4 XOXO

Nikith drove Nitya to college on his motorcycle. Straightening her dress after getting down, she waited for him to come around after parking. She looked around, as if searching something or someone. But after realising what she was doing, she turned around to find Nikith jogging up to her.

"Come on. Let's go." He said. He walked towards the Principal's office with Nitya in tow.

"Wait here." He pointed her towards the benches kept outside the office and entered after knocking.

Nitya must've sat there for ten minutes, lost in her thoughts, when she found him coming outside. He stood in front of her with a grin.

"What? Why are you so happy?" She asked confusedly.

"Mouse, I'm always happy. But the reason I'm happy now is because this is your surprise I was talking about." He replied, handing her a white official letter. She carefully opened it and read the contents of the letter. A smile immediately appeared on her face.

"I'm so happy for you. Congratulations!" Grinning, she put her arms around him, pulling him into a hug just as someone rounded the corner.

Avyan had been called to the college by the director, his stepmother and Rushabh's biological mother, Mrs. Drashti Oberoi. After his biological mother, Mrs. Barkha Oberoi had passed away in a car accident in one year of his birth, his father had married his stepmother, who came in with a child of her own, upon his parent's insistence. However, he knew that his father only held his m,other in his heart till date. And this fact became clear when his stepmother and her son began to show their true colors, ripping apart their family.

To keep his son safe and protected, the great business tycoon, Mr. Atharv Oberoi, had bowed down before Drashti's demands, ultimately handing over the directorial role of the college his mother had laid the foundation of, to her. Since then, Drashti had done everything to take control over Avyan's life and promote her son over him as the heir to the Oberoi Corporation. That sums up the rivalry between the two stepsiblings.

So, when Drashti had called Avyan a while ago for a meeting, he knew it must be something regarding the fateful night. However, he was not that bothered about it since he'd grown accustomed to these activities since long. Rather what troubled him was the scene that greeted his eyes just as he turned into the administrative section of the college.

There was Nitya, her hands wrapped around another unknown man. Furious envy emerged from his bones at that time wanting to just snatch her over into his own arms. A sense of helplessness soon followed after remembering his deeds from the previous night. Though he badly wanted to run over there, he couldn't help but shy away in shame. Thus, he ducked back behind the wall just to peek at the two backs leaving with their hands linked.

********************

"So, Mr. Assistant Professor. Where would you like to go to celebrate?" Nitya asked, walking in the corridor with Nikith by her side.

"Well, a celebration definitely involves icecream. So, my dear student, would you like to accompany me to the cafeteria?" He asked, forwarding his elbow to her. Nitya laughed and linked her arm with his.

"Why, definitely I would, Sir!" Together they walked into the cafeteria and ordered ice-creams for both of them.

"Still stuck on Vanilla, huh?" Nikith asked, scooping a bite of his mint choco chip ice-cream.

"Don't hate on my Vanilla. It's the best thing. So basic, yet so social." Nitya stuck out her tongue at him and shovelled another big bite in her mouth. Nikith shook his head at her childish behavior and looked around. He noticed some people staring at her and whispering around.

"Ignore them." She muttered without lifting her gaze from her cup.

After they both had finished their cups, Nitya said, "Come with me." She took him to the college garden. Sitting on one of the stairs, she gestured Nikith to sit down next to her.

"There is this guy in college. Avyan Oberoi." A hint of smile appeared on her face when she took his name which didn't go unnoticed by Nikith. And then she briefed him about her and Avyan's story. He didn't interrupt her even once, just kept observing the emotions that flickered across her face. After she stopped speaking, both were quite for a moment.

"How is he like, as a person?" Nikith questioned. Though he was really angry on the guy he was yet to meet, he didn't show it on his face so as to not affect his sister's judgement.

"He's arrogant. He's short-tempered. He's a monster." Nitya huffed out.

"But he's also caring. He's also vulnerable. He's also broken. And he's also a great friend." She spoke up, after a moment just as a tear slipped out of her eye which she wiped with the back of her hand.

"Do you think he can do what he said to you that night?" Nikith asked. Nitya pondered on his question for a while. She began to reminisce the highlights of her journey from the time she entered this big city a few months ago. Now looking back, she felt that she lived a lifetime in quite a small period of four months. What surprised her was the fact that her fondest of memories all seemed to revolve around Avyan. Although he had bullied her to the core, there was no maliciousness hidden in his actions. Sure, he had played little pranks on her trying to make her miserable the same way she matched foot to foot in returning him the hardship; yet he had saved her and her family many-a-times in times of trouble.

"No."

"Why do you think he did this?" He asked again.

"I don't know. Yet." she muttered. The gears of her mind were turning, trying to think why Avyan did what he did. The way he'd hugged her the night previous to last, felt weird to her now. That night they'd shared their first kiss together, a mutual consent between the two. Nobody would've mistaken the affection in their eyes for anything else. She'd been immersed in their thoughts when he'd met her under her house. That night, she had thought he was simply overwhelmed by their feelings when he'd gathered her tightly in his embrace but that might not be the case. It was like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Making up a decision in her mind, she turned towards Nikith. "It seems I'm ready to find out now." She said with a gleam in her eyes.