Unspoken feelings are unforgettable

chapter 5

"Good morning" Aditi greeted in an extra chirpy voice with a warm smile. Arisha smiled back and blinked once before replying with a similar tone. Aditi was the senior girl who sat on the seat next to Tushant's. She and Arisha had exchanged a few words earlier but those were never sweet and friendly. Arisha was partly astonished and partly grateful for her wishes, she was confused about why Aditi acted so generous today. Arisha even attempted to greet the stern jerk whose mesmerizing eyes were fixated on her, blank but attractive. The very first glance she took of his was tempting her to look at him and then stare at him and never remove her eyes.

 Finally, their eyes met as she endeavored to greet him,

 "Good morning"

 And she blurted it out accidentally, but his reaction... he didn't even invest any other second. She became speechless at that moment, his eyes looked through hers, even if the moment did not last long enough. Tushant shifted his gaze towards the window even if he heard her words. He didn't even nod or blink, which is something Arisha would do indicating that he accepts her wishes. Tushant simply ignored her. Aditi gave a look of horror on witnessing how a girl, that too some junior girl can wish Tushant, and then her eyes went from wide to narrow when he did not pass any unpleasant comment, even if he did not reply. Tushant does not always simply ignore such appeals but was habitual to insulting the speaker. Aditi's doubting lasted not long enough.

Arisha finished the insulting scenario with a cough while Aditi decided to step out, she simply plopped her head on the headrest of the leather seat, Tushant did not look at her once again for the next twenty seconds. Arisha's sweet voice was appealing and he gets to listen to it rarely but still, he couldn't react back, even if he wanted to. Tushant was quite self-centered. He knew his actions were hurting her or simply making her hate himself further but maybe his integrity mattered more than her feelings at this point.

 He was not even certain of her feelings, she doesn't seem to reciprocate anything, instead, it seems like he's the only person she would hate the whole session. But Tushant had never done anything implying that he enjoyed her attention, no matter they fought all the time, over a stupid seat.

He knew she would soon be good friends with everyone. And doubted if that set of everyone would ever include him. Her flawless face tossed behind his mind at night-time when he set his head on the pillow. It has been the same way since the last Sunday when he discovered they'd meet again and wondered if she'll be equally strange every time. He liked the music she played but even more, he was startled by the way she responded to his comment. She was so distant, truly different from any other person he knew, anyone would rant about their skills when she feared a compliment. That's when he finally took proper notice of her. She looked delicate and timid and shy. All of these thoughts raced in his mind for a few seconds, and then he couldn't resist, he wanted to take a look at her expression.

She seriously felt bad but did not regret her words, at least he listened to her, but now she couldn't find the courage to ask him any more questions about an irregular event at the music class. He would surely disregard her again and she couldn't take any more insults when everybody eyes her all the time. Arisha did not look sad or disappointed, she didn't even realize that she shrugged and his eyes were on her though he's not judgemental about her, momentarily. The bus journey seemed briefer than expected but still, Arisha had to leave the warmth of his seat. Apart from making new friends, there was one more thing she had grown fond of, Tushant, ever since she had discovered that the unknown boy was him who sat just next to her, every day in the morning, since that Sunday. He was the first-ever person to appreciate her music. Again she worked hard to drift her mind from him, before getting off the bus and towards her classroom.