[ K A B I R ' S P O V ]"Why your girlfriend is blushing too much today?" My head raised from my book to stare at Kriti and Alina, joining us under the tree.My gaze halted at Alina, or more like the pink glow apparent on her face. Ignoring Kriti, she sat next to me and her shy smile was a giveaway to me. She was thinking about last night. I was thinking about last night."Why are you saying to him?" Sagar laughed, clutching his stomach. "He's grinning without any reason today too.""Shut up, loser." I slung my arm over Alina's shoulder, but she didn't turn her attention to me, opened her novel and started reading it. "Do you even study your course books?""As a matter of fact, she does," Kriti interrupted, sitting next to Deb on the ground and waved her hand to remove the sweat rising on her face. "Explain to me who studies in college? I hate her marks. I hate college, too much work, too many assignments and projects and character studies.""There is a reason I call her bookworm." I

Someone tapped my shoulder. Shrugging it off, I snuggled deeper into my pillow, tightening the blanket over me."Five minutes more," I slurred. "Kabir, let me sleep.""Uff, this girl thinks of Kabir in her sleep also." Shocked by the owner of the voice, I flew my eyes open and blinked my eyes rapidly but the view didn't change. Screaming, I sat up on the bed and hugged her tightly. "Nisha, what are you doing here?"She laughed. "Dhruv." She slapped my hands off from her neck. "That stupid left Delhi. Kabir called me last night. I came with Rahul. He's too annoying. The whole flight I had to listen to his stupid flirting with the girl sitting next to us. And that bitch. How could she cheat on him? I will fucking kill her. If I see—""Shush." I pushed my hair at the back, standing on the bed and planted my hands on her shoulder to steady myself. "Your college?""It's weekend. Two-day holiday won't change anything. I had to lie to mom and dad that I was missing Kabir, but they wouldn't le

"Alina," he sang. Blinking my eyes, I stared into the black orbs of his. "You slept. Was I too hard?" He pulled his lips down. I looked around desperately. "Don't be scared. I put your clothes on."Struggling, I tried to push him off with my small hands but he chuckled darkly."Nobody stays much here, is it?" I gulped, staring at the window at my side, ignoring his stare. "Misha is busy with summer school. Your mom and dad always stay at work. And my mom, uff, she's on the other side of the house, sleeping."I started crying, remembering what he would again.Why couldn't anyone see him?"Don't cry." He pressed his hand hard against my cheek. "I said don't cry. I hate when you cry. You're such a crybaby." He tugged my hair, slapped me. "Stop crying." His nails dug into my cheek. "Do you want to get punished? Huh!" He stood up, leaving my body alone as I gathered myself on the bed. "So small, yet too irritating."He caught my hair. "I said stop crying! You're ruining my mood! I wanted to

"Alina, stop crying." Sniffing, I ignored Kabir's pleading and paid attention to the work at the task. "I hate when you cry." He placed his thumb on my cheeks but I shrugged it off. "I hate this. I'm sorry. I won't say such stuff again.""Shut up. It's hurting me." I pressed the back of my hand to my eyes to stop the tears and burning at the back of my eyes. "I hate you.""But baby, you should've listened to me." He took the knife from my hands. "Stop crying, please. I promise I won't say your cooking sucks. I was teasing you."Pushing the onions far away from my sight, I glared at him. "Because of this, I'm making the dish again. Stupid." I slapped his hands. "I hate you. I threw all of it in the dustbin."His lips quirked up in a smile. "Blame the onions. Who told you to cut them?" He started cutting them and soon, his eyes were red and he was sniffing. "I hate onions."Giggling at his attempts, I moved around the kitchen to get him a napkin and clean his eyes."Explain me again why

Tying my hair in a messy bun, I slung my bag and vacated my room to find Kabir, his hand raised to knock the door. Seeing me, he stepped back quickly and offered me an uneasy smile."We were getting late. You took your breakfast early."I nodded, blinked my eyes to adjust to the sight of me and trying to forget anything that had happened last night between us.When Kabir was in the GYM, I had taken my breakfast and completed my morning routine of yoga to avoid meeting him, but still, we were late. How we always got late for college?"About last night—" I started."You pushed me," he completed the sentence, pain wrapping his face. "Did I do something wrong?"No. It was me. I thought you were Rishi. I thought you were a rapist.How could I even think that in a first place?I took a deep breath. "No. I just. . . Can we forget it? It was too fast." Taking quick steps, I hugged him, placing my head on his chest, listening to the increasing heartbeat. "I just wanted it to stop. Everything wa