“Dev mai…tu bhut important hai mere liye. I don’t want to lose you. Please don’t make me do this.”

(Dev I…you are very important to me.)

She whispered and closed her eyes in defeat. He was too important for her to lose.

“Why do you think you’ll lose me? Kya pata tere sach bolne se cheezein aur khubsurat ho jaaye. What if it makes us stronger?”

(Who knows things might become more beautiful because of the truth.)

He explained but Rishika was too scared to voice it out and bear the brunt of ruining their friendship.

When she didn’t speak anything and continued to look down, he sighed and pulled her closer. His fingers threaded in her hair as he made her rest her head on his chest. She sighed against his chest and clutched his t-shirt.

“I love you Ishi!”

She heard him whisper and pulled back, her eyes wide in disbelief. He had a soft smile on his lips.

“K-kya?”

(W-what?)

“4 saal se intezaar kr rha tha. Jabse mummy ne bataya hai. I know it sounds stupid, jaise tere dimag ye baat ghar kr gyi, mere dimaag mai bhi.”

(I have been waiting since 4 years. Since mummy told me. I know it sounds stupid, like this remained in your mind, it remained in mine as well.)

He chuckled and cupped her face, speaking earnestly.

“You know how I always felt sharing food from the same plate to be a very intimate act. But then suddenly mai tere saath plate share krne laga, spoon share krne laga.”

(But then suddenly I started sharing a plate, spoon with you.)

Rishika remembered that. She was surprised when he first allowed her to do that.

“Things changed then. My feelings for you changed then.”

“Toh tune-tune kuch bola kyu nhi kabhi?”

(Then why did you-you not say anything?)

She asked and he chuckled.

“For the same reason as you. Darta tha ki sab kharab na ho jaaye. Tujhe kho na du. But phir uss din tune…you said those words aur mujhe laga ki finally! Meri feelings bhi reiprocate ho skti hai. Uss din se intezaar kr raha hu ki tu kuch kahegi. Confess kregi. But today, I knew that I had to take this step warna hum dono hi sab agar magar sochkr baithe rahenge aur time nikal jaayega.”

(I was scared of ruining everything. Losing you. But then that you…you said those words and I felt that finally! My feelings could be reciprocated. I have been waiting since that day that you will say something. Confess something. But today, I knew I had to take this step otherwise we will both keep thinking about if and buts and time will pass.)

Rishika felt tears in her eyes. One lone tear escaped which he wiped with his thumb.

“I love you Ishi!”

He confessed again and she sniffed. He rested his forehead against hers and they sighed in content. After a few moments of silence, he whispered.

“Say it Ishi! Please!”

She smiled and pulled back. She cupped his face and whispered.

“I love you Dev! I love you so much.”

He pulled her into a firm embrace and kissed her cheek. Rishika blushed because he had never kissed her anywhere else apart from her forehead.

Devansh looked at her amused when he saw her getting red.

“I could never have imagined ki tu blush bhi kr skti hai.”

(I could never have imagined that you can blush too.)

He teased and she punched his stomach, twisting her lips in annoyance.

“Gadha!”

(Donkey!)

She mumbled and rested her face in the crook of his neck, almost settling over his lap. He rubbed her back and smiled.

“Meri gadhi!”

(My donkey!)

He whispered and kissed her shoulder. She giggled and pulled back. His eyes moved to her lips and she paused, noticing his movement.

Her eyes darted to his lips. He gulped when she bit the inside of her lip and looked back into his eyes. 

He threaded his fingers in her hair and pulled her closer. She gasped when he felt his breath against her lips. 

They shared an intense eyelock before he bumped his nose against hers and took her lips in a soft kiss.

Rishika felt her stomach do somersaults when he pulled her over his lap completely and deepened the kiss.

Her knees went on either side of his thighs and he clutched her waist from one hand while continuing to angle her head according to his wish by holding her hair from the other.

He took her bottom lip in his mouth and sucked on it before tugging it with his teeth. She moaned and whimpered rubbing against him.

He groaned and cupped her ass before giving it a light squeeze, making her moan again. His phone rang but he didn’t stop.

Rishika pushed his chest when the phone rang again, indicating that whoever was calling had something urgent to talk about.

“Dev! Tera phone.”

(Your phone.)

“Jaane de.”

(Let it be.)

He mumbled and focused his lips on her neck. She closed her eyes, prompting them to open when the phone rang yet again.

She peeked into the caller id and pushed him firmly.

“Bhaiya ka phone hai. It must be about bhabhi. Utha le!”

(It’s bhaiya. It must be about Bhabhi. Pick it up!)

Devansh immediately sprang up and picked his phone.

“Haan bhaiya-”

(Yes bhaiya-)

He couldn’t even complete his greeting before his brother, on the other end, spoke something that made him rush up.

“Bhabhi has gone into labour. Hospital jaana hai.”

(We have to go to the hospital.)

He explained Rishika, who immediately wore her slippers and ran out after him, locking her home.

Vedant was already helping his wife into the car.

“Kaha mar gaya tha? Kitne phone kiye tujhe.”

(Where were you? I called you so many times.)

Vedant screamed and Devansh flushed red while Rishika couldn’t meet his eyes, remembering the soul wrecking kiss.

“Chhodo na! Aa gaya mai. Chaabi do mai chalata hu. Aap bhabhi ke saath peeche baitho. Ishi! Sabko bta dio. Aur Hriday-”

(Leave it! I am here. Give me the keys, I’ll drive, you sit with Bhabhi at the backseat. Ishi! Tell everyone. And Hriday-)

“Mai hu! Tum aaram se jaao. Aur mujhe update krta rahio.”

(I am here! You go carefully. And keep updating me.)

She said and rushed inside after their car left. Hriday was standing in the living room, looking at her wide eyed.

“Kaha gye hai sab? Mummy ko kuch ho gaya kya?”

(Where did everyone go? Did something happen to mummy?)

He asked in a scared, broken voice. Rishika immediately pulled him into her embrace and held him in her arms.

“Nhi bacha! Mumma aapke chhote bhai ya behen ko laana gyi hai.”

(No baby! Mumma is going to get your younger sibling.)

His fear immediately vanished and an excited grin took over.

“Sachi? Mujhe bhi dekhna tha! Chalo na please!”

(Really? I also want to see! Let’s go please!)

He started wiggling and Rishika chuckled.

“Arre waha chhote babies allowed nhi hai. Mumma ghar aayengi na baby ko lekar. Tab dekhna. Mai bhi tab dekhungi.”

(Small kids are not allowed there. Mumma will come home with the baby. See then. I will also see then.)

He nodded and she talked to their families before indulging Hriday until he slept due to exhaustion. She smiled and kissed his head. The kid was just too excited to be a big brother.

Dev reached back home with his parents who arrived at the hospital at midnight. His bhabhi had just delivered a baby girl an hour back.

He knocked on Hriday’s room, knowing Rishika would be inside with him. But when he got no response, he twisted the knob and entered inside only to see the two sleeping while being cuddled into each other.

Hriday had his leg around her waist as she held him close to herself. He smiled and sat beside her. He moved his fingers in her hair and kissed her head before pecking her nose, knowing she would wake up.

She scrunched her nose cutely and opened her eyes groggily. As soon as she registered that he was sitting in front of her, her eyes widened and she looked at the time.