Ashvika Mehta~

I stood outside Avinash and Nishi's school with Vedant, waiting for them to come out. Since we had an exam today, we arrived early and decided to pick them up together. Under the shade of a tree, we waited. I spotted Avinash walking out with his friends. "Aviii..." I shouted, waving my hand at him. He flashed a grin, ran towards me, and told his friends to go ahead without him. "How are you here, di?" he asked, glancing at Vedant. "Oh, you're here with your boyfriend," Avi teased.

I playfully hit him on the head and asked, "Where's Nishi?" Avi looked at me confused. "Nishi?" "My sister, she's in your class!" Vedant chimed in. "I don't know, who's Nishi?" Avi replied. "Nisha Rao," I said.

"Oh, Nisha! Wait, she must be here," Avinash said, looking around. He then called out her name. Nisha was standing near the school gate. She looked at him, then at Vedant, and walked towards us. She hugged Vedant first, then me.

"Nice to see you again, dii," Nishi grinned, stepping back. I smiled, "Same here, Nishi!" "Let's go!" Vedant said, opening the door and getting in. We all followed, sitting inside the car, and he drove off. He dropped Avinash and me at home before leaving with Nishi.

Next day~ I was sitting with Svarna, gossiping about someone, when our professor entered the classroom. We stood up and greeted him. As he told us to sit down, we complied.

Professor Kumar smiled mischievously and began, "I have an exciting announcement to make. As you all know, our college has a tradition of organizing an annual educational trip. This year, we've planned a 5-day trip to Varanasi!"

The classroom erupted in cheers and excited chatter. "We'll be spending our days exploring the ancient ghats, temples, and narrow streets of this sacred city," Professor Kumar continued. "We'll also be attending a traditional Ganga aarti ceremony and learning about the rich cultural heritage of India."

Svarna turned to me, her eyes shining with excitement. "This is going to be an unforgettable experience!"

Professor Kumar cleared his throat to get our attention again. "Now, let's talk about the logistics. The total cost of the trip will be ₹20,000 per student, which includes transportation, accommodation, food, and all activities."

Ishaan's grin faltered for a moment, but then he nodded enthusiastically. "That's okay, it's worth it!"

Vedant, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow. "Is there a deadline for payment?" he asked.

Professor Kumar nodded. "Yes, the payment needs to be made within two weeks. If you're interested in joining the trip, please submit your consent forms and payment slips to the college office by then."

Svarna turned to me and whispered, "Are you guys going to pay the full amount at once?"

We were strolling through the college park, enjoying the warm sun on our faces. Vedant, Ishaan, Svarna, and I were all chatting excitedly about the upcoming trip to Kashi.

"I'm going to prank Vedant so badly on this trip," Ishaan said, grinning mischievously.

Vedant rolled his eyes. "You'll try, but you'll fail."

Svarna laughed. "Ishaan, you're always coming up with crazy plans. What's the worst that could happen?"

Ishaan thought for a moment. "I don't know... maybe Vedant will finally crack a smile?"

We all burst out laughing at that. Vedant just shook his head, a small hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"I'm going to make sure we have the best time ever on this trip," Svarna said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Definitely," I agreed. "We're going to make some unforgettable memories."

Ishaan jumped in front of Vedant, blocking his path. "Hey, Vedant, I've been wondering something," he said, a goofy grin spreading across his face.

Vedant raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Ishaan?"

Ishaan pretended to be a news reporter, microphone in hand. "Vedant, Vedant, why so serious? What's behind that stoic face? Is it a broken heart? A tragic past? Or are you just allergic to smiles?"

Svarna and I burst out laughing at Ishaan's antics. Vedant, however, just shook his head, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Come on, Vedant, spill the beans," Ishaan said, still in reporter mode. "What's the problem, buddy?"

Vedant sighed, a small smile playing on his lips. "There's no problem, Ishaan. I just don't see the point in smiling all the time."

Ishaan pretended to be shocked. "What?! Blasphemy! Smiling is the best exercise for the face! It's like a facial yoga!"

We all laughed at Ishaan's silly comment. Vedant chuckled, a rare sight, and playfully pushed Ishaan aside. "You're ridiculous, Ishaan."

“Never mind, I'm going back home,” Ishaan asked Svarna, “Should I drop you?” Svarna agreed. They left Vedant and me behind. My hands were behind my back, and I smiled at him. “What?” he chuckled and asked, as he saw me looking at him like this.

“You don't smile with everyone, but you do act like a kid with me, huh! What is this behavior, Mr. Rao?” I asked him. He smiled, his eyes holding admiration. “Can't I smile with you now?” I asked. “You can. But you don't smile at others. Why?”

“Tumhare sath muskurane ki vajah nahi dhundhni padti, muskaan khud chehre pr aa jati hai tumhe dekh kar” [“I don't need to find reasons to smile with you, the smile comes to my face automatically when I see you”]

I rolled my eyes and checked my watch, which showed 4:45 PM. "Let's go somewhere," I said.

"Aaj kal jyada hi ghumne phirne lag gyi ho mere sath" [“You've been hanging out with me a lot lately”] he said. I glared at him. "Bhaad mai jao, main chali ghar" [“Get lost, I'm going home”] I said, walking outside the college.

He shouted behind me, but I didn't turn around. "Arey meri maa, maaf kardo, chalo ghumke aate hain" [“Oh my god, forgive me, let's go out somewhere”] he said, blocking my way. Guard uncle was glaring at us. I grabbed his hand, and we walked towards the parking lot.

“Sab dekh rahe the!” [“Everyone was watching!”] I said. “Tum sabse darti bhi ho?” [“You’re scared of everyone too?”] He asked, chuckling. I shook my head and hopped behind him on the bike.

We reached the local market, parked the bike somewhere, and walked through the market. We were laughing and enjoying our time with each other. When I was buying a gift for Vedant, I saw him playing with a little girl. I adored them - who would say that he's the same "Hitler" guy who doesn't smile with anyone? He just can't express his feelings. All he wants is love and affection that he couldn't receive from his family, or maybe he thinks he couldn't give to his sister. But who'll tell him that he's the best one out here, a man handling his family and wanting them to live with all care and love.

As the days passed, I found myself wanting to help him out more and more. I yearned to show him what love feels like, to be the one to bring warmth and care into his life. And as I got to know him better, I couldn't deny the feelings that were blossoming within me. I was falling deeply in love with him - his captivating smile, his piercing eyes, and the way his presence made my heart skip a beat.

“Aise na dekho, mohabbat ho jayegi.” [“Don't look at me like that, or I'll fall in love.”] His voice broke the chain of my thoughts.

“Ho gayi hai.” [“It already has.”] I said, lost in the flow.

“Dramebaaz!” [“Drama queen!”] He hit me playfully on the head and grabbed my hand, taking me somewhere else. A smile didn't leave his lips.

All I wanted was to see him smiling always and forever - with me or without me.