25-07-2025, 01:53 AM
Tuesday Afternoon – The Campus Walk (Continued)
Varnika tilted her head, that mischievous smile lingering.
“And how exactly will I pay you?”
Abhi arched an eyebrow, his tone equally soft and teasing.
“Surprise me. Something tells me you’re good at… unconventional payments.”
She bit back a grin. “Hmm. Maybe I’ll make you skip a pothole next time.”
He chuckled. “That’s not a payment, that’s torture.”
Just then, a voice called from across the courtyard.
“Varnika! Hey!”
Two girls from her batch were waving, crossing the open space toward them. One of them, with oversized glasses and a sharp tone, eyed Abhi curiously.
“Hi,” Varnika said warmly as they reached her.
The girl’s gaze flickered between Varnika and Abhi. “So… who’s this?”
Varnika didn’t hesitate.
“He’s my boyfriend,” she said, casual as a summer breeze, but with a proud little smirk that made Abhi freeze for half a second.
“Boyfriend?” the other girl repeated, grinning.
“Since when? You never told us!”
Varnika slid her arm around Abhi’s — bold, unflinching — and looked right at him.
“Since the day he stopped taking bumps on purpose,” she said with mock seriousness.
Abhi coughed, trying not to laugh.
“That’s not a very romantic origin story,” he murmured.
“It’s ours,” she replied, as if that settled it.
The two friends were all smiles and whispers. “Nice to meet you!” they said to Abhi, clearly intrigued.
He gave a polite nod, but inside, he was caught somewhere between amusement and… something else. Something warmer.
Her boyfriend.
She said it like she meant it.
After a few moments of light chatter, the friends waved and left, still giggling. Varnika turned back to Abhi, her grin widening.
“Don’t look so shocked,” she teased.
“What was I supposed to say? ‘He’s my part-time scooty driver who happens to make me smile?’”
Abhi tilted his head closer. “So I’m your boyfriend now?”
“You’re not protesting,” she shot back, her tone bold but playful. “And I don’t share my rides.”
Varnika tilted her head, that mischievous smile lingering.
“And how exactly will I pay you?”
Abhi arched an eyebrow, his tone equally soft and teasing.
“Surprise me. Something tells me you’re good at… unconventional payments.”
She bit back a grin. “Hmm. Maybe I’ll make you skip a pothole next time.”
He chuckled. “That’s not a payment, that’s torture.”
Just then, a voice called from across the courtyard.
“Varnika! Hey!”
Two girls from her batch were waving, crossing the open space toward them. One of them, with oversized glasses and a sharp tone, eyed Abhi curiously.
“Hi,” Varnika said warmly as they reached her.
The girl’s gaze flickered between Varnika and Abhi. “So… who’s this?”
Varnika didn’t hesitate.
“He’s my boyfriend,” she said, casual as a summer breeze, but with a proud little smirk that made Abhi freeze for half a second.
“Boyfriend?” the other girl repeated, grinning.
“Since when? You never told us!”
Varnika slid her arm around Abhi’s — bold, unflinching — and looked right at him.
“Since the day he stopped taking bumps on purpose,” she said with mock seriousness.
Abhi coughed, trying not to laugh.
“That’s not a very romantic origin story,” he murmured.
“It’s ours,” she replied, as if that settled it.
The two friends were all smiles and whispers. “Nice to meet you!” they said to Abhi, clearly intrigued.
He gave a polite nod, but inside, he was caught somewhere between amusement and… something else. Something warmer.
Her boyfriend.
She said it like she meant it.
After a few moments of light chatter, the friends waved and left, still giggling. Varnika turned back to Abhi, her grin widening.
“Don’t look so shocked,” she teased.
“What was I supposed to say? ‘He’s my part-time scooty driver who happens to make me smile?’”
Abhi tilted his head closer. “So I’m your boyfriend now?”
“You’re not protesting,” she shot back, her tone bold but playful. “And I don’t share my rides.”
-- oOo --
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