Young Love

As days passed, Prakruth and Tara became close friends... So close that whole campus started recognizing them as a couple. Tara had restricted her flirting only to Prakruth, pretending to be serious. Prakruth accepted her as good friend for life.

"Hi Honey, Good Morning" said Tara walking into the classroom.

"Good Morning Tara" wished Prakruth without even lifting his head.

"Take your assignment" she held a book.

He still didn't lift his head, he just held his hand ahead. She was annoyed by his behavior, she bent down and placed her face on his palm.

Prakruth felt something soft like skin, he lifted his head and drew his hand immediately.

"Idiot... You don't know when to play..." he scolded her.

"No... I don't know. I'm such a idiot. Change me dear" she sat opposite to him.

"Tara don't irritate me. How many times have I told you to maintain distance from me??? I don't like this type of pranks. Please understand" he turned his face away from her.

"I'm the only girl close to you in the whole campus. You won't talk to anyone else. At least lift your head and see me while talking" she said.

"I was busy writing, can't you see?"

"You're always busy. Writing in the class, studying in the library, playing in the field, eating in lunch break, chatting after college and working in the Farms after you reach home etc etc. Ufff when do you have time for me. Remember you've a half - girlfriend". She spoke continuously like a rain.

"What's half girlfriend??" he asked amazed.

"That's what I'm. I stay with you whole day, we watch movies, we go out to parties and dinner, chat whole night and talk about what we do when we're far from each other, help each other shopping etc etc."

"Good. What's left then??" asked Prakruth curiously.

"A full girlfriend can kiss, hug and mmmmm. I'm not allowed to even touch you so I'm half girlfriend" she shrugged.

Prakruth burst out laughing.

"Prakruth tell me am I not beautiful?"

"You're. Does anyone dare to tell that you're not... in the campus..." he packed his bags and got up to leave.

"Am I not adorable or acceptable??" asked Tara making a cute face.

"Tara you're adorable darling. The guy must be little visually impaired" he chuckled.

"You..." she chased him out of the classroom.

He bumped into a girl and the girl fell in his arms. Prakruth was startled to see the girl he bumped into was Punya. He carefully helped her to stand and said "Hi Punya, pleasant surprise!!!"

Punya saw a girl who ran behind him and stood close to him, yet she wished "Hi.. Not so pleasant".

That girl hit him one on his back and stopped seeing Punya.

"What brought you here?" he asked casually.

"I just wanted to see you and your new campus. Shouldn't I come??" she asked.

"Hey hey, it is indeed a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to see you here"

"I don't think so, I think I disturbed your sweet time with your friends here. I'll leave" she said in a irritated tone.

"Punya, stop. Nothing I was just teasing this idiot friend of mine. She's Tara. My classmate. Tara, she's Punya... My junior from PU" he introduced both of them to each other.

"Hi, Nice to meet you Tara" said Punya.

"P.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you, She's pretty...Prakruth" said Tara.

"Yeah, she's" blushed Prakruth.

"Ok you guys carry on, I think you won't come to the class. Bye" said Tara and left.

"No no wait, he hasn't decided to stay. Take him along" said Punya but Tara already had walked away.

"Punya, I will stay with you. What has irritated my cute little angel?" he held her chin.

She pushed his hand and walked away. He followed her silently as he didn't want to create a scene in the campus. He was known as cold, serious and angry young man in the campus. He used to open up only with Rahul and Tara.

Punya entered the cafeteria and took a corner table. Prakruth ordered her favorite desert and brought it to the table after few minutes.

"I thought you left behind Taaaaarrrraaaa" Punya teased him.

"Punya, Tara is my friend and nothing else"

"How will I believe that? Check your call list. When was the last time you called me. It is been more than a week. Won't you miss me? I was missing you so I planned a surprise visit and found you happy here" she said.

"First have your favorite dessert, we'll argue later"

"Don't try to flatter me. Provide an explanation first" she ordered.

"I had my internal exams from last week so whole week, I didn't call anyone. Look into my mobile" he said.

"Ok Saturday night where were you???"

"At my friends house, it was his birthday. All our classmates were exhausted by internals so thought it will be a recreational event"

"Did you tell me??" asked Punya.

"I just went immediately after college baby, I didn't have time to tell you"

"Sunday was holiday, I know you'll be busy in the farms.... Whole week you didn't concentrate so you'll tell that you worked there. Right?"

"You know that's true" he shrugged.

"I thought you would like to see me after a hectic week, so I planned this surprise visit. But you gave me a surprise."

"What's that?" asked Prakruth.

"You...." she stopped.

"Say it dear"

"You have found a...." she stopped again.

"Come on, complete it"

"You have a new girlfriend so you"

"So I've started neglecting you???" he asked raising his eyebrows.

"Yes..." she said angrily.

He burst out laughing and controlled after few seconds. He held her hand and said "Punya you got to trust me. I have only one heart and it is yours already. I can't even think of anyone else. One life, one girl and one love. You're my soul mate forever. I love you and only you. I don't think anyone else on Earth is as amazing and dearing as you. There's no replacement for you at all. If you don't trust me fine... Trust yourself. Do you think God has time to make another angel like you?? No he's busy. He has given you to me as I'm lucky... to give you all the love in this world". He kissed her hand gently.

Punya was blushing happily... She saw the truth in his eyes, yet she asked "One last question"

"I'm not doubting you. Just tell me who's Tara, she's standing close to you in the photo"

"Which photo, where did you see??"

"Facebook, see" she held her mobile to him.

"Where am I close to her?? She's leaning on the sofa hand rest and I'm sitting in the sofa. Not even a centimeter we've touched each other...Punya!!"

"That's also close, you never used to pose so in our college"

"Punya it was a birthday party, I had to pose"

"Ok Fine" she pulled the dessert towards her and started eating.

Prakruth could easily read her face, he felt that she's unsatisfied with the reply.

"Punya, Tara is a orphan. She was with her grandmother but last year she lost her too. Tara has no one to rely on, in this world. If I let her go and fall into other boys clutches, her life will be spoiled. Hence I stay with her to safeguard her. When I'm with her, she won't flirt with other boys and boys don't dare to misuse her. Hope you understand my intention" he explained.

Punya gave a deep thought "I'm so sorry for misunderstanding you. Though I know you so well, I became skeptical seeing that post. Sorry dear" apologized Punya.

"Jealous thy name is woman" said Prakruth.

"Hey I'm not jealous of anyone. I'm a special girl, it is very difficult to replace me" she said.

"Those lines were mine" chuckled Prakruth.

"But they're about me right, they're mine so I can use them".

He pinched her cheeks and said "Every centimeter of me is yours my angel".

"I know, leave. This is cafeteria" said Punya blushing.

"You either won't allow me to get close to you or to anyone else. This isn't fair Punya"

"You want me to be fair?? Go to someone else" she said.

He chuckled softly and spoke "Uh-oh... You're telling this after getting confirmation from me. If you believed me, you would've not appeared here immediately on Monday morning seeing weekend photo"

"I came here as I was missing you badly"

"Ok I will believe you. By the way, tonight I'm going to a movie. We can have good time. Willing to join??" he asked.

"No, Dad won't allow night shows without him. Sorry" she said in a helpless tone.

"Ok, I'll ask Tara. She is anyway alone. She'll join me" he said.

"No you're not going with her. We'll go on weekend or tomorrow matinee show if you are in hurry, but not with her" frowned Punya

"Isn't this jealousy???" asked Prakruth.

Punya blushed and closed her face.