Arjun POV

I never knew the power of politics until my Nani got admitted in SG PGI Lucknow because of his presence. He kept sitting with me in the hospital even when the work was done, like a good companion.

"Chhote thakur, you must be having works."

I whispered in a low voice, feeling weird because four bodyguards were already standing behind me, who had come along with him to the hospital. Everyone who passed by us, was greeting him. He is the youngest charm of the state after all.

"I told you Arjun, I wish to be friends with you, not your chhote thakur. She is my Nani too"

He muttered, holding my palm to assure me that he was there with me - I wasn't lonely.

"I never thought that rich people would help someone, but you proved me wrong, chhote thakur."

I dared to speak what I was actually feeling within my heart. I was feeling grateful towards him.

"Keep it Jai."

He asserted, and I cleared my throat.

"Okay......Jai!" I managed to speak, keeping my gaze away from him.

"You seem affected, Arjun. Is something bothering you?"

He asked me after a moment of silence. To be honest, I didn't even know what was actually bothering me at this juncture. My Nani is admitted in the hospital, but there is something more that has been troubling me since I've left the school.

The girl's letter! I don't remember her name now, but the letter still haunts me. She must have forgotten me by now. I will attend the Alumni meeting soon. I hope she has changed school by now.

"Jai.....there was a girl."

I muttered in a low voice, and he somewhat jumped on his place.

"I fucking knew it....a man like you must have had a girl."

He spoke in a cheerful voice. He is quite sarcastic and humorous I think, but there isn't anything like what he is thinking.

"No! No! No! It's not like that..."

I immediately tried to clear it up, but he stopped me

"Bata na yaara, kon hai bhabiji hamari?"

"Tell me buddy, who is my bhabhiji?"

He asked me, his tone was so frank that for a moment I thought we were 'chaddi buddies'.

"No! She is nothing to me. She was....my junior."

I tried to explain everything to him, and he finally nodded to listen to me patiently.

"Oh! Nothing? Still you remember her, hn?"

He somewhat teased me, and I licked my lower lip,

"I remember her because she had done something that still remains in my mind."

I stated, recalling that letter. She was a child back then, but her words felt powerful enough to stay in my heart even today.

"What?" He asked, shifting a little towards me.

"You know that she was in sixth standard when I was in twelfth. She wrote a letter to me that she likes me."

I told him, my gaze remained low.

"It must have been infatuation since she was a teenager back then, but that letter is still afresh in my heart."

I mumbled, inhaling deeply. The letter still rests in my diary - untouched and untorn. I don't know why I'm protecting it, perhaps because I feel a sense of serenity from it. It feels real, even when it was written by a child. The emotions expressed through the ink on that paper felt more realistic than a thousand proposals that I've received till date for my looks.

"She was a baby then. I don't think she even remembers you now."

Jai spoke, and we both nodded. I didn't discern when we both came so close that I discussed the most private things of my life with him.

"I hope it happens."

I sibilated, and we both went into the cafeteria to have some snacks.

"So what are your plans now?"

He asked me, the coffees were kept before us, and I was waiting for him to begin so that I could start too.

"I wish to become a police officer so I'll start preparing for it once the Alumni meet is over."

I revealed my plan to him, that no one knew about, because I believe in the evil eye and I don't want anyone to curse my plan far before it has begun.

"Police? But you have done B.Tech!"

He interrogated, sipping on his coffee. I held the cup in my hand too.

"Yes, but this 9-5 job isn't what I wish to do all my life. We live once in this body, and I don't want to give up on my desires just because I've studied something. I will work hard for this entrance exam."

I asserted, pondering upon the life of my friends and seniors who are into this job. It pays well, but it isn't something that I could do all my life. A stagnant monotonous life irritated and bores me. I want my life to be filled with adventures and thrills, not just laptops and computers with similar interfaces all the time.

"Tell me if it doesn't work. I have sources everywhere."

He blurted out immediately, making me choke on my coffee.

"No! No! I don't want sources. I want to get the job because of my own capabilities, not through some source."

I cleared it up immediately, and he chuckled, keeping the cup on the table.

"Impressive! I feel blessed to have a friend like you."

He mumbled within himself, and patted my shoulder. One of his bodyguards approached him, and we both glanced at him

"Chhote thakur! Thakur Saheb wants to see you in the mansion by evening. We must leave now."

He muttered, and he quickly slurped up on his coffee. His moustache got covered in it, and as he wiped it off in urgency, a chuckle escaped my lips. I got scared of laughing at her, but he guffawed too, lightening up my mood.

"Visit the mansion whenever you are free. Get Naniji along with you. You are always welcome there."

He spoke to me, and we shared a warm hug before he left.

"Sure, Jai." I answered, finally bidding adieu to him. I went back to the private room where Nani was admitted, and the doctor came to me.

"Your grandmother's health is improving. She will be discharged soon. You can take her back to Allahabad then."

I grinned widely at his words, and glanced at my Nani.

"Thank you so much, doctor."

I said to the doctor, with tears in my eyes.

Preeti POV

Four years have passed since he left the school, but his memories could never escape my heart and mind. I tried my best to avert my attention towards other things like dancing, reading, writing and whatnot.

I even tried to be friendly with other male friends of mine as we grew up, but nothing worked well with me. The students, as they grew, began giving up on body shaming - something that helped me make new friends, but the relationship shit wasn't working with me at all.

Like a moth, I had already burnt to ashes and the flame was him, so there was no chance of me recovering from this love disease. Initially I thought it was infatuation, but the void that was created in my life after he left, made me realise that it was more than a childhood crush.

I am in tenth standard now. I bleed every month. My boobs have developed. I'm grown up now. I've lost some weight during my adolescence phase, but I'm still chubby, and to be honest, I'm not insecure about my body anymore. I'm happy with my figure and appearance now.

I've just got to know about the Alumni meet that will be held soon, and by eavesdropping on the conversation of my classmates, I got to know that he will attend this meet.

I am not prepared to see him again. I would faint if he appears before me now. I should be absent on the day he arrives.

Finally, the day that I never wished to face again was here. I won't go to school today.

"Mumma, I don't want to go to school."

I spoke in a lethargic voice, still rubbing my eyes.

"Why? Today is the Alumni meet, and she has to work. She is lazy. Mumma, don't let her manipulate you."

Chirag came up, wearing only a school shirt. He is in seventh standard now, but he speaks so much as if I am younger than him.

"Stop! You are no one to decide what I'll do."

I yelled at him, and he showed me his tongue. I felt irritated and disgusted, since I'm already on my periods and it is aching like hell.

"I will decide. I'm your brother."

He spoke again, and I quickly slapped him.

"Shut up, you stupid." I bellowed at him, and Mumma glared at us.

"STOP, BOTH OF YOU!"

Her one scolding was enough to silence both of us.

"And you will go to the school. Go and get ready!"

"Mumma, I'm in pain."

I quavered, but she glared at me so harshly as if she would eat me raw.

"Shut up! You are lazy, and this laziness is making you ugly."

She scolded me, like she always does. This has become a daily routine for me. The taunts from strangers don't hurt as the ones that are hurled at me from my own family.

"Ram jane kon byaah karega tujh jaisi moti aur bhaddi dikhne wali ladki se. Kitna dahej lagega. Thoda chala phira kar taki aur na phule."

"God knows who will marry a fat and ugly girl like you. I can't even imagine the amount of dowry that will be wasted on you to get you married. Walk more so that you don't gain more weight."

She screamed at me, and left the room. Chirag was hopping happily because I had gotten the scoldings from mumma.

"You leave my room otherwise I'll kill you today."

I bellowed at him, emptying all my anger onto him. He ran away from here immediately, and I struggled to stand so that I could get ready for the school.

I'm given less food in the home, so that my weight gets reduced, but my hunger doesn't get sufficed. This makes me eat junk, that further adds up weight to my body again, and the cycle continues.

Chirag and I were finally at school. We were holding hands as if we are the most lovely siblings on this planet, but only I know how pathetic this guy is.

"Ahhh! I still remember him. He looks so handsome now."

I heard a few girls chattering, and I knew who they were discussing about. I gulped and kept moving to my class without paying attention to anyone.

"Preeti come, the function will begin soon. There won't be assembly today."

Rashi spoke to me, her voice filled with excitement. Why are they so excited for the seniors' visit?

"I will be there shortly!"

I muttered, and she left. I remained in the class with my head down on the desk. The ache in my inner thighs was already killing me. The sound of inauguration music began, and I deciphered that they must have arrived by now.

Tears began rolling down my eyes as I started recalling the events that have taken place in my life till now. My parents don't love me for two reasons - firstly, I am a female and secondly, that I'm fat and they will need more dowry for me to get married.

Never in my life, I got a good friend, and when I began feeling something beautiful for a man, he never appreciated it. Infact, he doesn't feel anything for me, otherwise he would never have asked me to call him 'bhaiya'.

Why am I so cursed? No one loves me!

I didn't realise when I fell asleep thinking of all this, and after a while my eyes opened because of the DJ sound that was coming from outside.

I think the meet is over now, and the DJ is going on. I rubbed my eyes, and straightened up, and a gasp escaped my lips seeing him sitting before me.

"Hello Miss Pretty!"

He groaned in a heavy voice, leaving his seat.

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