Standing in front of the grand class door of his elite school Rudra's eyes went to the girls gang who were hugging each other. He knows how much these four girls were attached from the day one they stepped in the school together. Smiling he shifted his eyes to see something which again knocked the bell of his jealousy.

She was smiling heartily and the reason again being her best friend Reyhaan, the only boy in their class Rudra was a bit insecure about. The sarcastic comment specially from Reyhaan and Soumya's laugh over that has always had him pissed off but the small incident the day before is specifically making him very jealous of the sight.

Was those words just a part of their stupid truth and dare game? He thought hoping it to be not. But then his other self argued saying it would be best if they were part of game because he has never respected Soumya and because of him she was mocked of being over weight. She was definitely cute to him, but teasing her calling Sumo was his favourite job and he gladly did it everytime he got chance.

But then things changed, a month before their middle year exam of class twelfth he tried pulling her leg when she got up pushing him and gave it back to him in the most bitterest way. The way she has said 'listen Rudra, being just a passing student dare you come and mess with me' he indeed was just a passing student but for his family's name he was feared off in the entire school and owing to his own family problems he always failed to concentrate over studies whenever he tried to. And then from that day Soumya never talked willingly until the day before.

Returning back to present he spotted Soumya explaining something to Reyhaan happily and they are having a cute arguement over it. Reyhaan is a topper as well besides Soumya, who was all time topper and thus had very less friends because girls of their class envied her while the boys were scared off. Surprisingly Om, Rudra's own brother has become so close to Soumya when he came for a visit to Rudra in his school regarding some complaints because everyone else in his family was busy in their own world. Soumya and Om has said that time that no one would get anymore chance to complaint about Rudra from the time and keeping their words Rudra tried hard to not get into any fights and stayed away from every negative.

He still wondered why he was so keen to keep those promises of his brother and Soumya because before that he never cared about Om asking him to do something, not even after that, but then something was special that time that he was willing to prove their words to his teacher.

"Hey Rudra, where are you lost buddy?" Reyhaan was in front of him now who noticed carefully that how Rudra was staring him and Soumya from a long time now.

"Nothing Reyhaan, will miss you buddy" initiating a hug Rudra's word came out as genuine as possible without even he knowing that.

Reyhaan too felt the warmth of Rudra's friendship for the first time. So giving into the hug was easy for him.

I always had a tiny crush over you Rudra. Came back the words of his Sumo that she has told him the day before making ground slip beneath his feet. He wasn't expecting such from a girl like her but pinching himself he made it sure that he wasn't dreaming. A stupid smile lingered over on his face from that very moment. He got teased too by his brothers but who cares. He remembered those words particularly and did dance in his mind everytime. But after that whenever he walked forward to have a conversation she royally ignored him as if he has become invisible.

"What the hell did I listen Rudra" Reyhaan was long gone and it was a furious Soumya standing in front of him.

"What happened Soumya?" he feared about she getting to know the only thing he was hiding from everyone.

For her, her full name sounded so very bad from Rudra's mouth, indeed she always felt bad or atleast showed it whenever he called him using Sumo but actually to her it sounded cute.

"Who the hell has given you rights to beat away anyone and everyone if they call me fat. I am fat, so what to do, and for God sake he is a class tenth boy. Immature kid he is, atleast you grow up and learn to handle every problem with maturity" and his fear came true. But thank God it was just that boy in past two weeks he has put up a secret fight with in an isolated area because that small poor kid, according to Soumya, has called his Sumo using vulgar names saying she is fattest in the world.

He wondered about Soumya's reaction when she will get to know about how many boys he had secretly fought because they all dared to call her fat. And according to him it is only his right to tease her using the name Sumo and that topic. Specifically this side of him came out years back when Soumya started to ignore him suddenly without any reason. But owing to his promise to his brother Om and Soumya herself he made sure to make all those fights secret and whenever anyone complained no witness against him proved him innocent easily. He is duffer for the entire world, but in these matter he is ever clever.

"Oh hello, I am asking something" she snapped pulling him out of his thoughts.

"I can't take it when anyone else calls you Sumo or says a word against you" he pouted at the end trying his ever famous cute technique to calm down someone who is angry over him.

"That's your's problem Rudra but just because of this over protective nature of your's I lose my friends gradually because you have threatened them to never tease me and stay away from me, like seriously?" She crossed her arms across her chest.

Now it was crystal clear to her, that why the girls envied her and why those boys were scared to even talk to her. She felt like smacking him hard but then it was so very special to her. She has only her mother alive and no one, thus, for her these gestures seemed precious but if she agrees it then he won't ever feel guilty of his deeds which she will never let to happen.

"I am sorry Soumya, I was just trying to make your life easier and free of mocking and fake friends" he was guilty, guilty of calling her names but then he was touchy as well because he thought he has the only right to call her names.

She turned and walked straight to have no more conversation with him. Rudra wondered from where his Sumo got to know these, and then the name of Reyhaan came rushing to his mind. So this was what Soumya and Reyhaan were discussing, and that is why Soumya disappeared suddenly. Rudra looked up to find Soumya's retreating figure. He prayed to his stars to save him and with fear decided to confess everything.

"Hey Soumya, I can explain" Rudra ran behind her.

She didn't turn or respond or even ask him to go away, he wondered why but then continued chasing her until she reached her favourite spot, a lonely bench at one side of the small playground exclusively made for children of class one, two and three. Seniors are not allowed to go there but she failed to suppress her urge to go and sit over that place at least once before leaving the school forever.

The same playground where she and Rudra along with other friends of them has played when they were child. No mockery, no tension or nothing like envy existed then. She claimed Rudra as her best friend then, but as their school grew, they grew and more children took admission, somewhere her friendship with Rudra broke with every passing day. He became a spoilt brat as he grew old, she became practical and the clash between childhood friends happened, much to their disliking.

"Sumo I can explain" Rudra repeated trying to catch up with normal breath.

"Relax Rudra, on the last day as well you didn't let me go off complaints" initially she used to feel special if anybody complained to her about him but now she gets hurt, growing up do have bad effect.

"I can't accept anyone bitching about you or calling you names" he argued this time.

"Why the hell you can't when you yourself did it in front of everyone many a times" getting up from the bench she shouted letting her tears fall.

She isn't weak, no she is not, but she was done with being Rudra's guardian in their school. Everyone in school knew how much they both were protective about each other, although they don't talk and Soumya hated it. Sometimes her fellow girl class mates used to called her Rudra's complaint servant although it stopped after few days to her last fight with Rudra. She wondered why but it was again Rudra who threatened those girls saying he would see them and that was enough to stop that.

"Because I love you Sumo, and I genuinely do. In our early teenage I used to call you fat just to tease you but then I gradually became a spoilt person with whom you lessened talking and teasing you using the same was the only way to me to get to talk to you. And who better knows except you that I am a bit scared of you too, so I feared confessing all these. But believe me, never ever ever I had any bad sense which others always have while bodyshaming you and that is what I hate" he has inched much closer to her by now.

She was awestruck, don't know what to say or how to react, should she slap him or kiss him hard. Did he genuinely confessed or just said those to lessen her anger, what is happening?

"I am not proposing you Soumya, I just shared my feelings and I know you hate me, you hate the me I am now but I know you loved that child Rudra who used to cry upon small cuts. And please never hate that Rudra" he pleaded.

He has done explaining, he has nothing to say more but still not getting any reply he moved away looking into her eyes, she was reciprocating his looks too but her eyes showed nothing or he isn't strong enough to accept the mysterious feel it has in it.

"I did not ask you to go" he stopped immediately hoping her to take a step forward.

"I agree all those words, and let me make it clear to you that I have always loved you since the day we watched the last romantic film together, two years back, but I was scared to share. All I thought was loosing our friendship if I confess so I started parting myself from you. But when you have already shared your part then I have no problem in sharing mine. Mr. Rudra Whoever Crybaby, I love you a lot and that is why I worry about you taking up fights. So promise me, you would try hard to stay away from every fight. And if anyone provokes you then as well try not to react" her words seem curt but they sounded cute, to him at least.

"Can't promise so Sumo, but I will try hard"

"Good"

"Now can we have a romantic propose phase please" knowing her answer already asking such is stupidity but who cares.

"My answer will be no if you ask because I love the baby Rudra" looking everywhere but Rudra answering this was completely showing attitude.

"Please, please Sumo, please accept my proposal, or else I will get chubby of eating chocolates and will become a heartbroken emotional mess, I will forget to watch superman, I will forget to crack lame jokes, ooppss that's too much and if I get a heart attack after that, oh no no no... I can't die at this tender age" his dramatic phrases can never let her attitude last for even a minute.

A laughing mess she was, who proposes like that? Knowing the obvious answer she went forward and hugged him.

"Okay accepted you, but dare you broke my heart and anyone else's body parts from now" she threatened again.

"Love you Sumo" engulfing her into him this was all what he could utter.

"Love you too duffer crybaby" reciprocating it she pulled apart, still holding onto his shirt.

Leaning closer he softly sealed their lips nourishing her sweet lips between his. Their love, their friendship and their life got sealed forever. A promising perfect future with very much imperfect people. And that was farewell to all their hard feelings, farewell to not so friendship phase and of course farewell to their school, where they learnt to grow together.

* * *

Was it good? Well I hope so, because writing them is something very amazingly entertaining and this was probably different from all other stories.

FEEL FREE TO POINT OUT ANY MISTAKE

Dedicating this one to Vithuza . Thank You so much for always supporting me and encouraging me to write on RuMya, love you so much buddy and your wish on reading something on Soumya's pregnancy will get granted soon, working over it. Thanks a lot again.

Heya, if possible do drop more requests and ideas for ShivIka, RiKara and RuMya story on Request page of this book, until I am back. Rikarians excited for next RiKara Story?

-NILANJANA