Aarohi was sitting next to Reyansh's hospital bed, holding his hand tightly. Her tears were just not stopping. She had never been so scared in her life. Reyansh was lying on the bed with a white bandage on his forehead and his right hand was covered in a heavy plaster. He was looking at her face continuously, even in pain, his eyes had a strange peace because Aarohi was finally beside him.
The doctor entered the room with a file in his hand. He checked Reyansh's reports and said with a smile, "He is completely fine now. It was a minor accident because of over-speeding. There is a small injury on the forehead and a fracture in the right hand. He needs complete bed rest for one week. You all can take him home this evening."
After listening to the doctor, Aarohi finally took a deep breath. Her heart, which was beating so fast, became a little calm. She looked at Reyansh with angry eyes.
"See, I told you so many times not to ride your bike so fast. You never listen to anyone. You think you are the king of the road. You are really a devil, Reyansh. A complete devil," Aarohi said, but her scolding had so much care and love in it.
Reyansh smiled even in that pain. His voice was low, "Yes, I am a devil. But you know what, this devil only listens to you. Only you. If you say, I will never touch my bike again. I promise. I will sell it tomorrow itself."
Aarohi took out her dupatta and very softly cleaned the sweat from his forehead. This was the first time she was so close to Reyansh. She could feel his fast heartbeat. Reyansh could also feel her care. He had never seen Aarohi caring so much for him. In college, she always used to fight with him, but today her eyes had only love and worry for him.
In the evening, Reyansh got discharged. His father, Mr. Malhotra, who is a very big businessman in Indore, came to pick him up. He was very worried for his son. Aarohi and Neha also came out with them till the parking lot.
Reyansh's father looked at Aarohi and said, "Beta, thank you so much. When Reyansh was in pain and semi-conscious, he was only taking your name. Aarohi... Aarohi... I asked him who is Aarohi, he said my friend is my everything."
Aarohi became very shy after listening to this. Her cheeks became red. "No uncle, it's nothing like that. He is my friend, that's why I came."
Reyansh, who was sitting in the car, looked at her and whispered so that only she could hear, "Only friend? Are you sure?"
Aarohi ignored him and turned her face away, but she was smiling inside.
For the next one week, Reyansh did not come to college. The doctor had given him strict bed rest. And this one week was the most difficult one week for Aarohi.
She realized that college felt completely empty without Reyansh. No one was there to wait for her at the main gate every morning. No one was there to secretly carry her heavy books from the library to the classroom. No one was there to get jealous when she talked to Sameer. No one was there to look at her from the last bench.
The college, which she used to find annoying because of Reyansh, was now boring without him.
She was checking her phone again and again, every ten minutes, to see if Reyansh had messaged her. But Reyansh did not message because his right hand was fractured and he could not type with his left hand. He tried many times, but he could only type one or two words. He was also getting restless at home, thinking about Aarohi.
On the 5th day, Aarohi could not control herself anymore. After college, she went to Neha and said, "Neha, let's go to Reyansh's house. I want to see if he is okay or not. He is not replying to messages. I am very tense."
Neha started laughing, "Oh my God! Finally you accepted it. You love him, Aarohi. You love our devil."
"No! It's not love. He is my friend and he got injured because of me. I scolded him in the dance room that day, that's why he was driving fast. It's my fault," Aarohi said, making an excuse.
Reyansh's house was very big. It was Malhotra Mansion. There were big guards at the gate and a big garden inside. Aarohi was very nervous to enter such a big house. She was from a middle-class family.
The door was opened by Reyansh's mother. She was a very sweet lady. She was very happy to see Aarohi. "Are you Aarohi? Oh beta, come inside. Reyansh talks about you a lot. He has kept your photo as his phone wallpaper. I was dying to meet you."
Aarohi became even more shy and her face became completely red.
In Reyansh's room, Reyansh was lying on his bed, wearing a white kurta pajama. He was looking at the ceiling and thinking about Aarohi. When he saw Aarohi standing at his door, he was completely shocked. He tried to sit up quickly, but because of his fractured hand, he felt a sharp pain.
"Ahh," he shouted in pain.
Aarohi ran to him immediately, "Slowly! Why are you in such a hurry? I am not going anywhere. I am here only."
She sat beside him on the bed and supported his back with a pillow. Neha understood the situation and said intelligently, "I will wait outside with aunty. You both talk." And she went outside and closed the door.
Now only Aarohi and Reyansh were in the room. There was complete silence. Only the sound of the AC was coming.
Aarohi said angrily, "Why didn't you message me? I was so worried. I thought you forgot me. I was checking my phone the whole day. Do you know how much I missed you in college?"
Reyansh showed his fractured hand and made a cute innocent face, "How can I message with this hand, my devil girl? I tried with my left hand but I couldn't type properly. I was waiting for you to come. I knew my Aarohi would definitely come. My heart was saying you love me so much that you will come yourself."
Aarohi held his fractured hand very softly, with a lot of care, "Does it pain a lot? Should I call aunty?"
Reyansh said, "Not now. When you are holding it, all the pain goes away. Your touch is my medicine."
Aarohi smiled and her cheeks became red like a tomato.
Then Reyansh took a deep breath and decided to say everything that was in his heart for one year. "Aarohi, that day you called me devil in the dance room, in front of everyone. I was very hurt. I left the room in anger and then my accident happened. But when I was lying on the hospital bed, I thought about it. You were right. I was behaving like a possessive devil. I used to hold Sameer's collar, I used to get jealous."
"But I did all that because I love you, Aarohi. I love you from the first year. The first time I saw you in the library, when you were trying to find a book and your braid was falling again and again on your face, I fell in love with you at that very moment."
Aarohi's heartbeat became very fast. She wanted to listen to him, but she also wanted to run away because she was very shy.
Reyansh continued, "I know you only see me as a friend. But I cannot be just your friend anymore. It hurts me a lot to see you with Sameer, to see you laughing with him. So please tell me clearly today, do you have any feelings for me? Even 1%? Do you like me even a little bit?"
Aarohi was silent for two full minutes. She was looking down, playing with her dupatta. Her hands were shaking.
Then she said very slowly, in a low voice, "Reyansh, I don't know what love is. I have never thought about any boy like this before. But I know one thing. When I heard about your accident, my heart stopped. I could not breathe. I cried the whole night. I came running to the hospital without even thinking. When you did not come to college for five days, I missed you a lot. College was like a jail without you. Is this love? You tell me, is this love?"
Reyansh's eyes became bright with happiness. He held her hand tightly, "Yes, my stupid girl. This is love. This is love. You also love me. You love me as much as I love you."
Aarohi said, "But I need time. And you have to promise me one thing. You will never become that jealous devil again. You will trust me. You will not fight with anyone because of me."
Reyansh promised instantly, "I promise, Aarohi. From today, I will become your angel, not your devil. But only if you give me one chance to be your boyfriend. Just one chance. I will prove that I can be the best boyfriend in the world."
Aarohi smiled and said, "Okay, one chance. But remember, if you again hold anyone's collar, your chance will be cancelled. And I will never talk to you again."
Reyansh laughed loudly, "Deal. Final deal."
Just then Neha came inside the room. She saw them holding hands and she shouted loudly, "Oh my god! Finally! My favorite My Devil Love story became successful! I was waiting for this day for one year!"
Both Aarohi and Reyansh started laughing.
The next day, Aarohi helped Reyansh to come to college. Reyansh's hand was still in plaster, so Aarohi was carrying his bag. Everyone in the college was shocked to see them. The most arrogant boy of the college was being taken care of by a simple middle-class girl, and he was looking at her like she is his whole world.
Sameer also saw them. He understood that he has lost his chance. He came to Aarohi and said with a smile, "Congratulations Aarohi. Take care of him. He is a good guy, just a little angry."
Aarohi said thank you to Sameer.
In the canteen, Reyansh was sitting and Aarohi was feeding him with her own hands because his hand was fractured and he could not eat. All the girls in the college were jealous of Aarohi. They were thinking how lucky she is.
Aarohi whispered to Reyansh, "See, everyone is looking at us. I am feeling shy."
Reyansh whispered back, "Let them look. Let the whole world see. My devil has finally got his angel. I want everyone to know that you are mine and I am yours."
Aarohi blushed.
But their love story was not so easy. This was just the beginning. Reyansh's father was a very strict businessman. He had already chosen a rich businessman's daughter for Reyansh. He wanted Reyansh to marry her to expand his business. He wanted a rich daughter-in-law, not a middle-class girl like Aarohi.
What will happen when Reyansh's father comes to know about Aarohi? Will he accept Aarohi? Or will he try to separate them?
Will Reyansh go against his father for Aarohi?
To know what happens next, read Part 5 - Family Drama and Father's Anger.
