His Favourite Book

Chapter 55 - New Home

[The University]

Abhimanyu had wandered off and landed at the common Student's Hall of the University. It was the same place where Muskan had her hand fractured the first time and where the endless construction created haywire among the students. After the crowded protests the other day, the authorities decided to completely stop its construction forever. Today, the Student's Hall stood incomplete, like an abandoned villa inside some lost woods.

All the material was left to rot at random places and the whole Hall was in utter chaos. The darkness and the dreadful aura of that cursed place somehow attracted Abhimanyu. He entered the hall and at the deep end of it, found a strong log of wood to settle himself on. Keeping his bag aside he closed his eyes and rested his head back on the wall behind him.

He was taking long breaths when he sensed the presence of someone else near the main door of the hall. "Not now please, Drishti. Leave." He said, his eyes still closed, embracing the darkness around him.

"Muskan." He heard a female voice as his eyelids shot open. He looked ahead to see Muskan standing there, clearly disappointed with his wrong guess of her name. He pressed his lips in guilt of the same and straightened his back, in a way of acknowledging her presence there.

"Yeah, the same sorry again," Muskan said on his behalf and walked towards him. She knew he didn't have the energy to even apologise to her for calling her by the wrong name. Well, that was honestly a genuine mistake. The real apology should have been for his behaviour the previous day.

Muskan settled beside him on the same log of wood. Abhimanyu noticed her actions and went back to his original position, his head on the wall behind them. Attempting to spark a conversation, Muskan mirrored him. But before she could completely rest her head, she jolted up and turned around to wipe that area of the wall using her handkerchief. Finally, she rested her head on the wall and closed her eyes, imitating Abhimanyu.

"Can't you just sit quietly for some time, without so many movements?" He spoke almost inaudibly.

"Nope," Muskan replied, without moving.

Abhimanyu pulled away from the wall and began staring at Muskan in annoyance. Muskan, too, did the same, again.

Abhimanyu shut his eyes again, left a long, annoyed sigh and, this time, banged the back of his head on the wall. Before he could hit the wall again, Muskan's palm made its way between his head and the wall. He could feel her hand giving him a cushion but chose to stay shut.

"The destroyed wall is precious. Don't do that to it." He heard her speak, his eyes still closed.

"Yeah, right. The wall- OOWWWWW!" Cutting him off, Muskan pulled her hand back, making his head land harshly on the wall as he screamed in sudden pain.

"Shhh. Quiet. No movements. Someone's mourning a huge loss." Muskan said and shut her eyes.

"I hate you so much." Abhimanyu did the same.

Muskan swiftly opened one of her eyes to sneak up on him. His face was relaxed. She noticed how the corner of his lips was slightly inclined towards his right, giving him a natural, mild smirky look on his resting face. His features were sharply defined, screaming how he must have suddenly lost a lot of weight. He definitely looked handsome, but not in a way anyone should prefer. He looked exhausted, hungry, and irritated.

There was silence for some time. Within a few minutes, Abhimanyu could hear Muskan tapping on her phone's screen. Before he could process anything, he heard a loud, high note coming from her side.

Main taa jiya naa maraa~

Abhimanyu straightened his neck with a jolt.

Haye ve dass main ki karaan~