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Chapter 1 - He's trouble

Alan noticed her for the first time as she walked into the classroom, accompanied by a group of chatting girls.

She threw her head back and laughed at something her friend said. His eyes lingered on the cupid's bow of her lips before flickering back to her eyes.

As though aware that he was staring at her, she turned to meet his eyes. Their gazes locked for a few seconds and his heart thudded loudly in his chest. He felt as though some invisible force was pulling him towards her. He quickly looked away, breaking the spell. He did not trust women.

Fiza settled down at the front bench, pulling out a large pen and spreading her notebook before her. She put her glasses on and prepared to dive into her studies.

Alan sat on the last bench and once again found his eyes drawn to her.  She was definitely beautiful, albeit in a nerdy sort of way. She had long, thick wavy hair that she tied in a pony tail that cascaded down to her waist. Loose strands framed her oval face. Behind those long, dark lashes were her expressive eyes, adorned with large, cream-colored frames. Her high pony tail exposed her neck and he imagined how she would react if he kissed the hollow of her neck. A smile crept onto his face, but he swiftly forced himself to stop his musings.

During the anatomy class, Dr. Kulshastra noted down the subjects on the board while Dr. Vijaya, his PG student, jotted down the recommended books for further reading.

Alan found his mind drifting away, his focus captured by a fly that had landed on the shirt of the boy sitting in front of him. He followed the insect's movements, his restlessness growing as he wondered whether he would still be able to pursue his passion for basketball. Doubts nagged at him, questioning if a career in Medicine was the right fit for someone as physically inclined as him. What had he even been thinking?

Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted, snapping him back to reality. His gaze shifted towards the girl from before, who sat in the first bench. She was now glaring in his direction. Their eyes locked once more, captivating him in a way he had never experienced before.

***

Fiza had been diligently making her own notes, using her favorite 4-way pen with gel ink in different colors. She skillfully coordinated each color with the respective text and reference books, underlining the subheadings for "Gross Anatomy," "Histology," "Osteology," and "Embryology."

Suddenly, she felt an impact on her ear and heard laughter from the boys at the back bench. She spotted a paper plane on the floor and understanding what had transpired, she turned around to give the culprits a death glare.

Fiza was determined to focus on her studies. She had fought hard to secure her place in Medical College and was thrilled to be accepted at a prestigious medical college in Bangalore. She was not going to allow a few man-baby back benchers to stand in her way.

However, her attention was caught by the fourth boy at the back bench. As Fiza turned around to glare at him, she found herself mesmerized. He looked like he belonged on a magazine cover - brown eyes lurked behind thick eyebrows, his curly hair was neatly cropped, his strong jawline sported a small rubble.

Fiza felt for a moment, like the ground had shifted from under her. The room spun and everything seemed to fade until the only thing in her world was him.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to frown at him, employing her usual "stay-away-from-me-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you" stare, expecting him to avert his gaze. To her surprise, he continued to meet her gaze, his eyes eventually lingering on her lips.

Feeling flustered, she quickly looked away. She needed to stay focused. She needed to adhere to her checklist. This boy did not meet her criteria. She shook her head, trying to get him off her mind.