Kavin was stepping out of his last lecture, ready to leave college for the end of the day. Suddenly, he felt a pat on his shoulder.

"hey!" exclaimed dushyant.

"hi..." responded kavin.

"kya hua, pakka diya tere woh accounts ke sir ne?" questioned dushyant.

"arre puch mat yaar, itna boring lecture tha.." replied kavin.

"acha sun, mere saath zara woh sunil kaka di dukaan chalega. Thodi chaye peelenge, fresh hojayenge, baaki abhi bande ko zaroorat hai yaar paison ki, biwi-bache bhi hai uske...thodi toh help kar hi sakte hai." Suggested dushyant.

"haan-haan kyun nahi, bande ne pure do hafte subha-subha itna badiya nashta karwaya hai, uske liye toh itna banta hai." Agreed kavin.

"haan, yaar, acha aadmi hai bechara...i hope pakda jaye woh banda jisne ghar jalaya hai iska, bahaut galat kiya." Remarked dushyant.

"aur nahi toh kya, kuch hojata unn logon ko toh?" detested kavin.

"ek bacha tha yaar ghar mein, it's just cruel." Retorted dushyant.

"chal, toh main apni bike se aata hoon, tere peeche..." said kavin, as he walked to his own bike, and dushyant nodded in agreement.

***

Purvi pressed the button for the sixth floor, in the elevator. Her gaze was still fixed on her phone. She opened google drive, only to click through 4 empty folders, to reach the one that opened a collage of images.

She clicked on the first image, kavin was not clearly happy while he was being photographed with his birthday cake all over his face. But by the next image, purvi got her due, as she struck her tongue out for the photograph, her face probably covered more in cake than kavin's. She remembered not talking to him that day afterwards, only for him to say sorry with that puppy eyes he made, and that soft kiss of his that she could never let herself stay mad.

A fond smile came over her face, only for the elevator door to open. She quickly turned the phone off, as she got outside.

She pressed the bell, her glance still on her phone, with her thumb that ran over a blank screen, as if the picture was still there.

Ishita opened the door, as purvi passed her a smile before getting inside. Unfortunately, when you run your fingers moist of sweat, on a hot summer day, the phone might fall.

Purvi immediately got down to pick it up, as the phone had even turned on. But ishita was quicker, and caught hold of it first.

She saw a photo of kavin giving purvi a kiss on her forehead, with his arm around her shoulder. She pretended that she didn't, when she handed purvi the phone.

"dekh lijiye, koi scratch wagera na pad gaya hoon." Suggested ishita, as purvi nodded in agreement, and immediately left for her room.

***

Sunil served tea to dushyant and kavin, along with some pakodas.

"uhh, kaka, woh chotu ko hata diya kya?" asked dushyant.

"haan, ab apne kharache pure ho nahi rahe, usse kahan se rakhon.." responded sunil.

Kavin and dushyant shared a glance.

"kaka, hum apna hisaab aaaj hi denge.." said kavin, as he glanced at dushyant, who acknowledged it.

Dushyant, was already taking out money from his wallet, and handed his share.

"thode extra bhi hai, bache ke fees de dena..." said dushyant, as kavin also handed his share.

"aur kuch pata chala, kaise hua yeh?" questioned kavin.

"police toh complaint bhi nahi likh rahi hai..jab bhi jao, keh denge koi case nahi ban raha hai..." informed sunil.

"arre aise kaise case nahi banta.." retorted dushyant.

"thaneedar sahab ne toh yahi kaha..." responded sunil.

"arre, aap kal mere saath chalna shaam ko, dukaan band karne ke baad..aise kaise nahi case ban raha, arre khudha na khaasta kuch ho jaata aap logon ko.." argued dushyant.

"yaar, mujhe kal shaam kahi jaana hai kuch kaam se, toh main nahi aa paunga." Stated kavin, as he wiped some sweat off his forehead, at the mention of police.

"koi baat nahi, main hi kaafi hoon unke liye..." remarked dushyant.

***

Ishita knocked on purvi's door, as she came inside with some food in plate.

"aunty bata rahi thi, aap snacks khaaya karti thi college se aati hi pehle, bhook bahaut lagti hai aapko" said ishita, as she walked to her with the plate.

"haan, par, itni thaki hui aati hoon, kuch banane ka man nahi karta." Explained purvi.

"koi baat nahi, mujhe bhi bahaut bhook lagti hai, main bana diya karungi aapke liye bhi." Said ishita, as she placed the plate in front of her.

"arre, lekin, uski kya zaroorat hai?" asked purvi.

"mujhe acha nahi lagta, mere saamne aise koi bhookha baitha hoga." Remarked ishita.

"acha, phir tum bhi thoda khalo...itna bhi nahi khaati main." Stated purvi, as ishita complied.

"maa, abhi?"questioned purvi.

"woh tv dekh rahi hai.." replied ishita, as purvi nodded in agreement while taking her first bite.

"aapke bhaiya ke best friend badle nahi zayda, waise..." remarked ishita, as purvi stopped eating.

"woh, dekho, please kisiko batana mat, bahaut purani photo hai waise bhi.." flustered purvi, as ishita chuckled.

"arre kyun bataungi? Apne phone pe aap jiski bhi photo rakhe, uss kisi ka kya lena dena.." replied ishita, as purvi sighed in relief.

"waise, ache lagenge aap dono saath mein.." remarked ishita.

"kya farak padta hai, joh bhi tha, khatam ho gaya hai..." responded purvi.

"kyun? Aapke bhaiya ne kuch kaha tha, itne khadoos hai?" questioned ishita.

"nahi, nahi, bhaiya ko toh pata bhi nahi tha, bas kuch hi samay pehle pata chala..." replied purvi.

"toh phir kya hua tha?" followed up ishita with another question.

"maa ne mana kar diya tha mujhe usse milne se, in fact, unhe ghar bhi nahi aane diya tha uske baad.." recounted purvi.

"kyun, kya burai thi unmein?" asked ishita, as purvi was taken back to that day.

Kavin and purvi were sitting on purvi's bed, laughing.

"acha ab jao bhi, maa aati hi hongi.." said purvi, as she pushed kavin away.

"nahi, aise toh nahi jaunga main..." responded kavin, reclining on her bed.

"kya loge tum jaane ka!" exclaimed purvi, as kavin leaned closer to her.

"kavin..." hesitated purvi, as he was so close, she could feel his breath.

"bas ek...kiss...." he said, as he leaned closer.

She closed his eyes, as she felt his lips onto hers.

When suddenly, the door opened.

***

Author's note: toh ab socho, kya hua tha.