Nimrit didn't wait for Nivedya to finish his details and pressed her pink lips to his onion-coloured ones. Nivedya brought Nimrit close to him, and he tried to teach her how to kiss. Nimrit's hand moved in Nivedya's hair, and he was happy because she finally opened her mouth.

Chocolate was an amazing aphrodisiac, Nimrit had read in her books and in that moment, she got her answer, why. The sugar rush was high and the blood inside their bodies was pumped south.

What exactly an arousing moan sounded like, Nivedya heard in Nimrit's, "Mmmhh. Nivi, stop! Please." She got up and covered her face with her palms.

Nivedya closed his eyes and drank the delicious juices in his mouth. He exhaled heavily and made Nimrit sit close to him. He removed her hands from her gleaming in his love face and put his hand around her shoulders.

He took a selfie of the moment and told Nimrit, "I am sorry if I overstepped the boundary, but I feel very passionately about you, and what just happened, felt as right to me as bowing my head in front of God."

"I know. I just... I just... I just feel like I can kiss you till I run out of breath. It should not be like that, I mean it should be like that, but we are still underage and this should not be a necessity. What if we do something beyond regret." Nimrit raised her worry and doubt.

"Ask me how I am killing the urge," Nivedya whispered to himself and put forward his point of view. "Nimrit, we are underage, I agree, but I know we are mature enough to restrict ourselves to a limit we set. Besides, I can never regret doing anything with you. Still, if you want to keep your distance or set some ground rules, we can."

After thinking for a while Nimrit said, "One kiss a day? And that is it. No more. It is getting addictive."

Nivedya smiled inwardly then asked in all seriousness, "Okay. What about hugging, kissing randomly, and not just on the lips."

"Umm... We could do that as per..." Nimrit didn't say further because she wasn't sure of what she proposing.

Nivedya took Nimrit's hand in his and said, "My dear girlfriend, it doesn't matter where I kiss you because for me, even holding your hand is as intimate as kissing you square on your rosy lips. So, leave the things as they are. Let the moments decide the course of our story." Nimrit smiled and nodded in agreement. She put her head on his chest, and they sat in silence watching the rain.

"We have a lot of homework, Nivi. Should we go downstairs?" Nimrit asked and Nivedya held her tighter.

"I just don't want to go. I can live like this." He asserted with truth reflecting in his eyes.

"I know. But Mr boyfriend, we have to go back to the reality where the books are waiting for us." Nimrit persuaded him, and they hugged one last time and clicked a few pictures before going back. Their eyes never left the other's until the elevator dinged reminding them they were home.

"So, how was your date?" Nandini questioned them as soon as they stepped out of the elevator. Nivedya shrugged his shoulders avoiding answering. He sat on the sofa and turned on the television leaving Nimrit behind to face his over-enthusiastic mother.

Nandini was dying to know and tease the cute couple she had trusted with alone time. "Alright. Don't tell me. I won't allow you the next time."

Nivedya came running and said, "I feel like I have swallowed firecrackers."

Nimrit shut her eyes in embarrassment and muttered "khota" under her breath. Nandini suppressed her smile and took Nimrit in her embrace as she understood what the little girl must be feeling. She didn't tease them further and told them to finish their homework quickly.

Nimrit told Nivedya about the work done at school and explained to him what he didn't understand. They decided they would not compromise on their studies but Nivedya was bored with studying even with amazing company. He felt relieved when his mother called them for dinner. He jumped and sat on a chair and patted the one next to him for Nimrit to sit. She hesitated but couldn't deny the request of the eyes that kissed her without touching her.

Nivedya briefed his parents about the details of the school excursion trip and Nandini agreed on sending him. "Nimrit have you filled the form?" Nivedya asked excitedly.

Nimrit put her fork down and prepared herself to answer. "I... I do not think I will go. I have a skating practice match."

"What match? I don't know of any such competition. You never mentioned it." Nivedya talked with food stuffed in his mouth.

"That is because it was not confirmed earlier. I was told about the schedule today. I am afraid I will have to miss the trip. But you must go. All our friends are going." Nimrit was betting on her persuasion skills.

Nivedya faced Nimrit and she could feel the change in his tone when he asked her, "What competition is it? And when were you told about it?"

"It is between the... umm... west and east side schools of Swarnbhoomi."

"There are hardly any schools in the east and the schools in the west are not very great in sports either. I doubt there are not even ten schools participating and anyone from our school can win against them. You can come for the trip. Tell sir you can't participate." Nivedya resumed eating after proposing the solution.

Nimrit did not like the way Nivedya was trying to dismiss her participation. "I want to participate. This is going to be my first practice session with outsiders after coming to Swarnbhoomi, and I do not want to miss it."

"This will also be your first trip after coming to Swarnbhoomi. Our school organises the best trips, trust me. Come for the trip, please." Nivedya softened his tone and Rudra also suggested to Nimrit, that the trip was a better option for her. Because the place the school was taking them was of historical importance. Nivedya looked at Nimrit with eyes filled with hope, and she hated to ignore it.

"I am sorry, but I do wish to participate in the competition."

Rudra accepted her decision, but he still thought the trip was a better option. Nivedya drank water and left the dining table in anger. He ignored his father and mother calling him to finish his food. Nimrit saw him climbing stairs in speed and the noise of the door shutting was loud enough to reach everyone's ears. Nimrit finished whatever was on her plate quickly and excused herself.

The moment Nimrit entered her room she was surprised to see Nivedya. "Sit," he told her and she sat on the chair opposite from him. "You never had planned on going on the trip, did you? This- this "practice match" you are using as an excuse, I spoke to Vibhor sir, and he said it is just friendly competition. So, whatever the truth is, just tell me. If you are worried  about your mother, she will only be back by the time we come back. As it  is you are not allowed to see her at the hospital and..."  Nivedya sat near Nimrit and took her hand in his, "I promise you will be allowed to call your father every day. Just come, Nimrit. We saw the mountains from the terrace today, and you were awestruck. Don't you want to see it up close and be amazed? Besides, I..."

"You still do not trust me, do you? Did you call Vibhor sir to know the details of the competition? Is it so hard for you to accept my choice? I want to go on the trip too but for me, the competition is more important."

"Why do you always make things so complex? Trusting you has nothing to do with this. I asked sir to seek a solution. He said you can skip it and I just wanted to let you know. Now I feel you just don't want to come."  Nivedya found Nimrit's reasoning unreasonable and so did Rudra who was trying to listen to the conversation standing near the door.

"You are welcome to think whatever you wish to. I thought you would support me in my decisions, but you are questioning them." Nimrit knew she was stretching the matter and just sharing with Nivedya the real reason would be simpler but she chose otherwise.

Silence fell in the room and Rudra could take it no longer. He wasn't very judgemental but he wanted to know the reason Nimrit wanted to miss the trip with the boy she loved so much. The father in him didn't want his son's heart to break. He knocked and opened the room. 

"Dad, please don't interfere." Nivedya wanted to provoke Nimrit to find the real reason behind her not coming and with his father around he doubted he could do that.

"Nivi, relax. Nimrit, no one is questioning your choice but we are just suggesting a better alternative. It's just a practice match and a champion like you can easily skip it. School trips are very helpful in a person's personal growth. They..."

"Uncle, I am sorry but my decision is final." Nimrit didn't want to sound rude but she did and it irked Nivedya.

He interfered and shouted in a high pitch, "You can't talk to my dad like that. I told you, Dad, there's no point convincing this stubborn head."

"Nivi, it's alright. Accept her decision. It's good to see a girl, her age be so firm in her decision and so dedicated to her aim that going on a trip with friends also doesn't tempt her." Rudra supported Nimrit because he sensed she was hiding something. It reminded him of Swarnima and the restrictions she was under.

"Seriously, Dad? I haven't seen her practising all these days." Suddenly something struck Nivedya and he lifted Nimrit's chin to see in her eyes. "Is money the reason?" He questioned and the fear of a leaked secret was visible in Nimrit's eyes. "Stupid girl! You should have told me. Dad will pay for your trip too."

The statement Nimrit dreaded, Nivedya said very casually. Rudra felt guilty for judging Nimrit and being partly responsible for her financial problems. Nandini couldn't curtail any longer and finally walked inside the room. She understood Nimrit's emotional state.

"I am sorry, but I am not a charity case," Nimrit said with her head held high.

Nivedya jerked Nimrit holding her arms and shouted, "Charity case? Are you even listening to yourself? I would do that for any of my friends and you are my girlfriend, damn it!"
He hated Nimrit's fake pride. "Money shouldn't come between friends. I wouldn't have minded asking for help from you if I was in crisis. That's what friends are for? Aren't they? Explain it to her dad. You tell her mom, she listens to you." Nivedya went near his mother and pointed at Nimrit.

"You hear yourself? Money should not come between friends and definitely not between the two who share a special bond. Yes, I did not want to burden my parents with a trip I could easily miss and save that money for the long-pending bills. I have seen how mixing money with relations damages lives and I do not want that for us." Nimrit turned her back to everyone. She was a guest at their house and her temperament was wrong.

"She is right, Nivi. Money should never be mixed with relations." Rudra furrowed his brows at Nandini's statement.

"Mom, you lend money to any and everyone, and you are saying that?" Nivedya stood next to Nimrit and asked her, "are my things not yours? Didn't you call me your property with so much authority the other day? I belong to you. So whatever is mine is yours too. I feel like an idiot trying to explain these things to you." Nimrit was touched by Nivedya's words. She knew the circumstances were different with them but the thought of the damage money matters could do and had done, shivered her.

Nandini no could see things were getting out of hand so she pitched in and said, "Nivi, what I do is different. I applaud Nimrit for her thoughts."

"Mom, just don't take her side for the sake of it. She must know money is the last thing that could ever come between us. Doesn't she know me? Does she think I would ever taunt her or ask for a return? Nimrit, you broke my heart. Bad." Nivedya's eyes reflected the hurt he felt.

"You can say that because you are the son of a rich dad, Nivi." Nandini's tone was one even Rudra had never heard and her remark was unacceptable.

She wiped a small tear in her eye and elucidated, "I was an orphan and grew up at my best friend's place. Her parents catered to all my needs and never differentiated between us. For me, they were the only parents I knew. But still, I restricted myself to basic needs. I tried skipping trips and competitions that were not free. God knows how many times I was scolded by them for doing so. But Nivi, asking for money from someone who is not your own, or you know would create a crunch, is tough. It's embarrassing and it makes you feel small, at times. I understand Nimrit because I had been through this so many times. Even if she goes on the trip, trust me she won't be able to enjoy  it." Nandini and Nimrit hugged each other and Nimrit whispered "thank you" to her. Nimrit felt as if Nandini narrated her story.

"Mom, your case and hers are not the same. Her father gets paid well and one or the other day he will get his salary. It's just this time. But her pride is above all. Life is too short to miss any happy moment. Anyways, I don't see a point in explaining anything, to anyone. Goodnight." Nivedya left for his room but Nimrit held his hand and made him turn.

"Even if my father was getting his salary, I would not have asked him to pay for the trip. I belong to a normal middle-class family and I am sorry but I cannot afford random trips and hangouts. Money is something we use judiciously and plan our monthly expenditures accordingly. Take your time and think about it. If you are ready to be with a girl who chooses to skip outings to save money, then we can stay together else you are free to walk out of whatever we have." Nimrit didn't want Nivedya to be stuck with her. He was a fun-loving guy and should choose someone with a less complex life.

"Go to hell." Nivedya yanked Nimrit's hand in anger and walked out of the room.
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Dear Readers
After a beautiful date, Nimrit and Nivedya are again fighting. This time the reason is new and different.
What are your thoughts on money matters? Is it okay to ask for help or if one can avoid it, they should?
Drop in your thoughts in the comments section before you read the next chapter.

Stay hooked!
Lots of love!