Madhu woke up in the morning and saw Rishabh still sleeping. He still looked such a baby, just the way he used to sleep when he was a kid.
Madhu held his arm and shook him. "Wake up Rishu!!" She said while RK mumbled and went back to sleep.
"Why cant he wake up on time?" She angrily complaimed to herself as she stood up to go.
After sometime Madhu was checking some registers of the orphange and putting in the required details. "What are you doing..?" Rishabh came to her scratching his head still sleepy. It was his routine. Since childhood he would wake up and if Madhu wasnt by his side, he would go searching for her and only after seeing her would he start his day. And they both hadnt ever noticed this habit of theirs.
"Good Morning sleepy head... I was just filling in some details.. yesterday I couldnt complete this cz of my lunch with Sultan.." she said casually. Rishabh nodded his head.
"Madhuuu..." he said in a childlike demanding tone.
"Yes i will make tea..." she said still focussing on the register.
Rishabh chuckled hearing her and went off to get fresh.
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Madhu was in her bed tonight as she settled to sleep.
"What happened? You are here tonight.." Trishna asked her as she entered the room. Trishna was her room mate.. Most of the old mates of the place had now left the orphanage but the four of them stayed. The fourth being Sikander, who was now Rishabh's room mate.
" Yeah.. Rishu has got cold" Madhu said disappointed.
"I cant believe you both have actually maintained that habit after all these years.." Trishna said.
"Yeah.. we dont even realize now.." Madhu said casually.
"Hmm.."
"Trish.. I dont understand what to do.." Madhu said to her sitting up.
"About what?" She asked confused.
"About Sultan.." Madhu clarified.
"What about him..?" Trishna said shrugging.
"I think he wants to propose to me.." Madhu said nervously.
"Propose!!" Trishna exclaimed.
"Yes.. now I dont know what I should do.."
"Does RK know about it?" Trishna asked. She was very sure these two had to be together. Whether or not they realized that they love each other but still they belong with each other.
"He is the one who pesters me to go out with him." Madhu said as if tired. "And you know what.. when I told him that Sultan wants to propose to me, he was so happy.. he started advocating that Sultan is a great guy.." Madhu said exasperated.
"That of course he is.. but.. RK didn't object to anything?" She asked confused.
"Why would he object?" Madhu asked getting confused.
"What do you think about Sultan?" Trishna asked thoroughly confused. She expected that RK would be storming in rage hearing about this but he was happy.
"He is great of course.. and may be I like him.." Madhu said thoughtfully.
"Now what does this may be mean? dont you know?" she asked.
"No.. i dont know.. he is good.. he is handsome.. and i feel he likes me.. and he is also my very good friend. But in the end when I think of being with him as in for marriage.. I feel something going wrong.. With him I feel the strange emptiness.. I cant get myself to think of him that way.."
"Thats what Madhu.. You cant be with anyone else.." Trishna said getting everything.
"Anyone else? What do you mean?" Madhu asked confused.
"You love RK.." Trishna said to her.
"What?!" Madhu exclaimed. "Have you gone nuts?"
"No.. you both have gone nuts in trying to consider anyone else" she replied back.
"we never thought of each other that way.. we are best of friends. We are family but we never saw each other that way.. you took it all wrong Trish" madhu tried to explain.
Trishna rolled her eyes.
"And Rishu is with Dipali.." Madhu told her.
"He loves her?" Trishna asked confused.
"Yes.. i mean kind of.." Madhu replied.
"Kind of?" Trishna asked back.
"He said to me the same thing.. that he feels something amiss when with Dipali.. but he would be with her.." Madhu said trying to brush off any other possibilities.
" Madhu.. try to understand.." Trishna tried to reason.
"Stop it Trish.. you would never understand mine and Rishu's realtion." Madhu said angrily finally giving up on her as she laid on the bed.
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RK was sitting in a rstaurant with his grilled cream paneer tikka, and yes, Dipali was there too.
RK ate and with each bite he was feeling heaven. "You like this too?" Dipali asked smiling seeing him make enjoyable faces at each bite.
"Its my favourite.." RK said looking at her.
"Really?" Dipali asked in wide eyed amazement.
"Yes.." RK said taking another bite.
"You know RK this is the 37th dish that you have labelled as your favourite.." Dipali said smiling sarcastically.
"Ohh is it?" RK asked confused.
"Yes it is.."
"But you know what.. Madhu says that whatever I may say but Rajma chawal are my favourite." RK said thinking to himself.
"Rajma chawal? Thats 38th.." Dipali said laughing.
"No if I am to go by what Madhu said then Rajma chawal are the first.." RK said seriously as he looked at her.
"She says that I never seem to stop when it comes to Rajma chawal.. you know she literally snatches my plate away sometimes.." RK said laughing to himself.
"You are such a foodie.." Dipali said in horror."I wonder why you havent got fat!"
"I had developed belly years back.. but then Madhu once punched me and scolded me for getting unhealthy.. can you believe she even threatened me of curbing my Rajma chawal for a whole year.. and even that she wont talk to me if I get fat.." RK said the last line with a grumbling face. "Since then I do regular exercise to not get fat.."
"Okk.. now i know that Rajma chawal really stand on number 1" Dipali said laughing.
"No it was more for Madhu not talking to me.." RK shrugged. Dipali smiled slightly. Out of 1 hour of them staying together 40 minutes RK would talk about Madhu. She sighed.
"So... when are you planning to join your new college?" RK asked her casually.
Dipali had a big smile hearing him. Finally he was talking about her. "Next week.. but you will have to accompany me for shopping.."
"ewww.. thats too boring.. please." RK said making a face.
"I will complain to Madhu if you refuse.." Dipali threatened him.
"Sure.. go ahead.. in fact why don't you go with her? Madhu would help you.. and she also had to do some shopping.." RK said nodding his head.
"Madhu is not my boyfriend.." Dipali said exasperated.
RK rolled his eyes. "No Dipali.. I can't go on girly shopping.. spare me the torture.."
"But I thought you would tell me what looks good on me.." she said disappointed.
" Hmm.. lets see.. dont buy pink.. its too girly.. dont buy black.. its not the colour for college.. dont buy white, it would fade too soon.. everything else is great.." RK said showing a thumbs up.
Dipali looked at him annoyed. "I asked you what would look good.. not what wont look good.."
"This paneer is awesome.. you are wasting it.." RK said pointing at her plate in an attempt to change the topic and moreover because he was really worried for the sentiments of paneer for it being wasted.
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