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The masked girl(Chapter 9: Dev and a girl?!)
Both of them go downstairs and describe their 'lockdown' to grandpa, Mallika and Sumitra. Both of them wanted to attend their respective classes and coaching post lunch. Priya had already left for college in the morning with Ajay. Dev drops Anu at the college and since there was half an hour left for her class to begin, both of them sit in the canteen to enjoy coffee.

Almost everyone in the college were talking about this. Dev was known for his attitude, specially towards girls. He would respect them but would never flirt with any. If any of the girls try, his answers would definitely make them say, "This guy is full of attitude…". Everyone was speaking about Anu and Dev as she was the first girl with whom he was peacefully sitting in the canteen and enjoying coffee with a smile. This scenario shocked many including the professors.

The news reached Maya, a girl madly in love with Dev. Though she was the most beautiful girl of the college, and Dev's father business relative's daughter, Dev never cared to take a look at her. Almost every male student of the college had proposed to her and she rejected everyone. She was only behind Dev. He had become an obsession whom she wanted to possess as he had rejected her proposal n times. Maya rushes towards the canteen in fury.

Dev just then receives a message: 'Alert: Maya on the way to canteen.'

This was sent by Ajay who had just come across her. Dev immediately sends Anu away as he was sure that Maya was coming to create a scene there. He didn't want Maya to see Anu. Dev also calls up his project group and asks them meet him in a while at their regular place and gets out of the canteen.
He goes to the library as he would safely be able to escape from Maya there.

As Dev walks out from the library with a few books issued, Maya stops him. She starts asking him 1001 questions about the girl with whom he was spotted. He just cut her words and says, "Keep your question bank with you, Maya. I neither have the time nor the necessity to answer you" and walked away. She fumingly says to herself, "Let me also see.. How long you manage to hide that girl from me…." and left.

Dev discusses his project with his team and leaves for the academy for practice.

Anu, Priya and Ajay's classes had got over. Priya and Ajay were going to the temple as Priya had to sing after the mahaarthi every Friday. They ask Anu to accompany them. But since Anu was having severe headache, she refuses. They drop her at Dev's boxing academy and leave for the temple.

She makes an entry in the registry that she was here for Dev, shocking the watchman as no girl, other than Priya would come for him. She goes in and sees Dev practice. He initially dosen't notice her but smiles at her upon doing so. This shocks his friends. Anu enjoys watching him practice but observes other people around watching her with weird expressions and talking about her. She slowly gets lost in thoughts as of why everyone looking so weirdly at her in the college and in the academy and begins to recollect everyone's expressions and behavior towards her.

Dev shaking her brought her back to reality. "Where are you lost Anu?" asked he. "Nothing yaar.. Shall we leave?" asked she. "5 minutes… I will change, speak to the coach and come" said he with a smile. As she nodded her head in yes, he left.

More than 15 minutes past, Dev was still with the coach. She could see something serious between them as Dev was trying to convince the coach on something and he was completely unconvinced of it. Suddenly a girl comes, sits beside her and says, "Hey hi! I'm Keerthi! Waiting for Dev?" Anu nodded her head in yes. "How do you know him?"

Before Anu could answer the question, Dev interrupts, "You needn't answer everyone. Let's go." He just holds her by her arm and takes her away with serious expressions. She loves this feeling of Dev being protective of her and it automatically brings a smile on her face.

© Radha