[One Month Later] The sound of our sneakers hitting the pavement is a rhythmic symphony, a testament to our dedication. I glance over at Abhi, who's trying to keep up with my newfound speed.
"You're getting faster," he says between breaths.
"Thanks to you," I reply, flashing him a grin.
As we round the bend in the track, we notice a group of girls from school watching us. They've been showing up every day for the past week, and their numbers have been growing.
Abhi nudges me playfully. "Looks like you've got yourself an audience," he says.
I laugh, feeling a slight blush creep up my cheeks. "I think you're the one they're here for," I tease, increasing my speed.
"No, bro, slowdown," he begs, his voice a mix of amusement and exertion.
"Okay, okay," I say, slowing down. "But I think I'll tell Ratika you said that."
He groans, his cheeks turning red. "Don't you dare," he says, his breathing heavy.
We continue running, the breeze in our faces and the occasional cheers from the sidelines spurring us on. It's a strange feeling, this newfound popularity, but it's also a reminder of how far we've come.
As we approach the end of our run, Ratika stands out among the girl's group, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Looks like you've got a fan club," I say, nudging Abhi.
"Maybe we should start charging for autographs," he jokes, and we both laugh.
"Here," Ratika says, her smile bright as she passes Abhi a water bottle. "And one for you too, big brother," she adds, handing one to me.
"Thanks," I say, taking the bottle with a grin.
The other girls in her group are watching us, whispering to each other and blushing. It's clear they're talking about us.
"Ratika," I say, deciding to have a little fun, "you know, Abhi was telling me something when we were running."
Her eyes widen with excitement. "What was it?" She asks.
"Bro, bro," Abhi says, his voice a mix of panic and pleading.
Ratika looks at him, her curiosity piqued. "What big brother?" She asks, leaning closer to me.
I lean in and whisper in her ear, "He said you're the most beautiful girl he's ever seen."
Her cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink, and she giggles. "He really says that about me?" She asks, linking her arm with mine.
"Yes, of course," I say, We both giggle.
"What he said?" Abhi said with curiosity.
"It's a secret," I say, putting my finger to my lips. "Between Me and Her."
Abhi's eyes widen. "Come on, tell me," he says.
Ratika laughs. "No way," she says. "It's our secret."
Abhi looks at us, feigned disappointment on his face. "Fine," he says. "I guess I'll just have to keep running faster to find out."
We all laugh.
As we sit under the shade of a giant banyan tree, panting from our exercise, a shy figure approaches us. She's one of the girls from Ratika's group, and she looks at us with a mix of curiosity and admiration.
"Hi," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "Could I... Could I know your name?"
I look at Abhi, and he's grinning from ear to ear. "I'm Jain," I say, extending my hand. "And this is my brother, Abhi."
Her eyes light up, and she shakes my hand. "I'm Liya," she says.
"Nice to meet you," I reply.
From the corner of my eye, I see her fidgeting with something behind her back. She pulls out an energy drink with a flourish. "Please, accept this," she says, her voice filled with excitement. "It's my way of saying 'good job' on your run."
Before I can refuse, she's already handed it to me. "Thank you," I say, surprised and touched by her gesture.
But before I can take a sip, she blushes furiously and runs back to her friends, leaving the drink in my hand.
"Wow, bro," Abhi says, slapping me on the back. "You're really becoming the star."
I roll my eyes, but inside, I'm beaming. It's strange to be the center of attention like this, but it's also a reminder of the changes in our lives.
"Yeah," Ratika chimes in, her voice filled with pride. "Even my friends can't stop talking about you."
"Really?" I feel overwhelmed.
"Seems like I become popular."
"Yeah like me, hahaha," Abhi replies with a grid look at Ratika.
Ratika gives him a small tap on his back.
We share a laugh, the warmth of the moment wrapping around us like a cozy blanket. It's moments like these that remind me how much I cherish our newfound success and the relationships that have blossomed because of it.
The next day, Ratika came to our house, to go to college with Abhi.
"Hi, Aunty!." Ratika Introduced herself to Mom.
"Ah, You come, Please come in," I said because Abhi standing there like a fool
"Yes, Thank You, Big brother." She smiled and Said, She felt shy and embarrassed.
"Abhi, show her the room," I told him, Mom watching and waving to me secretly.
"She the one you talk about?" Mom asked, I already told her in advance.
"Yes, Aren't they cute together?" I told Mom as we watched both of them.
"Hmm, I didn't believe that he brought a girl, But I think it's okay while you look out for them." Mom tapped my shoulder, "Go, I brought some sweets." She said and went to the kitchen.
"Sorry! My room got messed up because of my work." I told her as I sat on my computer and resumed my work.
"No, it's okay, Just seeing this I can tell how much you working." Ratika Reply.
"Thank You!!" I smiled.
"Bro, what's going on with your thesis?" Abhi inquires as we sit on the floor of our room, surrounded by textbooks and notes.
"It's coming along nicely," I reply, my eyes scanning through the documents on my computer screen. "I've completed the full product outline."
"Whoa," Abhi says, his eyes widening in disbelief. "You're going to send it tomorrow?"
"Yeah," I confirm, nodding. "It's a big step, but I'm ready for it."
"Big brother knows a lot about computers," Ratika says, smiling at me from the corner where she's sitting with Abhi.
"Well, it's what I've been studying for," I say with a shrug.
"You're going to do amazing," she says, her eyes filled with belief.
Abhi nods in agreement. "I'm sure of it," he says.
I feel a sense of pride swell in my chest. Despite the challenges we've faced, we've come so far—both in our personal lives and in our academic pursuits.
"So, Ratika," I say, turning to her, "today's the big day, huh? Admission to the university?"
Her eyes light up. "Yes," she says. "I've applied for the English department, like I told you."
"And what about you, Abhi?" She asks.
"Computer science," he says, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Bro's been helping me with the coding part."
"You're going to be a pro," I say, ruffling his hair.
"Abhi, please clean your room. Your brother is busy working," Mom says, her voice carrying through the open doorway.
"Mom, seriously?" Abhi groans.
"Now, now," I say, standing up and stretching my arms. "Let me help you."
Her eyes widen in surprise, but she quickly recovers. "Thank you," she says, handing me a plate of snacks. "These are for you," she says, pointing to Ratika.
"For me?" Ratika asks, her eyes sparkling with delight.
"Yes," Mom says with a smile.
Ratika blushes and takes the snacks, her eyes shyly meeting Abhi's. It's moments like these that remind me of how much we've all grown, and how the love and support from family and friends can be the best reward of all.
As we start to clean up, Abhi and Ratika share stories of their school days, their laughter filling the room. Mom watches us from the doorway, her expression one of contentment.
"What's the plan tonight?" Ratika asks, her voice filled with excitement.
"Well," I say, looking at Abhi, "I thought we could all go out to celebrate."
"Really?" He asks, his eyes lighting up.
"Yeah," I nod. "We've all earned it."
"Let's go to the college," I say, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation.
As we arrive on the bustling college campus, the sounds of students chattering and the distant hum of lectures fill the air.
I submitted my application and went to campus where we decided to meet.
I make my way to the designated meeting spot, the anticipation growing with each step.
Suddenly, a commotion catches my eye. A group of students has gathered around Abhi, and from the looks of it, they're not just having a friendly chat. One of them has a hand on his collar, and Ratika is standing there, looking scared.
"What are you doing?" I demand, my voice firm and authoritative as I march over and grab the guy's hand.
He yelps in pain and quickly lets go of Abhi. "Who the hell are you?" He snarls.
"I'm his brother," I say, my eyes narrowing. "And you're going to explain why you're bothering him."