Till The Spring

10🌸 A warm muffler

"It's 4! I need to leave." Sara's words brought Nazareth out of his trail of thoughts with a jerk.
"You should." Nazareth, despite the unexpected comfort, wishes for Sara to leave as her presence is becoming disconcertingly soothing.

She got up and took her bag while making her way outside when she saw Nazareth following her.
"It's okay, you don't need to drop me. I can go on my own...!" she says humbly.
When Nazareth clarifies that he has come to lock the door, not to accompany her, as she assumes.
Sara bit her lip as she contemplates her actions, feeling a series of embarrassing moments whenever Nazareth is involved.
"I will take a leave then! Umm. Take care of yourself, I'm glad you didn't hurt much. Hope that it won't leave a scar." she says in hesitation while smiling.
"Don't you think you should wear something thick like a duster jacket as the temperature is going down. It's better to dress well before you fall ill." Advices Nazareth in a non friendly tone.
"Ah! Thanks for concerning. I'll definitely."
"I'm not your guardian to concern. I'm bothered about my efforts." Says Nazareth corrected when she smiles politely, drinking all the humiliation.

Nazareth locks the door and comes in when he sees her mother cleaning the table when he helps her by picking up the empty mugs and keeping it for washing.
"She left early. Did you make her leave." Asks his mom.
"C'mon mom.. she left on her own." He replied.
"She is so cute and little." Jenifer praises.
"Cute! Really!? Please, Mom!" He stressed, recalling all the actions done by Sara so far.

Sara enters the class hurriedly while looking at the watch whose needle stuck to 8 a.m., telling her that she is on the edge and that if she doesn't rush, she could again stand outside the class. As Sara steps in, she sees Ishan, who is smoking, secretly standing near the window.
Looking at her, Ishan hastily disposes of the cigarette, trying to avoid Sara's disapproving gaze.
"Oh, Sah! You're here! Wow! You look beautiful today! Did you apply makeup!?" he says haphazardly.
"Cut the crap you were again smoking!" she says as she holds his neck under her arm and pushes down while he is screaming in pain.
"Leave or I'll die!" he screams.
While Sara was cursing at him.
And right at that very moment, Nazareth entered in. The sudden appearance of Nazareth brings the chaotic atmosphere to a standstill. Sara and Ishan, who were caught up in their confrontation, shift their attention to Nazareth, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"Miss Sara, I think you have forgotten that this is a class, and I come here to teach and not to see an MMA fight!" He says sarcastically.
"S..Sorry...Sorry...Prof.Reth" says Sara in a broken voice as she slides her hair and flicks at the back of her hair, getting all embarrassed.
"You guys better mend your manner and get back to your seats. Immediately!" He says in a loud tone.
When both the kids flinch as they ran to take to their seats.
"Doesn't know how to behave in class but knows how to put make-up early in the morning." Nazareth's taunt echoes in Sara's ears, leaving her feeling uneasy. The tension in the air intensifies as he proceeds, and the weight of his disapproval lingers.

"Where were you yesterday? You came home so late." Ishan says, making Sara fluster.
"I went somewhere. And the reason is you!" Sara stressed.
"Where-where!?" Ishan asks in suspicion.
It was when Sara covered Ishan's mouth with her hand stopping him from going further when Sara's actions seemed to stir a unique and unfamiliar reaction in Ishan, leaving him uncertain and intrigued by the sudden closeness.
Ishan's emotions for Sara appear to be resurfacing, perhaps more intensely than before, creating a sense of internal conflict for him.

As the last class for the day got over, Sara quickly made a move to the to the English department. She was on the way when Ishan stopped her.
"Hey!" Says Ishan from the back when she turns.
"Here! Take this." He says while giving her a single packet of macaroon.
"In case you feel hungry." He says, and before Sara could say anything further, he left quickly, leaving behind Sara to smile.
She soon reaches the department only to find that Nazareth hasn't come till now. Keeping the bag on the chair, she was roaming around the department and stopped in front of the soft board, looking closely at Nazareth's quote, wondering what he had found so moving in this. It was when Avi came and noticed her standing.
"You're here early." Says Avi as he packs his things.
"By the way, had you been able to reach his place yesterday?" He asks when she nods.
"Does he know I've sent you there?" Ask Avi slowly.
"I think he knows. But why do you get scared of him?" She inquired.
"It's not him, but it's personality, which is more scary." He replies in a low tone.
"Was he always like this...?" She asks as she wants to know him more.
"Actually, no. He's not that scary, but his personality is. Once you get to know him, you'll find how mellow he is by heart. He cares a lot, just that he can't express his experiences have made his heart." Replies Avi with a smile.
Caring!? And he!? Can't believe even in hundered thousand years Sara says in her mind.
"Miss Sara, I hope you're here to study for the test and not to study about me." He says as he passes through them swiftly to his desk, which scares Sara as she grabs her seat hurriedly. Avi, too, picked his bag and moved out of the department room quickly before Nazareth could even say anything to him.
"Shall we start Miss Sara if you permit?" He asks sarcastically when she nods her head.
It was past half an hour when Sara was solving aptitude reasoning when suddenly her gaze fell on Nazareth who was standing at the window, at his regular spot and was looking at the students who were practicing for a soccer match like usual.
She could read his reactions, and the change of expressions was telling her his inclination towards this particular sport.
Sara observed Nazareth from a distance, caught between the enigma of his public persona and Avi's mention of his vulnerability.

The passage of time in Nazareth's company becomes a quiet and introspective experience for Sara, marked more by shared silences than words. Soon, the clock stricks 4, when she Nazareth asks her to pack her things up and leave.

Sara, standing at the main gate, shivered in the early winter breeze, regretting not wearing something warmer when she heard a familiar voice calling her from the back.
"Miss Sara...!" Nazareth's voice stopped her.
He, coming out of the car, stood in front of Sara with a muffler in his hand. Without saying anything, he started tying it around her neck, surprising her.
"Pr.. Prof.Reth! What's this...?" She asks in a confused tone filled with surprise as she touches the warm muffler around her neck.
"It gets chilly by this time... keep it around your neck, you'll feel warm, or you'll fall ill. Your test is approaching." He says.
Nazareth's unexpected act leaves Sara blushing with pink, and she can't find the right words to express her surprise. Her eyes wander, avoiding direct eye contact, fearing her shyness might be too obvious for Nazareth to notice. It was when her smart watch started to beep unexpectedly, leaving him confused while Sara turned shocked. She quickly takes out the smart watch and keeps it in her bag.
"Thanks for the muffler. I'll-I'll return it tomorrow." She manages to say.
"No need..." He says, being his old cold self, as he turned to sit inside the car.
"Prof Reth! I know you won't accept my thanks so...can I offer you this." Says Sara while taking out a packet of macaroon from her bag which Ishan had given to her.
"At least don't refuse this! It's sweet and creamy, you'll like it..! Just having one won't increase your weight." Sara added.
Nazareth took the macaroon and kept that in his pocket before making his way to the car and occupied the driver's seat.
I don't like macaroons. He stated by himself as he can't understand why he couldn't refuse it.
The chilly wind outside contrasts with the warmth that seems to linger in the car.

Sara looks at her smart watch with a dejected look as she feels irritated for it to beep right at the time when she never wanted it to show its presence on her wrist.
The timing was a little perfect. Why did you have to beep right when I almost had forgotten the meaning behind your existence! She scolded the mere object.

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