Happy reading....

"Bela, forget about it."Jessy tried to comfort her friend after sitting in their seats.

"I don't know Jes, these kind of things are still happening in reputed colleges. How dare he prank me, I thought it's a real snake.", Bela sniffled.

"Yes, surreal things. I just searched about him on the internet and you can't believe what he turns out to be. He is the dean's son, that's why he is rude."

"So what if he is a dean's son, he shouldn't behave with me like that. He came closer to me and touched me.", she gasped when she realised what happened a few minutes ago.

"Astagfirullah ! ", she immediately added praying in her heart to forgive her for this sin.

"Don't worry Bela, it's an accident."

They both paid attention to the principal's announcement.

"Mahir-Raza Shaik"

"Ya Allah! Why Princy is calling for that Junglee", Bela whispered in shock as she watched Mahir getting up from his seat on the third row and heading towards stage full on attitude.

"Unfortunately, he is our senior and also the topper."

"What ?? How could he be topper? Just look at him Jes. His ripped jeans and that 'I don't give a fudge t-shirt'. Those messy hair, he is completely an example for how a student wouldn't be."

As he was passing over the students, they turned their heads automatically and looked up at him in awestruck.

A ball of anger built in Bela's stomach as she watched Mahir walking to the podium. He angled the mic near to his mouth and straightened his posture.

"Hello guys!"

"OHH", the students hooted.

Especially girls swooning over him and gushing about his looks.

Junglee!

Bela slumped little back onto her seat to avoid him in case he looked over at her. But damn his eyes spotted her among the students easily, his upper lip lifted up slightly in a smirk.

"YA Allah ", a sudden gasp escaped Bela's lips when she realised he just smirked at her. Her fists tightened in her lap, how badly she wanted to snatch away that cocky smirk off his face.

"Do you really think this Jungle would say something good for us ...I don't know how he gets good grades by pranking other students." , she mumbled with a frown.

"Money dear, it can buy anything.", Jes replied absently as her attention was somewhere else. Her gaze was lingering on Neil who had just turned around and mouthed something muffling at her.

"You would be wondering how I can be topper.", Mahir spoke confidently which shocked Bela.

She immediately looked around her seat in anxious,"How the heck he heard our words. Did he keep any secret cameras behind our seats?"

"Bela, we just came here, how would he know we were taking exactly these seats?"

"So, you are telling me it's just a coincidence?"

"Maybe Bela. But you just relax and ignore him."

Mahir glanced over Bela once again and she covered her eyes with her hand. He smiled before continuing his speech.

"You know one's attire, body language, it all doesn't matter. What all you need is", his right hand index finger tapped his temple as he added, "Brain and its intelligence. The way you utilize it, it only matters."

Bela's mouth fell open in utter surprise, it could be visible through her colourful scarf.

"Why is he behaving so decent suddenly? And see how easily he is flipping on his own statements. Just few minutes he was commenting on my saree calling it a fancy dress competition. Now he is giving a lecture that attire doesn't matter."

"Ignore Bela, these rich people are like this. They have so many faces layered and use them accordingly."

"Thank you for bearing my speech and my dear juniors welcome to St.Xavier family.", Mahir said with a smile on his lips.

"Thank god his drama ended. I couldn't tolerate him one more second.", Bela whispered in relief.

"Not yet students.", Mahir spoke suddenly, making Bela startled.

"Not yet what it means? I am fed up with his facade behavior now.", she gritted her teeth.

Mahir looked straight at Bela and smirked again before speaking.

"I would like to invite Ms.Bela-Asfi shaik on stage, she is going to sing a melody Hindi song for us as a warm start. So please give a round of applause for the topper Bela", he announced a bit loud and the cunning smile was never leaving his face.

Bela's mouth fell open again and she was gobsmacked by his actions.

"Bela oh no, I didn't expect that.", Jessy sounded shocked.

"I don't know why this man is after me, what did I do to him, Allah?"

"What would you do now?"

"There is no option left for me this Junglee, I have to go and sing."

"All the best Bela, I know you will rock it."

Bela nodded and stood up with confidence. Everyone in the seminar hall turned around and watched Bela stepping down. Mahir was stunned to see her courage, he thought she would be frightened and run away. But instead she accepted the challenge bravely.

She stepped on the stage and just Mahir stepped out. Her kohl eyes met his coffee ones in a deep hated glare. For a second everyone faded away as his gaze lingered on her covered face in a slow motion. He thought how she would look without the scarf? He had seen her in the newspaper but the picture was not clear. Her big eyes intrigued him so much that his heart urged a glimpse of her face. Soon he shook his head dismissing it, cursing himself for having those thoughts.

He narrowed his eyes on her and whispered in a low voice.

"You are going to finish Ms.Nervous bird. I know you don't know proper Hindi, bloody South Indian."

Bela heard his victory chuckle before even the participation and her fist tightened instantly at his comment. She took a deep breath and calmed down her anger. She walked towards the podium and looked up.

'Allah now everything is in your hands, please save me' , she prayed in her heart.

Mahir joined his friends and leaned back onto his seat.

"Dude, see Ms.Topper is crazy, she is asking for help directly from God", one of his friends laughed out.

"This will be a lesson for her for messing with me. It's just beginning man, there will be a lot more in store for her."

"Just give me earphones, I can't bear her awful voice."

Mahir put on earphones and closed his eyes. But not before hearing the words which left his friend mouth.

"I think she is going to remove her scarf, modest girls always fascinate men.."

"What about her curves man..damn she has a good figure."

His eyes shot to Bela who was loosening her scarf preparing herself for song.

His jaw clenched and anger rose in his veins ardently. He didn't like how the guys commented about her.

"Don't ever talk about any girl like that.", his voice came dangerously cold and his friend flinched in his seat.

"Sorry Mahir ..I was just.."

His words went back into his throat abruptly seeing Mahir's glare.

"Be in your limits."

Just then Bela started singing and the hall fell in pin drop silence. Mahir's head turned ahead in awestruck as he heard her voice. She didn't unveil her face but just loosened a bit at her mouth so her voice could be clear in Mic.

"Manzilein ruswa hain

Khoya hai rasta

Aaye le jaaye itni si ilteja

Yeh meri zamanat hai

Tu meri amaanat hai aa..."

"Mahir she has a wonderful voice and her Hindi is superb.", Neil spoke tapping Mahir's shoulder.

"Wowww ", the words escaped his opened lips unknowingly in amusement. He just forget his fight with her for a minute and enjoyed her song like everyone.

"Mujhko irade de, kasmein de vaade de

Meri duaon ke isharon ko sahare de

Dil ko thikaane de, naye bahaane de

Khaabon ki barishon ko

Mausam ke paimane de

Apne karam ki kar adaayein

Karde idhar bhi tu nighahein

Sun raha hai na tu

Ro rahi hu main...."

"I didn't expect her Hindi to be this perfect, I thought she doesn't know the language", Mahir spoke still flabbergasted.

Neil looked at him,"She is singing like professional singer Mahir, I think we should take her as a playback singer in our music band. What do you say?"

Mahir didn't answer him, he was just mesmerized by her voice. It was so sweet and soothing to his ears. He heard getting compliments from students, they were praising her skills.

He did admit that she was good at singing.

Her song ended and the entire hall was filled with clapping sounds.

Mahir watched her eyes sparkling in happiness as she saw everyone appreciating her. He found her eyes so beautiful that he just lost himself in her involuntarily.

"Thank you everyone.", she said so sweetly and headed down. She made her way towards her row but not before stopping at Mahir's row to give him some peace of mind. Neil smiled broadly and was going to compliment her. But Mahir pushed him back and stared at him.

She bent down to his ear level and whispered.

"I am the No 1 vocalist of my college and I had Hindi as my first language Mr.Junglee.", she said, making Mahir stiff in his seat. Not because of her words but her perfume.

She quickly proceeded towards her seat and sat down feeling so happy. Jes beamed and hugged Bela tightly.

"Jesus you were amazing ..what a voice Bela".

"Thank you."

"Mahir, she is a multi-talented man, we should be careful around her. Just see her guts, she gave back to you the great Mahir-Raza Shaik."

"Just shut up.", Mahir snapped and got up from his seat and then left the hall.

Jessy noticed him leaving ,"Bela noticed how he is escaping from embarrassment", she laughed.

"Whatever, I don't want to waste my valuable time on him."

--------------------

After the seminar they took a small tour to college and spotted the library.

"The only place where I find serene and I love to get lost in this world", Bela spoke and her eyes were bright like stars. She really loves book reading like anything.

"I was right you are a bookworm.", Jessy said walking beside her.

"You know right, I don't socialize so it automatically leads me to be friends with Books and I love to share my feelings with them. Because they only listen and have no complaints."

"You are really different from my friends Bela."

Bela smiled and motioned towards a wooden rack which had software related books.

"Oh no! I am very poor in programming, you have to tutor me Bela", Jes pouted.

"I would love to, now come on, let's issue some books for tomorrow's classes."

Jessy nodded her head and went towards another shelf. Bela was searching for books and suddenly she was greeted by different sounds.

"Mahir come on baby."

Her body stilled hearing his name and her eyes widened. She found the voices coming from the opposite corner which was ten steps away from her.

Her steps made their way in that direction and stopped at the near shelf. She peeked her head slowly out and stunned.

"Ya Allah", she gasped horribly and immediately turned around.

"Baby what's wrong ? Why do you always leave me in the middle of our session?"

"Mahir baby I have class please, already I ditched morning classes for you and I will wait for you after college. But don't bring another girl with you okay. Bye.", the girl in Mahir's embrace said, wriggling out of his grip.

Mahir was not ready to leave her hand but she released her wrist and left. After the girl left, Mahir stood by the wall for a minute looking down.

He heard a heavy breathing sound and smirked ,"I know you are still here baby.", he said without another thought. He slipped his hand around the shelf and gripped the girl's hand.

Astagfirullah!
( I seek forgiveness from Allah )

-----------

My Bela rocked 😌 and Mahir shocked 😏

ShazShaik

Allah hafiz
💜