(Rose- A Fictional Forbidden Romance Story) <<Part-1>>
When Rose arrived at the computer lab, Aarav immediately got up from his cabin and went back to the lab.
Rose was sitting on the computer running her program. When she saw Aarav coming, she left the chair to stand up. Aarav sat on the chair behind his deskand went straight to checking the program's settings using the computer's keyboard.
After writing commands on the computer for a moment, the program started running, thenAarav finally ran it. Rose was happy to see the program running. A glow of happiness took to her face; she said, "Thank you, sir."
Aarav replied - "Okay, now practice."
After Aarav told her, he turned to walk back to his desk, when Rose called out to him again, and said, "Sir, I want to buy a new laptop to practice the project. I don't know anyone in this town who sells laptops. If you know any good shops, then please tell me. My papa will make the payment online from home."
Aaravreplied - "I know you can find good ones at the market, go there and you can buy one from any shop."
Rose answered - "No sir, if you know someone who personally sells laptops, then tell me. If I can get a little discount, then it should be fine."
Aarav - "Okay, write down this address, go there and get a catalogue first, don’t just buy any one you see. I will see and let you know."
"Okay, sir..." - Rose said, writing the address he gave her in her notebook.
AfterRose finished writing the address, Aarav went to his office.
When Aarav returned to the office, Debu, and Mayank were already sitting in the office. They were looking at Aarav and Rose's conversation through the mirror.
Mayank, sitting on the chair, said - "Hey brother Man Aarav ji, what did you write on the paper? Have you been writing a love letter?"
When Mayank said this, Debu laughed and supported him.
Aarav - "Hey brother, she has to buy a laptop, and she was asking for the address. She was just writing it down.”
He sat in his chair, without paying much attention, Aaravhad spoken with a serious expression.
Mayank and Debu saw that Aarav was serious, they stopped smiling and became quiet.
The cabin had finally created a quiet atmosphere when the intercom telephone on the table rang.
When Aarav heard the telephone ringing, he put his finger on his lips and signaled Debu and Mayank to be quiet. Who knew, the call could be from the director.
When Debu and Mayank saw Aarav's gesture, they sat quietly like stone idols.
Aarav picked up the phone and said, "Hello."
-"Hello, Aarav," Arora Sahib was speaking from the other end.
When Aarav heard Arora Sahib on the phone, he sat down and said, " Yes Sir…"
Arora Saheb - "Son, will you come to my office at once?"
"Ok sir, I'll be right now," Aaravanswered as he stood up from his chair.
When Aarav pulled a serious face, Mayank and Debu also asked, "What happened, who called?"
"Hey Arora Sahib called me to his office," Aarav said as he walked.
"Did they hear our laughter from their office?" Mayank said with a serious expression, Mayank and Debu looked worried.
"I don't know, I'll go and see," Aarav told them while walking out of the office cabin door.
Taking his diary and pen, Aaravwent towards Arora Sahab's cabin.
"May I come in, sir?" Aaravsaid as he opened the door of Arora Sahab's cabin.
Arora Sahab was sitting at his computer doing some work. He turned around and looked over his glasses with a concerned expression in his eyes. "Son, an application has been received from the Girl's and Boy's Hostel for the department."
When Aarav heard the name of the application, a frown appeared on his forehead. Sitting down in the chair, he asked, "What is the application about, sir?"
Arora Saheb picked up the application placed on the table and explained, "Son, our college campus is far from the city. The mobile signal is also weak, causing problems in running the internet on mobile. Therefore, the hostel children have requested permission to use the lab in the evening to access the internet to complete their projects."
"So, sir, what should we do about this?" Aarav asked, deep in thought.
Arora Saheb responded, "Son, I am getting older and my health is not good. I get cold at night, so I want you to take charge of the computer department in the evening. A guest room in the girls' hostel has been vacated for you, where you can stay for the night."
Aarav looked into Arora Sahib's kind eyes and agreed, "Ok, sir, as you say."
Arora Saheb smiled with some happiness, "Okay then. You will start night shift duty from tomorrow."
Aarav accepted the sudden responsibility, "Yes, sir."
He picked up his diary and pen, walking towards his cabin as he stood up from his chair.
Arora Saheb sighed in relief as the problem was resolved. He turned back to his computer, relaxed and focused on his work.
~~~~~~~
Next day when it was morning in the girls' hostel, Rose was sleeping on the small single bed in her tiny room. Her friend Himani also slept on a small single bed nearby.
Rose and Himani's room also had all the facilities. There was cool AC air in the room, a separate washroom, and the room was well lit. There were two large cupboards, a table, and a chair for studying.
In addition, a statue of Lord Kirshna ji was placed on a large stool-like table in one corner of the room, always smiling dimly while playing his basuri. Rose used to worship Kirshna ji every day before heading to college to seek his blessings.
When Himani saw the morning, she got up from her bed and shook Rose, who was sleeping nearby, and said, "Hey, how long are you going to sleep? It's morning. Don't you want to get up? It's late. Get up and go to college."
-"No, I don’t have college today and first I need to go to the market. I need to do a project, so I want to purchase a laptop. Let's check that out first," Rose said to Himani lazily.
After some time, the sun had risen quite high. Rose opened her lazy eyes and sat startled. As soon as she sat down, she said to Himani, "Oh, you didn't wake up. It's too late.
"Hey, I already woke up, but you said you don’t have college today. We will go to the market," Himani replied.
"Okay, let's get ready quickly," picking up her towel and walking towards the washroom, Rose said.
After a while, she came out of the washroom, getting dressed, she started getting ready to go to the market.
After getting dressed, she burned some incense sticks, then worshipped Lord Kirshna ji, took her blessings, and stood up to go to breakfast in the mess. By then, Himani also came ready and both friends went to the café for breakfast.
After having breakfast at the café, both friends sat in the Himani’s car in front of the college and went to the market.
After walking for a while, they went to the shop Aaravhad told Rose about and asked about the catalog with the selection of laptops and their prices.
After spending some time at the laptop shop, they did more shopping in the market and then returned home in the evening, taking Himani’s car back to their dormitory.
Upon reaching the dormitory, Rose placed the laptop catalog and price list on the table and freshened up a bit.
After resting for a while, the two friends went for a walk on the college campus in the fading twilight of the evening.
~~~~~~~
When morning came the next day, Rose arrived at the college with her books and the catalogue of laptops. She reached the computer lab and turned on the computer.
After working on the computer for a while, she walked towards Aarav's cabin to show him the catalog and price list of her laptop. She reached the cabin with the catalog and price list in her hand.
Rose opened the cabin door and went inside. But Aarav was not in his seat. Debu and Mayank were sitting inside. As soon as she opened the door, Rose asked - "May I come in, sir?"
Mayank and Debu saw Rose at the door then Mayank said - "Yes, tell me what is the work?"
When Rose did not find Aaravbehind his desk, at first, she was surprised but still opened the door and went inside and stood in front of the table and said to Mayank - "Sir, I had to show these catalogues of laptops to Aarav sir. Where is Aarav sir?"
-"Show me what it is?" - Mayank, sitting on the other side of the table, extended his hand and said.
Rose gave the catalogue and price list to Mayank. Mayank looked back and forth at the list and the catalogue and said - "Which laptop do you want to take?"
Rose replied - "Sir, only Aarav sir can tell me which one I can take. I don't know much about laptops."
Rose said, turning her restless eyes around the cabin.
-"But Aarav sir is not there?" - Mayank said with a sad face.
When Rose heard this, her heart also became as restless as her eyes. Through the glass all around, her restless eyes started searching for Aarav. Her heartbeat also quickened suddenly. Eagerly she said -
"Does that mean Aarav Sir is on vacation today?"
Mayank said with a smile and the intention of sipping something, "Oh no, he has left the college. He resigned yesterday. He was saying that he would join a college in Delhi."
When Rose heard this, her body started sweating. She felt as if she had no energy in her feet.
"Why did sir go away so suddenly? He didn't tell anyone anything?"
Mayank, sitting in front of him, was looking at Rose's face. The color of his face had flown away. Looking at him, he said, "He said, everyone in the department knows, why would he tell you before leaving?"
Rose now seemed to have come to her senses. At this time, his throat was going dry. Swallowing some spit from his throat, exhaling a long sigh, she said, "Ok sir, give me back the catalogue, please."
Mayank asked, "Don't want to take a laptop now?"
Rose replied, "No, I'll see later."
Mayank gave the laptop catalog and price list to Rose. At this time, Rose's mouth was hanging and she looked like she would start crying.
Rose took the catalog from Mayank's hands and with her broken, frustrated steps, she walked back to the computer lab.
When Rose came out of the cabin door, Mayank hit his palm on Debu's palm, laughed loudly, and said, "Now see what will happen Debu?"
Rose came with her broken steps and sat at her computer in the lab. She also threw away the laptop catalog. Then, her mind could not focus on studies, she also left her project on the computer incomplete.
Picking up her books, she walked towards the dormitory. Himani saw Rose get up from the middle of the class and going like this, then said, "Hey, where are you going? In this way, from the middle of the class."
Rose replied, "No, I am not feeling well." Making her mouth bitter, Rose left the lab.
She came to the hostel alone. While climbing the stairs, she opened the lock of her room. She threw her books on the table and fell down like a dead body, with a broken heart, bending on her knees on the ground with her forehead at the feet of the statue of Thakurji (Shri Krishna ji) placed on the stool in front of her. Two tears fell from his stone-like eyes and flowed down his soft face.
~~~~~
In the evening, when the college class was over. Himani also reached her dormitory room with tired steps and her books. She went and saw Rose lying wrapped in a blanket on her bed. She put her books on the table and went to the washroom to freshen up.
After a while, when she came out of the washroom, she dried her face with a towel and said, "Hey, why did you come early from class today? Sir had a lot of work."
But Rose did not respond. She just lay back underneath her blanket with her eyes closed.
When Himani saw that Rose was not responding, she shook her and said, "Are you listening or asleep?"
At this, Rose turned onto her side and said in a dull voice, "Yes, I had a headache today, so I came back a little early." Rose said that and lay on the bed facing the other side.
Seeing the lack of enthusiasm in talking to Rose, Himani also became silent. She let out a few long breaths, standing by the bed, and opened the window panes outwards.
Rose and Himani's room were on the first floor. Himani looked down from the window and saw a car in front of the guest room quarters with some luggage placed on it. When Himani looked at the car, she furrowed her brow and said, "Hey, has someone come to stay in the guest room quarters?"
When Rose heard this, she didn't say anything. She hid her face in a blanket and didn't feel like talking.
But Himani, standing near the window, was closely watching the movement in front of the guest room quarters. When the car stopped, the driver got down from one side, wearing the college driver's uniform. The car seemed to belong to the college.
But when Himani saw the person descending from the other side, she was taken aback. The person getting out from the other side was Aarav Sir, with his luggage in the college car because he had to start his night shift duty from that day.
Himani said with shock - "Hey, it seems like Aarav Sir."
(Rose, wrapped in her blanket, perked herself up upon hearing Aarav's name. The dormant strings of the veena in her heart, which had been silent like dead bodies moments ago, came to life when she heard Aarav's name. They sang out like valiant warriors, playing a joyful melody loudly. As the sweet music danced in her mind's harp strings, her sluggish body parts bloomed like flowers, filling Rose's withered heart with happiness.)
She leaped up like a deer, leaving her bed and heading towards the window.
Upon seeing her approach, Himani made room for her to look out the window and pointed towards the guest room quarter, saying, "Look, doesn’t he resemble Aarav sir?"
Rose gazed out the window at the guest room quarters, studying the figure standing far away like a jeweler, and confirmed, "Oh yes, he is Aarav sir."
"But why has he come?" Rose asked, trying to conceal her excitement.
"I don't know, he arrived unexpectedly," Himani replied, a puzzled expression on her face.
"Let's go and find out," Rose said with a happy squirm, her face aglow.
She entered the washroom, saying, "I'll wash my face, then we can go."
After washing her face, Rose and Himani picked up their mobile phones and proceeded downstairs towards the guest room quarters.
~~~~~
When both friends reached the guest room quarters, they saw Aarav standing. Two college attendants were unloading his belongings from the car and keeping them in the guest room.
Rose saw Aarav, then she reached Aarav with a happy heart and said, "Sir, you have left the college. But now you’re here, how come?"
When Aarav heard Rose's question, he looked at Rose with questioning eyes and said, "I didn't go anywhere. Who told you I'm gone?"
When Rose heard this question of Aarav, she was stunned and after thinking about something, said, "Sir, I went to your cabin. There was another professor sitting there who told me that you have left the college."
When Aarav heard this, it did not take him long to understand that it must have been some prank by Debu or Mayank.
Aarav said, "He must be telling you spontaneously or talking about some joke. I have never told anyone that I am leaving."
When Rose heard this from Aarav, smiling happily and looking at the car, said, "Sir, is this stuff yours?"
Aarav, "Yes, it's mine and I'll be staying in the guest room quarters now."
When Rose heard this, her heart reached the seventh heaven with happiness. Concealing her joy, she took Himani's hand and said, "Sir, can we see the guest room quarters from inside?"
Aarav said, "Yes, why not? Let's see."
Aarav first walked inside the guest room quarters and then Rose and Himani followed Aarav like butterflies.
When Aarav reached inside the quarters, he said, "Look, this is the drawing room. There are two rooms. There is also a sofa and a bed. All the stuff is from the college."
Aarav was still looking around when Rose looked at Aarav with interested eyes and said, "Sir, will you be staying here alone tonight? When will your wife come?"
On this, Himaniput her hand on Rose and said in a muffled voice, "Are you crazy? Sir is not married yet."
Aarav did not answer Rose's question. He just smiled lightly and looked at his luggage which the office boys were bringing into the guest room.
When Rose saw that Aarav did not say anything, she teasingly asked another question, "Sir, for how many days will you stay here?"
Aarav had to answer then. He looked at Rose and said, "I'll stay for a few days. There is night duty and now all the girls in the dormitory have to go to the computer lab from here, so I will stay with them."
Rose heard in her mind. Four wings were attached, and she started dancing happily.
Hiding her joy, she said, "Sir, I have been thinking of downloading the project from the internet for many days. But in the evening, the internet does not work somewhere in college. Then from where should I download the project?"
Aarav said, "Now the computer department will be open every evening till 12:00 o'clock in the night. From 6:00-9:00 PM, timings are for girls, and from 9:00 PM-12:00 night, the department will remain open for boys."
As Aarav informed the girls on the timings,both the office boys had kept everything in the quarters. Both came and said to Aarav, "Sir, everything has been moved to your room. Let us know if you need anything else?"
When Aarav saw the luggage, he said to the boys, "Okay, now you guys go. If there is some work, I will call you."
The two boys left. As soon as they left, Rose also said, "We should go too,” and she also started walking towards her room with Himani.
When both friends were about to go towards their room, Aarav called from behind and said, "Listen girls, just come here."
When they heard Aarav's voice, both friends stopped.
After this, Aarav came to them with a notice in his hand and said, "Take this notice and put it on the notice board in the common room of the girls' hostel. These are the timings of the computer department. Evening internet classes will work accordingly."
Rose took the notice from Aarav and said, "Ok sir, we will put it on the notice board." Saying this, both friends went towards the hostel.
Aarav also went towards the washroom to change his clothes and freshen up!
To Be continued…
