They're a couple.

Next day at college cafeteria… Punya sat alone at the table, she couldn't stop herself from looking at Prakruth, her heart was pounding, she held her book close to her chest as she felt her friends could hear her palpitations. She wondered what's so special about him which disturbs her so much…but she never found an answer.

"Hi Punya, How are you?" asked Siri interrupting her thoughts. Siri and Jyoti took their seats around the table.

"I'm totally fine, can you tell me what all I missed yesterday?" replied Punya.

"Nothing much, Physics lab basics and few language classes. Chemistry class was let off. You never returned back yesterday, Hope that senior guy didn't hurt you?" she inquired.

"No, he took good care of me, I left home immediately after the treatment" said Punya.

"Which senior are you talking about?" asked Jyoti who was sitting next to them.

"That handsome guy over there" Siri pointed Prakruth through her gaze.

"OMG, that's Prakruth. Heartthrob of the college, son of Dr. Murthy,only heir of his dynasty…they're so rich that they can buy half Mangalore city in a day. He's National level badminton champion and topper in his class. He also topped 10th exams at state level. He has a bad attitude, apart from two of his friends, no one else can talk to him. Every student in the college, including seniors bow to him. College authorities are bound to treat him respectfully. He's like a power line, a King in disguise" Jyoti said in a feared tone, "Did he take you to hospital personally?"

"Yes, why?"

"He could've just ordered over the phone, his father would send a doctor's team to college… his parents give him everything he wants even before asking"

"...…"Punya was blank. She thought he's loitering type, not decent and all but Prakruth is intelligent and rich boy. She was bewildered.

Meanwhile a beautiful girl entered the cafetaria and wished Prakruth. He himself got up and they hugged each other, it was a formal hug. They were conversing something and she was laughing. He accidentally looked at Punya and their eyes met, Punya turned her head immediately.

"You know that's minister's daughter Roshni, the most ravishing beauty in our campus. There are gossips that they're… you know together types… may be they will marry in future" explained Jyoti.

"Can we go to class?" asked Punya as she couldn't take anymore of it. She thought that whatever happened between them was a coincidence and nothing intentional.

"It's leisure now, next hour language teacher is absent. Which class should we go?" asked Siri. She had a disappointed look as Punya interrupted Jyoti.

"Ok, I will go to library, I have to note some important things from reference books" said Punya as she got up to leave.

"I think you're not interested in gossips, I'll stop if so" said Jyoti in a apologetic voice.

"No, No you carry on…I need some novels for time pass. So I think I will use this time" Punya shrugged and left the cafeteria.

In the library, she sat with a book noting down from a reference book. She tried to concentrate but failed miserably. She didn't know why this was happening to her but she was agitated. She suddenly tore the sheet of paper that she was writing, crumbled it and threw it on the ground in anger. She again started writing… after two lines she scratched and crumbled this sheet too. She started writing again slowly trying to focus, she stopped for a moment, and was about to scratch it too

"Hey wait, you're right till now" a mesmerizing voice told. Punya shook a little as his sudden appearance scared her.

"Here, it should be divided by the denominator of this variant, go on" he explained showing her the problem she wrote in her book with his beautiful fingers.

Punya lifted her head slowly to see the guy who was instructing… It was Prakruth. Their eyes met and he took the side chair next to her. He was waiting for her to speak. She put her head down and continued to solve as per his instructions. She went four steps ahead easily and was stuck again… she waited for him to speak.

"Continue using this variable now, you can finish it" he said. He also explained it further helping her complete the whole exercise in 15 minutes.

She was overjoyed, "Wow, I could solve it so easily… Thank you, Thank you so much" She shook his hand impulsively. "Will you help me like this always, Lecturers are too fast, I can't understand" she asked. Her mind had overcome the feelings, confusions of her heart and asked him.

"Always at your service" he smiled. His smile was so natural and sweet which left her breathless for a moment or two. He was thoughtful not to utter the word friends again.

She had lot of questions popping out of her head but she shut them up intentionally.

"Hey Prakruth, did you get the book you were searching for?" Roshni asked him as she was walking towards them.

"Yeah, almost" said Prakruth as he kept his stare intact over Punya and got up from his chair. Punya frowned in anger but she controlled, she couldn't allow Roshni to take over her.

"Where's it?" Roshni asked. He had lied that he had to borrow some book from library and left the cafeteria. She had waited outside for his arrival for more than 20 minutes, frustrated she walked in to check by herself.

"Oh, someone borrowed it just now. Come let's go" he said as he didn't want to disturb the silence of the library. He knew Roshni wouldn't allow him to talk to Punya, hence he left the library deliberately to avoid further conflicts.

Punya believed that they're a couple as she could see Roshni's arms entangled against his, he tried to get rid of it twice but she forced it again as they walked away.