ii.

" So, what's the plan? " Vihaan asked, hanging his arm around -his more than friend- Rutuja. 

" Nothing? Gonna attend the lectures and then, assignments bhi toh hain. You know, I can't with my life, anymore. Logon ne toh kaha tha, ek baar medical student banja phir maje hi maje. Jhuthe kahike! " Krishnangi replied, heaving a sigh. 

(People said, become a medical student first then it's all fun afterwards. Bloody liars!)

" You're impossible, Krish. He's talking about the fresher's party. " Rutuja slapped away Vihaan's hand, that was fondling with her bag strap. 

" Yes, yes. I was just talking about that only. Got any plans? I've heard this year, the senior students are going to take the responsibility of the party. You know, to make it ' memorable ' for the freshers. " Vihaan stated with indifference. 

Yeah, she did know what memorable meaned for them. She'd witnessed it by herself and experienced it too in her early years in the medical college.

A shudder pass through her body. She shook her head, trying to forget about all the bad things that had happened in the past. 

But no matter how much she tried, she couldn't forget about those days. The days where she was just a mere freshie. No rights to retort. No rights to fight back. No rights to protect themselves. Bare and vulnerable in front of those tormentors. Her tormentor, her bully- 

" Ruhaan bhai ." Krishnangi snapped her eyes to the direction where Vihaan just went, to talk to his elder brother. She averted her gaze, when it was met with the cold ones. 

(Bhai : Brother)

" Guys, there's this thing -Ruhaan bhai wanted us to help them with the welcome party, as I've told earlier the seniors are going to handle it this year. So- " Vihaan glanced at Krishnangi, well aware of the hostility between his brother and his bestfriend. 

Rutuja interrupted sensing the environment too, " But we're third year students, not the seniors. And as you see, we already have a lot in our platter. Aur uske upar, tumhare bhai aur Krish- " 

(Besides that, your brother and Krish here-)

" It's got nothing to do with me and- him. There's nothing between us. And I've got no problem in helping them out. " Vihaan gaped at her while Rutuja tried to talk sense into her stubborn friend.

Krishnangi clicked her tongue, explaining her opinion, " Dekh Rutuja, it'll be good only if we are engaged in the event. By that way, we can prevent those devils to bully someone to the worst. We all know how they're, right? Jerk and assho- " 

" Will you be able to handle yourself? " Vihaan touched her shoulder with concern.

The three had been best of friends from the very first year in this renowned institution. 

" I wonder sometimes, if you and him are real brothers. Tu itna sweet hain aur woh itna khussat. Sometimes I feel like strangling him. " she breathed out the last part in frustration. 

(You're such a sweet person. On the other hand, there's you brother. Complete jerk!)

" Ruhaan bhai isn't that bad, Krish. " Rutuja rolled her eyes at the exaggeration. 

" It's because he treats you like his little princess. Rakhi jo bandhi hain tune. Thank god, you didn't got those brotherly feelings for me. Ussi rakhi se faasi laga liya hota maine. " Vihaan joked. 

(Cause you tied him rakhi. Thank God, you didn't got those brotherly feelings for me. I would have hang myself with that very rakhi)

" Kuch bhi. " Rutuja walked away from him, face reddened. 

(Nonsense!)

" It's alright love, you shouldn't be afraid of your feelings. Accept that you're madly in love with me. Jab pyaar kiya toh darna kya? Bol de woh teen lafz jo tere dil mein hain. " 

(When you've fallen in love, what's there to fear? Say those three words that are in your heart)

Krishnangi laughed at the duo. She'd known them after coming here, but Vihaan and Rutuja had known each other since they're in the kindergarten. They've been inseparable till then. Everyone knows that they're in love with each other. 

But the thing that's stopping them to move on to the next step was ' the confession '.

Rutuja hadn't properly confessed yet and Vihaan, despite knowing her feelings, was dying to hear the three golden words from her mouth.

And Rutuja, well she had her own share of fun, seeing Vihaan all bowled over for her and Krishnangi, she just admired them. 

Not only they'd been her best friends but also had supported her when she's going through her worst. And Vihaan, she owe him her life. 

Another chuckle left her lips when she noticed the unofficial couple on the verge of pulling each other's hair. She's about to intervene, to play the role of the peacemaker when a sight caught her attention. 

A familiar face and an equally familiar smirk, was passing by the corridor. The queen bee of the college, Nia hanging by his arm. When his eyes met hers, his smirk widened and he pulled the girl in his arms, tighter against his body. 

She giggled slapping his chest, when he twisted a tendril of her straightened hair between his fingers. His eyes never leaving Krishnangi's. He whispered something in Nia's ear and disappeared around the dark corner of the corridor, with the girl still clutched in his grip. 

Krishnangi smiled ruefully, " He thinks it affects me. Fool! Maybe he had forgot that I'm not the girl he'd tormented before. I'm the girl whom he'd broken beyond repair. " she walked back to her friends.

" He can't possibly break me more, but can only get hurt or stabbed in the process, if he tried to touch my shattered pieces. "