Chapter 19

Taani and Maya quickly step away from each other, "Bhai what are you doing here?" Taani asks a bit flustered, "I came to help you with your packing but what are you doing here???!!" Swayam asks perplexed. "You can't tell anyone what you saw here" Taani says making Maya look at her, "Kyun? Are you ashamed of me?" Maya asks angrily, "Are you mad? Agar kisiko pata chala toh aapki job chali jayegi aur muje college se nikal denge" Taani retorts making Maya feel chastised. "Oh", "Haan oh, ab yeh sare bags bus me rakhiye, me aati hoon thodi der me" and Maya leaves collecting the bags and giving Taani and Swayam one look.

"Taani do you know what you are doing with her? She is a Prof and quite older thn you!" Swayam says, "She is a temporary Prof, I know what I am doing so please spare your lectures" Taani retorts with an irritated face. "Taani I know humare bich issues rhe he but that doesn't mean I am not your brother anymore, I care about you, I am sorry for the past, I know a sorry isnt going to cut it but at least give me a chance?" Swayam pleads. Taani seeing Swayam's pleading face melts a little, "I don't know how or if I am going forgive you but I will try to be cordial at the very least from now, but this doesnt give you the right to tell me what do or whom to talk to" Taani says. "I just want you happy and safe, are you sure the Professor is the right choice?" the discussion ends with Taani' strong "Yes"

Everyone climbs in the bus takes a seat, Rey sits alone in the last, Shreya climbs in and sits where she had when coming, Taani sits next to her and Maya sits in the next seat.

Swayam is looking at Maya weirdly, "waha kya dekh rhe ho tum?" Sharon asks making Swayam shake is head.

The ride back is quite mellow even though they won no one feels like celebrating.

Maya keeps on staring at Taani making Taani blush, she glares at Maya while Maya just raises her one eyebrow, Shreya seeing all this nudges Taani, "Oi, yaha kuch toh hua he, bata muje!!", "kuch nai hua" Taani says blushing and looking down. "Jhooth bolna seekh tu, you're lying skills are very poor", "We kissed!" Taani says biting her lip in excitement, she feels like a teenager sharing about her first crush to her best friend. "Wow!" Shreya says loudly making everyone look at her, "kya hua?" Sharon asks, "kuch nai, sorry for disturbing you guys" Taani is glaring at her now. "Sorry" Shreya says holding her ear.

They reach Mumbai in early morning on Saturday, they tiredly climb out of the bus, its barely 5am. "I wanna go home now otherwise I will fall asleep standing here" Shreya says leaning Taani's uninjured side. "Me too" Taani mutters, "Tum dono yaha ruko me gadi leke aati hoon, fir I will drop you both" Maya says surprising the gang, "Taani mere sath chal jayegi" Swayam says making Maya look at him and thn at Taani for confirmation. Taani after a moments hesitation agrees with Swayam.

Maya drops Shreya at her house and thn goes to her house to change into her gym wear and she texts Aman to join her.

Swayam and Taani reach home, neither of them have said anything to the other. Swayam and Taani go to their respective rooms. She is careful to lay down in a way that doesn't hurt, she is asleep in minutes due to her tiredness. 

Taani wakes up around evening, she checks her phone to see a msg from Shreya and Aman, she opens Shreya's first, 'are you okay now? Meds time pe lelena warna pain will flare up, call me when you get time' Taani smiles at Shreya's concern

'Shreya told me what happened, even though I don't like violence I would beat the shit out of that guy for hurting you, just say the word. On happy note I found out that some kisses have taken place? Maya has not stopped smiling like a lovesick puppy, its creeping everyone out around her.

Laughing and blushing at Aman's text, Taani gets up without replying.

She quickly takes a shower, is getting into her pajamas when she gets a call, she picks it up, "Hello?", "Hello Miss GS, kya kar rhi thi?" Taani smiles wide hearing Maya's voice. "Aapke pas mera number kese aaya?" Taani asks, "Aman se liya, aapne toh diya nai tha" Maya says with a teasing sigh, "haan toh aapne bhi kaha manga tha" Taani teasing right back. "Chalo koi baat, meds li? How's the pain?", "Haan leli, slight pain he", "would you want to go out for dinner with me?" Maya asks nervously, "kab?" Taani asks , "I will pick up in 30, be ready" Maya quickly says and ends the call leaving Taani surprised.

'Inhe bas muje orders dena aata he!' Taani says with a fond smile and quickly changes to jeans and sleeveless tee, its a bit hard with pain in the elbow but she manages.

She is coming out of her room dressed up when Swayam sees her from the kitchen, "Itni raatko kaha ja rhi he?" He asks, "its only 7:45 and I am going out for dinner if you must know" she replies a drily, "kiske sath?" He asks, "Maya ma'am ke sath and I don't want to hear another thing, just because I agreed to cordial with you doesn't mean I have forgiven you" saying this Taani leaves.

Maya is waiting outside her jeep wearing black pants and a white shirt, she straightens up seeing Taani coming, she gets lost in how beautiful Taani is looking. Taani checks Maya out too but is caught again and Maya smirks. "When will you be back?" Swayam asks feeling uncomfortable with his view. "Pata nai" Taani says sidesteping Maya and getting in the jeep, "I will have her back by 10, don't worry" Maya tells Swayam after nodding at him, she too gets in the drivers seat.

"Hum kaha ja rhe he?" Taani asks after they have started driving, "There's a naise Italian restaurant, I have had their food before, I thought you will like it, kahi aur jana he?" Maya asks feeling a little out of her depth. "Nahi, I like Italian" Taani smiles liking Maya looking a little flustered. Maya sees Taani's smile and leans over a bit and grabs Taani's hand (the other one, which isn't injured) holds it pulling it over her lap making Taani surprised, she blushes and looks out of the window.

"My senior thinks I can get back to duty in 2 months instead of 3" hearing Maya makes Taani sad, "but thn how will we spend time together?" Taani says in a sad tone but thn blushes at her own words making Maya smile. "We will still spend time together, just outside the college, like Aman and Shreya do, I will pick you up or drop you from college time to time, we can have dinner nights, long drives and I can call you my girlfriend without having the fear of getting fired or you getting rusticated" Maya says the last part with smirk. "Girlfriend?" Taani asks with wide eyes. "Do you not want to be my girlfriend?" Suddenly its Maya who is worried, "but you haven't even asked me out properly!" Taani says with a pout. Maya let's out a breath of relief. "I don't have to ask you, I am telling you, you are my girlfriend" making Taani's mouth hang open.

"You can't just order me to be your girlfriend!!" Taani says in outrage, "I just did love, what are you going to do about it?" Maya asks with a smirk.