18. They're a couple.

Next day afternoon at the college cafeteria... Punya was sitting with her friends discussing classes.

Prajwal and Rahul came by and asked Punya "How are you junior?"

"I'm totally fine, Thanks senior" she replied with a smile.

"OK then catch you later" said Rahul and they went towards the food counter. Punya searchedd for Prakruth but he wasn't with them.

"Punya" Siri interrupted her searching "Are you looking for someone?" she intrigued.

"No, you continue. Can you tell me what all I missed yesterday?" asked Punya.

"Nothing much, Physics lab basics and few language classes. Chemistry class was let off. You never returned back yesterday, Hope that senior guy took good care of you?" she teased.

"Yeah, he took good care of me, I left home immediately after the treatment" Punya lied.

"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.

Punya also turned behind, she couldn't stop herself from looking at Prakruth, her heart started pounding, she held her book close to her chest as she didn't want her friends to hear her palpitations. She wondered what's so special about him which disturbs her so much...but she failed to find an answer.

"OMG, you're talking about the guy in white shirt and dark green trousers??" asked Jyoti.

"Yeah, do you know him?" asked Siri.

"Yeah, his name is 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?".

"Yeah, why?" asked Punya who was carefully listening to Jyoti all this time.

"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, a silent threat and all but never knew Prakruth's affluent status. With all the information, she was bewildered.

Meanwhile a beautiful girl entered the cafeteria and wished Prakruth. She pulled a chair next to Prakruth and sat at the same table, everyone at the table were conversing something and she was laughing except Prakruth who was checking his phone. 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.

"You mean they're a couple?" asked Siri. Jyoti just nodded in agreement.

"Can we go to class?" asked Punya as she couldn't take anymore of it. She thought that whatever happened between them was just 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 that 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 his help.

"Always at your service" he smiled. His smile was so natural and sweet which left her breathless for a moment or two. She had lot of questions popping out of her head but she shut them up reluctantly.

"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.

"Where's it?" she asked. He had lied that he had to borrow some book from library and left the cafeteria following Punya. Roshni 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. He mouthed without noise "I'll catch you later" while walking away to Punya and she smiled.

Punya started believing that they're a couple as she could see her arms entangled against his, he tried to get rid of it twice but she forced it again as they walked away. "Let them be, why do I care. He's a good friend of mine. That's it" thought Punya and concentrated on her studies.