Part - 4 (unedited)

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"Hello Prof. Kundra. Good morning." Madhu cheerfully greeted as she sat on the bench opposite to him in the library.

"Morning. You here? You don't have class?" Rishab asked checking the time on his wrist watch.

"I got late. Prof. Sinha didn't let me in." she said coolly as if missing classes wasn't a big deal for her.

"Why you come late, always?" Rishab asked as he took notes from the book he was referring.

"It's not your class so I didn't bother to wake up early."

Rishab looked up from the book he was reading and gave her a questioning look.

"I like your class Professor. You don't let us, students sleep..."

"You sleep in other Profs class?"

"Obviously. Not only me but everyone."

"That's not something appreciable to do, Miss Madhubala"

She shrugged not at all bothering. She just said the fact. "Your lectures are not boring so I don't sleep or anyone of that matter"

"I take accountancy, Madhubala so obviously it wont be boring. Its all about understanding the logic and you should know to calculate... Then automatically you will find my class interesting. Theory subjects will be little dry but still you have to focus."

"I am sure you will take theory subjects damn well too with letting your students to zone out. I don't sleep in Dipali ma'am class"

"Your economics ma'am?" Rishab felt happy that at least Dipali was good in lectures. He can't stand her outrageous flirtings and wondered how she became a professor as she wasn't a professor material but a hot model. Yeah, he found her hot and sexy but he wasn't even slightly attracted to her. He was highly annoyed with her behaviour that too in college giving a chance to students to spread rumors about them.

"Yeah. I can't peacefully sleep in her class. She has a very high nasal voice. So I just plug in my ear pieces and listen to some good music." Madhu said making a cute annoyed face. Rishab burst out laughing. For a minute he thought she really liked Miss. Dipali Bhatia' s lectures. How wrong he was?

He couldn't help but nod his head agreeing with Madhu that Dipali indeed had a nasty nasal tone.

"Professor, shall I ask you something?"

RK frowned before nodding his head in yes.

"There are rumor mills spinning around the corner... " She started and paused not knowing how to ask. "I have heard from the rumour mill that..."

"What?"

"That you are dating Dipali ma'am. Is that true?" she asked in one breathe. She dreaded to hear the answer from him but waited for him to confirm the news was just a rumour and nothing true.

"I don't think either you or I in any position to ask or answer for this question" Rishab said bluntly.

"What do you mean?"

"It means whether I date or not it's none of your business and I need not answer to your question."

"Oh. I am sorry. Just forget I ever asked this question. And please don't reduce my internal marks for asking this question to you. I really dont have any place to ask this to a professor."

"I can guarantee you that I won't keep a grudge on you and reduce your marks... but... "

"But what?" she asked panicking.

"You should study first to give your exams well... If there is nothing in your paper you can't expect me to put high marks just because this college is yours. I am not going to give marks for face value but for what you write."

"Understood!"

"So start attending classes regularly and start preparing for your exams."

"Okay"

"Good" he said and stood up collecting his books and notepad to go for his next class.

"Should I take that you aren't dating Dipali ma'am with the way you grimaced your face hearing about the rumor?" Madhu asked making him halt and look back at her. She didn't miss his expression. She caught him giving a disgusted look hearing about him dating that leech.

"Actually I am going on a date with Miss. Bhatia tonight. So think what you wanna think." with that he walked out of the library leaving a fuming Madhu.

--0--

"Hi Mady" Sikky jumped from nowhere and took a seat beside Madhu in the canteen bench.

"Firstly don't call me Mady. My name is Madhu. And lastly leave me alone." she wasn't in good mood to talk with anyone especially not with Sikky, the clown.

"Why so hot hun?" Sikky bumped his shoulder with hers annoying her more.

"Idiot" she lifted her plate and slumped it back on the table with a thud and walked out of the canteen but Sikky didn't leave her alone. He was having too much fun annoying her.

"Hey, why don't you accept my friendship? I am not a bad guy you know?"

"I would even become friends with bad guys but never with a clown like you. You only infuriate me. I hate you."

"Hate? Ouch! That hurts" Sikky fist his hand and pounded it over the left side of his chest.

"As if I care?" Madhu scowled at him.

"I don't know what I ever did to annoy you? Why you behave like this? Now I get why no one is befriending with you. You are so arrogant."

"Too late in realizing that." Madhu smirked showing attitude.

"I don't get what my bro saw in you and forcing me to become your friend... " Sikky muttered under his breathe.

"What? What did you say?"

"Nothing!" Sikky cursed himself in his mind for blurting out like that like a fool. His brother had strictly told him not to tell anyone about them being brothers in college. Of course Bittuji, the principal of the college knows but no one else.

"Why you didn't come to class in the 2nd hour after being thrown out in the 1st hour?" Sikky asked to change the topic.

"I didn't want to see your face so I didn't come to class."

"Oh really? But I was dying to see you."

"Me? why?"

"To give this" Sikky took out a huge "Choco rum" chocolate bar and dangled it in front of her.

"Chocolate? For me?"

"Yes. Imported chocolate specially for you."

"Why?"

"It's my birthday today." Sikky grinned.

"Are you a small school going kid to celebrate your birthday by giving chocolates to your classmates and teachers?" she asked. Sikky frowned not getting her logic. Is there any written rule that only kids should give chocolates and celebrate their birthdays? Sikky thought.

"Not to all of my classmates. Only to you and I am yet to give one to Trishna"

"Why me when you don't like me?"

"Doh! You were the first person I met in this college and I like you. If you remember I am insisting you to be my friend... But its you treating me like an enemy... So yeah why shouldn't I give you a chocolate?"

"Oh!" Madhu thought for a second and stretched out her hand. Sikky placed the chocolate bar on her palm.

She shifted the chocolate bar to her other hand and still held her hand out for him to take.

Sikky frowned. "Shake hand?" he asked. She nodded.

"You are gonna wish me or you are gonna accept to be my friend?" he asked. "I will consider your wish only if you consider me as your friend"

"Okay! Friends!" she finally agreed.

"Friends" Sikky held her hand with both his hands and shook it rigorously till it pained her.

"Break my hand" Madhu growled at him. He let her hand go and hugged her taking her by surprise.

"Thank you. You don't know what your friendship means to me. Thanks again and I will be your loyal friend." Sikky said utterly thrilled with Madhu's acceptance to become his friend. His brother Rishab will be so proud of him.

Rishab noticed his brother hugging Madhu from distance while he was going to the staff room. He smiled hoping his brother and Madhu became friends. Then he walked into the staff room.

"Now come on, hook me up with Trishna" Sikky said shamelessly.

"What! Is that why you became my friend?" Madhu glared at him.

"No... But I want you to help me... Like giving a proper intro with her... I want you to play cupid."

"No way" she turned him down and tore the chocolate wrapper and took a bite. Hmm... Yummy!

"Hey! We are friends now. We care for each other. And we help each other in life or death situation"

"We are not in any life or death situation"

"Please! I know she likes me with the way she steal glances at me. The spark between us is so evident..."

"I couldn't find any spark between you two"

"You will see only when you come to college and only when you look around the class and see what's happening instead of simply hanging your head down playing games in your phone or simply sleeping in class that too snoring loudly."

"I don't snore. And it's not my effing business to see what's happening around in class. I come to study here not to witness who is stealing glances at who, okay!"

"Why you are so hard? Why can't you simply help me in my love life?" Sikky sighed.

"Why the hell you need my help? Go and give the damn chocolate to her like you gave to me."

"You are my friend... But she is different. I simply can't go and give her chocolate when I haven't given to anyone else apart from you and I am not going to tell her I gave you one because I don't want Trishna to think there is something going on between us."

"You are mad. Totally mad." Madhu shouted at him. "Oh and I seriously doubt your intention to be my bestie. All you want from me is to help you in your love life. How crooked your mind is? I don't want to be your friend. Not now. Not ever" Madhu angrily thrust back the barely eaten chocolate in his hand and turned to walk away but Sikky ran in front of her and stopped her.

"Hey listen to me. You are getting me wrong."

"Move" Madhu said but he didn't move. When she tried to walk around him he blocked her way again. Madhu gave him a warning glare to clear the way.

"Look, you might think I want to be your friend for my selfish reasons but no, you are highly mistaken. I will honour our friendship and that's why I gave you the first priority in giving the chocolate. I will never take advantage of our friendship but pardom me if I ask you to give me an intro with the girl I like. I just don't know how to talk with a girl that's why I am seeking your help." Sikky almost begged her to understand his helpless situation.

"You sound so desperate. You like her that much? What's so special about her?"

"I don't know. I would like to know about her before I completely fall for her and for that I need to associate closely with her. I think she too don't have a proper set of friends. Trust me we three will make one perfect funny gang."

"I am not funny so I won't fit in your gang." Madhu said still not convinced that he will be her loyal friend.

"Ugh! You are annoying now." Sikky pulled his hair, exasperated.

"Okay tell me what should I do?"

"First, take back this chocolate" Sikky insisted. "And don't ever try to break up our friendship"

"Okay" Madhu agreed realizing the sincerity in his tone and took back the chocolate and started eating again.

"You go talk to her first and then introduce me to her."

"Hmm... Okay" Madhu agreed and walked towards the stone bench in the sports ground where Trishna was sitting with a book on her lap, reading.

"Hey" Madhu said gaining her attention.

"Hello" Trishna looked up and smiled politely.

"Trishna right?" Madhu asked. She nodded in yes. "Madhubala" Madhu held her hand out. "Sweet name" Trishna complimented and shook her hand.

"That's Sikky." Madhu pointed her thumb finger to her back where Sikky was standing little away from them.

"Yeah, I know. I have seen him in our class. What about him?" Trishna asked shyly.

"He and I just became friends. We thought of asking you to join us... You know you are always alone too... "

"No I am not alone..."

"So you don't want to be friends with us?"

"No. No. You are getting me wrong. I would love to make more friends."

"Good. Oh and I have to tell you something important. Sikky likes you. He wants to know more about you. So he is taking this friendship track. May be if it works and finds you perfect for him he might propose you..."Madhu bluntly said everything in one breathe. Sikky stood at a distance watching at them talk for nearly five minutes now and wondering what Madhu was telling his girl Trishna.

"Propose?" Trishna askes wide eyed.

"Don't panic. He seems decent to me so he won't trouble you if you say no."

"I know" Trishna agreed.

"You know what? That he is decent?" Madhu asked. Trishna shyly nodded.

"Why you are so shy and all blushing." Madhu asked not at all liking her blushing like a new bride.

"I will let you know a secret but don't tell him. I have a crush on him"

"So you two do really have some sparks?" Madhu asked shocked.

"Well if you two eventually fall in love... Then as your mutual friend I will feel so happy for you two."

"Thanks." Trishna smiled. "Madhu, you have smudged chocolate..." Trishna pointed to the corner of her mouth.

"Oh thanks." Madhu wiped her mouth. "Sikky gave me this chocolate." she casually said everything which Sikky wished to keep as secrets.

"Oh"

"It's his birthday today. He has one for you too. He wanna give it to you but hesitating a bit not knowing what you will make of it."

"I love chocolates" Trishna said indirectly telling she was willing to get the chocolate from him.

"You want some?" Madhu asked offering the other end of the chocolate bar where her lips hadn't touched.

"Sure" Trishna broke a small piece and popped it in her mouth and then looking behind Madhu she smiled at Sikky.

"Sikky... Come here" Madhu shouted waving her hand in the air asking him to drag his feet to them. "Give her the chocolate." Madhu ordered in a bossy tone when Sikky ran to them. Sikky was too willing to oblige her order and took out a similar chocolate which he gave to Madhu and handed it over to Trishna.

"Happy birthday, Sikky" Trishna wished him softly.

"Thanks" Sikky gave her a wide fave spliting grin. He was so ecstatic to be wished by the girl he liked.

Madhu stood awkwardly between them.

Finally deciding it was better to leave the two alone she broke the silence saying "You two carry on with your silence and keep exchanging those foolish grins while I go do my stalking business."

"Stalking?" both Sikky and Trishna asked in unison. Madhu bit her tongue and closed her eyes for her folly.

"Who you are gonna stalk?" Sikky poled again.

"Did I say stalking?" Madhu asked to them keeping a doubtful face.

"Yes, you did"

"Well... I... I am gonna stalk...."

"Who?" both Sikky and Trishna asked curiously.

"That's a secret" Madhu whispered and ran away from them giggling. She very cleverly wrapped up her secret when she just blurted out Sikky-Trishna's little secret.

"Hey stalker! Very soon we will find out who you are stalking" Sikky shouted and laugged. Unknowingly he drew Trishna closer to his side by draping a hand around her shoulder. Trishna looked up at him in suprise. "Won't we?" Sikky asked.

"Wh..what?" she stuttered.

"Won't we find out who she is stalking?" Sikky asked.

"Yeah... Yeah we will."

"Good. Now come, let's get back to our class and I would like it if you sit with Madhu and I in our bench."

"Sure" Trishna agreed with a smile. Sikky felt so lucky as everything went so well for the day. All thanks to his new friend Madhubala. "Madhu, I owe you one" he thought not knowing at the moment that one day he will be helping her in her love life.

...To be continued

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