'You Don't Hate Me'

Sameera & Naina's Dorm Room, Tift College

Next morning, after showering and getting ready for college, Sameera stepped out of the bathroom, only to see her best friend Naina, the neat freak, rummaging through her suitcase, creating a mess on her bed.

"Did a hurricane hit our room?" an amused Sameera asked.

A panicked Naina looked at Sameera, "I can't find my bracelet".

"What bracelet?" Sameera asked slightly confused.

"The bracelet Di got me on my birthday, I thought she packed it in my suitcase but I can't find it anywhere" Naina informed.

"Call Swathi Di and asked her where she put it" Sameera suggested.

"And let her know that I lost her gift?" Naina asked, "Are you insane?!".

"Maybe you left it back in Kullu" Sameera said.

"How can I be so irresponsible?" Naina asked, sitting on her bed, "Di is going to hate me".

"You are such an idiot" Sameera said, sitting next to her best friend, "Swathi Di isn't going to hate you because you lost a bracelet, she will just buy you a new one".

"I don't want a new bracelet, I want my old bracelet" Naina complained.

"Well, right now we can't do anything about it, we have to get to class" Sameera said, "You don't want to be late on your first day, do you?".

"No" Naina whispered.

"Then get up and let's go attend our lecture and then after you can panic about your bracelet" Sameera said, standing up and grabbing Naina's hands and helping her stand.

"I just hope if someone has my bracelet, they take care of it" Naina said.

***

Arjun & Seenu's Dorm Room, Tift College

Arjun came out of his and Seenu's shared bathroom, only to see his best friend still laying on his bed, holding Naina's bracelet in his hand and staring at it.

Arjun shook his head at Seenu's antics, "When are you giving Naina her bracelet back?".

"When she asks for it" Seenu simply replied.

"How is she going to ask for something she doesn't even know you have?" a confused Arjun asked.

Seenu shrugged in response, "I don't know" he said, "But if she wants this back then she needs to ask me for it".

"You know that's stealing right?" Arjun asked.

"It's not stealing, it's called safekeeping" Seenu retorted, sitting up on his bed, "I'm keeping this bracelet safe for my sweetheart".

"Your sweetheart can keep her things safe herself" Arjun said, fixing his hair in the mirror.

"I never said she couldn't" Seenu said, "But I will always take care of her and her things slightly better then her".

"You don't know that" Arjun said, "Maybe there is someone else out there who will take care of Naina and her things much better then you ever could".

Seenu glared at Arjun, "Keep your stupid theories to yourself Arjun, I don't need or want them".

"I'm just asking you to be realistic" Arjun said.

"This is me being realistic" Seenu argued.

"This isn't you being realistic, it's you being stubborn" Arjun argued back, "You really think this infatuation with Naina is going lead somewhere?".

"No" Seenu replied, putting Naina's bracelet in his side drawer and then standing up, "I know my infatuation isn't going to lead me anywhere, but my love is".

"Again, you can't be in love with Naina, you only talked to her twice" Arjun said, trying to get his best friend to see reality.

"Again, you don't get to talk about that since you've been in love with someone who doesn't even know you exist" Seenu retorted.

"Mia is my fantasy, not my reality" Arjun said, "I'm not in denial about that Seenu, but seems to me you are".

"Mia Singhal might be your fantasy but Naina Goradia is my most beautiful reality" Seenu said, walking over into the bathroom, not wanting to ruin his morning by arguing with Arjun.

Meanwhile Arjun let out a sigh, "God knows where this obsession is going to lead both you and Naina" he whispered.

***

Lecture Room, Tift College

Naina and Sameera entered the lecture room and immediately both of them took their seat in the middle of the room.

"Thank god, we weren't late" Naina said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You need to learn to relax" Sameera said, "Being late isn't the end of the world".

"It is for me" Naina retorted.

An amused Sameera let out a chuckle and shook her head at her best friend, her eyes then landed on the front where she saw Arjun and Seenu entering the room.

"Holy mother" a shocked Sameera shocked whispered.

Naina looked in the direction Sameera was looking in, "Of course he's here as well" she said annoyed.

Sameera slapped Naina's shoulder, "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" she asked, "Is that Seenu?".

Naina rubbed her arm and looked at Sameera as if she has lost her mind, "Of course it's Seenu, who else will it be?".

"I think today might be the end of the world" Sameera whispered, looking at Seenu in shock.

"Have you lost your mind?" Naina asked, as Seenu and Arjun started walking over to the two girls, "Why are you so shocked seeing Seenu here?".

"Because I never attend lectures" Seenu revealed, standing next to Naina, having heard hers and Sameera's conversation.

Naina looked at Seenu in confusion, "Then why are you here now?" she asked.

"For you" Seenu simply replied.

Naina looked at Seenu wide eyed, she then looked at Arjun, who was standing behind Seenu, shaking his head at his best friend, "Is your best friend ill?" she asked.

"Sometimes" Arjun replied, taking the bench behind Sameera and Naina.

"I'm not ill, I'm just in love" Seenu defended, sitting next to Arjun.

Naina turned around and glared at Seenu, "You're not in love with me" she stated.

"Yes I am" Seenu retorted.

"No you're not" Naina snapped, "You don't know me Seenu, you can't be in love with me".

Seenu leaned forward, "Then let me get to know you" he said.

Naina placed her hand on Seenu's forehead and pushed him away from her, "No".

"Why not?" Seenu asked.

"Because I hate you" Naina replied.

"Why?" Seenu asked again.

"Not every why has an answer" Naina simply said, turning to face the front.

Seenu leaned over the table, "Maybe this why doesn't have an answer because you're lying to yourself" he whispered into Naina's ears.

Naina looked at Seenu once again, "I don't love you" she stated.

Seenu smiled at Naina, "Right now" he corrected, "You don't love me right now, but you don't hate me either".

"You are incredibly annoying" Naina said, shaking her head at Seenu.

"Only for you, sweetheart" Seenu teased.

Naina groaned in annoyance, she turned around and then slammed her head on the table, "This is going to be along year" she whispered.

"Careful" Seenu said, seeing Naina hit her head, "You'll get hurt".

Naina looked at Seenu, slightly shocked hearing the care in his voice for her, before him, other then her sister, she has never heard this much care for her in anyone's voice, seeing Naina staring at him, caused Seenu to wink at her, breaking Naina's trance, she then quickly faced the front and shook her head to shake the thoughts of Seenu out of her mind, reminding herself she couldn't have a soft spot for Seenu, she couldn't let her father down, she was here just to study, not to fall in love, she wasn't allowed to fall in love.

While Seenu sat behind Naina, looking at him with love clearly evident in his eyes, he failed to see that Manav had seen the whole interaction between Naina and Seenu, he realised that Seenu had a thing for Naina, and now he was determined to make sure that Seenu never got Naina.

***

Presenting chapter eight of Hero!

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Signing off Kavya ❤️