#EXPOSED

CHAPTER - 04

Lost in the smoke.

Sambhavna

I stroll out of the ladies' after Psych class and glance at my wristwatch. I can clock my time for a quick snack before I head for the Statistics class.

I feel my shoulder bump to somebody abruptly, startling me. "Hey, watch out you mo—" I suck in a deep breath as it dawns on me that I bumped into Saxena Sir. Why am I cursed? "Sorry," I mumble awkwardly and feel his piercing eyes on me. He is so damn handsome, it's unfair to look like that and what's more unfair is the fact that he is a faculty member and the student's counselor.

"Are you okay?" His voice rolls out like rich silk; spreading goosebumps all across my skin and I purse my lips to bite back my threatening gasp.

I simply nod like a lunatic and he must really judge me by my body language right now. Where's the confidence I harnessed months ago? I shouldn't be acting like this around him.

"Are you sure?" he asks again, drawing me out of my haze and I look at his hair around the edges of his forehead...so dark and sleek and his stubble, he must work really hard for that beard. "You don't seem okay."

Shit. He caught me staring at him like a lost puppy. "No." My voice comes out much more confident than I had expected. My throat sure feels dry all of a sudden. "I'm just...I didn't see you there. But yeah, I'm alright."

He searches my face for a long beat and I look away. "Good," he finally says and I release a slow breath.

"Okay," I rock on my feet gawkily. What am I supposed to say? See you again? Thanks? Bye? All of the above? Argh. Why am I such a klutz? "I have to go." I begin to walk past him but soon halt as I hear his voice.

"You were close to Kunal Dubey, weren't you?" I freeze to my stance and my eyes are bugging out so hard I'm afraid they would blow out of my sockets.

My lips begin to tremble so I bite hard on them as I slowly pivot to face him. "We ran in the same circles," I manage to say without a hitch and he scans my face. "But we weren't close..." I clarify and he nods thoughtfully.

"Well, I'm sorry for your loss," he says and I purse my lips tightly. "If you wish to talk to someone about what you're feeling or if it's getting too much for you, my office is down the hall like you already know. You're always welcome."

I nod. "Sure, thanks." I back away to leave but stop again. "Why would you think it will get too much for me?" Does he know something that he shouldn't? Ever since the official announcement of Kunal's death this morning, the buzz has only been growing; people have been adding up their versions of stories since Ranveer's party and feeding on conspiracy theories among themselves. Nobody seems to know the truth, however, which is sad.

"It must be tough to deal with it," he says evenly. "He was your friend and he was a bright kid, I want you to know that it will get better. Give it some time."

He is such a good man. I love him. "Yes, thank you," I say and his lips curve to a smile that knocks the air out of me. "Maybe I do need one of those counseling sessions." Some private time with him in his office room seems just the thing that can make me forgot about all this Kunal's madness.

"Sure, you know where my office is," he says and we part our ways. Fuck a snack! This was a treat I didn't hope for. And I'm late for my class.

*

I toss the wrapper in the waste bin and fetch my phone from the front zip of my bag as it buzzes. I swipe on the screen and tap on the inbox.

Vaanya: Meet us outsyd rn. Urgent!!!!!