I glimpsed at him questioningly, what was up with him? Was he possessing feeling for me, I noticed him leering at me. But was smart enough to brush it off, which got me to question whether it was for real? Or was a delusion? As I couldn't dwell over the fact that he was fond of me. It could be his plan, but for what? Placing his years of relationship with Preethi at sake.

"Who? Rithvik, he told Preethi, that they date?" Reema was appalled after listening to it, she glimpsed at me. And then peeped at Rithvik, irritant by his action. "Is she vocalizing the truth?" Rather than conforming it from Rithvik, she probed from Preethi who was standing a few yields away.

"What more validation do you require? That what you were craving from eternality, he broke with me." Preethi snarled at Reema, who narrowed her eyes at Preethi.

"Let's be honest, he was never engaged in you," Ayaan uttered, rolling his eyes at Preethi. "So, that should not come as a blow for you. As souls over here are well cognizant, apart from the newbies." That remark was implanted on me, as his eyes settled on me at that instant. "That it was you who was hyping the connection." Ayaan flapped his hand in annoyance, and I watched at him intently. Was he speaking the fact? There was no response from Preethi, that meant he was. And he also pointed out the rest, did it meant that the whole university was informed of it? Except me! Does it imply, Drupa was accurate about their bond? Was it just Preethi who was drooling over Rithvik? But then why was Rithvik withstanding her infatuation? Not that, he couldn't jostle her away if he was not involved. And what about the way he was relishing Preethi chatting to her friends in the canteen?

I sensed a hand on my waistline, who hauled me towards him. I grappled to come out of his grip, "I was not cherishing her but your sexy laugh." He whispered in my ears, pressed a kiss on my earlobe which got me dazed. I gazed at him wide-eyed, what was wrong with him? While he nictated at me smirking.

I averted my gaze from him, and sight at Drupa who was glowering at us, and then at my waist, I glimpsed at the direction. And my eyes enlarge with astoundment on noticing his knuckles still on my waist. I spanked on his knuckles "move your hand." Frowning at him, he just disregarded me and glimpse at the people. To my amazement, not only Drupa but the rest of the crowd was gazing at us.

"What! There is more entertaining stuff to do rather than gawking at us." Rithvik aloof approach was enough for them to take it as a warning and moved their sight away. Drupa strolled away, and Preethi got back to her gang. I looked at Rithvik scowling at him. Why was he disconcerting me? I knew he didn't share any feelings for me. I had witnessed his hate, the way he abused me in front of the entire university. How could I overlook all the humiliation which I faced for weeks?

"Now, you can't be that exasperated on me." He groaned peeping at me, he again read my mind for which I stared at him in horror. What was he even?

"Rithvik, are you perceiving what are you doing? Man you..." Reema was again made to shut her mouth by Ayaan, who grasped her elbow. He was volunteering full assistance with Rithvik. To shade the particular data away from me, I stared at them, doubtfully. The way they were withholding it from me, I was getting more inquisitive to know about it.

"Why you don't let Reema talk?" I blurted out getting desperate to know the subject.

That made Ayaan and Reema who was staring at me astonished, as I was never a person who confront directly. "They both are..." Reema was going to respond, but Rithvik prevented her.

"Nothing, she is just irate at us for not been bothered about Kunal. Am I right?" He raised a brow at Reema, she gave a node involuntarily. I was not influenced by the answer, I jerk Rithvik's hand off my waist and went and sit on one of the vacant tables, not wanting to share a table with him.

As he was the reason behind slaughtering my mental composure, the stress he was presenting me with. It was so challenging to get what that human was after? An isolated time would grant me an opportunity to relax and not to emphasize myself on his topic. But unfortunately, he didn't provide me with that spare time. Rithvik walked towards my table taking a seat beside me, peeping at me.

"Hi! Love, will you like to have something?" Rithvik quired, keeping his phone before me. I peeped at the caller Id, he had dialed Ayaan. I scrolled my eyes around the canteen to hunt him, as Ayaan was standing on the counter. Reema was along with him, who was contending with him about something. Other relocated from the queue on seeing them, they were easily allowed to place an order. I just hate their superiority, it felt as if others were trash in front of them.

"Love, Ayaan is waiting for your answer." The gruff voice, made me realized Rithvik's presence. I denied, for which he hung his cell. I tried to search for my cell, and it hit me that I had left my bag in the auditorium. I facepalmed myself an imaginary one, shutting my eyes on my stupidity. As to escape from him in rush I left it behind, though I heard him calling me for it. That moment I felt a cold sensation on my forehead, which made me jerk open my eyes.

To my bewilderment there was nothing, I rubbed at that portion. How come I felt that soft touch as if someone's lip touched my forehead. I glimpsed at Rithvik who was engrossed in his cell, "what happened Love? Do you need anything?" He raised a brow at me, I nodded negatively.

My mind dwelling on the fact that what was the sensation? Just that moment I darted my gaze back at Rithvik. The cell in his hand, it was having a pink cover. Did he keep it pink? Strange! He didn't seem a guy with such choices, as I gazed it keenly I realized that it was my mobile, not his. "Where you find my cell?" I yelled at him getting annoyed, he was surely testing my patience.

"Man! You can scream, I thought you just knew to a node." He mocked, for which I narrowed my eyes at him. "And how can I forget? This look," he pointed an index finger at my face, "only reserved for me." He proceeded, I shook my head. Trying to filch away my phone from him, he was not allowing me. "And what a cute name, Shanu aww." He chuckled as he saw me dumbfounded, as my mouth open wide on listening to it. How come he got to know about my nickname? Did he read the text messages of my mom? Shit man! Wait, how he opened it?

"How you unlock my phone?" I gazed at him suspiciously, he stared at me with a smugly face.

"What was unusual in it? Your password was your name," he rolled his eyes at me. "Didn't anything else occurred in your mind?" He raised a question, which got me embarrassed. As I sincerely, didn't get anything to retain my password. "You don't have a male in your contact list, except Rahul. Who is he?" His eyes suddenly turned red, a fury sprang to life.

Who was he to question me on my friends? "Just hand me back my phone." Ignoring his question, I extended my hand for the phone.

"Have not you heard me, I ask you who is Rahul?" He gritted his teeth, dwelling in fierce. His hands clutched my phone tightly, I gulped my saliva in fright. My phone was in danger, and before I could open my mouth it landed on the floor. Shit! I was stunned seeing in broken into pieces as if was thrown from the fiftieth floor. Like me rest too was gazing at Rithvik with utter wonder, I got up from the chair and marched towards the direction, bending down and collecting those pieces.

"What happened?" I heard Reema's concerned filled voice, but I fixed my eyes on the floor.

Soon I heard a chair moving, as there was pin-drop silence prevailing in the canteen after Rithvik demolishing my phone. My eyes were shedding tears, as I was collecting those pieces. As that was gifted to me by Rahul, a few years back.

Suddenly I was dragged through my elbow, I gasped in pain due to his strong grip. "I asked you, who is Rahul?" Maintaining enough space in between his words, to let me note that it was his last warning. Anger welled up in his chest, as his breathing raised and he gasped my elbow tightly. Though it was painful, I show no hint of it in my eyes.

As fury roared through my mind. "He was my bestie, my only friend."

"Was?" His grip getting tighter with each passing second.

"Was, as he is no more, will you kindly leave me? As you got your reply," I gazed at him with resentment. My animosity towards him was never going to fade, he departed, leaving me behind to overhear all the gossiping while accumulating those pieces.