[Arnav's POV]

One week later, classes resumed.

Two weeks later, chaos.

Khushi was anything but okay. She was far from it. Leaving her hair down and wearing proper tees once a week was hell for her. I had only seen her one of the two times but it didn’t take a genius to see it.

How she ever kept up with the torture is out of my understanding. I do understand, however, that she is stronger than she looks. She has the strength in her to move past this. For some reason, she is choosing not to.

I walked into Starbucks on campus to get coffee as I needed it desperately. Falling into the schedule of classes and late-night outs had me a bit sleep deprived. I spotted her in her own corner she often chose to sit and study at.

Deciding I had stayed back in the shadows long enough, I walked up to her and took the seat opposite her. “You need help.”

She glanced up from her book and pulled out her earplugs, not because she heard me but because she noticed my shadow fall over the table. “Did you need something?”

I repeated, stressing each word. “You. Need. Help.”

She chose to take me lightly and returned her earplugs to her ears while answering, “I don’t recall anything being wrong with me.”

I forwarded my hand to tug them out. Her doe eyes widen at my daring guts and inched back in her seat. I don’t apologize for my actions. If I don’t do the unanticipated, she will never come to relax.

“Who are you fooling? You can’t bear to be in what you are right now. It makes you extremely uncomfortable.”

“This concerns you how?”

I tell a small white lie, “It concerns my sister.”

She raised a brow to correct me, “You mean your cousin?”

No. I actually did mean my sister, Anjali. However, I let her believe that. “Sure, cousin. Sister. Does it make a difference?”

She questioned, “How does what I wear concern Kripa? Even if it did, she can talk to me herself. I know she’s capable of doing so. You don’t have to speak for her.”

Why was she being like this? This girl was going to be very difficult and maybe even a pain in the ass… but, I had already made my choice. So, I answered in a clipped tone, “Look, you need help. I can help.”

I don’t know how else I can get her to understand that simple English.

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, “Now why in the world would I ask for your help? That is, if I needed help, which I don’t.”

Oh, her ego. Why can’t she simply admit it? She knows it very well as I do.

“It’s not a question of if. You do.”

She squinted but when it didn’t affect me, she sighed and returned to her book. “Get lost, Raizada.”

I stick by my words and announced, “I’m not leaving till you accept my help.”

“Whatever,” she muttered to convey it wasn’t her problem and she could be least bothered. She went on to reading as she had been before my interruption.

Okay, if that is how this was going to be, so shall it.

Let the game begin.

Even I shall see how long she can sit there silently when I would not leave. I had heard about her impatience from Kripa. Time to put it to test. And as she would soon find out, my patience was abundance.

I turned towards the cashier and raised my hand to get her attention. Emma did glance up eventually and she knew my regular preference. She shook her head at me in amusement. Probably my tiredness was written all over my face. I came in to Starbucks to get my dose of coffee every day of the week around the same time and she always would be working this afternoon shift. It worked well for me as I wouldn’t have to even say my order. Seeing me, she’d make it without asking.

She had to take care of the line of students before she got to my order. I didn’t mind waiting. See, patience. When she was free, she walked over to the table and placed it in front of me.

I started to take my credit card out of my pocket when she stopped me, “Don’t worry, my treat. You look like you really need this.”

“Thank you,” I gratefully replied.

She nodded towards Khushi, “Anything for your friend?”

Khushi kept her eyes to the book and I chuckled, “She’s pretending I’m not here.”

Emma teased while mouthing a good luck. I opened my mouth to correct her as she thought I liked Khushi. But she’d already turned around and left to attend another group of students that walked in.

I sipped on coffee and continued the waiting game. I found myself surprised. This isn’t the impatience I kept hearing about. The whole hour, not once did she look up at me or did anything to acknowledge my presence. When she got up to order hot chocolate, not even then.

Emma gave me a sympathetic look once her shift ended. We usually left for the same class but seems I will be staying here and skipping class today for I wasn’t going to go back on my word. I refused to leave till Khushi would accept my help.

I picked up my phone and quickly texted Emma, asking her to take notes else normally, I’d be the one taking notes for the both of us. She had no interest in business, her minor. She was forced to take it by her parents. She didn’t mind if she’d fail business law class. I, however, did.

Emma: I’ll try. That friend of yours better be worth it.

Arnav: Thanks, my treat tomorrow.

I replied letting her know tomorrow’s coffee would be on me.

Emma: Just make sure you atleast score a date.

Arnav: It’s not like that, Em. My sister’s friend.

Emma: If that’s what you want to tell yourself.

I stopped replying knowing better than to try and convince her otherwise. I didn’t mind how others were taking this out to be. I knew I had a pure intent of wanting to help Khushi. Maybe selfish too but as Lavanya said… which actions of ours aren’t?

I had to give this to Khushi, she was good. No one could hold their ground around me for this long. Everyone eventually cracked. Her tolerance level was amusing and appalling at the same time. Just, a tiny bit irritating for I wasn’t having my way as easily as I normally would.

She might be able to remain silent for these two hours and not be bothered by it - or atleast put on a good show.

But, she too underestimates me. I had a mission in mind and I was determined to accomplish it even if it was the last thing I’d do for the day and I’d have to sit here even more hours for it to happen.

In the third hour, I started dropping sounds here and there to bother her. I wouldn’t mind staying here the whole night but I am sure she would.

“I’m sure you have places to go to, Raizada. Girlfriends to take on dates. So, go along.”

Finally. Score. At last she said something even if they weren’t the words I wanted to hear. “And she speaks!”

She put a bookmark on the page and looked up closing the book, “What’s in it for you? Why are you being so stubborn? Why can’t you just leave me be?”

Her irritation was clear in the way she threw one question after the other. My tone was much more casual and laid back, “Because you need help and I can help.”

“So?” She challenged, “Doesn’t mean you have to.”

“I want to, you leave me no choice.”

She seemed surprised hearing that… that I wanted to help.

Until this moment, even I didn’t know how desperately. It wasn’t because of her brother who had asked me all those months ago. It wasn’t because of my guilt. It wasn’t because it was the right thing to do.

It was something else that I wouldn’t accept right now… just that I needed to help her to help myself.

She sighed as her tone sounded very distant, “Trust me when I say this, Raizada. You do not want to get involved in the mess my life is.”

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

Really, she had to learn. I did what I wanted to. I got what I wanted. No one could force me into a choice if it wasn’t what I wanted. That was just how I lived my life. I didn’t wait for someone to give it to me. I didn’t answer to anyone. I took it if I wanted it. I gave it if I willed it.

It may make me an arrogant, self-centered asshole, but I didn’t care of what people thought of me either. Those who worry about what others will think of themselves are only letting those other strangers have an important say in how they lived their life, and how is that anywhere alright? Why let someone else dictate how you live your own life? Especially a stranger? No. No one controlled my life more than myself.

Okay, an only exception to that rule is Anjali. I cannot deny her. And maybe, Lavanya. She sometimes knew how to make me bend to her will. But still, you know what I mean. I didn’t let just anyone make me do things the way they wanted.

I could spot it in her eyes. She wasn’t convinced. She needed more, which I gladly gave. “Khushi please, I am not asking you any questions and nor will I ever - if that is what you are worried about and thus won’t accept my help. You don’t have to worry about it or ever explain anything to me. I just want to help.”

She swallowed after hearing my plea and reached for her bag, putting her book inside. “I… I’m grateful to you for not asking questions but the thing I need right now is to trust someone.” She stood up pushing the chair back, “And you… you are the last person I could trust.”

I wasn’t going to accept that as an answer. I knew she would resist but I had just gotten started. Her lack of trust in me didn’t bother me. I got up and followed, “I know and don’t you see? If you can bring yourself to trust me, you will be able to trust anyone you want to without any fear.”

She abruptly stopped walking away. I had hit a nerve.

Then, I waited for her to say what I wanted to hear. I knew I would hear it this time. The decision was written over her face.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .