𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 'Professor Student Romance' (BOOK 1)

|31|•ᴜɴꜰᴀᴍɪʟɪᴀʀ ʀᴏᴏᴍ•

BONDITA

The darkness faded as my eyes fluttered open. My head pounded, and everything was a blur. Struggling to focus, I managed to take in the unfamiliar room around me. Panic surged through me as I jolted upright, clutching my throbbing head. Fragments of the previous night flashed in my mind-there was a party, drinks, and then... nothing. I couldn't remember a single thing beyond that.

My heart raced as I scanned the room for clues. Then, my eyes fell on the shirt I was wearing-a man's shirt. My breath caught. What had happened? Did I get drunk and end up with a stranger? A cold wave of fear washed over me.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and my heart felt like it was splintering into a thousand pieces. What if Ani found out? The thought tore at me. What if he believed I had cheated on him? I loved Ani deeply, and the idea of betraying him, even unintentionally, was unbearable. It wasn't just about Ani; it was about my own sense of self. I felt sullied, like I had committed an unforgivable sin, even if it was in a drunken haze.

My mind spiraled with questions and fears.

Who had I been with?
What had we done?
Where was I?

As these thoughts churned, the door creaked open. Instinctively, I pulled the blanket up to my chin, feeling acutely exposed in the oversized shirt. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could disappear. Footsteps approached, and dread knotted in my stomach.

"Sunshine..." The voice was familiar, tender. My eyes snapped open. Ani. I knew that voice, that name he called me. My eyes blinked through the tears, and I saw Ani standing there, wearing just a coat, no shirt underneath. Realization struck me-I was wearing his shirt.

Tears streamed down my face. Ani placed something on the table and sat beside me, his face etched with concern. "Hey, hey, Sunshine, what's wrong? Are you hurt? Does your head hurt?" His voice was soft, worried.

I couldn't find the words to explain my turmoil. My mind was a whirlwind. We had been together last night. Did we...? I couldn't finish the thought. I had left him for his own good, and now if we had crossed that line... What would I do? What would happen to his future because of me? I thought of Binoy Uncle and the loan my Baba had taken from him. The consequences seemed overwhelming.

Ani gently cupped my face, his expression filled with worry. "Sunshine, you're scaring me. Tell me what's wrong."

I took a shaky breath, struggling to find my voice. Finally, I mumbled, "What happened last night? Did... did we...?" I couldn't even articulate the fear gnawing at me.

Ani's eyes softened. He shook his head slowly. "No, no, Sunshine, you've got it all wrong. I would never do that. You were drunk, but I wasn't."

He pulled me into a gentle hug, his hands soothingly stroking my hair. "Sunshine, I swear nothing happened. Believe me, I would never touch you without your consent. I would never do anything you would regret."

Relief and confusion warred within me. I longed to tell him that I wouldn't regret it, that I wanted him, but I couldn't. He wasn't mine to hold onto anymore. He was going to marry Tulika. I had no right to any relationship with him, no matter how much I yearned for it.

I looked up at him, my voice barely a whisper. "Then what happened last night? I can't remember anything."

Ani explained everything. How he had taken me to the warehouse because I didn't want to leave his side, how I had messaged Maa saying I would be home late, the things I had confessed to him in my drunken state. My cheeks flushed as he recounted how I had said I wanted him and had refused to sleep until he sang to me.