A few days later

Shiva entered the class with black circles around his eyes. His face was looking a little thin and his expression was lost in thought.

Currently he had just mustered up his courage and stopped Shweta before she entered the class. Though he tried to act confident, his feet still couldn't stay in place and even his hands were a little bit shaky.

"You don't look fine. Are you feeling unwell?" Shweta asked as she looked at him acting strange. "Should I call Kajal?"

Shweta said and turned around to shout at Kajal, who was walking a little far ahead of her. But Shiva grabbed her hand in a hurry and said in a panicked tone. "No"

Shweta looked at him for some time and pulled her hand back, "Okay.. .Then do you want me to _"

"I love you."

...

..

Shiva said directly, interrupting her mid sentence. His eyes were closed and breathing hurried. He could even hear his own heart thumping loudly against his chest like a drumbeat.

After some time when he didn't feel any slaps or hear any shouts he opened one of his eyes to look at Shweta, who was staring at him with wide eyes and a surprised expression.

'No slaps is a good sign right.'

Shiva said in his heart and calmed himself down. Just in time to hear Shweta's shout "What?"

"Ungh" Shiva thought she didn't hear him clearly last time, so he took a long breath and said again in a clear voice this time. "I love you."

Shweta, who heard his proposal again shook her head in disbelief and said "No, I heard you the first time too. But how, why, when? We just met a month ago at best. And you're _""It doesn't matter, I love you. I've loved you since the moment I saw you." Shiva said and after mentioning it a few times he even gained confidence, and now there was even a smile on his face when talking to her. "At first I thought it was some attraction or curiosity or just hormones, and I'd be fine and forget you soon. But I was wrong."

"Ever since I saw you, you've been haunting me nonstop. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't even read my favorite s without thinking about you. It's even worse than what those movies show.

It's hateful and I don't like it. But I love it.

I'm smiling all the time, when I don't even like laughing that much.

It's so confusing, everything is. I don't even know what I'm saying anymore, I just (breathes heavily) _love you. That's all."

Shiva finished his hurried proposal in one breath without stopping, and at the end instead of nervousness that she might agree or not, there was a genuine smile on his face, like he just finished the worst job ever.

He even felt his mood was much better now than it had been in these past few days. His whole body felt light and mind clear. 'Finally'

He didn't lie to her, he had been sleepless for the past 2-3 days. He thought he'd control his 'love' emotions and ignore it. But the more time he spend around her, the more he saw her, talked to her, the harder it got. And he finally couldn't take it anymore and decided to get it over with.

If Shweta refused him, then maybe he can move on, instead of thinking all day about her, ;

"So_ ?" Shiva questioned as he saw Shweta just standing there with the look of disbelief on her face. Though her cheeks were flushed a little, but Shiva was more focused on her answer at this moment than admiring her beauty.

Finally after the longest ten seconds of his life, she replied.

"If Kajal didn't say you were half crazy, I'd think you're completely out of your mind." Shweta said in a joking tone.lights

Shiva's face turned ashen hearing her response. Though he didn't have much hope, getting rejected on your first proposal still hurts, right.

"Is that a no?" He asked.

"I don't hate you enough to say no."

"Then it's a yes, you like _"

"And I don't know you well enough to say yes."

Shiva was speaking excitedly, when Shweta interrupted him and finished her sentence. Giving her reply, which was better than nothing.

"So neither accepted nor rejected , huh." Shiva said in a dejected look, but then smiled again "But still no slaps, shouts or ignorance, that's a good sign. This'll do for now." Shiva said with a happy smile.

"By the way aren't you gonna ask if it's real or just me proposing the new girl before anyone else gets a chance." Shiva asked, changing the topic and talking like usual.

"Nope, your face doesn't look like lying." Shweta replied.

"You must get cheated a lot if that's your criteria for judging people." Shiva made a joke, but seeing Shweta glaring at him, he just coughed and walked away. Running to catch up with Kajal.

"Idiot," Shweta said as she looked at him and smiled.

'I love you.' She remembered what happened earlier and her smile brightened even more. Even though she kept her cool in front of him, her heart was nearly jumping in joy inside of her. Even her face felt a little hot in a slight blush, but she ignored it.

'Is this love?' She asked herself thinking about what she's been feeling these days. She had been having nightmares before she came here, haunted by the things she did in the past and what they led to. But every time he was there, all those thoughts of self blame and guilt would ease up and she could just forget them all.

'Maybe _ ' Shweta was thinking happily when a message interrupted her thoughts.

Ding ding

[Nashi - Heard you're here too. Father told me what happened. I'd say it's not your fault, but that's not what you wanna hear I guess.

I'll send you an address , let's meet.]

Shweta read the message and instantly her happy mood turned sour. She tried sending a reply a few times before deleting it next second. and then she just switched off her phone.

"Hey, you coming." Shiva's voice brought her out.

"Yeah, right behind you." Shweta said and pushed aside all the memories from the things she left behind for a new beginning.

Nashi on the other hand, who waited for a while with his phone in hand, didn't get a really and threw it on the sofa nearby.

"So you think it's that easy to quit huh. Wishful thinking." Nashi scoffed and stood up from his seat. "Contact Rangaa, tell him, the one he's been looking for is here. And also send someone to keep an eye on her."

His words finished and the man in black standing nearby nodded his head and stepped out of the office respectfully.

'You can't run from your past just cause you turned around, love. This is where you belong, and this is where you'll end up eventually.'

Nashi sat back on his chair and poured himself a drink, as he looked at the photo of three on the table. Where He, his father and Shweta were standing outside the villa called 'Nirvaan Nivaas (Nirvaan House)'..