Chapter-3

Annual day ended at 9:00PM on 19th January. Neha returned home. Everyone in the house was congratulating her. She wore a smile on her face, but behind the mask she was numb. Again and again the same question arises. 'Why? Why did you kiss him?' That night, Neha curled up in her bed asked herself same question again and again. All she can remember was his soft lips, dark eyes, that innocent face and....... his heart and the rhythmic beats and his warm hands.

Varun was walking down an empty dark road of his society. His hands tucked in his pockets due to the cold weather. He arrived at the front gate and knocked at the door.

"Maa, open up it's me Varun" said Varun as he pressed the bell.

"No one is going to open it up for you, you bastard!" said the voice from behind the door.

"Dad, please open it up. I'm hungry and it's almost midnight. Please let me in father."

His dad opened the door. He rushed to the room and shuts the door.

"If this affects your marks in exam, i will kill you. I am not working day and night in the office for this bullshit!" shouted his dad and slams the door. Varun gasped. He locked himself in the door and slept at the doorstep.

A knock woke him up. "Psst! It's me. Open the door." His mother said. Varun got up, wiped his tears and slowly opened the door. The creaking sound of door was somewhat loud but his dad was fast asleep.

His mom entered the room with plate in her hands and started feeding her son.

"What time is it mom?"

"2:30 AM. Don't worry your father is asleep, but what you did was wrong Varun. You should've told your father about it. He loves you."

"Yeah right! All he could think about is marks and grades. He just hates the fact that his son can be a sportsperson or a great lecturer, all his thinks is science and IIT. I mean its 21st century. There are lot of things that can be done in today's world."

"Varun.... Your dad wants what is best for you. He wants you to be in the skies and have a great job. He faced a lot of hardship in his life. He just wants that you don't have to face that. Try to understand that man's feeling."

His mom got up and switched off the lights. "Remember Varun at the end of the day...... he is your father and will always be." Varun closed his eyes.

The school was closed for a day. Varun slowly realized that he was in love. Was it the butterflies in his stomach or was it the kiss. He always had affection towards Neha but was it love? It is now. He thought about ways that he can propose her. Canteen was well suited, No person from the class, always quiet and no teacher.

Now the day arrived Varun was restless that day. Yash noticed it but said nothing. First period passed and then the second one. Next was third period. That boring computer period, every second was like an hour itself but somehow Varun survived. Yash on the other hand was playing pinball on the computer and well the computer teacher caught him. He was sent to principal's room the whole recess.

The bell rang and Varun's heart skipped a beat. 'This is finally the moment. Yes, it's happening. It really is.' When everyone was busy in their shoes outside the lab, Varun went up to Neha.

"Please be at the Canteen. I have something really important to discuss." Whispered Varun and ran off.

Neha knew what was going on. She was waiting for this moment in her life. After the last break-up, she was heartbroken and promised herself that 'Never again will she fall for a boy in her life again.' But Varun was different. There was something about him, something that made him different from rest of the boys.

He was ready. At the canteen, waiting for Neha to arrive. Finally she was here. Varun starts walking towards her.

"Neha.... There is something I need to say to you." said Varun as he fumbled. "Last few months have been great. Being with you is more than anything that I want and I want to be with you like this....."

"So do I" says Neha.

Varun bends down on his knees. "Will you...... Neha Kapoor, be my girlfriend?