The final bell rang out through the old corridors of the medical college, a welcome signal that the day was finally over. The final lecture of the day finished up, the professor's voice growing faint against the murmurs of tired students already packing their bags. With a light-hearted dismissal, the professor closed his notebook and said.
"That's it for today. Go through the textbook, we will continue tomorrow"
The class stirred into motion. Backpacks zipped, benches creaked, and hundreds of feet shuffled out into the open corridors of the medical college. Among the crowd, Thabal, Meera, and Shreya emerged, arms brushing as they walked together. Their laughter rang out, sharp and unfiltered, carrying stories from the lecture and a joke Shreya had just made about their anatomy professor's obsession with bones.
"Did you see the look on Sharma Sir's face when Rajeev said the pancreas was in the neck?" Shreya giggled.
"He was two seconds away from throwing the marker at him" Meera added, Thabal let out a laugh hearing them, remembering the funny scene clearly.
As they reached the campus gate, her eyes drifted towards the other side of the road instinctively. And just like that, her heart stuttered. Her steps faltered. Her laugh faded in mid.
Vikram wasn't there. It was very unexpected for him to be not present. The spot he'd claimed for the past two week was empty. Her heart sank. Her eyes searched again, more deliberately this time. The big tree was standing empty. The jeep wasn't parked in its usual spot. No familiar silhouette watching her from across the road. Something clenched in her chest.
Why wasn't he there? Had something happened to him?Or worse, had he just gotten tired of her?
That last thought hit harder than it should have. She bit the inside of her cheek, trying to will away the growing lump in her throat. It wasn't like she cared. At least, that's what she kept telling herself. But deep down, she have started to enjoy those silent exchanges, the comforting rhythm of his presence. His gaze always made her feel, seen, wanted.
Now the sudden absence felt very uncomfortable and disturbing.
"Thabal?" Meera's voice pulled her back.
"Kya huwa tujhe. Suddenly rukh kyu gayi?" She blinked in realisation. Shreya had turned too, both of them watching her with concern. Thabal forced a small smile and shook her head.
"Kuch nahi yaar. Bas kuch yaad aagaya tha" she shrugged it off. They didn't press further, but she could feel their eyes linger as she slowly walked towards the waiting seat near the gate.
"Abey oii! Aaj Mr Officer aaye hi nahi" Shreya suddenly muttered with a loud gasp seeing the shade of the tree empty.
"Aare haan! Wait. Thabal? Is that why tumhara muh bana huwa hai?" Meera grinned widely. Thabal quickly snapped her face towards them, a bit flush and a frown.
"Kya bakwas kar rahe ho. Nahi hoon mein koi udas wudas-" her sentence froze in middle as she saw a familiar figure from the corner of her eye. Her eyes snapped to the left, and there he was.
Vikram.
He was seated casually at the far end of the bench, legs stretched out slightly, one arm resting on his knee. His head was tilted back a little, sunglasses pushed up into his hair, exposing his calm, unreadable eyes. He looked like he'd been there for a while.
Thabal's breath caught. He'd been here the entire time?
Her lips parted slightly in surprise before she caught herself and quickly turned her head forward again, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her heart fluttered. She could feel the smile teasing at the corners of her lips, but she suppressed it barely.
She felt a sense of relief? Excitement? A strange, delicious mix of all two.
"Woah! Bhai. Yeh toh thik idhar hi tha. Jagah badal di kya officer sahab ne?" Meera whispered yell with wide eyes.
"Yeh sab choro. What if usne hamari baat sun li ho" Shreya grinned excitedly, slightly jumping in her place. Making Thabal's eyes widened.
"Pagal hai kya. Nahi suna hoga. Aur hoga bhi toh itni khush kyu ho rahi hai" she scolded her slowly, trying to lower down her voice as slow as possible.
"Aare dekh usko agar- shit aagaya!!" Shreya cut herself off and quickly turned her head away in sync with Meera confusing Thabal.
"Huh?" She gave them a puzzled look at their behaviour. But suddenly she froze sensing a shift, the unmistakable shadow that fell across her. His scent arrived before he spoke, warm, woodsy, with a faint musk of sandalwood.
She didn't need to look up to know it was him.
"Thabal" he called out slowly, his rough voice sounded more deep when spoken slowly. She hesitated then looked up, meeting his eyes.
"Mein tumhe drop kardu? Only if you are comfortable" Her eyes immediately widened at the proposal. This was something she wasn't expecting at all. She felt her hand sweating in nervousness.
"W-woh. Mere dost. Mein unke saath jati hoon" she stuttered pointing at her friends, not able to form a proper sentence. Vikram looked at her friends, who were looking with wide eyes to Thabal as if she said something she shouldn't. He controlled the urge to smile.
"Mein unhe bhi drop kardunga saath pe" he said softly, trying to convince her as gently as possible. Trying to not look like a creep. His heart was thudding, waiting for her answer.
"Nahi"
"No"
Both the girls shouted in unison. The students nearby looked at them in confusion. Shreya passed them a tight lifted smile and looked at Vikram again.
"It's okay sir. Hum auto se chale jayenge. Aap jayiye Thabal ke saath." She gave him a smile.
"Haan sir we would be fine" Meera added behind her.
"Lekin-" Thabal turned to them with a frown.
"Koi lekin wekin nahi. Tu ja sir ke saath" Meera cut her off and pushed her a little, nudging a bit hardly. Thabal stumbled but quickly braced herself before she could fall.
She looked at them to meet dangerous eye glares, as if challenging them to say no. Gulping, she again look at Vikram who smiled at her.
"So , jawogi?" He asked to which she took a moment of pause then eventually nodded. Earning a small yes in unison from behind.
Vikram stepped aside and gestured her to walk before. They walked together in silence toward his jeep, now parked under the shadow of a nearby gulmohar tree. Just a distance away from the college gate. The late afternoon sun filtered through its red blossoms, casting dappled patterns on the ground.
As they reached the vehicle, Vikram moved to open the passenger door for her. But she stepped forward at the same time, reaching out for the handle.
Their hands touched. For a moment, time paused.
His fingers brushed over hers, warm and firm. She could feel the closeness of him, his breath soft against the back of her neck, the warmth of his chest near her shoulder. She looked down quickly, heart racing.
"Mein kardeta hoon" he murmured, pulling the door open gently.
She climbed in, adjusting her bag on her lap. He walked around and slid into the driver's seat. The engine rumbled to life. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting golden light through the windshield. Thabal looked out the window, but every few seconds, her eyes flicked toward him. Once, she caught him doing the same.
About a mile down, Vikram cleared his throat. He reached out his left hand into the glove compartment and pulled out a small box, wrapped in matte black paper with a thin red string tied across it.
He forwarded it to her, catching her attention. Her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Tumhare liye hai" he gently spoke, darting his eyes to her before moving back to the road again. Thabal widened her eyes at the gesture. She didn't really know how to react. Her cheeks flushed in shyness.
"W- umm. Iski kya jarurat thi. But thanks" she whispered quietly in embarrassment, earning a hearty chuckle from him. And Thabal swore, she felt her heart skip a beat hearing him.
She pulled the ribbon and opened the cover gently to feel more surprise of the day if possible. Her lips parted in amusement.
Then a smile cracked, a big one. She immediately turned to him with a happy grin, her eyes squeezing in, becoming as small as invisible, which made Vikram thanks to the Google for this gift idea. He made a mental note to gift her everyday just to see this heart attacking smile.
"Aapko kaise pata mujhe yeh pasand hai" she let out a soft laugh, holding the Fuse and kitkat chocolates.
"Bas pata laga liya" he tilted his head at her with a slight smirk. Thabal didn't said anything, just smiled uncontrollably and continued to looked at the amount of chocolates filled in the box.
Just then a glinting object caught her eyes. She rummaged through the chocolates to find a pair of golden earrings, a ruby stone dangling down. A small gasp escaped her lips.
"This is so beautiful" she whispered in awe and then looked at him.
"It must have cost so much. Aapne bekar pe kyu liya" Vikram didn't said anything, he just exhaled and passed a smile.
'you deserve much more than just that' he wanted to say, but pressed in.
Suddenly Thabal noticed the way they were going. Her eyes squinting in confusion for a moment before it turned to a small smiling one.
"Sir" she called to which he immediately hummed, looking at her.
"Aap mujhe stalk kar rahe hai?" She asked, raising a brow at him. Vikram froze for a moment, getting off guard. He relaxed after a moment before a smile tugged on his lips.
"I-unm. Haan. Thoda" he muttered.
"Aage se nahi karunga if tum na bologi toh" he quickly added, earning a soft chuckle from her. She leaned back on her seat and looked outside, the smile still seating on her lips. Not able to vanish it off.
The ride was now comfortable and in ease. Thabal clutched on the box tightly. Vikram looked at her and then at the road. A smile settling on his lips too.
"Waise, were you really sad when you thought I didn't come today?" And this made Thabal immediately sprang up from her seat in panic. She looked at him with wide eyes, as if a deer caught in headlights.
"Huh? Kaha se. Nahi. Why would I be sad. Mein nahi hoon-" her nervous rambling was cut off when Vikram chuckled.
"But i heard something at the college gate" he looked at her with a smirk, making her face red in embarrassment.
"N-nahi. Woh toh bas. Meera toh kuch bhi bolti hai" She clenched his fist in embarrassment. Aghh! Way to embarrass yourself Thabal.
The jeep came to a halt, infront of a big hostel building. Thabal glanced at him then lower her eyes.
"Thanks for the ride" she whispered and opened the door, climbing down along with her stuffs. As she turned to go, she looked at him again and muttered a small bye.
She started walking, but in unusual slow steps. After few more steps, she turned again to see him still looking at her.
"Aap jawoge nahi?" He just smiled at her innocent question.
"Tum pehle under chali jawo fhir chala jaaunga" he responded, earning a small nod from her. As she took more steps in. Her feet just entered inside the hostel when he called her, loud and firm.
"Thabal!" Thabal immediately turned to him, her heart thudding loudly. The intensity of his voice when he called her name, just did a flip inside her poor heart.
"Take care" he said, making her nod quickly. Her ears burning up. She turned and quickly ran inside before she could embarrassed herself more.
Vikram chuckled looking at her running figure, before starting the jeep.
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The door shut behind her with a soft click as Thabal entered the hostel building. Her heart was still fluttering, her fingers tightly curled around the little black box filled with chocolates and surprise. She took the stairs slowly, her mind echoing every word Vikram had said. Every look. Every stolen glance.
As she reached the room she shared with Meera and Shreya, she pushed open the door quietly. The quiet didn't last. The moment the door creaked, Shreya turned, arms crossed and eyes wide.
"There she is!" Shreya shrieked, dramatically cupping her mouth. Making Thabal flinched back in surprise.
"What- wait. Tumdono itni jaldi kaise pohoche" She asked in confusion as she headed first before them.
"Auto wale bhaiya ko bola auto ura ke jawo. Waise bhi hum short cut se aaye. Tumhara lal tamatar wala chehra jo dekhna tha" Sherya grinned hard.
"Look at the glowing face" she smirked, raising a brow at her playfully.
"Bhai, yeh toh full filmy heroine ban ke aayi hai" Meera added, eyes narrowed like a detective.
"Smile, check. Blush, check. Box- wait, what is that in your hand?" As soon as Meera uttered it Thabal tried to hide the black matte box behind her back, but it was too late. Shreya lunged forward with the speed of lightning and snatched it away.
"Arey Shreya! Give it back!" Thabal protested, chasing her around the room.
"Nope! It's officially public property now." Shreya plopped herself on the bed, lifting the lid of the box as Meera quickly joined her. Inside, the chocolates were nestled like treasures.
"Fuse, KitKat. Oh hooo! he got the good ones! He really did his research" Meera teased, peeking into the box as Shreya opened it. Thabal finally snatched it back and turned away like a child hugging her treasure.
"Let us have just one" Shreya said with wide, begging eyes.
"No!" Thabal clutched it tighter. Her eyes narrowing at them. Meera threw herself on the bed dramatically.
"Wow! Mr. Officer ne kya charm chalayaa hai. Tum toh possessive ho gayi ho!" Thabal said nothing. Just pulled out a 2 munch bars from her bag and tossed it towards them.
"Here, eat this. Same amount of sugar." She said and kept the box on the table. Shreya caught it mid-air and smirked at her.
"Not the same level of love though" Meera giggled at it.
"Exactly. These ones didn't come with intense eye contact and a jeep ride." She added. Thabal buried her face in her hands.
"You both are the worst"
"okay okay. Jokes apart. Kuch aur bhi diya hai?" Meera sat up and raised her brow at her.
Thabal hesitated but then couldn't help but let the smile slip on her lips. She nodded, slowly opened the box again. She pushed aside the chocolates and took out the golden earrings delicately. Shreya gasped and sprung up from the bed.
Both of them practically jumped off from their bed and came to her, examining the earrings with awe filled eyes.
"This is just gorgeous" Shreya whispered, gently touching the ruby.
"Bhai he has taste" Meera nodded in approval at the latter's word.
"Mehenga bhi lagta hai. Itna sundar chiz 2 hazar se toh kam nahi hoga" Meera looked at it carefully, putting a guarantee. Thabal didn't said anything, just shyly scratches the back of her neck.
"Thabal, if you don't wear this tomorrow, we will consider it a personal insult to his effort" Shreya giggled . Thabal blushed furiously, her cheeks now visibly red as she rubbed her knuckles subconsciously.
"he really thinks about you" Meera muttered softly, a small smile on her lips. There was a pause as all three sat in the cozy silence, the mood now softer, more reflective.
Then Shreya broke it.
"But also, if he ever brings Ferrero Rocher, I'm stealing at least one. Fair warning." Thabal burst into laughter, the kind that left her clutching her stomach.
"Not happening!"
"Challenge accepted" Shreya declared, already planning her heist.
And just like that, the teasing continued deep into the evening , the warm air of friendship wrapping itself tightly around Thabal, like a comforting hug, and the memory of that quiet ride home tucked safely in her heart.
In the middle of the chats and laughs. Thabal quietly slipped out her personal diary and grabbed a pen. Noting down a date and writing a sentence beside it. As she finished writing, she couldn't help but smile at herself.
25 July 2025, Friday - first gift from Sharma ji
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Hope you liked it
Stay safe sweeties💗💫
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