Ragini's POV:

He looked shocked at my confession...I could see he looked hurt and can't lie but it pricked me more!!!

'Whattttt' left his mouth and he stood there with his parted lips.

But then the next minute it was turning into a raging expression. He looked pissed, angry and within seconds he was fuming.

He took a step closer to me and pulled me up and held me by my forearms tightly. He was a strong man. I was wearing a sleeveless salwar kameez and I definitely knew that this would be enough to leave marks there. But I was still angry on him so I fearlessly stood before him. My mouth was already on fire because of the chilli flakes I consumed but my heart was bleeding in rage... anger... jealousy.

Strangely I saw tears in his eyes too. His hot breath fanned my face and his angry hot tears still shining in his big brown eyes he pulled me even more closer and asked...

'You think I love Malini? Are you crazy? How can you assume something like that?' he said at once...his eyes never leaving my face. I hated to see tears in this man's eyes. I still remember my classmate once made fun of him and I had stuck chewing gum to her hair. I was asked by principal to apologize but I was adamant. I made sure she apologizes to Siddhu and only post that I mumbled a 'sorry'. See the irony...today I am seeing the same Siddhesh in tears.

'I don't think....I now very well know it!!! Your care for her...the way you held her...you caressed her...you even carried her...she....she kissed you...you....you....called her perfect...you...you went on a da....date' I couldn't even complete that line and I broke down badly...crying my heart out. I lost the strength in my knees feeling them jelly and was almost to crash down while he held me by my waist... I was hanging onto him lifeless while I was crying loudly...I felt a few drops of tears fall from his eyes on my cheeks...

I saw he was looking broke...he was in tears... although I felt bad for him I recalled how he went on a date with her today...
'Did you give her a ring? Proposed her? Tell na???..
Come let's celebrate' saying I pushed him and got up walking towards the table which still had the bowl of pasta which was more of a bowl of chilli flakes...

'Cheers to Malini Siddhesh Pai...' saying I went on stuffing the pasta into my mouth and tears flowed down from my eyes as again the spicy food hit my mouth...I saw him hanging his head low and tears kept rolling down his cheeks...

The next minute he took a step closer and pulled the bowl from my hand and said...
'Yes...come let's celebrate...let's celebrate how you flirted with Amitash or shall we celebrate your closeness with that Prasad...tell me what shall we celebrate Ragini? Tell me...if this is your way of celebrating let's do it grand' saying he started stuffing the pasta in his mouth.

Shit!!! He has zero tolerance to spicy food!!!

I panicked...
'Stop it Siddhu...no...stop' saying I jumped closer to him...but he was adamant...
'No Ragini..let's celebrate...let's celebrate your stupidity...your immaturity...come' saying he went on eating the entire bowl. I tried pulling his hand but he adamantly filled his mouth with it and I was panicking.

I ran to the side table by the side of my bed and took the jug full of water and came running to him...

'Drink this Siddhu...you can't tolerate spicy food... please baby' I cried but he swatted my hand and the glass jug fell down breaking into pieces...

He was so angry that his eyes looked bloodshot red right now...
'Siddhu' my mouth uttered his name softly...

'Why do you care huh??? You want to celebrate na? Why do you care...' saying he turned around and stood near the window of my room... Suddenly there was a power failure...however ample amount of moonlight was peeping into my room. I went closer to him and kept my hand on his shoulder...

'Siddhu....' I called him softly while this time he held me by my forearms and pulled me closer in one go such that my chest crashed against his hard ones and I looked up to meet his eyes...
They were teary and hurt... Tears kept rolling down his cheeks and his eyes shined much more than before...

I slowly moved my fingers and kept wiping his tears with my fingers but he helplessly kept pouring more looking into my eyes...

I kept silently shedding tears too...I can't see him in tears it kills me...

'You are jealous that I went for dinner with Malini right? But have you ever seen me with any other girl ever Ragini? All these years?'

I didn't have an answer. I gulped and stood there still like a monument.

'I know how you feel about me. I am not blind or heartless...I see and understand all your reactions about Malini. But you must know and understand the way you are behaving with her is wrong. She is just a friend...nothing else.' he said and something too loud inside my heart reached a certain calmness...

He continued...
'This is not your age to fall into this Ragini...nor is this the right time to name what is between us...I understand your emotions and how I wish I could tell you how I feel about you...

But!!!
I can't!!!
Or shall I say I shouldn't!!!
I don't want to!!!

Because you are still 17. You are studying your most critical year right now. This year can make or break careers. And you are a bright child. These mix of emotions inside you thanks to my arrival can screw up your examinations. I really want you to do well in your exams Ragini. You are my pride. When anyone tells Ragini is doing well in her studies, Ragini topped her class it swells my heart in pride. This is the time when your concentration shouldn't divert elsewhere...

The reason...I said you a NO!!! Because this is not the right time!

Rest...I was always clear about my emotions.' he said it at once and I felt a wave of emotions in my heart.

Further he looked into my eyes and said
'I said a 'No' not because it's a 'No' because it's 'not' the right time!!!...I hope you understand' and that statement was finally absorbed by my tiny heart which felt like came alive again...

I looked into his eyes and asked him softly...
'You mean we will talk about this after my exams?' I asked and he nodded while pushing back that one strand of hair which escaped my pony tail.

'Few emotions never change Ragini...neither with years nor with time...bodies grow... emotions grow... hearts are always the same na' he said resting his forehead against mine...

This was peace...
I sniffed through my tears while I could see even in the moonlight his lips had gone pink and his lips had swollen a bit too...He can't handle spicy food.

I took a step and picked the choco lava blast pastry and stuffed his mouth with a spoonful of it...

Next he took a spoonful of the same pastry and kept it in front of my lips and I smiled while opening my mouth. He smiled back...

'Please study well Ragini...I and Shalini have a dream to see you as a double graduate. We want you to be an independent woman. Your father is a good man but is against women standing up on their own feet which is wrong. We want you to be on your own. Earn your bread above all learn to earn a living. It's important at times to break stereotypes. You should set an example for the next generation' he said and I nodded.

'I promise you...I will work harder...I promise...no more stupidities... your Ragini will make you proud Siddhu...will make you very proud..I promise' I said and he smiled while I stuffed another spoonful of pastry into his mouth.

He shook his head as he wanted me to eat it and in the meantime the chocolate sauce spread on his jaws and lips and he chuckled...

'You are impossible' he said and I giggled more...

'Wait...' saying I took the edge of my dupatta to clean the chocolate sauce off his jaws and lips...while during this very minute unknowingly my one hand rested on his chest and and the other was cleaning up the sauce...

His gaze turned intense and my throat went dry...my eyes kept looking at his eyes and then his lips...

Like he took every ounce of control in him to keep a distance from me he took a step back and said...

'I think I must leave' and without waiting for my answer...he left from there.

I sat in the moonlight... thinking and smiling at our conversation...
But the moment we shared just now...i knew his heart was beating hard. I heard it clearly when I was too close to him.

I sat thinking for a long time and noticing the power had not come back I lightened a candle and decided to sit to study.

But before that I wanted to assure something to someone...

***

I knocked on his bedroom door and he opened the same.

'Ragini?' he said and I saw he was also sitting by the window cherishing the moon.

Moonlight falling on his face...he looked so innocent and so handsome to me. I don't care what the world thinks. He is the most handsome man on earth to my eyes.

'You should sleep...it's late' he said

While I walked into him. Stood infront of him and cupped his face with both my hands and said...

'I promise to study hard Siddhu...I will give my best...but I'm here so you know this...once and for all...

There was no Amitash...there will be no Prasad...
You will never need to even bring that thought...
It was...it is...it would always be...
Siddhesh...' I said still looking into his eyes and I could feel his lips quivering thanks to my touch. His cheeks had already gone hot...

I took another step closer and said...

'Because...
I am
Siddhesh's Ragini...
And

You are forever...
Ragini's Siddhesh ❤️'

saying I did what my heart just wanted to do right now...

I tiptoed and slammed my lips against his...

It felt like the moon shined brighter tonight. This was my first kiss and the realization that I was actually kissing the love of my life hit me hard.

I was kissing my Siddhesh. My love.