Part - 7 (unedited)

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"Have a seat Professor Kundra." Bittu Sharma, Principal of the college said.

"Thank you, Sir" Rishab smiled politely and took a seat opposite to his desk.

"You must have got the circular regarding college cultural" Bittu started.

"Yes, Sir. I read the circular. It's in 3 weeks time. Students seem to be really excited about it." Rishab said with a smile. Except for Madhu all the students in all his classes were outrageously excited for the event.

"Good. I want you to organize this year's cultural event" Bittuji stated. He found Rishab young and energetic and also noticed him sharing quite a good rapport with his students so he thought Rishab will be likeable by the students to conduct the event.

"Oh. Well, I don't have any objection organizing the event Sir but don't you feel I am inexperienced to do this job? I mean I don't even have an idea about how every year cultural will be conducted in this college, what all programs will be conducted and all as I am new here"

"Prof. Dipali Bhatia will be the co-organizer" Bittu added.

Rishab cringed inwardly hearing her name. Am I gonna work with that leech? He thought dreadfully.

"For the past two years she was in charge of cultural programs. She has done a tremendous job in the previous years..."

"Oh, then why not she solely organize this year too?" Rishab tried his luck.

"She actually requested me that it will great help for her if she has one more staff to organize the event so that she can manage everything without any hitch in this short span of time and make the event grand this year"

"I see" Rishab nodded his head.

"In fact she only suggested your name"

"I guessed so" Rishab muttered under his breathe.

"You said something?"

"Um... No... Yeah... I am just delighted to work with her." Rishab faked a smile.

"Good then. You coordinate with her and start working on the event as we really have very little time"

"Sure, Sir"

"Oh and she will be in-charge for guy participants and you for girls"

Great! He thought it will be easy to handle boys than girls but now?

He can bet and say it was also Dipali's suggestion. Bloody man-eater!

"Alright! We will make this year's cultural a grand success, Sir" Rishab said positively.

"Good. Now you may get back to your class" Bittu dismissed him. Rishab shook his hand and walked out.

~~0~~

"Bittu uncle! Bittu uncle!" Madhu yelled as she walked into his office without knocking the door.

"Yes, Madhu... Why are you yelling? Did anyone mess with you again?"

"Yes"

"Who?"

"You"

"What I did?" Bittu asked in confusion.

"What I heard is true?" Madhu asked cocking her eye brow

"First tell me what your heard? Then I will tell whether it's true or not"

"Is Prof. Kundra is gonna organize this year's cultural along with Dipali ma'am?"

"Yes. I bet you liked my smart move" Bittu smiled proudly. Madhu glared at him.

"You made him in-charge for girl participants?" she dagger her next question.

"Yes. Again a smart move right?"

"Smart my foot!" Madhu growled at him. She didn't like his decisions one bit. First she got the shocking news that Prof. Kundra and Prof. Dipali will be working together for the cultural this time and next she got yet another shock of him being in charge for girl contestants.

She knew almost all the girls in her college liked her Prof. Kundra and that made her mad but she don't know why? So she wasn't really displeased with the thought of all girls hovering around him throughout the event when she can't. She won't be able to spend extra time with him after college hours as she won't be participating in any events. She will probably take a sick leave on the day of college cultural.

"I don't like him being the organizer or being in charge for girl contestants" Madhu declared.

"Why is that so?" Bittu asked shockingly.

"I just don't." she shouted. Bittu gave her a suspicious look clearly asking her 'What are you hiding from me?' through his eyes.

"Well, he is new to this college. He doesn't know what all events will be conducted..." she gave him the best possible reason which he believed because even he had thought about it.

"We will give him the event list... Besides Prof. Dipali is there to help him. Oh and they will even select two student representatives so they all can work together."

"Ugh! I just don't like this. I just don't want any cultural to be conducted." she screamed.

"Madhu, you should forget everything and move on" he advised.

"I can't. It's me who got humiliated not you so how you can expect me to forget what happened last year?" she asked as angry tears rolled down.

"Madhu... Baby, come here." Bittu opened his arms for Madhu and she ran into his arms without any hesitance. "Don't cry, sweetheart. Please don't. You know I can't bear it." he caressed her head affectionately.

"I can't even imagine what I will do without you Bittu uncle. Never ever leave me okay? Otherwise I will be all alone in this mighty big world."

"I am not going anywhere, Madhu"

"Uncle, I want to go and meet momma, papa." she whispered still hugging him.

"Go darling. No one is stopping you."

"But next class is Prof. Kundra's. He is very strict. He said he won't let me attend my exams if I don't have enough of attendance."

"Don't forget it's your college."

"But you take all the decisions which I hate mostly" she pouted.

"Once you graduate this seat will be yours and you will be taking all the decisions" he said and slumped back on his seat ans placed both his hands on the arm rest.

"Can't wait for my graduation day" Madhu clamped her hands and started daydreaming of sitting on the principal's chair.

"You have two more years of study. Keep that in mind"

"Okay! Now I gotta go. See you at home. Bye." she kissed his cheek and ran out to her classroom to quickly grab her college bag and make her way out before Prof. Kundra entered in.

~~0~~

"Hey, Madhu where are you going? It's your favorite Professor's class. Don't you want to attend it?" Sikky asked pulling the sling of her bag when she turned around to run out of the classroom.

"I have work. I gotta go now. Bye." Madhu said looking down at her feet hoping he will let her go but he didn't. He stood up and cupped her cheeks with his palms affectionately noticing her tear stricken face.

Rishab was about to enter the class when he noticed his brother cupping Madhu's cheek and talking to her something seemed to be so serious.

Gladly they were standing at the last row so other students sitting in the front row benches didn't notice their PDA moment.

Rishab frowned not getting what was going on between his brother and Madhu. They seemed to be in their own world not even realizing it was time for class.

Rishab took his phone out pretending he was attending a call so that his students won't wonder why he was taking time to enter the class and then he moved to the back entrance of the classroom to watch Sikky and Madhu closely though he couldn't hear them talk.

"Have you been crying?" Sikky asked seeing Madhu's red eyes.

"No" she lied and tried to shook off his hands.

"C'mon Madhu, I am your friend so you can trust me and tell me if you have any problem"

"Nothing, I just miss my momma, papa so I am going to meet them."

"You are going to their grave?" Sikky asked. She nodded her head.

Her parents burial chamber was at the back end of the college campus. It was a restricted place for college students. Only Madhu and Bittu will go there.

Madhu won't even let any cleaning staff to go there to clean the ground or water the potted plants or the lawn. She used to do all the sweeping and planting flowers and watering them everyday after college hours.

"You want me to come with you?" Sikky offered. He truly consider her as his friend and he wanted to support her in her weak moments.

"No. It's a restricted place."

"But you can take me right? I'm your friend" he reminded her

"I don't want to" she said rudely and turned away from him and walked out.

"Madhubala wait!" now it was Rishab's turn to stop her outside the class.

"Yes, Professor"

"Where are you going? It's my class. Get in."

"I am not feeling well Professor so I am going home. I got Principal Sir's permission." she didn't lie. She was indeed going home after spending some time with her parents.

"Oh. What's wrong with your health?" he asked. Is that concern my brother was showing to her a moment back? Rishab thought.

"Um... I... have headache" she said and he believed her.

"Okay, go. Take care" he smiled. She smiled back and ran away.

~~0~~

"What were you talking with Madhu in the class? She looked upset. Did you hurt her?" Rk asked his brother in a whisper so other students won't hear them. He didn't understand why it bothered him so much to see Madhu upset.

He had work out a problem on the board and asked the students to copy it and in the mean time he decided to have a quick word with Sikky.

"I didn't do anything. She came to the class teary eyed just before you came. When I asked the reason she said she was missing her parents and she was going to their graveyard"

"Oh but she said she was unwell to me when I caught her outside the class"

"Oh, may be she wasn't feeling well and that's why she wanna go spend some time with her parents... I mean at their grave. Sentimental girl she is!" Sikky shook his head. Though he lost his father few years back he wasn't sentimental like her. He rarely think about his deceased dad. May be she belonged to my Bhai's category still holding on to the memories of the deceased one and crying for the lose. Sikky thought.

"Hmm" he hummed and casually moved to the next bench as if checking whether the students were doing the problem.

~~0~~

Rishab was sitting in the college library and taking notes for his thesis. Yeah, he was doing Ph.D in Forensic Accountancy and he was working on the thesis after college hours.

He didn't realize the time till the librarian reminded that it was close to 7 PM and time to close the library.

After apologizing to the librarian for making him stay late Rishab made his way to the college parking lot.

"Madhubala's car? Is she still in the campus? What is she doing here when her uncle has already gone home?" Rishab wondered.

He walked to the back end of the campus and as guessed he found Madhu in her parents' garden of remembrance. She was sleeping sitting on the ground and placing her head on mother's headstone.

He wondered why her parents weren't burned but buried because in their community burning of the dead body was the custom.

"Madhubala" he called her by placing his hand on her shoulder and giving her a gentle shake. "Madhubala, wake up" he knelt down beside her and tapped her cheek. Madhu woke up with a start feeling someone touch her.

"It's me" Rishab said softly when she scramble little away from him in fear.

"What are you doing here? Don't you know it's a restricted place? Why you came in here? Go... Go away from here... Go!" she pushed his chest again and again.

"Hey, hey, calm down. I'll go. I just came to... you slept here so I thought..."

"So what? Can't a girl sleep hugging her momma?" Madhu asked angrily. Rishab gaped at her feeling so bad for her.

Poor girl! so badly affected over her parents demise. Rishab thought. He didn't know why his heart ached to see her like this... broken and alone.

"Madhubala..." he called her name softly and placed his hand on her head. "I'll take you home. Please come with me... please, baby girl"

Madhu turned and looked at him straight in the eyes feeling the urge to hug him for calling her 'baby girl' just like her parents but she refrained. She was mad at him for trespassing the forbidden zone.

"Momma ask him to leave us alone and go home. Papa you chase him away. He is disturbing our family time" Madhu complained.

"Uncle, aunty, it's getting dark. Don't you want your daughter to reach home safe in time?" Rishab asked looked at her parents headstone. "Oh okay. You don't worry. I will take care of your beloved daughter for you." Rishab talked to them casually as if he could here them talk back. "See, Madhubala, your parents themselves granted me permission to take you home safe. Now say your good night to them and come with me" Rishab said as he held out his hand for her to take.

Madhu gaped at him open mouthed before bursting into tears.

"Hey, why are you crying now. Please stop crying. Please." Rishab held her cheeks and wiped her tears but it refused to stop. She took him by surprise by hugging him tightly and sobbed loudly.

He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her closer to his chest.

"People call me mad for talking with my parents, professor" she cried. That was the reason she made it a restricted zone and never let any close students or others to come near her parents' tomb.

She felt so happy when he talked to her parents just like her.

"They all call me a weirdo, stupid, mad and what not? Am I what they all call, Professor?" she asked him.

"No dear. You are not any of those. You are a sweet, innocent and lovely girl."

"Really?" she asked with a doubtful frown.

"Believe me"

"Thank you, Professor. I believe you." she smiled shyly looking at him. "Momma, papa too said the same that I am a sweet girl and I should never bother about what all nonsense those immature people say" she laughed and hugged him. She loved being in his arms. She felt safe and loved.
"So shall we go now?" He asked pushing her a little away from him.

"Um... yeah, sure" she nodded but stopped him before he could stand up.

"What?" he asked.

"Wait, I will give you a formal introduction to my parents." she said smiling. He nodded his head returning her smile. "Momma, papa, meet my professor Rishab Kundra. My favorite professor though he is very strict. You guys were asking me right how come I am being regular to college nowadays? It's all because of him..." she laughed. Rishab kept looking at Madhu talking animatedly to her parents as if they were existing for real. Even he pretended to be talking with them and asking their permission to take her home just a moment back but he knew they weren't existing for real, just imaginary but she was talking as if she could see them, feel them and hear them. She was laughing and even answering to their unasked questions.

"Is she mentally affected? Does she need medical attention?" Rishab thought. "I better talk about this to her uncle Bittu" he made a mental.

"I love you, momma, papa. See you guys tomorrow. Bye" she said her bye to her parents and turned to her professor. Rishab smiled and took her to the parking lot.

"You said you will take me home, Professor?" Madhu asked when he brought her to her car instead of taking her to his bike. "Or you want a ride home in my car?" she asked excitedly.

"No, you will go in your car and I will go in my bike."

"Why don't you take me home in your bike? I will leave my car here in college and collect it tomorrow?" she suggested. Tomorrow she can come to college in her uncle's car and while returning home she can take her car.

"You sure?" he asked. She nodded affirmatively.

"Okay" he took her hand and walked her to where his bike was parked.

"Professor, the other day you promised me you will have coffee with me" she reminded him as soon as she got down from his bike at her place.

He checked the time in his wrist watch and it showed 8.15 Pm. He had to hurry home to have dinner with his mom and brother.

"It's okay, professor. I know your mother will be waiting for you to have dinner with you and then she has to take her medicine right?" she quickly said when he looked at his watch and hesitated to go into her house with her. He nodded smiling at her for being considerate and not demanding. "I just wanted to remind you your ' I will have a cup of coffee with you next time' promise"

"Next time" he promised again.

"Sure. Bye" she smiled happily.

"Bye"

... To be continued!!!

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