We were wating outside the student mess wating for our meal to be ready talking silly things and passing comments on the girls in our class. you know the usual boys stuff when we have nothing to do.

"Bro, Meena is really hot!"

Amit nodded and said, "But she is out of your league, and the most important thing is that she is a professor!" He said this with his eyes wide open.

"Yeah, I know that, bro, but which book says we cannot love our professor?"

We both burst into laughter.

"So, what's your plan to get her?" Amit asked, winking at me.

"No plan yet, man, but let's see if I can get closer to her anyway," I smiled.

"Wait, are you serious about this?" he asked.

"Yes, I am damn serious," I said, looking at the mess to see if our meal was ready.

He shook his head, thinking I had lost my mind.

"There she is," Amit said.

I looked across the road and saw Meena rushing somewhere. "Where is she going in such a hurry?" I asked him.

"No idea," he replied.

"Come on, let's find out," I said.

"Are you mad or what? We need to eat; we've already paid," he said.

"Yes, I know, but look, she's going into that restaurant. Let's eat there today."

"Are you serious? We don't have enough money for that." He grabbed my hand and tried to pull me back.

"No, bro, this is a chance to get closer to her. Come on, we're eating in that restaurant today." I grabbed his hand and almost pulled him along. We started walking towards the restaurant.

"You said you don't have money, and our coupons are wasted. What are you thinking?" he said, sounding irritated.

"Don't worry, I'll figure something out. And don't worry about the coupons; we'll use them tomorrow," I assured him.

We were at the door of the restaurant within a minute. I took a deep breath, not because I had no money, but because I wanted to talk to Meena face-to-face. Today was my chance to get closer to her, and I wasn't going to let it slip away. No way!

I entered the restaurant; it was mostly empty since it was afternoon. The receptionist greeted us.

"Good afternoon," I replied with a smile and a loud tone so Meena could hear me too.

"Oh, Ravi," she called my name. I turned and pretended not to know she was sitting there.

"Hello, ma'am. Are you eating in the restaurant today? How come?" I asked as I walked toward her, trying to hide my anxiety.

"What are you doing?" Amit mumbled behind me. I was standing near her table, and Amit was behind me.

"How come you two are here in the restaurant, unlike all the other students eating in the student mess?"

"We eat here often, madam," I said.

"Not often, sometimes," Amit mumbled, but Meena heard him and smiled.

"You eat here daily?" I asked her.

"No, not really. Sit down; why are you standing?" she said.

I sat down in the seat across from her, and Amit joined me. We ordered two meals.

Amit was nervous as hell. I rested my hand on his lap and tapped it to reassure him that nothing was going to happen; just relax. I had never seen her this close before. She was truly beautiful. My thoughts began to race. Her lips were moving, but I was too focused on her to pay much attention to what she was saying. Her curves were clearly visible as she was seated. I must admit, I got a little excited at that moment, but I controlled myself and focused on the conversation.

"So, how come you're eating at the restaurant today and didn't bring your tiffin?" I asked her.

"No, I usually bring my tiffin, but there's been a problem recently," she said in a somewhat tense tone.

"What problem?" I asked.

"Nothing serious, but you know... umm... anyway, forget about it. I don't want you guys to worry about my problem; you should eat."

"No, madam, tell me. I'll definitely help you out," I said. I knew it was a bold statement before even knowing the problem, but I was eager to get closer to her.

Our food arrived. I adjusted the plate and looked at her, waiting for her to share her problem. Amit had already started eating. I smiled at him, knowing he simply couldn't control his hunger. He stopped and raised his eyebrow, asking me what was going on. I nodded.

"It's nothing serious," she said. "Actually, my maid isn't working for me anymore, so I have to handle all the cleaning, washing, and cooking myself. I'm not complaining, but with your early classes, I have to get up really early to get everything done and be ready."

"Oh, I see. Well, that's definitely a problem but not as serious as you might think. I'd say it's more about having extra work than a real problem," I said with a smile.

"No, you're right; I can handle this level of work. But the main problem is that my landlord has asked me to vacate the bungalow by the end of this month. I only have one week left to find a new place. I have no idea how I'm going to manage it. I don't even know where to start looking for a good house."

Meena was new to the area and had hardly interacted with anyone outside of the college. I sensed she really needed help, so I decided we should assist her.

"Oh, is that it? Is this what's troubling you, ma'am?" I asked.

"Yes, don't you see this as a big problem?" she replied.

"No, not at all. Just stay relaxed—I can help you find a new home. I know this area very well, and we'll definitely get you a new place within the next week," I assured her. I then looked at Amit, who was focused on eating. He nodded and added, "Yes, ma'am, don't worry. We'll sort this out." He then let out a loud burp, which made me close my eyes and smile.

"He's right! That's a sign to stay calm!" We all laughed!

"Well, Ravi, that's really nice of you. You're such a sweet person. I'm sorry about all the scolding in the classroom—don't take it personally," she said to me.

"No, ma'am, that's fine. I didn't take anything personally. After all, you're a professor, and it's your job to make sure we study well and do well in exams so we can get into good places and have a successful job and life," I said in one breath, both excited and frustrated. Amit looked at me like I was crazy.

Meena laughed, and we joined her.

She finished her meal and went towards the wash basin. I watched her from behind, admiring her backless blouse and her figure, and mumbled, "Man, what a beauty!"

"Come on, man, seriously? At least while eating, you could focus on the food!" Amit said, sipping his water.

"You eat; I'm done," I said, leaving half of my plate unfinished as I rushed towards the washbasin to get more time to talk to her. I started washing my hands next to her.

"So, why did your landlord ask you to leave?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he wants to move his relatives in, so he asked me to leave. But at least he should have given me some notice, right?" She shook her head, adding, "Such stupid people."

I nodded. "Anyway, there's no point dwelling on it," I said.

"Yes, that's true," she agreed.

"So, what kind of place are you looking for?" I asked, playing the role of a real estate broker.

"Not too big, just a 1BHK flat would be fine."

"There are very few flats in this village," I said.

"Yes, I know. See if you can find any affordable bungalow," she said. "But I need a quiet place. I'm very fond of calmness and peace, and I have a reading habit, so find a place that suits those needs." She smiled.

"Definitely, ma'am. I'll try my best," I assured her. I couldn't help but notice her blouse and the skin visible around her waist.

She quickly adjusted her saree. I bit my tongue and told myself, Behave, Ravi.

She smiled and said, "Thank you so much, Ravi. You have no idea how much I was worried about this. Now, with your assurance, a big burden has been lifted from my shoulders." She smiled again, locking eyes with me for a couple of seconds.

"No worries," I said, smiling back.

She said, "Alright, see you guys in class on Monday. I guess I know you two bunk a lot of lectures, especially after lunch." She looked at me and Amit, who was still at the table finishing his lunch.

She went to the reception counter to pay, and I went to my table, smiling and giving Amit a high five, which Meena noticed and smiled at. She sensed something was up but chose to ignore it, saying, "I've paid your bill. Alright, boys, see you!"

"Thanks, ma'am. Bye," we both said.

I sat down next to Amit, let my body relax, and let out a big sigh

"What was that?" Amit asked, laughing.

"What?" I said.

"You're being a real estate broker," he added, laughing.

"Shut up, bro. You have no idea what I'm about to break into," I winked at him.

We both ended up in a long, hearty laugh.

"So, how are you going to find the place? I mean, what's your plan?" Amit asked.

"Well, I'll figure it out. Just stay free tomorrow because we'll need to do a lot of searching," I said as we both walked out of the restaurant.