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Chapter 15

She blurted everything out and quickly left from there, her bag clinking being the only sound apart from the fountain, which echoed in the background.

He watched her go. His mind had not processed her words yet, his heart had instantly given its verdict. She's lying. He watched her retreating figure until it was completely out of sight. Her confidence came unannounced. While he was glad that she spoke to him with such confidence, he wondered what to make of her words.

He wasn't ready to accept that she didn't feel anything, not because he wasn't forcing himself onto her, but because.... The eyes don't lie.

He was angry. More than angry, he was upset. He expected this conversation to go well. He expected her guards to break so she would finally tell him how she felt, whatever it is that she felt.

This was not what he was expecting.

———

It didn't feel like she slept for 7 hours that night. It felt more like 3 hours.

She hadn't slept a wink when she reached home. Naina spent the entire night tossing and turning, that she felt that she hadn't slept, but when she checked the time the next morning, the 10:00 on display shook her to the core.

She was late.
She's never late.

Hurriedly, she did her bathroom business, took a shower and got dressed in a simple teeshirt, which was just a few inches away from becoming a crop top, and jeans. She applied her Mina makeup and left the house, texting her friends.

Naina: Where are you guys?

Meera: We're in the study room, studying.

Ananya: Where are you, Naina? You're late?

Naina: I know. I overslept. I don't know how. I'm coming to the library right now.

Meera: Okay! Study room 13.

Keeping her phone in her pocket, she made a run for it. Well, speed walk for it. Grabbing a coffee in the way, she finally reached outside the Study Rooms.

Naina walked through the immense Study Rooms to get to her room. On the way, she hoped she didn't need to meet him again, or bump into him, or even socialize with him again.

She doesn't know how she mustered the courage to say what she did and lie straight to his face. More than that, she was a little proud of herself that he believed her lie.
So she thought.

Finally finding the room she needed, her pace increased, and she opened the door while talking, "I'm sorry I'm lat—"

Her words stopped in her mouth as she scanned the room and her eyes lay upon the one person she was avoiding.

"No worries, Naina." Rohan quickly spoke, before the tension in the room became loud.

Naina gave him a small smile, entered and closed the door as she sat down in one of the empty chairs. It was opposite him, and she found that to be the safest chair. She could feel his eyes on hers the entire time, but she chose to ignore it, as she realised she had to put on an act once more.

"So," Meera started, "How come you didn't wake up early? Are you fine?" Her voice, concerned.

"I'm good." Naina reassured her friend, "I was just a bit too tired and didn't get enough sleep."

"You see!" Ananya said, looking at Rohan, "This is why we say that she needs a break from her medicine and needs to do something else!"

Naina looked around confused, Why were they talking about her in the first place? "I don't need a break, I'm okay. It was just this one time."

Rohan chuckled, looking towards Naina's attempt to defend herself, "Naina! Don't worry about it! We're just joking around!"

While all this went on, Ayaan's gaze was fixed to her. He was still trying to figure her out. It didn't add up. Her words didn't match her eyes and he knew it, but he also didn't know how to prove it.

He had spent the entire night trying to rethink his own thoughts and actions. Maybe it was me who overthought the situation because I haven't done this before. He thought to himself. He might be center of attraction, but he hadn't gotten drunk kissed before. 

But it still didn't fit right. He glanced over to Naina, while she looked around confused as to why she was being the topic of conversation. He briefly pictured the evident difference in them. She was startled by a little mention of her name while he was accustomed to having his DMs filled with thirst messages and was used to walking across campus, pulling all eyes to him.
They were polar opposites.

But, opposites attract, right?

🩵