Junoon

19| An Unusual Temptation

Author's POV

There's a thin line between Truth and Delusion when you have feelings for someone. With a mere interaction with them, you feel like it's a sign. We are meant for each other. But is it so? What if the person is just playing with your heart for his own entertainment. In any circumstance, that "if" is the conundrum that eats your brain out, you're not sure what is truth and what is not.

The second stage of this attraction is Junoon. The sinful heart locks your mind somewhere making you unable to think logically. Every interaction with the person you're infatuated to, ascends your feelings. The mind keeps knocking at your head to guide you out of this prison of attachment but the heart dominates and ultimately wins in deceiving your sense of self.

This war between heart and mind will continue to grow as long as you keep deceiving yourself. Roohi's emotional state was deteriorating day by day knowing every interaction with Nishaan is making her long for him more, even though she's aware of the very fact that nothing is going to happen between them. She's just a silly eighteen year old girl having a crush on her teacher who's double her age.

The first term examination of students were going to start from tomorrow. Before that, an orientation was set up in the college's auditorium to introduce the new director and announce the dates of annual festival of the college.

The students in auditorium were fragmented at each corners. Students at the very back consisted of those who were either continuously yawning or driven to sleep with the ongoing boring program. At the beginning rows, were those scrolling their Instagram feeds or playing games. Lastly were the students constantly chatting with their friends, including Roohi sitting somewhere in the middle of the auditorium with Shrika on her left and Shiv and other friends on the right.

The faculty were managing the event. At the corner of the stage, Professor Rahul and Nishaan were conversing with each other.

"I heard you were facing issues a few days back. What was all the chaos about?" Rahul inquired with his usual subtle and heavy accent, his eyes gazing at the students in the room.

"Doesn't matter. It has been settled." Nishaan replied locking his hands behind his back, following his gaze.

Rahul blinked his eyes slowly in deference, understanding that Nishaan doesn't want to talk about it.

Professor Rahul was a good looking mature man in his mid 30s. If he wasn't married, the girls of the college probably would have drooled over him too. He speaks less and mostly replies with his heavy accent when someone inquires about him.

It could be easily discerned with the way Nishaan politely smiles while talking with him that he had a liking for Rahul. Even Roohi, herself admires him the most. She always emits a smile on her face out of respect whenever he crosses her path.

Roohi constantly compares Nishaan and Rahul unable to discern their friendship. Though there might not be much difference in their age still these two men are a lot different. Rahul is a complete family man who ardently does every work simultaneously giving time to his wife and kids. Moreover, he politely speaks with his students and doesn't play with their hearts something she fails to see in Nishaan.

Samiksha interrupted the two while they were conversing, Rahul left them alone in deference understanding Samiksha wanted to talk to Nishaan only.

"What do you want?" Nishaan asserted looking ahead at the students.

"When can you stop treating me so coldly?" Samiksha asked looking at him fretfully

"Whenever you'll stop annoying me with your terrible face."