Destiny: Time To Fall In Love

Chapter 10- A Taste of Sweet Forgiveness

The stress in the lab was thick enough to cut with a knife. For a week, our team, led by Aryan had been living on caffeine and adrenaline, preparing our model for the State Level Science Competition. We were so close to the finish line, but then the unthinkable happened.

A loud crash echoed through the room.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry, Sir! I didn't do it on purpose... I'm so sorry, everyone!" One of the girls burst into tears, looking down at the shattered components of our week's work.

The room went silent. I looked at Aryan, expecting the strict professor to emerge, but he surprised me. He stepped forward and placed a calm hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay. We know it was an accident," he said, his voice steady and reassuring.

"But Sir, what are we going to do now?" one of the boys asked, his voice cracking. "We have to submit it tomorrow morning."

Aryan looked at the mess, then at us. "We've built it once; we can build it again. We do this together. It's going to be a long night, and I'll handle the paperwork for your missed classes tomorrow. Are you with me?"

His leadership was infectious. We all nodded and immediately got to work.

Hours flew by. The hum of the lab and the smell of soldering iron filled the air. It wasn't until the clock on the wall struck 9:00 PM that anyone realized how late it had become.

"Sir," one of the boys spoke up, stretching his back. "I think we should let the girls head home. It's late, and there's only a little finishing work left. We can handle the rest."

Aryan checked his watch, his brow furrowing in concern. "9:00 PM? I'm so sorry, I didn't realize the time. Girls, can you get home safely, or should I arrange for someone to drop you?"

"No, Sir, we live nearby and we'll go together," one of the girls replied.

"And I'll go with Richa," I added, grabbing my bag.

"But... doesn't Richa live in the opposite direction from you?" Aryan asked instinctively.

The room went dead quiet. Five sets of eyes turned toward Aryan, their expressions shifting from exhaustion to pure confusion. How does the Professor know exactly which direction Aashi lives in?

My heart stopped for a beat. I saw Aryan's eyes widen slightly as he realized he had just broken the Professional Distance rule.

"I mean..." I stepped in quickly, trying to pull the attention back to me. "Until our routes split, I'll be with her. It's safer that way."

The students seemed to buy it, but the atmosphere had definitely changed. Aryan cleared his throat, trying to regain his Professor mask.

"Right. Well, safety first. Once you reach home, I want a message from everyone on my phone. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir!" we replied in unison.

I looked at him one last time before heading out. I could see the frustration in his eyes; I knew he hated that he couldn't be the one to drive me home tonight. He was stuck here with the boys, and I was heading out into the dark.

I left with the others, feeling the cool night air hit my face. We were dating for months now, but tonight was a reminder: the closer we get, the harder it is to keep the secret from leaking out.

Aryan's POV

It was 10:15 PM.

I sat in my parked car outside the college gates, staring at my phone screen until it burned into my retinas. Three girls had already messaged me. Richa had messaged me. But my screen stayed dark where Aashi's name should have been.