The Fourth Dimension

Chapter 6

When Ansh came out of his house the next day, Roli was waiting for him in the corridor. "Are you not getting late for school?" He asked her.

"I am. But I needed to see you first." She said. She stepped closer and opened her wallet which she was holding in her hand all along. She took out a couple of Rs.500 notes and thrust them into Ansh's hand.

"You needed money for your service, right? Here it is." She said, meanly.

Ansh looked at the money. "What nonsense is this, Roli?"

"So you were saying your help is not free and all. So this is the fee for your tuition. If it's not enough, I can ask mom for more money and give you."

"Roli, come on. Did I ever ask for money from you? Take it back."

"No," Roli folded her hands.

"Roli, come on..."

"Have a nice day, Ansh..." She turned to go. Ansh caught her hand and turned her around. He thrust the money back into her hands. "I cannot take money from you."

"You have to."

"Why are you being so unreasonable?"

"Why are you being such a jerk?" There were traces of tears in her eyes. Ansh looked into those eyes, and he could not hold back anymore.

He took her hand softly and placed the money on her hands. "I am sorry, Roli," he said. "I didn't mean to hurt you. But I can't say anything more right now. Some day you may understand. But for now, I am really sorry."

At this point, Roli was also confused about her feelings for Ansh. She looked into Ansh's eyes trying to find the meaning of all this. But she was not sure if she was seeing what she wanted to see or the reality. This moment was becoming something not so casual...

Ansh gave her a soft smile... "You come for the festival. I will show you around the campus and make sure Rith does not find out. Okay?" He said in a loving tone.

Roli nodded.

Rithvik was sitting with his fellow union members in a classroom. They were busy discussing the arrangements. And then Maneesh and Varun walked in. After them, Rithvik saw Dhun walk in with Gayatri and some of the female members.

Rithvik looked up at her. There was a free space near Rithvik. Dhun's eyes stayed at the empty space near Rithvik for a second. Everywhere else was almost filled. Rithvik, trying to be friendly, gave her a smile, a hesitant tentative guarded sad smile. But Dhun just turned her eyes away as if she did not even see him and went to sit in another free seat in the front row, near the Union Arts Secretary, Suraj.

Rithvik suddenly felt so bad. His eyes stayed at Dhun. Sooraj had turned to Dhun with a smile and greeted her. Rithvik watched Dhun smile at him friendly. And now she was talking with him. Rithvik's eyes were sharp on her. Varun started talking standing in the front of the class. But Rithvik's eyes did not leave from Dhun...

After the meeting was over, Dhun walked away with other members. Rithvik struggled to catch up with her. "Dhun... Dhun wait..." he caught up with her. She stopped. But she did not look pleased to have been stopped by him. She just turned to him with an apathetic expression.

"Dhun... we are okay, right?" Rithvik asked, coming to a stop in front of her. "I mean, whatever happened... has not affected our friendship, right? We are still friends?"

Dhun looked a bit annoyed. She took a second to reply. "Yeah... Yeah, we are." She said. Rithvik was so relieved.

"If that is all..." Dhun began to leave.