Manya and Kabir did surprisingly well and bagged the third place in the race. After all the activities and games they were thoroughly famished and decided to check the food stalls.

At first, they stared at one stall but then slowly everyone started running to their favorite foods.

"Manya! I want to try that. Look how cool it is!"

Her friend said, clutching her arm and making her look towards the stall where a man was making fiery paans.

"What! No! I'm not having that."

"Arre tu mat khaaio. Saath toh chal le."

Saying that, she dragged Manya towards the stall. Kabir looked at her retreating figure until he felt a nudge on his shoulder.

His best friend wiggled his eyebrows at him.

"Whose idea was it to enroll us together in that three-legged race?"

Kabir asked in a stern voice and his friend grinned.

"Hum sabka. We know how useless you guys are. Apni love story tum khud toh start kroge nhi. So we are doing it for you."

Kabir smiled remembering the way she gripped his shirt and how good it felt to hold her against himself.

"Thanks. But there is no love story. One sided love hai."

"Bhai! She has been looking at you all evening since that race. Chalo maan le ki kuch nhi bhi tha uske mann mai toh ab definitely hai. She's looking at you even now."

As soon as his best friend said that, Kabir turned to look at her and true to his words, she was looking at him.

Manya quickly turned her face away when Kabir looked at her side and then closed her eyes, cursing herself in mind for behaving so awkwardly.

Kabir looked back at his best friend and grinned.

"Metro se jaati hai wo ghar. Drop her home today. You have your car and it's late."

Lakshit gave Kabir the idea and his grin widened.

"You're a genius."

"I know. Ab iss genius ki baat maan. And while dropping her home, confess your feelings."

This dropped his grin.

"Confess? Isn't it too soon?"

"Bhai? Aakhri saal hai college ka. Aur kitna late krna hai?"

"Good point but what is she says no?"

"What if she says yes?"

"Again a very good point."

Kabir concluded and decided that he would confess his feelings while dropping her home.

After filling their stomachs, everyone gathered near the exit gate.

"Kaise jaa rhe ho tum sab?"

Lakshit asked knowing very well that Kabir wouldn't initiate.

"Me and Vrushika will take a cab. Metro ki himmat nhi hai."

Sonakshi said and Vrushika nodded.

"Aur Manya tu?"

"Metro."

She replied and Lakshit kicked Kabir's foot and he looked at him in irritation before understanding and butting in.

"Mai drop kr dunga tumhe."

Manya looked at him and stuttered.

"Umm...nhi...it's fine."

"It's getting late. Mai chhod dunga. I have my car."

Manya nodded trying to hide her blush when her friends nudged her side discreetly.

"Tu itna meharbaan ho raha hai toh mujhe bhi chhod dio."

Akash said grinning from the side. Kabir turned to him and gave him a smile and a tight nod which clearly indicated his irritation but Akash was Akash.

"Saale 5 minute door rehta hai tu. Tujhe kyu drop krna hai?"

Lakshit asked and Akash cribbed.

"Yaar wahi toh. 5 minute ke liye kaun rickshaw krega? Ye drop kr hi raha hai toh mujhe bhi chhod de na."

Kabir, Manya and Akash moved towards Kabir's car. Kabir took the driver seat and Akash took the passenger leaving Manya to sit in the back.

"Kabab mai kaddi sala."

Kabir muttered as Akash took his seat making the kabab mai haddi in question turn to him with a sweet smile.

"Brother!"

He gushed, giving him a soft punch on his shoulder.

Kabir dropped Akash off as quickly as he could.

"Come in front."

"Huh?"

She looked at him and asked absentmindedly.

"Aage aa jaao."

He said motioning towards the empty passenger seat. She got out of the car and sat in the front. She buckled herself and smiled at him while correcting her specs.

"Thank you so much. Tum aise out of the way jaake drop kr rhe ho."

Kabir waved his hand dismissing it and said putting the car into motion.

"Arre not a big deal yaar. Mai toh Sona aur Vrushi ko bhi chhod deta but wo bhut dur rehti hai. Kuch jyada out of the way ho jaata."

He said jokingly. She chuckled. It was true. The two lived in Gurgaon. She looked away and sighed. Obviously. He wasn't doing it because he felt something for her. It was an obligation he felt as their friend. He would have done that for Sona and Vrushi also.

Kabir, on the other hand, was trying to gain courage to confess his feelings to her. The car stopped at a signal and he rubbed his sweaty palm against his jeans.

"Hey Manya, I've been wanting to tell you something for a long time. I-umm-"

She looked at him and he felt himself go quiet. The fear of her rejection and things getting awkward came to his mind and he chickened out.

"I-uh-I think we make a great team. The race! It was great! And fun."

Manya smiled and nodded.

"It was. Mujhe expected nhi tha we would do so good. I mean koi practice nhi and we still came third."

Kabir too smiled and resumed driving as the signal changed to green. There was a silence between them and Kabir was thinking of a way to break it.

"So? What are your plans after graduation? Job?"

He asked and she looked at him before humming.

"Socha toh yahi hai. Atleast in the initial years. Like ek do saal job and then I want to open something of my own. Bhut bada nhi. Maybe a small bakery shop or a bookshop. I love both things. I mean sweets and books."

She blabbered excitedly and he smiled.

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