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Chapter 20 - Varsh drops a bomb

With the external exams looming, Fiza's new timetable packed their schedule completely. Study sessions spilled over even into their weekends, leaving little room for leisurely activities.

"Why do I have so many purple squares on my timetable, while yours is mostly empty?" Alan asked, pointing to the color-coded squares on his chart and the conspicuous blank spaces on hers on weekends.

Fiza smiled as she resplied, "You have a lot of catching up to do! You have the entire second term awaiting your attention."

Reluctantly, Alan accepted her explanation with a discontented sigh.

One day, as they prepared to start their study session on the benches outside the library, Fiza blushed as she reached into her bag and retrieved a piece of paper and held it out to Alan.

Alan's eyes widened in amusement and disbelief as he unfolded the paper. Fiza had drawn two female outline and labeled then "anterior" and "posterior." The lips, neck, chest, pelvis, and thighs were highlighted in red, while the abdomen was yellow. The head, face, back, hands, and legs were highlighted in green.

Alan's laughter erupted from deep within him, escaping his lips in peals. He bent over, clutching his stomach as he struggled to contain his amusement. The raucous outburst attracted glances from passersby, and a chorus of shushing sounds echoed from the nearby library.

Fiza snatched the paper back from him, her blush deepening, and she mumbled something under her breath. Annoyance flickered in her eyes, as if her private creation had been misconstrued.

Unfazed, Alan, still chuckling, leaned in closer. "So, you're telling me," he whispered, allowing his lips to brush against her ear, "that this is green?" He gripped her wrist, pulling her towards him and traced a path down her back with his fingertips.

Fiza gasped, her heart pounding within her chest, and a cascade of nervous tremors rippled through her. She bit her lip and pulled away abruptly, breathing hard and creating a tangible distance between them. Her voice trembled as she found her words amidst the whirlwind of sensations.

"No, you know what?" Fiza retorted in annoyance. She picked up the diagram once more, she retrieved her red highlighter and fervently scribbled over the illustrations. She thrust it back into his hands, her eyes challenging him to dispute her claim. "It's all red!"

Alan erupted into laughter once again. "Sure."

Fiza struggled to come to terms with Alan's gesture in the library. The feel of him lightly brushing his lips against her ear played on a loop in her mind. Had that been a kiss or had he just been teasing her? Did touching her like that hold any significance of for him? Had he even felt a fraction of the emotions that flooded her in that moment?

Then her thoughts drifted to another memory, one from several months ago, when Alan's face had pressed against her neck as she lay in bed with him. She bit her throbbing lip as she allowed herself to revisit the sensation.

When she went back to the hostel that night, Shahana confronted her. "Fiza, what is going on between you and Alan? You guys are always together after class. You haven't hung out with us in a while now."

She realized that she had recently been distant with her friends. The music practice, basketball coaching, and the study sessions with Alan had consumed her focus, isolating her from the rest of her circle.

"Shahana, he and I are best friends," she began but her heart fluttered at the mention of his name. "I guess I've distanced myself from the group lately. I will consciously make an effort to spend more time with all of you."

"I don't mind, Fiza. Priya and I see you at the hostel every day. But we are all worried about you," Shahana said, her voice colored with concern for her friend.