CHAPTER CRAZY PERSON IN THE ROOM

**Present**

I smile to myself remembering the first and last time I saw him with a moustache. He had shaved it off the very next day but Neha never let it go teasing him nonstop for months. Even now I noticed that he always keeps it clean

Maybe its a habit that he couldn't get rid of or is he more comfortable like this..?

I lean in a bit closer to get a better look at the faint yet dark shadow across his face.

What would he look like with a full grown beard and moustache..?

I involuntarily raise my hand to trace the dark stubbles across his cheek trying to conjure up a picture of him with beard.

Wait what am I thinking?! This fool is poisoning the air I'm starting to have funny thoughts.

I catch myself before I really gave into insanity and touched him and pulled away as far as my chair permitted me to which was a full arms length.

Jia what in the freaking hell are you doing. Ok it's him, it's him!! He's polluting the air. Hold your breath Jia. Suffocating to death is better than dying in embarrassment--

"Do you want any help proofreading or finding more materials?" He asks standing up straight

"What…?"I ask not exactly catching his words with all the rambling in my head

 "I asked whether you want some help?" He whispers bending down towards my ear

I pull back reflexively from his sudden move. And look up towards the towering giant.

"Why are you doing this." I ask looking up at him from the chair

"This was my thesis topic. I know about it so…." Krishna started

"Not this. This..!" I cut him mid sentence mentioning between us

"Jia I'm afraid I lost you at the second this…" He scratches his head genuinely looking confused  

"Why are you helping me." I ask him straight off

"Ohh.. I told yo—" He starts again

"Don't play games with me Krishna. Both of us know that your not the helping type. Your inflexible. Remember No pain No gain that was your motto." I say reminding him I knew him well

"That's not true I used to help you with essays in school." He says defending himself with a pout

"That was because you liked me then and wanted to ask me to out." I say clarifying about his acts of kindness that weren't so pure at heart

"What—" He opens and closes his mouth without being able to say a word with a face of utter disbelief

"Don't give me any of your lame excuses. Just tell me why." I say again cutting him off now a bit impatient as I stare at him with my arms folded over my chest

"What why? When you already know the answer…" He mumbles turning away from me and staring at the door with both his hands tucked deep into his pockets

"What..?" I ask again getting up from the chair not really understanding what he meant. He stays sooo still staring at the door that I doubt if the time has stopped running

"Uff.... I like you and I want to ask you out that why." Krishna says finally facing me and running a hand through his hair

"Wait… What…?!" I clearly had misheard. There was no way he would say those words

"Oh god your still slow. How did such a person pass medicine." He chuckles as he pulled both my cheeks  

"What the hell do you mean by you like me?" I asked swatting his hands away as anger replaced the momentary confusion  

"That I have romantic feeling towards you.. I am attracted towards yo—" He starts trying to explain like we back in 5th standard English class

"But WE BROKE UP." I say emphasising the word in case he really had a serious head injury and lost his memory

"That's exactly why I'm asking you out again. So miss Jia Thomas will you be my girlfriend?" He asks as he dramatically took a 90 degree bow with his hand extended towards me like an invitation to dance.

I stay stunned looking at his out stretched hand not being able to understand the 360 degree turn in his behaviour. I mean literally yesterday we were at each other's throat and now he fell in love with me? No.. no…! Falling in love is too far fetched as long as I'm sure he hit his head somewhere really hard.

"Ohh… I wanted to do this more filmy. But you had to spoil it." He whined standing up straight with a smug smile

"But you don't like me." I say still a little dazed

"From which part of my confession did you reach that conclusion..?" He asks giving me a funny look like I was the one with head trauma

"You broke up with me because you didn't like me" I state the fact emphasising that if anyone was going crazy in this room that was definitely him

"No..." He sighs running his hands through his hair once more

"Ok.. Can we just leave the past and try to move forward? Just think about now..." He comes forward slowly closing the distance between us

"So are you willing to give me a chance" he asks slowly raising his eyes to look into mine

"No..!! You must be full blown crazy if you thought I did even consider this!" I yell taking a few steps back felling a uncontrollable urge to punch him right in his face

"Ok... Then give me 3 reasons why we can't start over." He suggests after thinking for a while

I glare full force at him with all my anger. Is he a born idiot or did he grow up into one..!

"Ok cool. Give me 1 valid reason other than our break up for rejecting me." He raises his hand in surrender interpreting my anger

"I swear I'll back off." He says crossing his finger over his heart something we used to do a lot when we were young

"I'm engaged." I say after a while finally giving in knowing that he wouldn't quit until I make it very clear

"Now that's an excellent bluff." Krishna laughs hard holding his stomach as if I had just said this year's best dad joke