37 Should I Stay Back? #2
"You're impossible," she murmured affectionately.
"And you're my responsibility," he answered without a second's hesitation.
She stared up at her ceiling, her heart beating with a deep, steady warmth.
"Your girlfriend?"
"Always."
Her heart swelled.
"Good."
They stayed on the call for a little while longer, whispering about simple, ordinary things that required no heavy thinking. Somehow, that quiet connection was exactly what Niyati needed to survive the night.
As exam week continued, Ansh kept doing the same little things every day.
He sent meals when they were too buried in books to cook, checked to make sure they hadn't skipped lunch, reminded Diya to sleep, and nudged Niyati to put her pens down whenever he sensed she had been staring at the same page for too long.
Sometimes, he even dropped off hot cups of coffee at the hostel reception on his way to work.
He didn't do it because anyone asked him to, or because he felt obligated. He did it because taking care of the two people he loved had quietly become a natural part of his daily life.
For Diya, he remained the fiercely protective, reliable older brother.
For Niyati, he was so much more. He was the person who noticed the subtlest changes in her tone, the one who understood her silence without demanding explanations, and the anchor who supported her without ever holding her back.
Even though they were physically apart-Niyati and Diya caught up in their hectic hostel routine, and Ansh in his quiet apartment across town-they remained deeply, effortlessly connected.
Because love wasn't always defined by grand gestures or constant proximity.
Sometimes, it was a warm meal delivered to your doorstep, a fresh cup of coffee when you were running on empty, a simple text reminding you to eat, or the comfort of a steady voice whispering, Don't worry about me. Focus on your exam. I'll be here.
And for Niyati, those little things meant absolute everything.
The final exam paper had barely ended when the doors of the examination hall opened, and students began pouring out of the university building with exhausted faces, messy hair, and expressions that ranged from overwhelming relief to complete disbelief.
Niyati stepped out onto the sunlit steps beside Diya, clutching her question paper and a plastic water bottle. Taking a deep, grounding breath, she felt as though a massive, invisible weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders.
"It's over," Diya said dramatically, stopping dead in her tracks.
Niyati turned to look at her best friend.
"It's actually over."
Diya threw her hands high into the air.
"WE ARE FREE!"
A few nearby students turned around, staring in amused shock. Niyati immediately covered her face with both hands, groaning in sheer embarrassment.
"Diya, yaar!"
"What?! Exams are over!"
"You don't have to announce it to the entire university."
"I want the whole world to know!" Diya declared proudly.
Niyati laughed, shaking her head as they began walking toward the main campus gate, still dissecting the exam paper and arguing over one particularly confusing question.
Suddenly, Diya stopped short once more.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Wait..."
She pointed across the crowded road.
"Look!"
Niyati followed her gaze toward the entrance.
A familiar black sedan was parked neatly by the curb, and leaning casually against the driver's door-dressed in a dark shirt and fitted jeans-was Ansh.
The moment Diya recognized her brother, all her physical exhaustion vanished into thin air.
"BHAI!"
Before Niyati could even react, Diya literally sprinted toward him across the pavement.
"Diya!" Niyati called out, hurrying after her, but Diya was already halfway there.
Ansh looked up just in time to see his sister charging toward him like a whirlwind. A bright, genuine laugh broke across his face as she skidded to a halt in front of him.
"What are you doing here?" she panted.
"Waiting for you two," he answered smoothly.
"But why?"
Ansh smiled softly, his eyes flicking over her shoulder to spot Niyati approaching.
"Because my sister and my girlfriend have finally survived their exams."
Diya grinned from ear to ear.
"Are you serious?!"
"Completely."
By then, Niyati had reached the car, catching her breath and shaking her head in disbelief.
"You could have walked over like a normal human being," she chided Diya softly.
Diya ignored her entirely, turning back to Ansh.
"Bhai, what are we doing? Where are we going?"
"I'm taking you both out."
"For what?"
"For a little celebration," Ansh said, his voice brimming with warmth.
Diya's face immediately lit up.
"YES!"
Ansh laughed at her instant enthusiasm.
"I knew you'd like that."
Niyati looked at him, her heart doing a familiar, fluttering flip.
"Ansh, you really didn't have to do this."
"I know," he replied, looking between the two girls with deep affection. "But you've both been working ridiculously hard for the last few weeks. You deserve one full day without textbooks, revision notes, or exam discussions."
Diya nodded vigorously.
"Absolutely!"
Niyati laughed softly.
"Of course you agree."
"It's my birthday every day after exams!" Diya declared as the three of them walked toward the car.
Reaching the passenger side first, Diya happily pulled the front door open.
"I'm sitting in-"
She abruptly cut herself off, her eyes shifting from the leather interior to Niyati. A slow, highly mischievous smirk spread across her face.
"Oops..."
Niyati's eyes narrowed in instant suspicion.
"What?"
Diya stepped aside with grand, theatrical flair.
"Sorry, my dear best friend cum bhabhi ji."
Niyati's cheeks flushed a sudden, brilliant red.
"Diya, yaar!"
"This seat is yours, na?" Diya teased, wiggling her eyebrows.
"Aise kuch nahi!" Niyati stammered, feeling the heat rise straight to her ears. "You sit here in front. I'll sit at the back."
Diya folded her arms tightly across her chest.
"Why?"
"Because you're his sister!"
"And?"
"And you should sit in the front seat!"
Diya narrowed her eyes, leaning in with a sly whisper that was entirely audible to Ansh.
"So that Bhai can stare at you through the rear-view mirror and you guys can romance through your eyes the whole ride?"
Niyati's jaw dropped in complete shock.
"Diya!"
"No chance," Diya declared, pointing sternly toward the back of the car. "I'm still a kid. I'll just rest in the back."
She opened the rear door and climbed inside before either of them could utter another word.
"See? Problem solved!"
Ansh looked at Niyati, and Niyati looked back at Ansh.
Both tried desperately to maintain serious, composed expressions, but they failed miserably. A quiet, breathless chuckle escaped them both at the same time.
From the back seat, Diya leaned forward between the headrests.
"Don't laugh!"
That only made them laugh harder.
Niyati finally shook her head in fond resignation and got into the front passenger seat. Ansh closed the door gently for her before walking around to the driver's side.
As he turned the key and the engine came to life, Diya sank comfortably into the backseat.
"Okay, Bhai. Surprise us."
"That's the plan," Ansh replied, shifting into gear.
Niyati glanced sideways at him, her eyes shining.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see."
"Why is everyone keeping secrets today?" she grumbled playfully.
Ansh offered a devastatingly handsome smirk.
"Because you ask too many questions."
She rolled her eyes, hiding her smile.
"Whatever."
As Ansh pulled the car onto the main Delhi road, a wonderful sense of freedom washed over them. For the first time in weeks, none of them held a textbook in their hands. There was no revision schedule waiting, no exam timetable ticking down, and no panic over the next difficult paper.
It was just the three of them, driving through the bustling city streets with nowhere they urgently needed to be.
Ansh took them first to a warm, vibrant restaurant-not overly formal, but lively enough that they could sit together, eat delicious food, and leave all their academic stress at the door.
Diya immediately took charge of the menu, ordering enough food to feed a small family.
Niyati stared in disbelief as dish after dish arrived at their table.
"Diya..."
"What?" Diya asked, dipping a piece of naan into the curry.
"How much are you planning to eat?"
Diya put on her most innocent face.
"I'm celebrating!"
Ansh laughed, placing another serving onto Diya's plate.
"Let her eat, Niyati."
"You're encouraging her!" Niyati protested with a laugh.
"She survived her finals."
"So did I!"
"Then order more," Ansh replied smoothly, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Niyati shook her head, her heart light and full.
"Both of you are completely impossible."
Dinner seamlessly turned into an endless, warm conversation. They touched upon their exam papers briefly, but before they could spiral into detailed analysis, Ansh held up a hand.
"No exam discussions allowed."
Diya looked playfully offended.
"Why?!"
"Because tonight is an official exam-free zone."
"Deal!" Diya agreed instantly.
And just like that, the conversation shifted to everything else under the sun-college gossip, funny incidents from Ansh's corporate office, hilarious hostel moments, Diya's dramatic plans for the upcoming semester break, and Niyati's terrible habit of studying until she completely forgot to eat.
Every now and then, Niyati caught Ansh watching her across the table. There was something undeniably different in his dark eyes-something far softer, richer, and deeply tender.
He had missed this so intensely: seeing her laugh without restraint, hearing her talk without a trace of fatigue in her voice, and having her sitting close to him without a mountain of textbooks keeping them apart.
And judging by the satisfied, content smile resting on his lips, seeing his sister this happy meant the world to him too.