made a shiver run down both of their spines. She was about to back away when Ranbir's arms wound around her waist and pulled him closer. He captured her lips again and deepened the kiss. Soon, the heat of his passion began to change the dynamics of the kiss and it transformed from a gentle one to a passionate one within no time. Feeling weak in the knees, Prachi clung to him. However, the fact that things were spiralling out of control perforated the haze of passion in his head as he heard her muffled moan. He closed his eyes to regain control and slowly set her aside. She opened her eyes slowly. Both were panting lightly. A crimson hue tinted her cheeks as she looked down shyly.

"Good night." Ranbir mumbled, smiling blissfully.

"Good night." Prachi whispered, still not meeting his eyes.

Ranbir unlocked the door and walked out and Prachi shut the door immediately, leaning against it with a hand on her thudding heart. Smiling shyly, Prachi walked over to her bed and fall down on it, dreaming about her beloved with open eyes.

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The golden rays of the sun tore through the curtains of darkness, culminating the long, dark night. They announced the arrival of a new dawn which was the precursor of rapture and contentment that Mehra Mansion had finally had the good fortune to witness again. 

A car horn blared at full volume, causing a girl to dash out of the mansion and towards the vehicle. The horn blared again impatiently.

Rolling her eyes, the girl, who had reached the car by then, pulled open the door and settled down in the front seat beside the driver's and turned around.

"Ranbir! You will bring all our neighbours out here! They will think our house is on fire!" Prachi glowered at him.

"What can I do if sleeping beauty takes so much time to wake up, get ready and come out?" Ranbir smirked.

"I am not late. You are early. By the way, how come you have woken up so early since it's you who are the true sleeping beauty" Prachi frowned in confusion.

"Simple. Because I was yearning to meet you as soon as I can. So, woke up and got ready early." Ranbir winked, making a crimson hue tint her cheeks.

"So, that's the reason behind the impatient blaring of horn." Prachi giggled.

"What else? But seems like I am the only one who missed you. You didn't even miss me an inch. You had been sleeping peacefully and took your time to come out." Ranbir grumbled sulkily.

He was looking so endearing in that sulky mood that Prachi just couldn't refrain herself from pulling a fair cheek.

"Awe! So adorable!" Prachi giggled.

Ranbir glared at her as she pulled his cheek again.

"Prachi!" Ranbir's hand reached out suddenly and snaked around Prachi's waist.

With a jerk, he brought her close to him, causing her hands to land on his chest.

"Wha...what are you doing?" Prachi stuttered

"Punishing you for pulling my cheek." Ranbir smirked.

He leaned closer, making her close her eyes in anticipation. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt the soft touch of his lips on her cheek. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked into his, losing herself in the depth of his eyes. He leaned closer again and kissed another soft cheek of his beloved. A crimson hue tinted both of her cheeks. Prachi veiled her eyes beneath the lids. Smiling blissfully, Ranbir finally felt pity on her increasing shyness and let her go. She immediately scooted back to her seat, blushing furiously.

"You know, it's good that you don't wear lipstick." Ranbir stated with a straight face.

Bemused at the sudden change of topic, Prachi looked at him in innocent confusion.

"Why?" Prachi frowned lightly.

"So that, you know, you won't have to keep reapplying it." Ranbir looked back at her with equal innocence.

"But why would I...." Suddenly, Prachi's frown cleared as the implication behind his apparently innocent words dawned on her.

She looked away, blushing a deep shade of crimson, making him chuckle. She turned back and glared at him.

"Shameless" Prachi muttered.

"Beautiful" Ranbir declared.

"Are you even going to drive to college?" Prachi diverted the topic, her cheeks still pink.

"Do we have to?" Ranbir sulked.

"Yes we do. Let's go." Prachi urged.

Reluctantly, Ranbir start the engine and pulled away. Within no time they were heading towards the colossal iron gates and soon sped out of it.

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After reaching the college, as the handsome couple disembarked from the car together, they attracted the unwanted attention of many students, known unknown alike. The incident of the previous day was no longer a secret but had become talk of the town.

Prachi sighed and turned to look at a nonchalant Ranbir. She tugged at his sleeve, making him look at her quizzically.

"It feels so weird to find everyone staring at me." Prachi complained childishly.

"They know that the handsome guy and the beautiful girl are a couple now. They are just jealous. That's why." Ranbir grinned, making her smile too.

"Hello! Do you remember us or have you forgotten everyone since you have married each other?" A sulky voice penetrated their preoccupation in each other.

Prachi and Ranbir whirled around to see a grumpy Sahana and a beaming Aryan heading towards them. Smiling, they too headed towards their respective best friends.

"How can we forget our best friends?" Prachi asked, grinning.

"Doesn't seem like it. Or you wouldn't have left me alone and come to college with Ranbir." Sahana grumbled.

"Grow up, kiddo! After all they needed their privacy. We need to give it to them. Isn't it, Ranbir?" Aryan winked at Ranbir, making him punch lightly on Aryan's shoulder.

As the memories of the time spent with Ranbir in his car that morning returned, they left Prachi turning a sweet shade of pink. She immediately looked away, but not before Aryan and Sahana had seen the confirmation of their train of thought in the redness of her visage. 

"Oh my God! Aryan! You were so right about giving them privacy!" Sahana giggled.

"I know." Aryan chuckled.

"If you are done teasing us, then let's go to our respective classes. Classes are about to start." Prachi changed the topic hastily.

"Classes....hmmm..." Sahana said in a sing song voice.

"Sahana! You will get thrashed by me." Prachi warned.

"I know. The world has always tortured those who show the courage to speak the truth." Sahana began her histrionics.

"You know but haven't seen yet. Wait. Let me show you." Prachi advanced towards her.

Laughing, Sahana sprinted away while Prachi chased her.

Ranbir and Aryan broke into fits of laughter seeing their antics. After their laughter subsided, Ranbir turned to say something to Aryan but stopped as he witness a strange sadness in his best friend's eyes.

"Aryan, is there something wrong? Do you want to talk about it?" Ranbir placed a hand on his friend's arm and looked at him concernedly.

"I will, Ranbir. But not now. Let's attend the classes now. We will talk later." Aryan smiled at Ranbir's concern, knowing he won't be able to conceal the truth forever.

"Okay, let's go." Ranbir suppressed his curiosity as he wanted to give his friend the required time to divulge whatever the matter was himself.

Together, the two friends headed towards their respective classes.

Another cliffhanger free part. Surprising right? 😁😁
Hope you all like this part.