22 years before...

rashmi, hardly a twenty one year old at the time, was scratching her head over a mind-boggling calculus problem in her book, making her consider stabbing her pen in her eye instead of using it to write on the register, in front of her. she looked around, listless, a quiet library, where everyone was busy working, making her wonder if it was only she, who didn't understand the material she was supposed to study. 

she sighed disheartened, and looked back into her book, attempting to figure out the solution to the problem at hand, as she bit the top of her pen, when a refreshing voice was overheard by her ears, that perked up immediately at the sound. she looked up to find the owner of the voice, a handsome twenty one year old dushyant, a cordial smile on his face, capable of lighting up the entire room,a glance so powerful, it made rashmi skip her heartbeat. 

"excuse me, can i sit here please, if you don't mind?" asked dushyant, so casually, not realizing how ecstatic and nervous he had made rashmi at the same time. 

"sure..." managed rashmi to utter a one word response, as dushyant thanked her softly, flashing his sweet smile, that anyone would die for, he just sat down with his books and stationery. the boring and utterly incomprehensible calculus problem, was a distant memory for rashi now, her only focus being, him. 

she could look at his face all day, she won't mind, let alone getting bored, she was okay with not blinking for the entire day. unfortunately, he might not have been as clueless about the jarring ogling from her side, when he looked up, as she awkwardly looked down, attempting to come back to earth, realising she has a calculus problem to get back to, fumbling with her pen. she looked up again, just for a quick second, to see if he was not looking anymore, to be relieved, he was just quietly taking some notes. good for her, she'll have time to spare to stare at that gorgeous face. 

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"i don't believe you yaar! atleast naam toh puch leti uska..." rolled her eyes, one of rashmi's friend, accompanying her to the table of two at a coffee house. 

"yaar..i know....it's just he was sooo cute....mere saath hua nahi hai kabhi aise you know..."  attempted rashmi to state her defense, as they both took their seats, and her friend shook her head in disbelief, calling the waiter. 

"two cold coffees please..." ordered her friend on their behalf, as rashmi placed her elbows on the table and looked around, and what would she know, there was the cutie she just came back from ogling at the library. 

"chetna! chetna! it's him!" exclaimed rashmi excitedly, shaking her friend, who looked over to dushyant, rushing to get inside the kitchen at the back of the coffee house, as he wrapped an apron around his waist, while he dodged his supervisor. 

"hadd hi ho gayi! tujhe pyaar karne ke liye bhi coffee banane waala mila?" commented chetna, in disbelief. 

"kaam karne mein koi burayi nahi hoti! toh thoda karliya kar, baithe-baithe coffee peene ki jagah..." retorted rashmi, as chetna was offended. 

"coffee pee kahan rahi ho! tera library waala time pe nahi aaya tha...." argued chetna, as rashmi glared at her. 

"humein bhi toh aate hue kitna jam mila tha...kya hogaya agar woh late ho gaya thoda..." muttered rashmi, as chetna scoffed. 

"abhi toh uska naam bhi nahi pata...boyfriend sach mein bangaya toh mujhe toh chod hi degi toh!"  grumbled chetna, as rashmi looked at her in disbelief, when the waiter arrived with their orders. 

"thank you." smiled rashmi at the waiter politely, before getting to her coffee. 

"ab dekhte hain, coffee kaisi banata hai...puri zindagi joh peene hai tujhe.." remarked chetna, already starting to sip on her coffee, when rashmi noticed a little note on the top of her coffee with a chocolate syrup, 'sorry for late..:)' . An instant smile came on her face, he was really cute. 

"ab pee bhi le!" exclaimed chetna, as rashmi drank with the syrup on top, letting it feel on her lips, giving her an oddly satisfying sensation. 

                                                                      ***

rashmi kept back her empty glass next to chetna's, as a waiter came immediately to pick them up, when rashmi stopped him. 

"umm...hi....uhh, yeh coffee jisne banayi thi...may i know his name?" asked rashmi, trying not to sound desperate, but failing miserably, as the waiter just pursed his lips in an attempt to hold his laughter. 

"you know what, i think he'll be happy to see you...why don't i just send him here?" suggested the waiter, leaving in a jiffy, as rashmi face palmed herself. 

"oh my god! main kya karoon!" expressed rashmi her horror, as chetna smiled uncomfortably, eyeing to her left, only for rashmi to find dushyant. 

"hi, library girl..." greeted dushyant, leading with his charming smile, as rashmi attempted to hide her nervousness behind a smile. 

"oh, you remember me?"  rashmi, surprised and rattled at the same time, as dushyant nodded, not able to resist letting out a light chuckle at her sheer awkwardness. 

"yeah of course i do, you are the beautiful girl at the library i completely forgot to ask the name off, because i was so busy thinking how could a girl be so pretty..." remarked dushyant, flashing his topmost weapon in his arsenal, that charming smile to win over anyone, making rashmi blush so badly.

"uhh...so,  dushyant, tum, shift se kab hatte ho?" asked chetna, understanding she'll have to only do this, reading his name from his name tag on the pocket of his shirt. 

"i'll be free by 9pm..." informed dushyant, still looking at rashmi, as chetna nodded. 

"great, uhhm, how about you pick her up from the girls hostel, right, rashmi?" confirmed chetna, as rashmi nodded, still smiling like an idiot at him. 

"i hope, date pe toh...aap nahi aayengi.." stated dushyant to chetna, as rashmi let out an unintentionally loud chuckle. 

"nahi..nahi...ofc i mean...hum jayenge na...uhh date pe..." rashmi's face lit up from the word 'date', which dushyant noticed, he couldn't help but just smile at her antics, making her stare at him even more shamelessly. 

"well, uhhm, i'll see you then...." waved dushyant his bye, making the cutie even more irresistable for rashmi. 

                                                                        ***

rashmi was eagerly waiting outside the girl's hostel, when a bike stopped in front of her. she looked at her wrist watch nervously, it was 9:30. she felt threatened from him, walking a little further away, looking around for dushyant. only for the biker to stop his bike in front of her, only this time when he removed his helmet, it was dushyant.

"oh god...tum ho...i thought koi.." stated a relieved rashmi, but dushyant intervened. 

"raat ko akeli ladki dekh kar ek lafanga pareshaan kar raha hai...don't worry, aise toh tang nahi karunga tumhe..." remarked dushyant, as rashmi let out a scoff. 

"toh kaise karoge?"  asked rashmi playfully, as dushyant leaned a bit closer. 

"tumhe dekh kar kaafi shaitaaniyaan sooj rahi hai...kya kehti ho, karlo?"  asked dushyant in a whispery tone, a smirk on his face, as rashmi just chuckled, shaking her head. 

"sab pehli karliya toh kya maza, thoda suspense nahi hona chahiye?" questioned rashmi back, leaning closer to dushyant, with her hand on his chest, as his smirk turned into a genuine smile. 

"tumhare liye suspense bhi jhel lenge...aao, baitho..." dushyant turned back, as rashmi grabbed hold of his shoulder, for support while taking a seat, only for her to upon finally sitting, she wrapped her arms around his waist, nervous yet excited, it was the blossom of first love. 

"kaske pakad lo...aage bahaut dhake lagne waale hain...." remarked dushyant, a smile on his face, as he kickstarted his bike, only for rashmi to tighten her grip, her hands going up to his chest, she rested her head on his back, and he couldn't feel more merrier. 

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author's note: hey guys, i know monday ke baad seedha sunday update mila hai but since i have made you wait so long, you'll get another update by sunday afternoon and if possible, maybe a third update by sunday evening...anyways, i'll stop being this late night writer and annoying you guys like this with so much wait from next week, i promise raat se pehle updates mil jayenge. it's just i have a lot going on right now toh time lag raha hai thoda, hoping for your cooperation. :)