Author's POV-
Pratiksha hurries across the bustling college courtyard, her dupatta trailing behind her. The sun beats down mercilessly, and she squints against its glare.
Reyansh sits on a bench beneath a neem tree, engrossed in a worn-out novel. His expression is perpetually stoic.
As Pratiksha walks past, her foot catches on an uneven stone, and she stumbles. Her textbooks scatter, and she lets out a soft curse. Reyansh glances up, intrigued by the commotion.
"Clumsy much?" raising an eyebrow he commented.
"I-uh, yes. Clumsy. Very." she retorted sarcastically. He was not helping her but commenting on her clumsiness, indeed a bitch; she thought.
She gathers her books, avoiding eye contact. Reyansh studies her-the way her hair falls over her face, the faint scar on her wrist. He's seen it before-the burn mark-but the scene infront of him justifies the reason. He's not one for unnecessary conversations. He's not grumpy and all that it's just that he don't actually make the first convo specially with ladies. But it is an entire different thing with Pratiksha, he thought.
"By the way what were you doing that you burned your wrist this bad?"
"Oh, this? Just a kitchen mishap. I burned it while making chai." she lied nervously. She can't tell him or anyone about her insecurity.
"Chai? You're a walking stereotype." this bitch again commented.
"Excuse me?"
"First-year student, clumsy, chai enthusiast. You're ticking all the boxes.", okay now he's crossing the line, he thought. He himself don't know from where is he getting this much confident to talk to a female other than her family.
"And you? Final-year brooder, sitting here like you're solving the mysteries of the universe."
"I'm reading my assignment."
"Ah, yes. The universe's greatest mystery."
They share a moment of awkward silence. Pratiksha's temper flares-why does he have to be so irritatingly aloof?
"You know, you could help instead of just watching." Her pages were still scattered.
"Help? I'm not your knight in shining armor."
"Good, because I don't need one. I can handle my own mess."
She stands, brushing dirt off her kurta. Reyansh's gaze lingers on her wrist, and for a fleeting second, he looks almost concerned.
"You're stubborn."
"And you're-", she retorted but he cuts her sentence.
"Irritated?"
"I was going to say 'impossible,' but sure." she said rolling her eyes.
He closes his book, setting it aside. Pratiksha's heart races-why is he paying attention to her?
"Next time you burn yourself, maybe ask for help."
"Next time, I'll just avoid you.", she was now irritated with his attitude.
"Good luck with that." he smirked.
She stormed towards her classroom not before mumbling <KUTTA> to him.
How can he be the boyfriend of Niharika. Niharika deserves better, she thought.
After meeting her bestfriend and attending her classes, she went to her home. Not before doing her work somewhere, a secret place.
.........................................................
It was evening time now.
She was now on the terrace area of her house. She just came here after washing the dishes. She was walking slowly while looking towards her surrounding. There was nothing so much special about this area.
There were some flower pots as her grandfather loves gardening. The strange thing was that there was an old cycle of pink colour with so much decoration on it. Though it looked like it's a male bicycle but the colour and the decorations give it a feminine appearance. She only knew that her Grandfather never allow anybody to throw it in garbage and no one objected for that.
After sometime she heard a coughing sound. She already knew who it was as no one can cough that loud that the house would have a crack.
And yes, it's the DADAJI (grandfather) himself.
"Dadu I've told you several time to not come here or you will again have that sprain." Pratiksha scolded her grandfather in a soft way while extending her hands towards him.
"What can I do child ? I can't be at that bed for whole day. Uff this age! I can't live more now on this planet. I coming to you Jaanki." he stated in annoyance.
"Dadu!!" she glared at him softly.
"Okay okay my bad. I shouldn't have said that. I've to attend my grand daughters' wedding too." he assured with a sheepy smile.
"My wedding ? Then you would alone roam on this planet dadu for sure.", she laughed at him.
He just looked at her in annoyance.
"Umm okay I'm sorry. Yes, you have to attend my wedding too."
Dadu smiled softly at her and patted her head. She hugged him and put her head on his chest as he was a little taller than her. She always used to thought that her Grandfather would have been so handsome in his young age as he still is. He had a model like face in his old pictures.
No doubt he had a love marriage.
Her grandmother was so beautiful as well. She had the same dark complexion as her, it was inherited. Her grandmother also would have been through the same suffering, she thought.
Her eyes again darted towards the same pink coloured old bicycle.
"Dadu?"
He hummed as his eyes were close. Like he was remembering something.
"You didn't told us about that bicycle."
"I would...at right time." he spoke calmly but his sentence made her desperate to know about it.
"What right time? Tell now na please."
He just shrugged and said "Wait for the time beta. I'm more excited than you to tell you both about this cycle."
"Both? Me and Ishita?" she asked.
But he just shrugged and sat on the mat.
After taking a little, they both left the terrace and went downstairs.
The whole family had dinner together while watching TV and talking a little.
Dad scolding Ishita for using too much phone and Mom consolling her and then gave her a small punch on her back saying it as her love towards her.
After drinking milk all the family members went to their respective rooms.
Pratiksha's room was on the first floor. She did her college work, talked to Niharika a little.
But these days Niharika is telling a little lot about Reyansh. She didn't confirmed it from her but now as her brain is braining she concluded that He is Niharika's boyfriend.
She didn't told her about today's incident to her as she thought that she would not like that her bestfriend is not having good relation with her bestfriend's boyfriend.
They talked a little and hung the call.
Now that all her today's work has been done. She started reading Twisted Hate which was given by Niharika that day.
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Not me reading Twisted Hate these days >_<
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Love you guys <3
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