[ A L I N A ' S P O V ]So he wasn't really coming back. Two weeks had passed away since I was in Bangalore, staying in my new apartment and forgetting I and Kabir used to live together. Two weeks since I had lost any hope for him when I didn't see him filling his admission form. Two weeks since I was waiting for him, but yet angry.What the hell was I doing? He must have moved on by now, got some American girl hanging to his arm. He must have even slept with her by now. Not every girl heckled his desires by saying no.He must have forgotten about me.Closing the book shut, I peered ahead as the professor continued with his lecture. Why was I even back to Bangalore? I could've stayed in Delhi, completed my graduation from there, but I hated Delhi. I would never go back to Delhi and make my stay in Bangalore. Dad would understand. He would see how Delhi held too many bitter memories with it.But did Bangalore held any good memories anymore? But I couldn't leave every city because of
"I can't kill you. I'm not a killer." From the string of instruments placed beside me, I stared at the spiders. "You're scared of spiders. Alina told me unknowingly once." It was after her nightmare, I was trying to make her mood better and had suggested of one thing he was scared of. She had said spiders because whenever he used to see them, he screamed and we had laughed at his fear. Now I would really laugh. "You forgot she was your sister and she only talked to you. So, she must know you." Taking the jar, I opened the lid and poured all of the spiders above his head. He killed all my mercy the day he had given me the videos. He killed all the heart I had for people the day he threatened me with her name. Nobody touches my family and get past with it. His cries were a musical to my ears. "You don't touch my wife and think of getting away with it. I'm not a coward like her father. I don't believe in mercy. I love revenge." And I would get one hell of a revenge even if it couldn
[ K A B I R ' S P O V ]Dropping my bag on the floor, I walked steadily into the house to not wake anyone up in the late night. Taking hushed steps to upstairs, I focused on the door of my room and was about to twist the knob when I let my gaze wander to Nisha's room. I had been too rude to her from past two months, putting the frustration of my breakup on her.It wasn't good.I should at least see her.Leaving the knob of my door, I went to her room and opened the door to find her sleeping on the bed. Sighing audibly, I was about to close the door when I heard, "Kabir, I'm going to kill you." Before I could register, a pillow was thrown at my face, and before I could say further, another was thrown to kill any protests. "You stupid!" She screamed. "You went to New York without telling me! You didn't come for our birthday! I hate you! I hate you so much!""Sis—""Don't sis me!" She yelled. Damn, she was one angry girl. "Because of you, my best friend didn't want to see me. Because
[ A L I N A ' S P O V ]"What?" I shouted at the phone, too shocked by the news delivered by Nisha. "How's he? Is he okay? How's Ria?" Ignoring the peering students, I sat on one of the benches rooted in the garden and passed my hand through my throat.Dhruv had a daughter with Isha.Damn fucking great."His dad kicked him out," She filled me in. "He was with us for a week before his brother bought him an apartment but Dhruv has to pay the rent himself. I paid for a month." She paused before continuing, "He's leaving his college. He's going to do private course and work."Dhruv and work? That boy hated work, wouldn't stand up from his bed to keep the plate back in the kitchen. How would he handle it? How would he handle such a big responsibility without any support from anyone?How would he go through it alone? That's why Isha had been calling him too much and disappeared from his college out of nowhere.Was she okay?"I need to come back." I calculated the dates. "Next weekend. Ye
"I'm going back." I pushed my books into the handbag. "I don't feel good.""Should I come?" Kriti asked."No. I will probably sleep." And forget I had even seen him in the first place. I had my own life. He had his own. He was here to complete his studies. He wasn't here for me. "This week. Don't forget.""Pranit is coming?"I nodded with a smile. At least a good news from all the fiasco. "Yes. He got some holidays from work."Leaning down, I slung my handbag across my shoulders and walked out of my class, swishing my pleated floor length skirt across the floor. Why had I thought of wearing this today knowing how much Kabir loved it? Why couldn't I just fucking destroy it?Hanging my hair to one side, I trudged out of the college building and was about to enter my car when I heard him again."Alina, stop!" He caught my hand and turned me around, but I shook it off and glared at the person I loved the most, but all I felt was anger and hatred pulsing through my veins. "Listen to me. Ju
"Pranit?!" I shouted in the canteen.He was sitting in one of the tables in the canteen along with Kriti. He waved his hand at me and signaled me to come over. What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to come few hours before the meet tomorrow?Biting my lower lip, I weaved through the tables and slid opposite to him and next to Kriti."He's really charming," Kriti smirked. "You never told me he's a teacher.""Trainee," He whispered, smiling. "In a college.""Still. Why you teachers are so head bound on torturing us?""Kriti," Hissing, I slapped her arm to behave herself and put my attention on my fake boyfriend. "What are you doing here?"He swallowed his piece of Manchurian. "Surprising my girlfriend." I gave him a look. "One day or another, you need to give in to my advances. You ruin my confidence." Chuckling, I took a piece of Manchurian from his plate and ate. Noddles. Kabir's favorite. I hadn't seen him for two days. Where was he? "So you're my girlfriend.""Fake-girlfriend,"
***"You're late," I said, leaning back into my red lounge seat.He glanced at the watch tied around his wrist and I tried not to show any emotion on how he was wearing the watch I had gifted. Why he still wore it?"Ten minutes, bookworm. Traffic." He settled opposite to me. "You ordered something?""Kabir, we're here to talk." Get over everything we have ever had. You being here was messing with my mind, you close to me was making my palm sweat.He cocked his head to the side. "We've time. Let's eat. Pancakes and Lime soda?""Who eats them at this hour? Have you gone mad?" I arched my brows, amused by how he had said the same thing when he had gone out for the first time because I had fainted in the school halls.Such a long time had passed.Chuckling, he nodded, "Risotto?""Quesadilla for both of us," I smiled wickedly, remembering his hatred for Mexican food. He peered at me for a couple of seconds, hoping I was joking but I shrugged my shoulders and he ordered the same only. "Kabi
[ K A B I R ' S P O V ]Dying the ignition, I stared ahead at the bookstore. "Is this the place?"Deb nodded. "Kriti said it was this. Kabir, it'll be boring," He whined again. "Too many books. She'll be busy."Rolling my eyes, I hopped out of the car and waited for his ass to come out. Who knew Alina had a reader's meet in Bangalore and didn't even care to tell me until I checked her Instagram last night. She had blocked me and I had to make a new account to check it out. Good thing her account was public now.Settling my hair in a place, I locked the car and strolled inside the bookstore to find one corner of the store filled with chairs. Some of them were already occupied while the others were waiting for the readers.My eyes searched for my bookworm and found her at another corner of the store, talking with a girl and smiling. Should I go near and surprise her? What if she got angry and it ruined her first meet? What if she was still angry at me and was refusing of ever falling