Author's POV:

It was a winter morning in December...

They entered the third year of engineering...

As the bell rang the students rushed into the class...

And the moment Meet entered the class and everyone started hooting making him go all pink blush like a new bride...

On the college uniform of white shirt and black trousers, he wore a chocolate brown sweater...

He looked Shah Rukh Khan from the movie Mai Hoon na...

While everyone was screaming "Ayyyy....Khallassss" there in the small corner of the class a soft whisper filled in the air "So cute"

The classes were done and it was lunch break...

And Roohi being childish who always spits out her smallest of feeling so wanted to express her excitement and as soon as the professor left she came out of the bench and happily squealed "Meet...you loo-

But to crush down her excitement Meet snapped her bluntly "I know you are going to tease me saying I am looking a champu"

Her smile died as he said those words harshly in front of their gang...

Her childlike soft heart was pricked by the needle of his sharp words

And that was the end for her...

Since then she stopped talking to him...stopped getting into every discussion of their gang that involved him...

Once he asked about the change in her behaviour for which she simply nodded a no

She had decided that she would never admit "Meet you looked cute in that brown sweater"

And for Roohi...it was like

Once a NO is always a NO...

It was evident that something was wrong between them but their gang kept teasing them with the most common dialogue "where there is fight there is love"

Vaidehi and Kajal who were pretty close to Meet began shipping Roohi with him...they always loved their banters...

Roohi used to ignore their teasings with a blunt expression whereas Meet would blush and sometimes join Vaidehi and Kajal in the mission...

Teasing Roohi was his favourite assignment but she gave him cold shoulder

Days began rolling and it was time for their submission...

And unfortunately, just before the day of final submission, Roohi was down with cold and fever...

Although she had severe back pain she had to go to college to complete the submission...somehow she managed to finish everything but then there was the last part that was her nightmare...

Perspective Sheet...

It was a difficult one and she had no strength left in her to finish it off...

She requested Professor but he didn't agree and she came back to the class all defeated...

Meet saw her lifeless figure walking towards her bench...

She slumped on the bench and opened the sheet on which she had drawn the plan and elevation and only the perspective part was left...

Her hand reached her lower back as she found it difficult to even sit correctly...

"Give it to Meet...he is drawing everyone's perspective sheet" Vaiedehi whispered in her ears and Roohi nodded a big NO...

She would never ask him...

She kept looking at the sheet whereas on the other side Meet was talking to others but the corner of his eyes were looking at something else...

One by one all the students left...

Vaidehi and Rooh were collecting their pieces of stuff and all of sudden a brown hand slapped on her sheet...

Lifting her lashes he looked into his brown orbs that were red now...

"I'll draw" he announced as he began rolling her sheet but she put both her palms on the sheet and shook her head...

Her dry and sour throat didn't help her to speak...

"Why are you so stubborn??" He snatched the sheet as her strengthless hands couldn't resist his pull and rolled it completely

"You already have a lot of work...I don't want to bother you" she managed to mumble in her low voice

"Gapp bas (Shut up) you are my friend" he said and before she could talk further he had taken long strides towards the door...

Fine...I'll pay him back

She said to herself as Vaidehi helped her to wear the bag...

Vaidehi and Meet were someone who grew too close to Roohi in less time...

Both of them helped her in the 11th-hour submission

She was always grateful to them...

Vaidehi knew that Meet's behaviour would affect Roohi...

She had that small doubt something is going on between them...

******

In the next semester, Roohi drew another sheet of different subject and gave it to Meet for which he said "Why did you draw...I don't want it??"

Throwing the sheet into his hand she said "Want to throw it...you are free to do so"

But again their gang made a fuss out of it...

Although Roohi clearly clarified that it was her payback to him they went on teasing...

Roohi had no guilt left in her heart and she was free to study with a peaceful mind...

*********

Although Roohi's strong girl imaged heart made grew the distance with him her childlike heart used to still sing his appreciation songs

Roohi's family...her society friends Anu Gotu Vaishu...her best friend the neighbour aunty everyone who knew Roohi knew about Meet too...

Although they had not met him...they knew everything about him...

That was obvious because of the chatterbox named Roohi...

Meet is so hardworking...
He is so dedicated...
He helps everyone...
He is too clever...
He is a university topper...

He dances so well...

His dance video of the college fest was seen by almost everyone in her circle and the highlight of his 'thumka' and the last step was specially mentioned

He looks like Dhanush and RC

Whenever a song of the actors was played on the TV Roohi would run from any corner of the house and would squeal in front of the TV "Dumbo looks like Dhanush and RC"

He is a die-hard Dhoni fan...
He bites nails like me...
His favourite is shenga poli...

Anu Gotu and Vaishu who were studying in 8th 9th and 11th std were tired of listening her dialogue
"He is an inspiration...you guys must learn his hardworking and dedicated nature"

Everyone was familiar with Roohi's  nature...they knew that it's Roohi's habit to babble her stories

But little did they know that her stories are unknowingly taking new meanings in her heart that she was unaware of...

She had already fallen for him...

Yes, she had fallen for him ever since the moment she gave him the nickname Dumbo...

He didn't even know he was the first human to whom she had given such a cute nickname...

It was so special for her...

But not for him...

And yes...

Unwillingly...

Unexpectedly...

She fell for the idiot who had only hurt her...

*******

They entered the final year where many new turns were waiting for them...

It was an important and busy year with project work...

Time flew by the constant project work and one online course...

And as usual Meet's ignorance helped her grow stronger and secure 93 per cent in that course

Even the Professor was shocked to see her marks

His every action had made her strong as an individual but deep down her heart was still the same...soft and loving

The news of Meet being the topper of that course was spread like fire in her circle...

More than she scoring 93% for the first time ever the feeling of her Dumbo being the topper felt more joyous to her...

Once he had to visit her house to get the book for his friend whose elective subject was the same as Roohi's

The moment she screamed "Dumbo is coming" the kids made their mind to meet Mr Genius while Miss Stupid had hidden that Pedha (Sweet) for him...

He reached the street corner and the kids accompanied their Tai (sister)

Taking the book from her made an eye movement that meant 'Shall I go' for which she just lifted her hand and opened her palm

His friend murmured something in his ear while Meet elbowed him and took the pedha from her...

That idiot friend of his said "Bhai she loves you a lot"

"Congratulate him...he is gold medalist" Roohi reminded the kids who were all silent to see Mr Genius

"Congratulations Dada" the kids sang in unison while he softly said "Wish your Tai too...she has scored awesome"

She smiled as he made a small gesture asking to leave...

While walking on the street Vaishu abruptly announced "You love him"

Roohi laughed at her "No"

"Yes you do...your eyes speak your love for him"

"Vaishu don't be filmy" Roohi laughed again while she argued

"No Tai...I am damn serious...the way you guys have that intense eye contact gives me that vibes...like literally you both talk with eyes"

"Chill baby...it's not going to happen"

"Why??" Vaishu whined while Roohi circled her hand and announced determinedly

"Because I know one day he is going to break my heart"