The next day, Rahul went to class early and sat down, eagerly waiting for Pallavi to arrive. Pallavi came in quite late, but this time, she brought a shock with him— there was a boy with her. They were talking and laughing as they walked in together. And to Rahul's surprise, they both sat down together.

Rahul was so shocked that it felt as if he had lost everything. Sitting in class, Rahul could only watch as Pallavi and that boy laughed and talked through every period. Rahul's mind was already far from studying, but now, seeing them together, he didn't even want to stay in the class. All he cared about was finding out what that boy meant to Pallavi.

Rahul messaged his friends and asked them to meet him at Bittu Bhaiya's shop. Once they all gathered there, Rahul shared everything with them. Bittu Bhaiya, too, didn’t know anything about that boy. Raj couldn’t help but tease Rahul, saying, “You were too late, bhai. If you didn’t act, someone else found their way to your ‘Bhabhi’.”

This hurt Rahul deeply. He had never felt anything like this for any other girl before; it was the first time he had experienced such intense emotions. The thought of someone else being close to Pallavi made him feel a sense of loss he couldn’t explain. Rahul, feeling dejected, went home. Raj and Harsh, unable to see their friend in pain, decided to find out who that boy was and what Pallavi thought of him. They figured that if they could learn more about him, they might be able to help Rahul. So, they made a plan to get to the bottom of it.

The next day, Rahul decided not to go to college. Raj and Harsh, seeing their friend in pain, skipped their own classes and began investigating the mystery behind that boy. After some digging, they found out that his name was Nikhil. Nikhil was the son of Mr. Mehta, a close friend of Mr. Sharma, and he frequently visited their house.

This new information sparked curiosity in Raj and Harsh. They now had a lead, and the question on their minds was, what was Nikhil's relationship with Pallavi?

After a lot of searching, it still wasn't clear what their relationship was, but from the way they spent time together, it was clear they were dating.

After college, another meeting was held at Bittu Bhaiya’s shop, where the investigation’s conclusion was shared with Rahul. They explained to him that Pallavi was dating Nikhil.

Rahul's heart broke. He had truly liked Pallavi with all his heart; he really cared for her. Rahul said, "So what if I don't get Pallavi? Just seeing her will be enough for me. Love isn't just about being together; it's about seeing her happy. If she's happy with Nikhil, then I’ll be happy just seeing her."

Raj and Harsh understood that Rahul was broken inside, and he was only saying all this to reassure them, even though deep down, they knew he was hurting.

 

From the next day, Rahul started going to class and would quietly sit on the last bench. He would glance at Pallavi, but couldn't look at her for too long. He decided to focus on his studies, determined to get a good job and live his life happily. Rahul knew deep down that he was saying all this just to calm himself.