Nimrit put her hand on Nivedya's eyes and took a breath that was hitched. "Let me get you ready, you have to win the competition." Nimrit got up from the most comfortable seat she had ever sat on and started painting Nivedya's face. A smile was plastered on her face and she knew Nivedya was smiling from within too.

"I honestly, don't know if we will be able to win the competition or not. Ekta was just so good." Nimrit did not want to but the words of appreciation from Nivedya pinched her heart and she in return pinched him. "Aaoo! Why would you pinch me?"

Nimrit didn't answer him and continued painting his face blue, like that of an alien. Nivedya didn't disturb her and tried thinking of the reason he was pinched hard.

Nimrit looked at him and a smile of satisfaction graced her face. "You look like a perfect alien. Now go and give it a perfect shot. Good luck."

Nivedya saw himself in the mirror and asserted, "You are damn good at this job, Nimrit."

"I know. You look more alien than a real alien." She laughed heartily at her comparison and no matter how much Nivedya loved her laughing like a Kookaburra he wanted to show her what aliens could do. So, he pulled her from her waist making her laughter stop instantly.

"All said and done, wish me luck like a girlfriend does to her boyfriend. Don't you dare tell me you don't know how to. Use your romance novel knowledge. Come on, we don't have time." Nivedya challenged her but he didn't know if he was prepared for the "good luck" wish he demanded. He waited for a few seconds before they heard footsteps and distanced themselves.

"Nivi, we are up in ten. Come fast, bro." Raghav prompted him and Nivedya gave him a thumbs-up. He walked towards the door and Nimrit followed him. Just when Nivedya was about to open the door Nimrit caught his hand and hugged him from behind. Her grip was gentle and not tight but it was perfect for him.

"You may be playing an alien but my feelings for you are not alien to you. I do not want to copy romance stories because I want us to create our own story, so unique and special. Good luck, my khota. Now do not turn around because I cannot face you, right now." Nivedya regarded Nimrit's request and didn't turn but his heart was fluttering with joy. He joined his team backstage where everyone appreciated his look.

Collin wrapped his arm around Nivedya and said, "You look awesome, dude. In an alternate universe, I could also fall in love with you." Nivedya jerked him off and made a bad face.

"Don't. I am touched by an angel." Nivedya couldn't hide his smile and Collin killed his urge to tease him because he knew what it meant to his friend. He was just happy.

Swarnbhoomi High's Dramatics Club was called on stage and they began their act. It was a story of a young boy and his alien best friend who helped him to create awareness about the forgotten concepts of empathy and compassion. In the end, when the alien died, the people of Earth understood what he tried elucidating and regret their ignorance. The entire team gave a spectacular performance but Nivedya's performance was incredible. Some of the audience members had lump in their throats and some had tears in their eyes at the sight of the dying alien.

Thunderous applause with the trophy for the best drama was bagged by Swarnbhoomi High, after five years, making everyone celebrate and rejoice. The other participating schools and teachers congratulated them for their brilliant performance.

Ekta shook hands with Nivedya and told him how moved she was with his performance. From his peripheral view, Nivedya could see Nimrit was looking in his direction and the reason for the pinch struck him.
'Jealous Nimrit was so fucking hot.' Nivedya's heart fantasised and could only picture the look on her cute face.

"All right, Dramatics Club, come on up here." The drama teacher called her students and they gathered near her. "Time to behave and say thank you to someone who we forgot was an equal partner in our victory. Someone, who made your stage presence more appealing. Three cheers for our surprise package, Nimrit Khanna."

"Hip Hip - Hurray"
"Hip Hip - Hurray"
"Hip Hip - Hurray"
"Woohoo"
The drama club gave cheers to Nimrit making her speechless. She wasn't sure if her work was actually worth the appreciation.

Aashna murmured in Nimrit's ear, "A job done for love, with love, receives love, hence proved," and hugged to celebrate the victory.

"Jatin Sir, one picture please," Nivedya gave the winning trophy in Nimrit's hands and stood next to her for a photograph.

In a world full of selfies and vivid filters
They were photographed in monochrome.

The drama teacher requested Nimrit to help students in taking off the make-up, props and other things while she went to bid adieu to the other participating schools. Nimrit gladly agreed but this time the triple A decided to help too. They gifted Nimrit and Nivedya exclusive time with each other while they took care of other teammates.

Nivedya didn't use any props and the blue t-shirt and denim he wore were his own. He sneaked Nimrit to an empty green room and none knew who initiated but they embraced each other in a hug. "Nimrit, can I pull you closer?" He requested with urgency in his tone because he couldn't bear the ten-centimetre gap between them.

Nimrit looked at him and smiled. She pulled his cheek and asserted, "You know, these cute acts you do sometimes, are actually very..." Nimrit hugged him tightly leaving no centimetre gap but her sentence in ellipses because she couldn't find the right words to fill in.

Nivedya felt like he found a pot of gold under the rainbow. He was so happy to finally hold the girl he loved so dearly, in his arms, close to his heart.

"Your heart, beats like my favourite song." Nimrit felt she could sing songs to Nivedya's rhythmic heartbeats.

"It beats just for you. You can tune it as you please." Nivedya confessed in a heartbeat and Nimrit knew it was just as true as the Sun, Moon and the stars.

Nimrit's heart felt fuzzy with the mushy environment and said, "This conversation is getting too cheezy."

"Romance stories are cheezy. I am just writing one for us." Nivedya countered and he could feel Nimrit smile. They stayed like that for a few more minutes then decided to do what they were there for.

Nimrit was removing Nivedya's make-up when she traced his face as Ekta did. Nivedya noticed it but he didn't say anything. He wanted her to mark him hers in whichever way she wanted.

"Sparkling clean. Just wash your face with water once when you change your clothes." Nimrit wiped her hands with a tissue and started keeping things back in there place.

"Aren't you going to help me change my clothes?" Nivedya ran to the bathroom laughing before Nimrit could react to the sleazy demand. He quickly changed his dress, washed his face and applied perfume. He wanted to hug Nimrit and didn't want any kind of body odour. When he came out of the bathroom he saw Nimrit was sitting on the chair opposite the mirror looking at herself.

He put his chin on her shoulder and confessed, "The reflection you see in this mirror, is not a lie." Nimrit saw them together and smiled. Nivedya stood straight and continued looking into the mirror that showed them the most beautiful image of themselves.

"Nimrit, people can touch me physically but you touch me even without physically touching me. My emotions, my feelings and my heartbeats are all linked to you and you alone have the power to tame them as you like."

Nimrit turned to face Nivedya and pulled him by his collar. "No one but I alone want the right to touch you physically. Ekta or Janice or any of your "flirtatious fangirls" will NOT be tolerated in my territory. Am I clear?"

Nivedya nodded his head like a little child being warned to not talk to strangers. Though he was stunned by Nimrit's possessiveness. It only reflected, how much she loved him and he felt like a treasure.

The door was knocked on once which meant they only had five minutes left. Nimrit left Nivedya's collar and straightened it. She didn't know a girl so dominating resided in her but she was happy to be the owner of Nivedya's beautiful heart.

She took some cream and asked Nivedya to sit down. She gently applied it on his face and Nivedya felt an instant calm seep in his body. "God! I love you, Nimrit." Nimrit's hands froze on their spot and Nivedya couldn't believe he said the most beautiful words in the worst possible way. "I... Shit! I... Don't know how... I am such a stupid. I just spoiled it."

Knock two and three on the door came back to back which meant they had to come out immediately. Nimrit recovered first and while Nivedya was rambling on how stupid he was to blurt out his proposal so casually, she took her chance and kissed his left cheek briefly.
She came out of the green room and joined her friends while Nivedya had no clue what happened. Did lightning struck him or did Nimrit actually kiss him?

"Holy Fuck! She kissed you!" Collin guessed from Nivedya's fossilised condition and reddened cheeks.

"I guess, she did." Nivedya touched his left cheek to confirm and jumped in happiness. He did a happy dance with Collin and came out of the green room. His eyes were searching for his little packet of crackers but he couldn't see her anywhere.

When he came to his class he saw a beautiful drawing of an alien and his friend made on the board. The class clapped for Collin and him and lifted them on their shoulders. Nimrit was standing and smiling at the achievement of the boy who just confessed his love to her.

"Nimrit Khanna, please report to the principal's office, immediately." The announcement made everyone confused but Nimrit rushed to the principal's office. She knew her happy self was just a guest.

"Nimrit, everything's fine and Reet asked me not to, trouble you... but," Shakti could not complete her sentence because Nimrit cut her short.

"Is he, alive?" Nimrit's direct question startled Shakti but she nodded in a positive. "Thank God! Take me to him, please." Shakti took her car keys and left with Nimrit.

Nivedya didn't know what was happening so he asked Raghav who was clueless as well. Nivedya went home and called his mother. He wanted to know what was wrong with Nimrit or her family as he could grasp from the circumstances. Nandini told him, Nimrit's father was shot in the arm but the bullet just brushed pass and he was safe.

"Mom, can we go and see them. I want to be with Nimrit." Nandini agreed and took Nivedya to the hospital. At the hospital Nandini gave Reet a shoulder to cry on.

"Reet, I am fine. It's just some bruises. But I am afraid I won't be able to cook for a few days. Nimrit will you manage with your mother's sandwiches?" Amber tried to lighten the atmosphere but Reet sobbed more.

She hugged Amber tightly and said, "No one but I alone have the right to touch you. No one will be tolerated in my territory. Not even this bullet. Am I clear?"

Nimrit looked at Nivedya for the first time after he came to the hospital and he was already looking at her. "Same genetics," Nivedya said without a sound and Nimrit gave him a half-smile.

"We will wait outside." Nandini took Nivedya and Nimrit out of the room to give Reet and Amber much needed alone time. "Are you fine, darling?" Nandini asked Nimrit with love and she shook her head meekly. "Alright, you both sit here while I talk to the doctor. Nivi, take care of her." Nandini left them in a private waiting room and went to see the doctor in charge.

Nimrit's face was sad and she looked shaken. Nivedya asked her with concern, "Nimrit, you want to talk about it?"

"If I do, it might create a rift between us," Nimrit replied looking at the hand holding her hand so firmly.

Nivedya assured Nimrit, "There is nothing that cannot be sorted. I promise. Just tell me."

"The people who attacked papa were from his agency only. They wanted to steal some crucial information he extracted about your... family. The new one included. My father has given word to your father that... he will not take any action against them until the right time. I do not know what right time is he talking but if he has decided, he will at no cost, break his oath. And such attacks will keep happening. I am just so scared. I do not want to lose him." Nimrit put her head on Nivedya's shoulder and he took her in a comforting hug.

He didn't know the man he was not very fond of was a man of honour. He was protecting the promise given to Swarnbhoomi and he couldn't let any innocent sacrifice his life.
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Dear Readers
Impromptu confessions, unplanned, unfiltered and organic are the truest ones. Nivedya did just that and received a token of love. How will Amber's condition twists their story shall be told soon.
Stay hooked!
Lots of love!