Sakshi kept glaring at the white board that would soon be showing his lecture slides. Her heart was drowning by each second thinking that she was degrading herself by coming here. That professor didn't deserve to see her in the same way after what happened in Chandigarh.

"Don't fret over it. I am telling you. This time, you are helpless. His time would come too. I'll make sure of that," muttered Aarush while glancing at Sakshi.

"It's not right. Sitting here would make him feel that I am accepting this," said Sakshi worriedly.

Aditi interrupted, "Chill. You are a student. Marks and attendance are important. You cannot just care if the professor is your fiance."

"He is not," Sakshi whisper-yelled. "I have denied my family. But it's still idiotic to see him ruling over me."

Aarush shook his head, ignoring Aditi who was glaring at him. "If he does anything, I am here."

"Of course, you are." Aditi gritted her teeth while turning her head to the front just as the class turned silent at their professor's entry.

"Good morning," he replied back to the students sitting in the front while his eyes moving frantically over the staircase seats, checking each face.

"Here goes my self-esteem," Sakshi muttered under her breath while lowering her eyes.

Aarush sat closer to her, whispered, "Look in his eyes and glare."

Aditi clenched her jaws at his tactics and kept her mouth shut, deciding to not involve with them anymore. Both were hypocrites.

Sakshi gulped while doing as Aarush suggested, her eyes narrowing just as Kabir smirked at seeing her. His gaze resting on her for seconds until it narrowed down when the best friends exchanged a glance. He hummed to himself before finally beginning the lecture.

The whole time during the lecture, Sakshi felt his gaze over her. She had lowered her eyes, not really paying attention and writing his words obediently to avoid meeting his mischievous eyes. For her, this one hour had turned into a torture.

He seemed confident, playful and clever just like he truly was. Shyness was not a trait of his, she had noticed. It was just a word to lure her. If Mihir hadn't liked the girl in that cafe, she wouldn't have known that the guy was a teacher. That was why, he didn't show up.

Now, this was clever.

Not shy. Absolutely not!

Too bad, the cousin was liking her enough to get that professor married to her. Her Tai ji had called two times in the morning but she wasn't picking up. It was only her brother whom she had called and told that she had reached safely.

Reached.

Her eyes widened just as she remembered that she hadn't called back Shrey. Her hand reached to her pocket but absentmindedly, her eyes caught the professor noticing her. She took a long breathe while bringing hands back on her desk and glaring at him now, fully.

An eternity passed and finally, the period ended. Aarush groaned when Aditi got and left hurriedly, stepping her high-heeled boot on his foot on her way.

"Bitch," he muttered while collecting his notes and getting up. He watched her smiling at the professor, wishing him just like every other girl in their class. He shook his head and sighed. "Is this you call her liking me? I am sure, if you give her a chance, she would kill me happily."

Sakshi rolled her eyes while following him out of the rows. "You need to talk to her and apologize," she told him.

"Wait. Why me? She hates me and she is being rude."

"And you are not doing anything to calm her," she replied while reaching her pocket.

Checking her phone, a smile lifted her lips when she saw Shrey's words asking her if she was free today. Biting her lip, she smiled. She couldn't wait to see a smiling Shrey telling her that he was fine now. Better than those days in the hospital.

"Miss Rathore."

The voice had awakened all her senses as she halted and wincing when Aarush bumped into her. He stepped back and almost glared at the professor who now had something to stay to his best friend.

"I want to discuss something important with you," he spoke calmly. His eyes taking in the stare that Aarush was throwing at him, he smiled cheerfully. "In my office."

Sakshi waited for the whole class to get empty and actioned Aarush to leave who wasn't moving. She elbowed him and pleaded with eyes until he finally agreed.

"I am waiting outside," he said loudly, to Professor's surprise.

Sakshi breathed while walking near him, stopping right in front. "Look, you cannot just call me like this for no reason-"

"I have many reasons to reason with my fianceè," spoke Kabir while pushing his specs up his nose.

Sakshi gulped, observing how fresh he looked. She could almost feel her stomach churning at his words. Did he just call her his fianceè? She frowned.

She couldn't even dream of getting such a beautiful husband but why he had to be a jerk. Though, her heart whispered to her that Shrey was a bigger one.

She couldn't be rude to this professor just because her Aunt adored him. He was interested in her and how Aditi had interpreted his approach, she was understanding his way. She could maybe make him understand by talking politely.

"Mr. Nair," she began slowly. "I know-"

"Kabir," he said huskily. His eyes shining while observing her. "We can talk in my office, Sakshi. I know you don't have a lecture to attend now. I won't bite you."

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, her lips parted. She blinked in concern for him. Why was he being so pushy in this? Why was he hoping that she would agree one day? She didn't like him expecting from her.

"Kabir," she breathed. "Please."

Goofiness appeared on his face at listening his name in her voice. Sakshi couldn't help but adore him secretly yet she knew that this was all so wrong. She had to talk to him to end this, before it could even begin.

"I just want to know what you really think about us," he said politely.

Sakshi stared at him in silence. Us? There couldn't be an Us involving him. Her family had seriously led him on in this. She could even believe that neither her Tai ji hadn't told Bhatia's about her opinion, nor her sister-in-law would have been able to stop this.

"Okay."

A smile curved his lips as he nodded. "I'll be there in a minute while you go." He told her while she slumped her shoulders and started walking away dejectedly, feeling trapped in her life. "Sakshi?"

She looked back at him.

"Thank you."

She sighed at feeling unable to control herself from giving him a soft look.

______

"Mummwy."

Hearty laughter filled the room while Pihu shook her head. She watched from the mirror as father-son played happily. Riaan climbed on Raghav's back, biting his ear while Raghav pulled him forward, swinging him in his arms, making swoosh-like sounds and tickling him.

Riaan screamed before laughing. "Mummwy, daddy tickles-" he squirmed on the bed, as Raghav's hand caught him to shake his head on his stomach.

"Daddy, stooop." He squealed when Raghav fell back on the bed, putting his son on his stomach.

"You tired, baby?" He asked, while watching his son breathing harshly as his cheeks had turned crimson. He rubbed his back while pulling him on his chest, himself exhaling.

Pihu smiled to herself at seeing them, put the comb and closed the drawer. Running fingers through her hair, she pushed them behind her ear before finally sitting near them on the bed.

"Is he sleepy?" She asked while observing Riaan lying on his father's chest.

Raghav raised his head a bit and nodded. "He is." Leaning back, he raised his eyebrows at her looking all presentable. "You are going somewhere?"

Pihu shook her head. "Dad was talking to Mihir's father. He has told me that they might be coming tonight," she told him reluctantly.

Raghav closed his eyes. "I had taken leave so I could rest, now only to deal with that nonsense happening again in the evening!"

Pihu gasped, "Raghav, don't be angry. We just have to find a way."

He stared at her, tiredly. "Why don't they understand? Please tell me that he is going to deny them about whole of this crap." His heart dropped at seeing her lowering her eyes.

"I don't know," said Pihu. "They really are serious about dragging this. Kabir's parents don't live here but in Kerala. He was earlier staying there but he got his job at Chandigarh. From what I know from Sakshi's choice, she won't like ever living alone with her husband. She loves staying with people."

Raghav grunted while turning on side, taking Riaan with him and laid him gently on the bed between them as he had started snoring softly.

"They are behaving as if he is the only guy left on Earth." He muttered while Pihu smiled.

"That's what I am saying. Why don't we just lie to them, that Sakshi likes someone else?" Her heart curling in nervousness as Raghav thought deeply.

"No," he scrunched his nose. "Why lie when we can rightfully deny?"

"Because that won't create an effect as much as this will. Kabir would himself feel reluctant and step back from this proposal."

Raghav shook his head, "But it will give Sakshi, the ideas." Pihu raised her eyebrows when he said, "What if she really gets interested in getting a boyfriend?"

"Then what should we do?" She asked lowly.

Raghav sighed at seeing her face so worried. He loved it when she would care for his people as hers. Opening his other arm, he actioned with his fingers.

"Come, lay with me."

A lazy smile curved her lips. "I have to go and ask mummy if they are really coming. I will have to remind her how Sakshi would feel if they get ahead in this without asking her." Her heart drowned just as Sakshi's confession about loving Shrey came in her mind.

She looked at her husband. "Raghav, why can't you just speak bluntly to them about this? Directly to the Bhatia's?"

"I can't," told Raghav while holding her hand. "Mom is right on her side. Kabir is a good guy."

Pihu could feel her heart dropping. Her lips parted, "But Sakshi-"

He closed eyes. "I know, Pihu. But her mother, my late chachi's family is really concerned about this. They have called me once too. They just think Sakshi as a responsibility. So, I can understand if they care about her. But there's still so much time for her for all these things."

Pihu removed her slippers and laid beside him, smiling at her son's sleeping face, lying between them. "Did she ever talk about her parents?"

Raghav hummed, "When she was a child. We had this story made up for her whenever she had asked us,  we used to say that parents are gone. She was too young to recognize what funerals are, why people are crying in front of dead bodies, or anything. I too was a teenager. I remember, I had told her that they are sick and gone for treatment."

Pihu closed her eyes and sighed.

"I understand that mom and Dad have kept her with so much love. You have taken care of her like a true brother. But I won't deny that God was unfair in snatching her parents from her. So early, so soon." She whispered.

Raghav stared at her with a smile on his face. His knuckles caressing her cheek. "She can't really remember her moments with them. Maybe, some. But now, she doesn't really think about it. She doesn't need to remember them when we all are there for her."

Pihu breathed slowly, enjoying his touch. "I don't want it to be anymore unfair for her, Raghav. She can't be alone again this early. Let's not let her go until we find a family as loving as ours for her."

Raghav bit his lip in thought. "I know but Bhatia's have been our family friends from years. You have seen from the beginning. I can't be rude to them."

"But cutting it before something happens is the solution."

He frowned at seeing her opening her eyes. "Hey!" He whispered, "Don't be so tense over it."

Pihu shook her head while turning on her back. Her ears ringing from Sakshi words. She so wanted to tell her husband about his sister's confession. But she couldn't. It would change the whole environment.

Raghav would destroy the Malhotras and won't care if they were already stuck in such big problems.

"If it is worrying you that much, I am going to tell them within seconds." Raghav stared at her. "It might crack our friendship with the Bhatia's but I can't see you like this."

Her heart fluttered at his words. Eyes squeezing shut as she smiled shyly. His hand reached her waist, pulling her closer while Riaan was still in between. Minding him, she turned to him and smiled.

"I have to go and prepare for the school tomorrow. I have to check tests of the kids," she murmured while staring at him.

"Don't go."

Straight and sexy! Pihu bit her lip while observing the longing in his eyes.

"It's just noon. Come on. Rest with me," he insisted. "I'll put Riaan in the crib if that's what you want."

She narrowed her eyes and was about to deny him but he had already got up. "Raghav, he can wake up."

"I want some kisses," he muttered while gently laying Riaan in the crib, putting his cover over him till his chest. Kissing his forehead, he came back to the bed, smirking at a shy Pihu.

"Raghav, I have to go." She murmured. "Don't lure me."

He shook his head while crawling on the bed, hovering over her. "Aren't you denying me more often these days? About baby. About Sakshi's secret. About moments like these."

His gaze rested on her heart-shaped lips. "Don't you love me anymore?" He asked huskily.

Pihu blinked and sighed. "You are such a player," she complained, chuckling at him. "Of course. What am I doing here in your life then?" She asked amusingly.

"Well, right now. You are wasting my time," he murmured while leaning closer and pinching her waist, making her chuckle. Before she could even reply, his lips had caught hers possessively.

Pihu's eyes closed while giving in to him, her hands already reaching out to caress his hair. Moaning, she rubbed her feet against his leg, trapping him in his own plan.

Raghav broke the kiss, panting harshly. "If you keep doing that, we might end up doing something that we shouldn't do in front of our son."

Pihu chuckled while pecking his lips. "I am just loving you. And he is sleeping."

"Sometimes, I wish for him to get bigger soon. So he could have a separate bedroom."

She patted his cheek lovingly. "I thought someone was wishing for another little one," she said goofily.

Raghav tickled her waist, making her laugh loudly. "That, my loving wife, I truly wish for desperately. I love what we have made and want to make more." She panted while he stared at her lovingly. "But only when you are comfortable and ready."

Pihu cupped his cheek and gave him a light kiss on lips. At his words like these, she would feel lucky to have him as her first love, her husband.

"I am glad I got you," she whispered thankfully.

Raghav smiled at her. "Me too," he replied while catching her lips again in a possessive kiss, making her eyes closed in extreme pleasure. Breaking the kiss, he told her, "Not everyone gets the person they so truly love."

Pihu could only smile in agreement, wishing for Sakshi to be not one of those everyone's.

____

"What do you think?"

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