Chapter 25

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"Arvika, right? Vinay, your dare is to kiss Arvika on her lips, but make sure she isn't nauseous otherwise, she'd puke on you too," Risha smirked inordinately and the crowd snickered at the morning's incident of the puking session, by none other than Arvika.

Arvika and Dev both were motionless to grasp what Risha actually pronounced. Arvika couldn't believe that her senior would hold a grudge against her so much so that she could ask someone to.....she felt extremely disgusted about the dare that she couldn't even pronounce it properly. She glanced at Vinay who was already staring at her. She instantly looked away and before she could stand up for herself she saw Dev pouncing towards Risha in sheer anger.

He resembled no less than an injured lion, injured enough to kill someone mercilessly.

"Risha! Are you insane?" Dev rose up from his position as fast as lightning and marched towards Risha. He held her elbow in a tight grasp and tugged her a fraction away from the masses.

Dev almost barked at Risha's outrageous words.

Meanwhile, all the other students were busy shooting glares at the quadruplets: Dev, Arvika, Risha and Vinay. Many of them expected the kiss to happen as soon as possible so they could update it on social media for mere likes or to just hoot and roar at something so scandalous that they were soon going to be a witness of.

Kavya neared Arvika and held her hands in hers. She assured her best friend with her eyes but inside she too was uptight for her friend. She never liked Vinay. His brazen way of checking out girls as if he had never seen them seemed exceedingly outrageous to her. She wished she could smack his head with something hard. How lustfully he was looking at her best friend. Bastard! She cursed him and Rohan noticed that. He motioned her to keep mum and she followed his suit and backed her best friend soundlessly without vilifying anyone.

"What kind of dare is it? She's not that kind of girl, you know very well, Risha. And you know what SHE MEANS TO ME," Dev gnashed his teeth and congealed his grasp on Risha's elbow. Her pain intensified along with her smirk. But she cared less. She was passionately determined to avenge Arvika because of her malice against her.

Everyone was inquisitive to know what exactly was going on. A love affair between the president and the new fresher? Was it? That was why the president was significantly so affected? Was it? Or, Risha was trying to pull the fresher down with this stunt? What was it actually?

Murmurs were resonating in the backdrop.

Risha looked towards the crowd and then at Dev with a flirtatious smile. "I don't care. We are playing truth and dare, no? So, a dare can be anything. ANYTHING. And, I really don't know what she means to you. She is just a fresher for me. And she has to comply with the game and its rules".

"Are you kidding me? Today only I told you that she's my sister's best friend. I need to protect her. I am her local gu...." Dev was partially telling the truth but he paused halfway when he heard Vinay's voice.

"President sir, why are you getting involved in this when clearly I was given the dare and I have to perform this with one of my classmates that is nowhere connected with you. Let's move on with the game, right guys?" Vinay found a brand-new enthusiasm within him to declaim all this but he wasn't cognizant of the upcoming repercussions that he would definitely have to face.

The crowd hooted after him as they too didn't like their president stopping the show like a spoilsport. After all, it was India and it was a blue moon night that they were going to witness a live kissing session in front of their lascivious eyes. How could they let it go!

Dev's posture tensed with a sudden adrenaline rush inside his body at the fresher's daring words. He removed his hold from Risha's elbow and was going to break Vinay's face into two pieces when a very familiar feminine voice stopped him in his tracks.

Arvika felt humiliated the way her classmate said those words. She glowered at Vinay's filthy remark and clenched her fist. She breathed and sneered boldly, "I would like to inform you Vinay & Risha Mam, as I think you guys might have forgotten your Political Science classes since it's been years since you crammed it."

Arvika's audacious temper seized everyone in shock and especially, Dev. He gazed at her amusedly while Risha was busy shooting daggers at her newly-formed nemesis.

"Under Section 354 (A) of the Indian Penal Code, even physical contact against the wish of a woman comes under sexual harassment, and Risha mam, there's also the provision of punishment for those who are found persuading someone to outrage a woman's modesty." Arvika never felt so exultant of her SST subject until now. She now knew why SST was taught in school: to make oneself realise their rights, their worth and the junctures where they need to raise their voice against every injustice.

Arvika's speech startled everyone as they didn't expect that she'd turn this serious about the dare, but, unfortunately, they didn't know what kind of virtue she possessed. They didn't apprehend that she was the epitome of latent fire.

And, at that moment, Dev fell a mile deeper in love with her. Kavya noticed the proud smile on Dev and she prayed to the almighty for their happiness.

"I can dance with a guy, I can sing a song, I can act like some actor, but I can never approve of someone invading my personal space to kiss me or something of that sort. The game should be played like a game, mam, not as a game of revenge. What happened in the morning was an accidental yet natural blunder. I am still apologetic for it. But you're now trying to disgrace me and my self-esteem by making me a part of a dare like that. I won't ever do that." Arvika deduced sharply and almost glared at Risha.

The students too stared at Risha in astonishment because now they too comprehended that it was all a revenge game.

How low of her. How could she do this to someone?

Everyone started whispering among themselves.

Risha knew her plan boomeranged. She gritted her teeth and cursed Arvika inwardly. She was going to cross-question when Arvika's words suspended her next transit.

"And, Dev sir was trying to help me because he is...." Arvika glanced towards Dev and paused, heightening the anticipation and inquisitiveness among the crowd.

What next apocalypse was going to be exposed tonight? The audience held their horses for the striking revelation.

Dev's heart skipped a beat when his eyes adhered with hers. He looked clueless. What could she possibly say? He wished he had the power of telepathy to know what exactly was going inside his love's agile mind.

'He is....my boyfriend? He is.....my Bhaiya! Noooooo,' Dev thought inwardly and pleaded the Lord to not let her say those words.

"Tell me he is not your boyfriend," a senior girl who had a crush on Dev shouted playfully and the crowd hooted and snickered at her witty remark.

Arvika chuckled a bit and stated, "No. He is not. Well, he's my best friend's brother and so, technically, he's like my b....'' before the word 'brother' would've left her mouth, Dev closed his eyes for a second and rolled towards Arvika at a superhuman-like pace.

No.

He was not her brother.

Never.

Ever.

"I am her local guardian. Right, Arvika?" Dev announced and Arvika just gawked at him. She couldn't pinpoint how he could cover such a distance in such a short span of time. She just nodded her head and faked a smile towards the crowd.

The crowd breathed soundly as many of them, especially the girls expected Arvika to pronounce boyfriend but now they were relieved that Dev was still single. They still had a chance.

'A guardian? You're probably the lover, the boyfriend, the husband, the companion, and almost everything for her Bhaiya.' Kavya pondered and pinched her best friend to say something who was contemporarily busy in scanning Dev's left side.

"The game is dismissed guys, as a particular someone has tried to destroy the game because of her grudge against a junior. Please move back to your rooms, we'll go sightseeing tomorrow," Dev commanded and not even for a second his eyes left Risha. He knew what he needed to do with her. She had crossed her limits and she needed to face brutal punishments along with that guy who was trying to be a stud in front of him. He'd take care of both of them, Dev pledged.

"Dev. It was just a game, yaar. Why are you going berserk on me?'' The crowd left the garden area but Risha was still there along with Arvika, Kavya and Rohan.

"Because you plotted against someone's chastity, Risha," Rohan articulated this time while Dev remained calm and was continuously grimacing at her ex-friend. Arvika and Kavya were just mute spectators.

Kavya wanted nothing but to choke this particular girl while Arvika was still stuck at Dev's words. How did he shield her every time? Was he really her angel guardian?

He was her protector.

"Dev," Risha called for Dev when he still didn't say anything to her.

"Go away from here, Risha. Dev never hit a woman but he is not in a good mood. You probably won't like his violent side," Rohan tried to coax Risha but she was too adamant to move as she belonged to the most prominent products of super adhesives.

"You want to know what she means to me, no?" Dev belatedly vocalised and folded his hands across his chest. He glanced at Arvika and then settled his eyes on Risha.

The solemness of his tone intimidated everyone. The graveness behind his words seemed quite unconventional of his usual sound.

Arvika panicked and glimpsed towards him for a moment and anticipated his next words. What could he probably say? Didn't she already announce what relation she held with him? Then why this?

Dev held Arvika's hand and brought her in front of Risha. Arvika nearly succumbed when his icy-cold hands joined hers. She was oblivious of the things that he was going to put forth.

Arvika didn't know what was going to happen. Why was he behaving so odd right now! His actions confounded everyone. His grip on her hand was firm but not firm enough to hurt her. She looked towards him but his eyes were hardened on Risha.

"You really want to know, no? Then you better listen carefully."

"She means the universe to me. She is the only girl I have fallen in love with. She is the only girl who affects me the way no one does. A scratch on her body pains me as if I have got a slash across my skin. I have loved and waited for her for more than five years. She is the girl for whom I want to conquer every fu*king thing. She is my impulse to breathe."

Arvika felt paralysed in her place when she heard his diligent words. Her eyes held a million enigmas.

"She's the only desire in my life which has kept me sane and I'd not think twice to destroy that person who tries to hurt her. She's my world, and I cannot let someone annihilate my world," Dev finished and held Arvika's hands into his and clutched them tightly.

Their hold looked perfect as that spoke of the kind of precision that only the love and passion of years may bring.

Risha's mouth was open. She couldn't fathom that the man she chased for so long was already in love with the girl she absolutely hated. How could he! What did he even see in that wallflower, her mind clamoured at her rival!

Arvika stood there stupefied while Rohan and Kavya were grinning from ear to ear. Their favourite couple were finally on the same boat as them: the boat of love.

"You yourself have requested for the devil. The consequences wouldn't be very pleasing," Dev warned Risha in a menacing tone and before he could say any more words, Risha whisked away towards the resort with tears oozing out her eyes.

"Woah, man. Congratulations buddy," Rohan was going to hug his best friend but Arvika's voice interrupted him. She had decisively summoned her numb self together to respond soberly at the unexpected turns of events.

"What was all this?" she turned towards Dev and asked him straightaway. Dev closed his eyes and turned towards her.

He had to face it now or never.

"You guys go, I will come in a minute," he directed towards Rohan and Kavya but Arvika interrupted again, "Why? Kavya, stay here". Dev knew how headstrong his love was, so he groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"Risha is after you. She'd want to harm you at any cost. But, now she knows what I can do to her if she ever tries to hurt you. That's why I told her about us," he emphasised while maintaining unbroken eye contact with Arvika.

Arvika was left voiceless when she heard his honest response. Why did he care so much for her?

"You don't have to, I can take care of myself," she murmured and lowered her head as his intense gaze was doing something unusual to her. She couldn't look anymore in those dark orbs.

"You sure can take care of yourself, when did I decline that? But, it's my humblest request to you. Firstly, will you please look at me?" Dev requested her to look up and she promptly did as he asked. Her eyes met his and the world fell away.

Dev paused and finally articulated, "Please let me take care of my world".

The genuine ardency with which he pronounced those words along with his contracted eyes did something uniquely transcendental to Arvika. Her heart galloped at his words and a soft sigh left her mouth.

Did he really mean what he just said right now?

Did he really want to take care of her?

Did she really mean so much to him?

She stared at his face for her enigmas but in reply, she only got his unblemished sincerity.

On the spur of the moment, she felt like a statue made up of wax, melting at the warmth of someone's tender words.

They stared at each other for the longest time. Behind that transcendental stare was a mountain of questions, yet extracting it would bring past and uncertainty. Either it would bring the old memories back or a new juncture of something absolutely pure & raw.

Some gazes are the promise of protection, this was all that and more, Arvika gathered her emotions and sighed once again. His eyes shone with absolute sincerity.

Kavya and Rohan had left the couple for a few minutes and when they came back, Dev and Arvika were nevertheless occupied in their staring session.

"Uhu uhu," Kavya coughed purposely and the duo got off their staring spree and looked anywhere but at each other. Kavya and Rohan chuckled at their embarrassed reaction and Rohan added, "I want to dedicate that song for you guys. Umm....Pehli nazar me kaisa Jadu kar diya".

Kavya and Rohan doubled up at Dev's newly formed reddish hue on his cheeks. He was blushing profoundly at his friend's remark but Arvika just bent her head more and in a second, she spun off after bidding them a short good night. It was very obvious of her.

She always ran away when it came to love, wasn't she?

This was the first time Arvika had looked at Dev with a passion she didn't know existed within her. This was the first time Dev said something unusually intense and genuine to her. This was the first time Rohan too teased them as if they were a couple. On the journey back to her room, numerous thoughts flickered across her cognisance, looping around one person over and over again.

"It's very late, I think we too should sleep now," Dev mumbled breathlessly and dashed towards his room. His heart never felt at such ease the way it was now. His breathlessness was obvious but he knew he had now escalated the first step of a journey he wanted so devotedly to thrive.

"I am elated. Two love stories have sprouted today. Let's just pray we all are always together," Rohan side-hugged Kavya and after dropping her off at her doorstep, he too sped towards his room to cocoon on the bed to embrace the pleasantest night of his life.

∘◦❁◦∘

"Where were you, Arvu? Don't tell me you've gone for a walk with Dev Bhaiya already!" Kavya bombarded Arvika with her silliest queries the moment Arvika put her feet inside their room.

When Kavya had woken up, Arvika was not on the bed and from Rohan she got to know that even Dev was not in his room. She presumed that they might be together.

Arvika remained silent at her best friend's remark and was going to enter the washroom when Kavya held her elbow and stopped her further movements.

Kavya stifled a laugh and spoke, "So...? What happened between you two?" Kavya poked her best friend on her tummy and was busy giving teasing glances at her but Arvika was in no mood to entertain her.

"What would happen, Kavya? We just met by coincidence and out of courtesy, I left from there," Arvika explained nonchalantly while sipping H2O from her water bottle. A wave of unknown annoyance was oozing off her persona.

Kavya hummed at her response and further added, "But you never wake up so early in the morning. Like 4-5ish in the morning? Is it Love or the Dove that was perched on the window?".

Arvika stiffened at the mention of the word 'Love' but made a straight face.

"Oh. Nothing like that. I got up early due to the sun rays falling on my face. Also, the weather was extremely charming outside, that's why I decided to go for a walk. And I met him on the way. I didn't have an idea that he too would be up and we'll meet...Now, can I please go to the shower?" Arvika tensely spoke and turned towards the bathroom's door, facing away from Kavya.

"You're tense. What has happened?" Kavya kept her chirpy self at bay when she discerned that something was off about her best friend.

Arvika groaned and reminisced about the incident that happened in the morning.

∘◦❁◦∘

The charismatic sun arrived on its chariot, illuminating the sullen world once again with its red hue splashed over the clear sky.

The dazzling radiance of the sun converged on Arvika's face and it took no effort to vandalize her 2-hours short sleep. But a sudden throbbing inside her cerebrum caused her to hold her head immediately. She hissed and closed her eyes, pressing her head with her fingers.

Lack of sleep causes headaches but it was the repercussion of yesterday night's events.

The whole night she was pondering over one thing or another, and she dozed off in the wee hours.

What happened yesterday night was something she would never forget. Dev's words didn't let her sleep. She was up all night endeavouring about love, soulmates and whatnot: something she had never thought would be on her searching history.

She stretched her arms and got up from the bed and decided to go for a walk. The headache told her it was time to rest someplace quiet, to ride out the storm within her brain, for in time pain does ebb. Otherwise, the storm building inside her wouldn't let her sit in peace.

She washed her face in the washbasin with the chilled water of Mussoorie and noticed the black dark circles under her eyes.

"Uhhh," she groaned at her long-lost nemesis aka her dark circles and swallowed a tablet of Advil. After making sure she looked modest in her tracksuit, she tied the laces of her sneakers and got outside the resort to go for a stress-busting walk.

The aurora weather was a paradise but bone-chilling at the same time. She feared she'd get a cold but she was determined to take everything off her heart and give

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