Disha who saw everyone cheering up, walked towards the group and asked "What's the matter?"
"We're planning a weekend trip, are you interested?" asked Vedant.
"Yeah of course, I would like to bring some more people"
"You mean your boyfriend and his friends?" asked Vedant.
"Bring Roshni and her friends too, the more the merrier" said Tarak winking at Thrishul.
"I don't think that queen will join us, but boys will join us and Dikshith has a car for four people only" explained Disha.
"Only Roshni looks like a girl to you people?" Siri scowled at Tarak.
"Chill Siri, I just asked" he made apologetic face and she chuckled.
"Ok give us final list by tomorrow" Thrishul said to Disha.
Dikshith brought the news of Punya's Agumbe trip to Prakruth. Prajwal and Rahul agreed immediately but Prakruth didn't want to disturb her in any way so he said "You guys carry on, I've work at farms. Two days I can't move anywhere".
"Hey it's Punya's trip" Rahul exclaimed.
"Sssshhhh, better don't take names, you know that I don't like it" Prakruth warned. He was very strict about rumors and gossips around him, no one dared to break his fort of coldness. His friends too.
"Sorry" Rahul apologized.
.........
At the parking lot, Punya was struggling to pull out her vehicle. Rishab came to her rescue.
"Thanks, thank you" Punya thanked Rishab.
"We haven't met each other properly, I'm Rishab your senior, I was responsible for the car crash few months back, I'm sorry Punya" he apologized.
She had completely forgotten about the incident. She just smiled.
He continued "Punya, I wanted to tell something important, can we go for a coffee??" he asked.
"I don't drink coffee, and don't be formal. You can tell me now...." she said boldly.
"Ok, from the day I saw you, you have attracted me so much, I thought of approaching you but somehow I couldn't.
. I.. I.." he stuttered.
"Will you finish it fast, I'm getting late"
"... .".
"What???" she raised her voice.
He was scared, he looked at Prakruth who stood a dozen steps behind her. Rishab had asked Prakruth's help because Punya had already slammed three seniors. When Punya saw his sight away from her, she followed his gaze and gasped seeing Prakruth behind her. She immediately guessed it as a trap but she didn't lose her temper.
"Hello, I'm getting late, shall I leave???" she almost screamed.
"I love you" he blurted out.
She chuckled and replied calmly. "I appreciate your selection but I'm not interested in such matters. Kindly find someone else. Bye". She said as politely as possible.
"Please Punya think about it, I'm very serious about it. Please" he pleaded.
"Better you leave now or else I'll lose my temper" she frowned.
"Ok take this card, I'll wait till farewell for your reply, bye" he said in a pale tone and walked away.
"Mr. Prakruth, can I have a minute with you??" she turned towards him and called him.
Watching him approach her, she was taken back. He was looking beautiful in white formal shirt and black pants, "Beautiful is a word used for girls, I must be mad...but smart, handsome aren't enough for him, his looks are mind blowing" thought Punya.
"Hi Punya, how are you?" he tried to be formal.
Her palpitations grew so badly that she forgot why she called him. He admired her as she stood like a doll, without even blinking. It had been two months since they met. Both were lost in each other's eyes. Punya recovered and said "How dare you help Rishab propose?"
"Who am I to allow or stop someone who love you? You're a pretty girl, so you will have admirers...."
"May be but you shouldn't help, how can you?"
"Why shouldn't I??" he raised his eyebrows. "Yes tell me" he pressurized her.
Punya wanted to tell "Because I'm important to you, your personal brand of Heroin. How can you allow someone to get close at least? Aren't you possessive?" but she held back her thoughts. She instead started walking away from him silently.
"Punya" he uttered her name in honey soaked voice.
She felt like running to him, hug him and kiss all over his face but she controlled her desire and turned to him and gestured "what?"
"I heard about your weekend trip" he walked towards her and held her hand "I have a piece of advice for you, please follow it"
"I will if you don't follow me there to torture me" she scowled.
He gave a charming smile and continued in very sweet voice, "I won't, promise me that you'll keep yourselves safe and stay away from reckless things. You're precious to me, you know that.... "
"Hey leave her, how dare you touch her" screamed Thrishul who came walking from across the road. He walked to Punya and pulled her hand out of Thrishul's hands and said "You better stay away from her, she hates your presence".
"You need to learn manners boy, you interrupted our talk without our permission" Prakruth said in a soft voice.
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself to approach my girl again and again even when she insulted you so badly?" Thrishul yelled.
"Thrishul no, it's not fair for you to interfere with our fights, please let me handle it myself" Punya pleaded.
"Punya you won't understand this fellow, you get carried away by his sweet words, he's uses some kind of magic on you" Thrishul was still angry. He wouldn't endure the closeness between Punya and Prakruth anymore.
Prakruth laughed, "In that case protect her from me as far as you can, also from everything. She's very rare. Better bring her back safe from the trip. I need her." he ordered.
Thrishul growled on Prakruth, held his collar and shouted "How dare you say that?"
Punya struggled to stop them from fighting. "Both of you are mad or what, control yourself. We're in college campus. Thrishul come we'll go" she said taking away Thrishul.
"Punya just a moment please" said Prakruth. "I'm sorry Thrishul, I just lost control" he brushed Thrishul's shirt and collar and said "Be careful, she is delicate. It's a hill station, nowadays she'll be lost in her thoughts so protect her. She's precious".
Thrishul got rid of Prakruth and said "She's important to me as well, I know how to look after her, you better stay away". Thrishul started walking putting his arms around Punya's shoulders.
"I will not spare anyone, if something happens to her, even if there's a scratch on her, I'll kill you all. Better be careful" Prakruth warned.
Thrishul walked away as if he was deaf.
Punya could feel Prakruth's eyes all over her, but she ignored. "You're the reason for my situation....independent strong girl has become so weak because of you especially in your presence. If I'm lost in thoughts those thoughts are around you, I lose control over my steps because of you. Your actions, your looks, your voice, your touch and your breath everything kills me. I can't stay away from you but you're trying to balance between me and that painted doll. Why can't you differentiate between true love and obligation?? God knows when you will realize.... " she thought.
"Ok, Thrishul I will leave" she said taking his arm away from her.
"Why can't we go in car together?" he asked.
"No I will come by my bike, I need to buy stationary on the way back" she shrugged.
"You know I also take same route, Punya please feel comfortable with me, it's been seven months and you don't trust me at all"
"Hey nothing like that, I don't want to depend on anyone that's it. That's the reason I stopped taking help from seniors. I'm bit weird in this. In trip I'll show how comfortable I'm... Now go home" she explained with a hopeful smile.
"OK then let's see... Bye" he was overjoyed by the hope she gave.
Punya sighed. She headed towards her bike slowly and started driving towards home.