Happy reading guys! 😊 And yea, thank you for the awesome comments. Happy to find that you all found it light hearted.

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PART 34

The vacation period was going on, and the two lovebirds were missing each other, even after hours of constant texting, phone calls, video chatting etc. Except at night times, when they would understand that their bodies need to rest. Also, she was busy with her company. Whenever she needed any help, Vardaan was the first person she used to call. Once, she returned home dead tired from work at the office. She went to her room and collapsed on the bed. Her phone started ringing. It was Vardaan, and she started talking in only in monosyllables. After some time, she just stopped replying and was deep asleep. He called out to her many times, until he heard her snoring. He smiled instantly understanding that she was asleep. He felt proud that she was such a hard worker. "Such a loving and a dutiful daughter she is! Her parents are really blessed and lucky to have her. Seriously, If I and Sanykta ever have a daughter, I want her to be exactly like her. Her habits, her beauty and her brains!", he thought smilingly.

He immediately put a brake to his thoughts, reminiscing and rewinding his thoughts. "What! What am I thinking? From where did that come to my mind?", he thought. He had no idea what their relationship has in store for them in the future. "Is it possible for us to be together in future? Only one year more. What after that? Her career. Her family. Will they ever accept us? And, what about the society? Her friends and colleagues? I hope they don't misunderstand, when they come to know about us? I hope they don't taunt her. I hope she doesn't have to go through much turmoil, pain and suffering" , he thought. He knew that the journey is not gonna be easy for them. Lots of ups and down, and speedbreakers are waiting for them. It was not that this realization didn't struck him earlier. But, now, he was pondering into it even more. And he knew, somewhere deep in her heart, Sanyukta was scared for the future as well. He could read her eyes. He was unable to sleep that night. He kept thinking about it sitting on his rocking chair.

One morning, Sanyukta was enjoying at home. The other day when she was cleaning her room, she found some old childhood albums in her book shelf. She picked it up and a wide smile appeared on her face. She sat down and started to relive those precious childhood days. Her mother came inside and joined her too. Her mother narrated the sweet and some not so sweet stories behind each of the photograph. In some pic, she and her brother were physically fighting; in one pic, her brother gave a peck on her cheek; her nose was watering in one of the pic; in another pic she was deep asleep in her father's lap. She got nostalgic and wanted to relive those moments. She grabbed her ipad and clicked pictures of all the photographs. She badly wanted to show them to Vardaan.

Sanyu Mom: "Sach mein, sahi kehte hai log, betiya kab badi ho jaati hai, pata hi nahi chalta?"

Sanyukta: (giggling) "Kya pata nahi chalta? Aap ke aankho ke saamne hi toh badi hui hu."

Sanyu Mom: "Chup kar. Tujhe yeh baat ab nahi samajh aaegi. Jab tu khud maa banegi na, tab samajh aaegi."

Sanyukta: "Of Oh Maa...aap kaha ka topic kaha le jaa rahe ho."

Sanyu Mom: "Main jhut thodi na bol rahi hu. Agle saal tera course khatam ho jaaega. Pata hai, log tere rishte ke baare mein puch rahe hai. Ham ne toh taal diya, yeh kehkar ke tera course abhi chalu hai."

Reality struck her. She got serious all of a sudden.

Sanyu: "Kya baat kar rahe ho maa? Abhi meri umar hi kya hai? Aur phir mera career? Main job kar na chaahthi hu maa. Khud apne pairo mein khade hona chaahthi hu."

Sanyu Mom: "Haa toh, ham ne kab mana kiya hai. Tu job kar na. Tu chinta mat kar. Hum aisa hi ladka dhundenge jiss se tere job kar ne se koi problem nahi ho."

Her mother had a valid point. Sanyukta expressions changed all of a sudden. She looked at the balcony.

Sanyu Mom: "Kya hua beta?"

Sanyukta: "Hmm...kuch nahi."

Sanyu Mom: "Accha ek baat puchu?"

Sanyukta: "Pucho na maa."

Sanyu Mom: "Umm...kaise puchu...thodi jhijhak si ho rahi hai. Beta, tu meri baato ka galat matlab mat nikal...main yeh puchna chaah rahi thi..ke...tu kisi...tu kisi ladke ko pasand karti hai kya? Mera matlab, shayad tere college mein? Tere class mein? Mera matlab, duniya ab age bad gayi hai. Aaj kal ke ladke ladkiya toh bohot forward ho gaye hai. Tu chinta mat kar, agar ladka accha hai na, toh hum uske family se mil kar baat ko aage bada sakte hai."

Sanyukta was even more dumbfounded to hear these. How could she tell her mother, that yes...she indeed loves someone. That too, from her college. Not her classmate, but her professor; who is very elder to her. She was his only family. In that few seconds, she thought of a million reactions, she would get from her mother, if at all she blurted out about Vardaan. The first reaction would be a tight slap on her cheek. Her mother shook her shoulders calling her.

Sanyu Mom: "Kaha kho gayi?"

She decided that right now it was safe to end this topic. She was not prepared to handle the consequences.

Sanyukta: "Kya maa, aap bhi naa. Badi jaldi hai, mujhe yaha se bhagaane ki. Itni bhoj lag rahi hu kya main? Shaadi and all? Aap thoda relax karo. Main jab shadi ke liye ready ho jaaungi, tab main aapko bata dungi. Filhaal toh mujhe office ke liye ready hona hai. Late ho raha hai."

She stood up and started getting ready. Her mother arranged the album back to her book shelf and went out of her room. She closed the room and heaved a sigh of relief. Her phone started ringing. It was Vardaan. She did not receive it as she was in no mood to talk. That night she video chatted with Vardaan. He could make out that something was bothering her. He asked her many times to share the problem with him. But, she did not say a thing to him. He wished he was with her to give her comfort, to give her support. The whole vacation she put a faade on her face that everything was alright in her life. But, not everything was OK. She had issues to sort out or rather they had issues to sort out. It was time for her to leave to her college. Her father offered her to drop to the campus and she agreed. It was a weekend. She went to her room and her roomies had not yet arrived. She packed her sling bag immediately.

She wanted to meet him, see him, hug him, feel him. She set to go to his house. She rang the door bell and in seconds she saw the most soothing frame standing in front of her. She ran into his arms, hugging him and closed her eyes. Her eyes started watering. He wrapped his hands around her protecting her from all the evils. He ran his lips on her head kissing her head and rubbing her back. They broke the hug and started kissing. This time it was emotional than passionate. Tears fell from her eyes. Her hands ran through his hair and his hands were on her hips pulling her closer to him, so close that they stuck to each other, not even letting air to pass in between their bodies. She got breathless. He got the cue and slowly broke the kiss. He took her inside the house. He made her sit on the couch and wiped her tears. He got water for her. She saw that she had soiled his shirt by her tears.

Sanyukta: "Ah oh, I am sorry for this."

She said touching his shirt.

Vardaan: (smiling) "It's OK."

They were silent and looking at everywhere except at each other. Sanyukta thought of touching the topic.

Sanyukta: "I want to talk to you about something."

Vardaan had a clue about what she wanted to talk about. Still he wanted to listen her.

Sanyukta: "I wanted to say that...that...Tch..how shall I put it in words? See, the thing is, my mother...my family is asking me questions to which I don't have any answers. I feel tongue tied...It's that...They would be looking out for guys for me after my degree. Please don't be angry. I did not tell them anything about us, coz I felt that the time is not right. And..."

Fresh tears rolled on her cheeks. He quickly understood the depth of the statements she just said. He sat next to her and cupped her face making her look at him.

Vardaan: "Ssshh...I know. I could read it in your eyes. I could make out that something was bothering you. Please don't worry at all. I am there right here. You are not alone in this. I will never let you be in this all alone. I will never ever leave you. You are mine. That's permanent and nobody can change it. And regarding your parents, we will talk to them after college gets over, make them understand. I know, there will be huge retaliation from them. But, trust me, I will sort out everything. I will go through everything but not for once leave your side."

She hugged him resting her face on those strong shoulders, feeling secure once again. He kissed the nape of her neck and shockwaves passed through her body. He felt something wet on his shoulders; she was again crying.

Vardaan: "Looks like you've seen a lot of emotional movies this vacation."

She smiled and broke the hug, wiping her tears. She got up from the couch.

Vardaan: (Happily smirking) "Hey, you've become fat. Of course vacation and then home made food, all the love and affection from parents."

She opened her mouth to form a perfect "O" in astonishment. She quickly grabbed a pillow and started hitting him left and right. He laughed trying to cover himself up. He tried to stop him, but she was resilient. He held her hands and pulled her. She fell on the couch over him. She immediately tried to get up, but he had held her. She could his feel his perfect abs and manly muscular chest heaving up and down against her torso. His cologne was acting as an aphrodisiac. They were breathing in tandem. He came in for a kiss and she couldn't resist his masochistic persona. Three years into the relationship and she still gets butterflies in her stomach, whenever she gets close to him. He kissed her lips while his tongue explored her deeply. His hands felt her smooth skin inside her kurta and she got goose bumps on his touch. His lips trailed to her jaw and neck, when she suddenly jerked back remembering something. He was quite surprised by this.

Sanyukta: "Oh no. Main toh bhool hi gayi. Main aapko kuch dikhana chaahthi hu. Aap ke liye ek surprise hai."

Vardaan: "I don't want any surprises. I like to live in the moment."

He said pulling her on him again and resuming his kisses on her. She tickled him and again got up from him. He laughed and left her. "Hey, that's not fair. You always do that", he cried. Being with him for these years, she had understood that it was no use fighting or arguing with him in terms of muscle power. He was way too powerful than her. So, she always uses this trick of tickling him. She went to the table where she had kept he bag. She got her ipad and sat next to her. She pressed some icons and the gallery opened up.

Sanyukta: (smiling) "Ta daa...here's the surprise. These are my childhood pics."

He was surprised. He took the ipad from her hand and smiled. She narrated the backstory of each and every pic.

Sanyukta: "See this photo. Main naa bachpan mein apne choclates chupa kar rakhti thi. Aur jaise hi ankit apne chocolates khaa leta tha, tab main dheere se apne chocolates nikal thi. Aur uss se dikha dikha kar khaati thi."

He glided the screen to next pic. He started laughing looking at the pic. Baby Sanyukta was grinning from ear to ear. Two or three teeth from the front were missing and her nose was watering. She looked at the pic and couldn't control her laughter.

Sanyukta: "Arey to iss mein hasne ke kya baat hai. Thik hai."

He glided the screen. In this pic, baby ankit was wiping his baby sister's tears.

Sanyukta: "Awww...mera pyaara bhai! Haa, maana ki kabhi kabhi aisi harkate karta hai, ke uska muh todne ka man karta hai. Par dil se who bohot accha hai."

They went on to the next pic. Here, Sanyukta was playing in the bath tub, splashing water everywhere and laughing.

Sanyukta: "How cute! You know what, mujhe paani se khelna itna pasand tha na. Maa kehti hai, ke baaki baccho ke parents, jab unhe nahane le jaate the, toh wohh bohot rote the. Par main, main toh bohot khush ho jaati thi. Bath tub se bahar aane ka naam hi nahi leti thi. I just loved playing with water."

Vardaan: (with a naughty smirk) "Umm...achaa. Kaise? Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aaya. Ek demo mil jaate toh accha hota. Chale bathroom mein fir. Bath tub bhi hai, main shower on kar deta hu."

She hit his arm blushing profusely.

Sanyukta: "You are cheap!"

They saw some more pics of her and her family. She stopped at a particular pic. It was her birthday pic.

Sanyukta: "See this pic. Main princess bani thi. Main bachpan mein kitni cute thi na. Bachpan kya, main toh ab bhi cute hu. Pata hai, main jab baccho ko cuddle karne jaati hu na, toh ulta who mujhi ko cuddle karte hai. You know, they pull my cheeks, and tell me that I am so cute."

She said pulling his cheeks as well.

Vardaan: (smiling) "Yaa, cute as well as fat."

She stopped smiling and glared at him.

Sanyukta: "Vardaan, kisi bhi ladki ko kabhi fat nahi kehna chahiye. Aur apni girlfriend ko toh kabhi nahi. Meri jagah koi aur hoti na, toh ab tak break up bhi ho jaata. And by the way, I was not at all fat. Who bas thoda us waqt vacation fat aa gaya. No not even vacation fat, it's just that this pic is inclined in such a way, that I look fat and stretched. You know, optical illusion!"

He laughed and apologized. They finished viewing all the pics.

Sanyukta: "So? Nice na!"

Vardaan: "Haa. Nice ipad."

Sanyukta: "I am talking about my photos."

Vardaan: "Oh. They're superb. You know, I really feel jealous of you. I mean don't get me wrong. But, seriously you at least have these beautiful memories to cherish from your past. I have absolutely nothing from my past, that would bring a smile on my face."

Sanyukta: "Well, you have me. Sach kahu, Yeh saare jo pal hain na, jo hum saath bita rahe hai, in he main kabhi nahi bhool sakti. Aur age chal kar, main in hi palo ko yaad karke khush ho jaaungi. Main nahi jaanti ke kal kya hoga, lekin agar aap mere saath hai na, toh sab thik ho jaaega. Haa, sab kuch toh nai, par kuch aur ki zaroorat bhi nahi."

Vardaan kissed her forehead and she cuddled, next to him, holding his arm.

Sanyukta: "Accha, wanted to ask you, have you spoken to Dean Sir?"

Vardaan: "yes, he is way too happy with my decision. He also asked me the reason of this sudden turnback. So, I told him, that night Sanyukta came to my place, requested me not to go and she even made me happy by spending the night with me in my bedroom, sharing the bed with me. And yea, even made love to me. So, you see, she trapped me into this."

She knew he was joking. He was really bad at cracking good jokes.

Sanyukta: "Haa haa haa...I think my stomach will now burst if I laugh more. And, by the way, I know you didn't tell any of that. I know, you won't! And by the way, it's you who trapped me. You have no idea what kind of shivers I get in my spine, when you run your hands on my body."

She had again spoken too much and instantly covered her mouth. Vardaan bursted into laughter.

Vardaan: "Well, thank you for the compliment. I had no idea that I create such an effect on you. Well, I do know now, how to turn you on. Thank you, for providing the much useful information. Next time, I'll keep in mind. By the way, you look really fresh and hot and even I am getting bored, so what say? Let's do it."

He said winking at her and giving her a naughty smirk.

Sanyukta: "Oh hello, what next time? What let's do it? Roz roz Diwali nahi hoti."

She hit his face with a pillow which she had held.

Vardaan: (laughing) "On a serious note, Dean was indeed was happy to take me back."

Sanyukta left his place after sometime. They spoke that the students would be so happy to see him back in the campus. In the campus, she met Kaustuki. She hugged her happily. Kaustuki was surprised looking at her. She looked this happy after an eternity. "Now, that Vardaan Sir has left, how can she be so happy? Has she moved on? So soon?", she thought. Nevertheless, she was happy for her.

Kaustuki: "Kya baat hai? Badi khush lag rahi ho?"

Sanyukta: "Haa bas aise hi. Aur kal college mein sab ke liye ek surprise hai. Kisi ko batana mat."

Kaustuki was curious to find out what the surprise was. Vidhushi overheard their talks.

Vidhushi: (thinking) "yeh vacation ke pehle toh badi, udhaas si thi. Ab kya ho gaya hai iss se? And surprise? Kaisa surprise? Woh bhi sab ke liye?"

Sanyukta met her other friends and the day was not enough to finish gossiping. She went on and on, talking about any random thing. Kaustuki had to drag her to her room from the canteen at night time. She was on her bed waiting for the morning. The students of FITE would get a very good surprise. She smiled even in sleep. Next morning, Kaustuki had to wake her up throwing a glass of water at her. She got up all of a sudden. Quickly, the girls got ready and were off to college. They went to the class and Sanyukta sat on the last row. She wanted to see the look on everyone's faces when they would see Vardaan Sir in front of them. The students were busy gossiping and Sanyukta was constantly looking towards the door and then at her watch. "Why is he late?", she thought.

Vardaan: "Quiet class...How many times, do I have to remind you that in my lecture, I want pin drop silence. When the hell will you stop behaving like kindergarten kids?"

He walked in the classroom saying those sentences, in his typical signature style; adjusting his specs and giving a smirk. The entire class gaped and all the students had opened their mouths in astonishment. All of them had a smile plastered on their faces. They hit hi-fives with one another and were laughing. He could hear statements like, "Woww, sir is back!", "Seriously, I don't believe Vardaan Sir is standing in front of us", "Finally, Sir is back in FITE. But, how? He had resigned." Vardaan smirked thinking about the answer to that "how?", pointed by one student. Kaustuki immediately turned to Sanyukta who was grinning with I-know-I-am-the-best attitude. She winked at Kaustuki.

Kaustuki: "Toh yeh tha tera surprise. Tujhe pata tha...iss ka matlab...sab kuch thik ho gaya hai? I mean..."

Sanyukta: "Yes baby! Ab sab kuch thik ho gaya hai."

Vidhushi who sat behind them overheard them.

Vidhushi: (thinking) "Ab sab kuch thik ho gaya hai? Toh yeh Sanyukta ka surprise tha. Par uss se kaise pata ke Sir wapas aa gaye hai? Yeh ladki zaroor kuch chupa rahi hai. Mujhe pehle se hi iss par shak tha."

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Done updating guys! Would like to remind again, that I love reading comments. 😃 Here's a joke innovated in my brain lab:

"Update padke, comment na karne waalo ko

Janta maaf nahi karegi

Abki baar, Modi Sarkaar"

I know bohot hi bakwaas tha. 🤢 Par shabdo ko chodo, bhaavnao ko samjho! 😆