5

When Ayesha and Rahul exited the nightclub, a thought struck Ayesha. "Did he know you ran away from your place?" she asked.

He shrugged, as if he didn't care. "I don't know. I didn't tell him, but he might've guessed it looking at my bag. I guess he was too preoccupied with Lisa... and you."

Ayesha felt her face flush for god knows what reason.

"You guys were friends?" he asked.

"Yes."

"He already has a girlfriend, you know. He loves her."

"I saw that. What do you actually mean?"

Rahul didn't answer, instead smirk to himself.

"Wait," she said, "you were saying that 'cause you think I might be having feelings, right?"

"I mean the nostaglaic feeling was crystal clear on both of your faces."

Somehow, this offended her. Not just because of the words, but also because of the person who said them. "That sounds cheap, okay? If you had a best friend in the past and you meet them after long time, out of the blue, wouldn't you be happy too?"

Rahul felt guilty. He knew he said some stuff that shouldn't be said. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I just - I just... it slipped."

"Promise me you won't misunderstand me again." Ayesha held out her palm to take her promise.

She didn't express it, but it somehow felt really important that Rahul was making this promise. Rahul touches her palm and said promise.

They began walking, chatting a little until they saw a bench.

Relieved, Ayesha sat on it and Rahul copied her actions. Her legs felt good and she realized how tired she was of standing and walking. Her eyes began to close a little, as she felt a little sleepy. Turning to Rahul, his condition was similar to hers but he seemed better.

"Tired?" he asked.

She nodded. She closed her eyes and leaned her back backwards, which was a little painful. While her eyes are closed she put up her hand to massage her neck a little, but that proved to be unneccessary when Rahul scooted closer and made her head rest on his shoulder. She smiled softly.

His shoulder was warm and reliable. She could've slept on it for hours also. But alas, she didn't. Sitting so close to him, she liked it, but it bought an anxiousness in her. That's stupid, she thought. She didn't sleep, but kept her eyes closed and her head on his shoulder. Slowly, she felt Rahul's head on her hair, on her head. She realized he was falling asleep. She wanted to give her shoulder but realized that would be uncomfortable for him due to the height difference. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes.

Ayesha felt Rahul's head move from her head. She too lifted her head from his shoulder. "Did you sleep?" she asked.

He nodded, negatively. "Just closed my eyes. Couldn't fall asleep."

"Me too."

"You're pretty good, you know."

"Huh?" She was confused.

"You are nicer than I expected. Sweeter... smarter... you do have some sense of guiltiness in you, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

Rahul shifted his position so that he was facing her. "Do you know why people are surprised by you?"

"Uh, no."

"They are because when you entered college you seemed like the cool girl. You know the girl who always gets good marks, always cheerful, and easily makes friends with everyone. The one lives life coolly yet smartly. In fact, I almost came up to you and said hi myself."

"You did?" She was surprised.

He smiled, and nodded.

It was the third day of college for the freshers. Rahul Lohiya searched for his only friend in college 'till now, Anuj.

Rahul liked his college. He liked the energitic atmosphere the students had here. He liked the way people made sure they made most of their college life. He even liked the faculty, for gods sake. He knew even he would make the most of his college days. Just a little differently.

"Dude!" came a familiar voice of Anuj. "Rahul! Here!"

Rahul turned his head left, and saw Anuj along with a short girl with curly hair.

"Hi," he greeted Anuj.

"Hi, man. Meet my friend, Ria."

"Hi Ria. I am Rahul," he introduced himself, smilingly.

"Hi Rahul. I am Anuj's childhood friend. He told me a lot about you as you are his first new friend here, and I irritated him to introduce me to you."

He flashed a grin to her. He could sense he was going to be good friends with her. "He did tell me he had a childhood friend, here."

Just then the bell rang, and the three headed to class.

"I sit beside my friend," said Ria to the two. "See you guys later."

Ria went and sat beside a girl with great hair and brown eyes. Her eyes were bright as she smiled at Ria when she sat beside her. Her smile was amazing. And Rahul could tell that she seemed genuinely happy while talking to Ria.

The two took their seats beside each other, and Rahul nudged Anuj after they got seated. Anuj gave him a questioning look to which Rahul sneakily pointed at the girl sitting and chatting animatedly with Ria.

"Who is she?" he asked.

"Ah," he replied when he realized whom he was pointing at. "That is Ria's new best friend - I think - and her name is Ayesha. Ayesha Raizada if I'm not wrong."

Rahul nodded. He knew that in these four years of college, he would speak to this Ayesha, at least once.

Rahul smiled. "I did, Ayesha."

"But you never did..."

"I never did. 'Cause before I could grab my courage and speak to you..." He paused.

Ayesha waited. She was truly curious. "What happened then?"

He shook his head, and smiled. "Tonight happened. We ended spending almost half of our night with each other."

She grinned. "I ain't complaining."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I don't believe you." He had a playful smile on his face.

"Really, Rahul. You are really fun to hang around with."

"Only fun?" he pouted.

She was confused. "No, not only fun..."

"Then?" he kept teasing her.

"Uh, you're - you're smart... fun... easy going... and really cool."

"Wow, I was just joking and I'm showered with such compliments. I ain't complaining."

She stuck her tongue out, and he laughed. It was obvious he was enjoying this way too much.

"Okay," she continued. "So coming back. People thought I was a cool girl... and then?"

"I don't know. Something happened. You became popular. And... it may have took some changes in you."

At that moment, Ayesha felt like a total loser. Her cheeks went warm, and she looked away from his face. Maybe Rahul understood Ayesha's hesitance as he didn't bring up the topic again.

"Can I please know why you ran away?" she asked. "At least now?"

He sighed. "I hate thinking about it."

"Well, just hate this moment then. I don't mind. I'll you tons of good ones to cover it up."

He smiled, sneakily. "Well. I'll hate the moment some other time. C'mon, should I show you a secret place?"

The secret place turned out to be an old apartment with clothes hanging over the window sill, lights on in some houses, and old melodies playing loudly on the radio. Ayesha and Rahul even spotted a few old couples.

"What's this?"

"It's an apartment. Mostly the elderly or the college going students reside here. It's the one place where we can freely usee the lift and go up and hang out."

"How come you knew about it?" she quizzed.

"My friend Anuj -" he pointed to a modern apartments across the road "- lives right there. I come here often."

"Anuj from college? As in -"

"Ria's friend," he confirmed.

"Should we go?"

Until now, Ayesha had felt safe with him. She never even suspected a dirt on him. But now, she was a little scared. It's maybe natural instinct. She was a hundred percent sure the boy wouldn't do anything wrong with her but yet the fact that she was going to be alone with him on a terrace and when it is close to midnight - she hated admitting it - frightened her a little.

"You okay?" he asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine," she lied.

"You don't look like it. What's wrong?"

She sighed. "Nothing... it's just... I don't want to go up there... not now..."

She couldn't meet his eyes.

"That's it?" he answered.

Surprised, she looked up at his face. He had a you're unbelievable look on his face.

"What?"

"Ayesha I said, that's it? You could just say you don't feel comfortable about it. I just bought you here 'cause it was near to that club."

"You - you aren't offended or something?"

"I don't know if this has something to do with me, but it's alright. You have a comfort level. There is no pressure for you to cross it, okay?"

She smiled genuinely. "Okay."

The two sat on some wide rocks nearby, and silently kept gazing at the road.

"The night life is so happening," he said, referring to the number of cars that were on the road.

"I know right... Rahul..."

"Uhmm?"

"I want to ask you something. Can I?"

"Sure, go on."

"What makes you so balanced?"

"What?"

"This was the question I always wanted to ask you, in college. I kind of used to be jealous of you. You were like that perfect role model everyone could look up to. Maybe that's why I could never talk to you."

By now, his eyes were on her.

She continued. "But tonight, I kind of understood it's not easy for you. You work hard to get what you do. You do have something different... something not nicer... inside you, but it's just people never see through it, I think. Whenever I see that bag, I think about how come a boy who seems so balanced in life would need a reason to run away? But right now, I feel I know the answer to most of my questions."

Rahul cleared his throat. "And that is?"

"I don't know why you ran away. But whenever I see you helping me, and your cousin, and your friend I realize you kind of want a stable relationship with someone. Be it sibling, friend, or even a lover. And this... is making me see you in a limelight. A new one. A one that maybe I can understand better."

Ayesha had no idea why did she even say those words. It's true, she really believed them and that no matter how awesome of a guy Rahul was, he still had a part of him he didn't share but he wanted to. Maybe it's because of his actions before, but she spilled it out.

For almost a minute, Rahul was silent and just kept looking at Ayesha. And then he did something that surprised her. He put his hands forward and pulled herself to him.

He was hugging her.

The night was cold, yet their embrace felt very warm.