Part - 4 (unedited)

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Next day, Sikky walked into his classroom and went to the last row. He found Madhu already sitting there leaning her back to the wall, with shades on and ear set plugged in her ears. She must be hearing some loud rock music which could be heard clearly by Sikky. He wanted to comment on her choice of song but he kept his mouth shut as he didn't want to start his day with a fight. He promised his brother he will behave nice with her and mainly he won't meddle in her business.

He took out his economics book and started going through it. He knew first hour class was economics for them and his brother said a hot professor will be handling that subject. His brother warned him to focus on his studies and not on her but who cares? Sikky wanted to study a bit in advance and impress his lady professor by answering her questions and get into her good books.

He was studying when he heard a group of girls giggling. He looked up and his eyes locked with Trishna's eyes, the girl he liked and got attracted to right from the first day of college. She smiled at him politely and Sikky gave her a goofy grin in return. He got so excited seeing her beautiful smile.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sikky shouted at Madhubala.
"You were drooling so I wiped off your drool from the corner of your mouth." Madhu said innocently.
"Oh please, don't do me any favour!" Sikky clamped his hands over his head as if worshiping.
"You are so arrogant."
"Says who?"
Madhu simply rolled her eyes and plugged her ear piece back into her ears listening to the song.

"Sir, first hour economics" Students sung in chores when Rishab walked into the class.
"Of course, I know, my dear students. Miss. Bhatia couldn't make it to the class today so I am here to replace her." Professor Rishab said with a kind smile. He looked at the last bench, his eyes unknowingly searched for a particular person. Sikky scowled at RK making him frown wondering why his brother was scowling at him. Sikky was so disappointed that he couldn't get to meet the hot and sexy teacher.
Sikky nudged Madhu's shoulder with his elbow. She had her head resting on her folded arms placed on her desk. She didn't notice her professor walking in as she had her head cast down and her ears were plugged in with her ear set.
"What?" Madhu barked at Sikky for disturbing her. She was in no mood to listen to boring lectures.
Sikky pointed his chin to the front asking her to turn and see. Madhu turned and her face brightened seeing her favorite Professor.

"Madhubala, take off your shades from your head (she had worn her shades like hair band), take out your ear set and hand over your phone to me." Professor Rishab ordered. Madhu quickly did as she was told and ran down to the pit of the gallery class where her professor was standing and gave him her phone.
"Place it there." Prof. Rishab pointed to his desk. Madhu kept her phone on his desk and turned to leave when he called her. "Get your phone back when you go home and next time if I see you using mobile phone inside my class then I will seize it and you will get it back only after you complete your last day of college." Prof. Rishab said in a stern tone. "Got it?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Go"
she ran back to her place and pushed Sikky inside and she sat at the corner. She placed her hands on the desk and cupped her cheeks as she admired her handsome professor.
Sikky tapped Madhu's shoulder. She turned and glared at him.
"Kerchief?" he offered. She gave him a confusing look.
"Now you are drooling so thought you will need it to wipe your mouth." he said with a shrugged. Now he felt better after giving her own words back to her for teasing him earlier.
"Fuck off!" she mouthed at him.
"God bless you, my child. No cuss words" Sikky placed his hand on her hand and blessed her as if he was a priest.
"Take your bloody hand off me." Madhu whispered shout. "You ruined my hair style." she accused him.
"Hair style?" Sikky chuckled. "You call this bird's nest hair style?"
"Ugh!" she got frustrated and pulled her curly hair.
"Madhubala and Sikender out of my class, now" Prof. Rishab ordered to both of them.
"Sir..." Sikky tried to explain. Rishab glared at him silencing him. Sikky held his head down and grabbed all his books and backpack and walked out of the class cursing Madhubala under his breath. Madhu didn't dare to argue with her Professor, she silently followed Sikky and once they were outside she started hitting him on his back with her handbag.

"Hey, idiot! Why are you hitting me?" Sikky grabbed her hands and asked.
"I got thrown out of my class because of you." Madhu snapped.
"No, it's not because of me but it's you the reason for us standing out now." Sikky retorted. "I don't think I will ever get to attend my class if you sit beside me."
"Who asked you to sit with me? Go and sit somewhere else, you dog!" she shouted and marched towards the college canteen.

"Patil Bhaiya, one coffee and one spicy cheese burger." Madhu ordered.

"Coming up with your order in a minute" Patil said with a pleasant smile and walked to the coffee machine to make her coffee.

"You again?" Madhu snarled when Sikky jumped from nowhere and stood beside her near the counter.

"What? I am here to get something to munch." Sikky answered with a shrug.

"Bhaiya, one sweet corn sandwich with extra cheese" Sikky ordered. Then he dug his hand in his pants pocket but he couldn't find his wallet. He checked his college back to find some loose cash but there wasn't any.

"Bhaiya, cancel the order. I didn't bring my purse." Sikky said before the guy could make his sandwich.

"Patil Bhaiya, is my order ready?" Madhu asked.

"Almost" Patil answered

"Okay, give me one sweet corn sandwich too." She added once Sikky had left the counter and found himself a table. He sat down on a chair and placed his bag on the table and took out his phone to surf.

Madhu collected the food tray and walked to the table were Sikky was seated. She sat opposite to him and passed him the sandwich. Sikky looked up from his phone and frowned at her.

"Eat" Madhu ordered.

"I'm not a dog that you talk in monosyllable" Sikky growled at her. Madhu glared at him and withdrew the sandwich plate from him cursing herself for offering food to the arrogant pig.

"Hey, chill... I was just joking. I am really hungry so if you don't mind can I eat it? I will pay you later." Sikky promised giving her a smile. Madhu didn't reply but just pushed the sandwich plate back to him. Sikky took the sandwich gratefully and was about to take a bite but he stopped and asked her "You wanna have a bite?"

Madhu kept her coffee cup down on the table after taking a sip and looked at him. She had never shared food with anyone. She loved to share and eat but she had no one to share. For the first time someone was asking her to share their food. Unknowingly Madhu nodded her affirmatively.

"Here" Sikky brought the sandwich closer to her mouth. Madhu took a bite and Sikky smiled before starting to eat.

"Now, won't you ask me to taste your burger?" Sikky asked cheekily.

"I already started eating." Madhu hesitated as she had taken few bites of her burger.

"It's okay. I don't mind. Give me" Sikky grabbed her burger and ate it.

"Wow, it's yummy." He said in delight. Madhu didn't bother to get back her burger and she just let him eat it fully.

"So friends?" Sikky offered his hand.

"I will think about it." Madhu said rudely and walked away from him. Sikky rolled his eyes at her attitude.

--0-

(The same evening after college)

"Hey, Professor" Madhu cheerfully greeted her professor Rishab.

"Madhubala" he acknowledged her with a nod and turned his attention back to pray the God. They were standing in Lord Ganesha temple.

"You come to temple regularly?" Madhu asked curiously so that she can stalk him.

"Only on Fridays" he replied.

"Morning or evening?" she probed.

"Morning I won't get time as I will be having college so evenings I will come here."

"Okay" Madhu said making a mental note to meet him every Fridays here.

"What about you?" Rishab asked.

"I don't go to temples."

"Then what are you going here?"

"Do you see that road roller?" she asked pointing to her uncle Bittu who was taking circles around the temple chanting some mantras.

"Principal Sir?" Rishab asked in shock. "He is your uncle so don't call him names, Madhubala" Rishab scolded her as if she was a 5 years old kid.

"Oops! Sorry. I came with him. He is very religious and superstitious you know!" Madhu said rolling her eyes.

"You don't believe in God?"

"Not really" she shrugged.

Rishab shook his head and turned to the priest to get the prashad. He placed the sacred ash which the priest gave him on his forehead. He looked at Madhu for a moment and without thinking he took a pinch of ash powder from his palm and streaked it just above the small black bindi she had kept on her forehead. Then he placed his hand over her nose bridge covering her eyes he blew away the excess sacred ash power.

"My momma did that for me when I was small." Madhu said bitter-sweetly.

He smiled and placed the rose in his hand behind her ear making her giggle. She took the rose and placed it properly on her braid and clipped it with a hair pin.

"You stay with your uncle?" Rishab asked.

"Yep"

"You don't have any other relations whom you call as your family other than him?"

"Not really."

"Oh"

"After my parents death I confined myself in a small circle. I never mingled much with my relatives... besides I hardly know anyone."

"Oh"

"My parents had a love marriage. Um... they actually eloped and married because their families opposed their love. The enmity between the families continued even after my parents' death. Only my uncle Bittu supported his sister's love... and now he is supporting me. If I can trust anyone in this world then it will be him." Madhu said with a smile looking at her uncle Bittu.

"He is a nice man" Rishab said with a smile.

"He is." Madhu agreed.

"If you don't mind can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Professor"

"At what age you lost your parents?"

"7 years back, when I was 12 years old."

"I'm sorry." He said softly. She weakly smiled at him.

"How?" before he could stop himself that question popped out of his mouth.

"In a plane crash" she said meekly.

"You were not with them?"

"Professor, I thought you were smart but no, you are so dumb" she teased laughing at him like a small girl.

"If I was with them then I wouldn't be here now talking with you..." she said laughing and once her laughter died down she had tears in her eyes. "...Wish I was with them in the plane. This life hurts lot more than death." She blinked her eyes to clear her vision and clamped her hands tightly to stop shivering.

"Hey! Don't say like that." He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"They didn't even tell me "goodbye", Professor" she said to her professor in a choked voice and bit her lower lips to prevent her sob from escaping.

"They didn't say their final "goodbye" to you because they didn't go anywhere. They are with you, baby girl" Rishab said caressing her head affectionately.

"My momma used to call me like that only" She smiled vibrantly hearing him call her "Baby girl" just like her beloved mother did.

"So how your papa called you?" Rishab asked feeling happy to see her smile again. There was some kind of purity and innocence in her beautiful smile.

"Princess"

"That you are" Rishab agreed. Madhu smiled.

After having a quick chat with Bittuji and saying bye to Madhu, Rishab went his way and they went their way to home.

... To be continued!!!

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