Rehaan had taken a few days off from classes because of his health. Aryan had been helping him with notes since then. Something had changed between the two. Rehaan openly admired Aryan when he wasn't looking. Or even when he was looking.

Rehaan woke up and stretched himself. He looked at the time and realised that he was up earlier than usual. Even his alarm hadn't gone off yet.

He looked towards the other bed and saw Aryan still sleeping. That's when Rehaan realised that he had never actually seen Aryan asleep. He was always up before Rehaan even woke up and slept later than him. In the 5 months that Rehaan has known Aryan, he had never seen the guy asleep.

Aryan slept wearing a scarf on his head covering his head. He smiled at learning about this habit. He walked towards Aryan's bed with the intention of waking him up.

He was about to touch his shoulder to wake him up but Aryan turned and instead Rehaan's hand touched his chest. Rehaan jumped back shocked. Why did his chest feel....squishy?

Rehaan poked a finger at the place and quickly took his hand back. It was actually squishy. Almost as if they were....breasts.

He again palmed his chest to make sure he wasn't dreaming and gave it a squeeze. Yes! Breast! He was 100% sure of it. Aryan moved in his sleep and his scarf slipped down a little and Rehaan's eyes almost came out of its sockets.

He removed the scarf completely to reveal long hair. The same length he saw in his dream. Did he somehow summon the dream Aryan? The female version?

Aryan's alarm rang the very moment and he woke up stretching his body. Or maybe her body? He opened his eyes only to get shocked and sit up straight covering his chest.

"What are you..."

Rehaan felt even more shocked because he was sure he heard a feminine voice. Aryan cleared his throat and continued in his normal voice.

"What are you doing?"

"You...you...you have long hair and.."

Rehaan pointed towards his chest and Aryan realised that his scarf had slipped off. Rehaan pinched himself and hissed.

"It's not a dream. You're real. But how-"

"Rehaan I can explain. Please listen to me once."

The soft feminine voice was back and Rehaan realized that he actually wasn't dreaming and that the person in front of him was a woman.

"Who are you? Where's Aryan?"

"Mai hi Aryan hu. I'll explain everything..."

"You've been lying to me? All these months you were disguised as Aryan when you're not. You're a girl. How did I never realise? Oh God! Am I such a fool ki tum itni asaani se mujhe bewakoof banati rahi."

He chuckled humorlessly and the girl panicked. She shook her head and said.

"It's not like that. Please ek baat meri baat sun lo. I'll explain everything. Just once. I know I lied and I am sorry for it. But I promise everything between us was real. Just like you said I was special to you, you too are special for me. Mai nhi jooth bolna chahti thi but I had no option. Ek baar meri baat sun lo. Uss dosti ke naate hi sahi."

"Kaise dosti? Jo tumne jooth ke basis pr banayi thi?"

Rehaan accused. He felt cheated and hurt. The girl whose he didn't even know, shook her head.

"Please give me a chance to explain. Just listen to me once Rehaan. Please!"

Tears pooled in her eyes and he looked away.

"Fine! Explain! I also want to know ki aisa kya tha jo tumhe aise rehna pada."

The girl took a deep breath and looked into his eyes.

"My name is Arya."

"Arya? Was that not your sister?"

"Umm...there's no sister."

Rehaan nodded and Arya continued.

"UP ke ek chhote se gaao se belong krti hu mai. Mere baba waha ke bhut bade seth hai. Paiso ki kabhi kami nhi thi hume. Lekin baba bhut backward thinking wale hai. Uss gaao mai sabhi aise hai."

Rehaan heard her patiently and attentively.

"Mujhe bachpan se bataya gaya tha ki mai kitni khushkismat hu ki baba ne mujhe paida hote hi maara nhi. Ki mera jinda rehna bhi bhut badi khushi ki baat hai. Hamara gaao aaj bhi unn jagaho mai gina jaata hai jaha logo ki soch aaj bhi ye hai ki beti bojh hai aur beta sab kuch hai. Beta nhi toh kuchh nhi."

Arya sighed and looked at Rehaan.

"Baba ne kabhi bhaiya ke aage mujhpr dhyan nhi dia. Maa batati hai ki wo toh kabhi mujhe rakhna hi nhi chahte the pr maa unse lad gyi. Ki agar unhone mujhe kuch kia toh wo bhaiya ko baba se dur lekar kahi chali jaayengi. Baba aur gaao mai sabhi log ye sochte hai ki ladkio ko padna nhi chahiye. Ki aakhir mai unki life ka purpose rasoi sambhalna, ghar sambhalna, pati ki seva karna, bache paida krna aur zindagi bhar unhe sambhalna hai."

She chuckled humorlessly. It was believable how people like that existed in the 21st century too.

"Ladkio ko sirf 5th tak padaya jaata hai gaao mai wo bhi iss liye ki wo free education hai. Uske baad unhe rasoi mai laga dete hai. Training milti hai ki pati ki aur saas sasur ki seva kaise krni hai. Baba ka bhi yahi belief tha. Pr maa unse yaha bhi lad li. Kyunki mera padne ka bhut shauk tha toh wo baba ke aage ad gyi ki merko 12th complete krne de. Meri life ki sabse badi supporter hai meri maa."

She smiled remembering her mother and wiped her tears because she missed her terribly.

"Lekin mai jaanti thi ki maine aage padhai ki baat ki toh baba ek minute nhi lagayenge meri shaadi krne mai. 17 saal ki thi mai tabse rishte dekhne shuru kr diye the baba ne. And I know wo mere 18 saal ka hote hi meri shaadi krwa bhi dete. Na umar dekhte na aur kuch, bas ladka paise wala ho, achhi naukri ho and meri shaadi kr dete. Lekin mujhe rasoi mai simat kr nhi rehna puri life. Meri life mai kisi aur ke liye kyu jeeungi. I wanted to do something for myself. Isliye mai ghar se aur gaao se bhaag kr yaha aa gyi."

Rehaan was shocked to listen to all of it. He hated how women had to struggle for their education and the way they wanted to live their life even in today's times.

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