"I actually never meant this meeting to happen but some situations led me to it. "

"Your friend? "

"Uh, yes." 'So whatever happens, I'm blaming him.' He completed his sentence in his thoughts.

"Go on. I'm waiting. " She folded her hands and looked at him intently.

He looked around and took a deep breath. "Divya, I know this might be sudden and you might not talk to me again, but, I-uh… I like you. " He couldn't prepare a big speech or anything but he still wanted his feelings to be clearly conveyed.

He waited for her reply but all he could greet was the stunned look at her face. She stood there, her eyes as round as a circle and laxed jaw. Suddenly he watched as her eyes started to tremble when she slowly let his words sink in. Her eyes looked watery. Was she crying?

Divya couldn't speak for a moment. When Vijay uttered those words, she thought she was dreaming. But the wind that was constantly blowing reminded her of the situation's reality. Her eyes shook with the surge of feelings. Confusion, relief, happiness and then, doubt.

She shook her head and started looking everywhere else but him. "Oh…Um.. Oh wow. That was unexpected. " She said awkwardly.

"Div-"

"I didn't know you felt that way. " What is she saying? "But you know we are good friends." No, that's not what she wanted to say. " It would be great for us if we remain so-" She stopped midway when Vijay gently took both her hands in his, drawing her attention.

Divya could now hear her heart racing and thumping loudly against her chest. Unlike his expression during the confession, his gaze was now focused purely on her. His eyes looked intense yet gentle at the same time.

He bent his head to get to her eye level to stare at her. Divya, who suddenly stopped breathing when his hands touched hers, started hyperventilating due to the closeness. She tried to tug her hand out of his grasp but he held on tightly. She wondered if her hands merged with his because she didn't feel any pain when she tried to take her hands back. But all she could feel was the warmth of his hands around hers as he held onto her fingers. As she was looking at their hands, she couldn't focus on Vijay who looked only at her.

Vijay wanted to share at least one moment albeit small. Taking her hands in his made his resolve even more deeper. But after looking at how she kept taking her hands back and her earlier response made him ready for the rejection. He still wanted to try some more. This time sincerely. He wanted her to know that he is not playing around. He ignored the tinge that grew in his heart waiting for the moment she would say, "No".

Her hands, soft and fluffy in his, just like a stress ball. Somehow they kept him rooted. He now knew that even though she looked normal weight wise and sometimes thin, she actually had a considerable amount of fat on her. 'What a random thought. ' he chuckled softly at his own train of thought. 'Looks like we now share the same wavelength of thoughts. ' he looked at the top of her head lovingly.

His chuckle drew her attention and she stopped whatever she was doing to look up to him. But as soon as she lifted her head, she felt him rest his forehead against hers.

Is Vijay out to kill her? Her heart thumped loudly against her ears as she locked her eyes with him.His eyes looked beautiful. Like glazed milk chocolate. He looked a bit drunk yet sober. He even smelt nice.

"I-I-I… UH… . I-I… VI… VIJ-" She couldn't speak.

"I can't do that. " His voice was soft. This was the first time she heard him talk that way.

"Huh? " He was responding to her about something. What was that? His expression changed into something she thought she would never see in him. He looked hurt, but he smiled so gently as if pitying her. Or was it himself that this pity was directed? Her racing heart slowed down as the feeling of dread started to settle in.

'Oh? That's right… I rejected him… ' Still leaning her forehead against his she looked down at their feet. Her whole body felt limp on his arms. She looked like she was in a trance.

'Why would I reject him? I like him too! But… What if this is just a fleeting crush for him? Or for me? Maybe if we get together we wouldn't last? What is the guarantee that we will always like each other. This might be a momentary attraction on both parts. Yes… ' She thoughts were broken when he squeezed her palms. She looked at him again.

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I hope you won't regret befriending me. Trust me, I enjoyed our talks. But, I like you too much to step back now. Sorry. " His lips stretched in a painful smile. "Thank you for listening to me and not pushing me away instantly. '' Divya felt as if there was a hole developing in her heart.

'Maybe… ' She opened her mouth to say something but he squeezed her hands again. "Don't say it. I think I know what you are going to say. " He looked at their joined hands and sighed. Their joined foreheads felt warm against the cold weather. "I'm sorry for this. "

Vijay looked at her again, with now a mixture of regret and relief and lightheadedness. And slowly closed the distance between them. She panicked and flinched back but when she felt his nose rest and lightly rub against her, she went still. With this, he let her hands go and stepped back.

All the fluttery feelings. His touch, his smell, his presence, suddenly went away. She stood there, like a statue. The feeling of his hands, his head and his nose still lingered. She felt like crying. She watched as he pocketed his hands and after showing her a small smile, he turned and walked away. She watched his retreating back with stunned silence. The wind blew her hair wildly and felt harsh against her skin.

'No.' Maybe she could say yes. There is also not a guarantee that they'll surely break off. Maybe he liked her more than she thought he liked her. She panicked but her feet didn't move.

She felt their distance. And it was her who drew the line. 'What are you afraid of? ' a voice suddenly rang in her mind. 'Rejection? Not possible. Unsure future? Likely to happen for everything you choose. Parents? Tricky path but the bridge will be crossed when you get there. '

Suddenly there was a thunder clap and it started to pour. The cold rain washed her from head to toe. She fisted her trembling hands and stood in the rain with her head facing the sky and eyes closed. She gathered courage and took some deep breaths to calm herself down.

'If I keep cowering like this, I won't achieve anything. '

"VIJAY! " She shouted. But he was nowhere to be found. She still ran and searched. The rain became heavier with the passing minutes, distorting her vision. But all she could think was reaching him.

"Vijay! VIJAY!! " She looked through the pathways to the shades and saw someone standing on one of the shaded sitting area. She could make out his shirt from the rain. When she reached within his hearing range she called him again.

Vijay knew this would happen. He just wanted to return back to his dorm room. And maybe pick up something to distract the tearing of his heart. Something Divya would not approve of… And to make things even better, it rained. He hated being in the rain. It made him depressed. He looked for a place to save his head from the rain and took out his phone to curse Harsh. But he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone and kept looking at his phone's dark screen. The rain that fell on the trees sounded unnecessarily irritating to him. It was then he heard-

"-jay, Vijay! VIJAY!! " It was Divya. Soaked to bone in the rain. Her hair clung to her face and neck and she was breathing heavily. Did she run here?

" What are you doing in the rain? Come here. " He shouted at her. But she stood her ground and shook her head.

" I came up to here, now you come and meet me here. " What was she speaking. She looked so determined.

"I won't come in the rain." He ended it.

"And I won't move until you come here. " She grabbed her dress from the sides.

Vijay felt a headache emerge. Why is she being so stubborn? Why right now? "Look. I'm not in the mood to put up with this. " He rolled his eyes.

"Then take me with you. " Her voice was calm. She stood there in the rain, smiling softly at him, her right hand outstretched. Vijay was dumbfounded. His heart skipped a beat at her tone but he knew she didn't mean anything by it. But it managed to cure his upcoming migraine. He clicks his tongue and pocketed his phone. He shielded his eyes with his arms and ran to her. With a little hesitation, he grabbed her cold wet hand and started to lead her, when she suddenly grabbed the back of his shirt.

"What-? " He managed to turn around and whisper but she cut him off.

"Don't assume anything without listening to me first. " She was looking down at the ground but her grip on his shirt was tight and trembling.

"What are you trying to say? " He was confused but he stood straight and took her hand on his and slowly released it and backed down. But she panicked and the front of his shirt(on the stomach part).

"I was afraid. "

"... "

" I still am. "

"Divya, you are not making sense. " With this she looked up at him. Despite the rain, he saw tears swimming in her eyes.

"I KNOW! It didn't make any sense! WHY WOULD I SAY THAT? WHEN I- When I… I.. " She trailed off. When her tears cleared off of her eyes, she saw his stunned expression. She hesitated. It was more difficult to admit it to him. How can he do it so casually?

"When you? " His heart felt ticklish. He didn't want to hope. But maybe, just maybe. He liked her for so long! Yet he never worked to increase it in the fear of rejection. He has already been rejected once. Why would he act like a fool and get rejected again? But the way she held him made him hope. 'Maybe…'

" I was being a coward. Up until now. Watching you leave made me realize that-" She kept looking down and slowly leaned her forehead against his chest and kept looking at the rain drops falling at their feet. "That I liked you enough to not watch you leave. That I've fallen for you. Maybe I was afraid if we didn't work out or if your feelings would fade awa- huh?! "

She was rambling her heart out when Vijay's dangling hand suddenly surrounded her waist. He was trembling slightly with his buried between her shoulder and neck. Her skin fluttered where she felt his warm breath and slowly wrapped her arms around his wide back.

"Vijay? " She blushed at the close contact and tried to keep her cool.

" Thank you. Thank you so much. " His voice was breathy and husky. He tightened his grip and hugged her even closer. It was now she melted, she let him hold and melted into his arms and closed her eyes to feel his emotions radiate from his whole being. The way his body was relieved of all the tension and relaxed against her made her loved. She stroked his hair gently to calm him and smiled when he straightened himself.

He kept one of his arms at her waist and grabbed her chin with the other. Divya's calm expression instantly vanished. Now she panicked again.

'A kiss?! Now? Well it is quite fictional and  romantic but will I be able to do that? No no no. This is my first kiss. How should I make it perfect?' He saw a number of emotions run through her face. He smirked slightly and lowered himself to kiss her, but he stopped midway when she squeezed eyes shut and started trembling all over. He chuckled looking at her focused face and lightly puckered lips. He then decided to rub her lips with his thumb in a gentle stroke, cupped her cheeks and placed a slow and deep kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes in surprise but slowly calmed down against his lips. It relieved her. She wrapped her hands loosely around his waist and let herself be embraced by him.

He cupped the back of her head and pushed her gently into his chest. They both bathed in the gentle relieving glory of the still moment where the world and its sounds didn't matter. Vijay looked at the embracing Divya, then at the rain and closed his eyes. The rain never felt so soothing before.

****

Yay Part 1 done!

I was going to end it midway but then I decided to complete the whole confession in one. This chapter agonised me for 2-3 months wland was reason of my writer's block. I am still a bit unsure and embarrassed but here it is😅.

Anyways. Part 2 will be back once I have finished more than enough of it.

Until then, Sayonara!

(There is no definite date when the next part will come but it'll take some time. Thank you for readingbup till now. Don't forget to vote and comment. I really appreciate it!)