Just Love

"Hey fachas (DU lingo for freshers) come all of you make a line here" instructed Dev along with his friends Anish, Vikram, Natasha and Tina

All the fachas queued in front of them

"Ok. all boys make a line here. when we say attanni you need to shake your hip to the right, when we say chavanni you need to shake your hip to the left and when we say ek rupiya you need to just rotate your waist. And girls you need to sing shake your booty while we say this.

Understood everyone" Dev questioned

"Yes, everyone said in unison" and the ragging started

They were 3rd-year students and were to graduate out of college this year. So they wanted to enjoy the last year. They too had been through it and were friends now with their seniors.

Dev was the college general secretary too so he was quite popular.

One facha caught his attention. He asked them to stop doing what they were asked to and called this girl.

Dressed in a light purple kameez, yellow salwaar and yellow dupatta, she came towards him nervously.

"What is your name" he questioned

"Shi....shivani" she told

"Acha Shivani....say Shivani SIR...you need to respect your seniors" he instructed her

"Yes SIR. I am Shivani" she replied somewhat boldly now

"Oh ho now we can hear her loud voice. I like it" he told teasingly

"I am going to ask you a question and if you fail to answer it you have to fold your hands and say good morning sir, every day for the entire week," he told

"Ok Sir" she replied

"What is it that comes in front of woman and back of cow" he laughed hysterically

His friends too didn't like this vulgar question of his.

However, Shivani's answer left them completely zapped.

"W SIR, the letter W comes in front of Woman and back of coW" she replied disgustingly and walked off

Dev was speechless. He fell head over heels in love with her there and then.

"Dev, the first time someone has come to give you an answer. Be aware of these juniors" his friends teased him

"I would definitely want to know more about you Shivani," he told himself

Days passed and it was the freshers' party in college.

Being the general secretary, Dev was responsible for the arrangements.

After that ragging, he used to watch Shivani from a distance.

He had known from his sources that she belonged to a middle-class family. She was very good at studies and used to stay focused on that only.

He was waiting anxiously for her. However, she didn't turn up for the party.

He enquired from her friends "Where is Shivani" 

"Shivani is not coming today. She is unwell" she informed

"Oh is it" he was sad hearing it

It was a whole week since she didn't attend college.

He decided to go to her place.

He rang the bell and her mom opened the door.

"Namaste aunty. I am Shivani's senior. She has not been coming to college, so I came to check on her" he told

"Beta, she is down with a viral fever," she asked him to come inside

He was very anxious. 

"Can I meet her aunty?" he requested

"Beta, you would need to go to her room. She is too weak to walk" her mom told

"No problem aunty" he just had to see her at any cost

He quietly entered her room.

She was sleeping and looked pretty in green capri and that pink polka dot top.

He wanted to kiss her but he just controlled himself.

Instead, he just caressed her face.

She woke up with his touch.

"You, what are you doing here," she asked surprised

"I came to see you after all am the GSec., I need to keep a check. You had been absent since so many days" he told with sadness in his eye

"Why...why are you so concerned for me....the G sec doesn't visit any student who is sick," she told smiling faintly

"The G sec doesn't but the person who loves you does come" he poured his hear out

She was dying to hear these words. She knew that he had been following her and she too had fallen head over heels for him when he had come and told her

"Sorry, Shivani. I should not have asked you such a double meaning question. I am sorry and what I had instructed you to do, I shall do it" he told her

And every day he came and folded his hands and told her good morning every day.

Since that time she loved him like crazy. She was of the opinion that it takes great courage to accept one's mistakes and be sorry for it.

"I love you Shivani. Just get well soon. College is boring without you" and he took out a beautiful greeting card and gave it to her

She got up, took that card from his hands and stretched out her arms to hug him.

He too just hugged her and she told "I love you too"

And their love story began that day. A love story which would end with "till death does us apart"