Destiny: Time To Fall In Love

Chapter 11- Departures and New Beginnings

Aashi's POV

The morning air felt different. Every time I touched my lips, I could still feel the phantom pressure of Aryan's kiss from last night. I was a mess of nerves. For some people, a first kiss might be a small thing, but for me, it felt like the world had shifted.

Naturally, the moment I got to college, I went into "Evade and Escape" mode. I couldn't face him. I sat in the back of the lecture hall, hiding behind my notebook, lost in my own delulu world.

The door opened, and Aryan walked in. He looked... radiant. There was a new energy in his step. I immediately dropped my head, pretending to be deeply interested in my blank page. But even without looking, I could feel his smirk. It was like he had a radar for my awkwardness.

"What is he plotting now?" I wondered, my heart racing.

Suddenly, one of the boys in the front row let out a whistle. "Sir, why are you touching your lips continuously today? Did your girlfriend kiss you or what?"

The class erupted in "Oohs" and whistles. My blood turned to ice. I gripped my pen so hard I thought it would snap.

"Bingo!" Aryan said, snapping his fingers with a bright, teasing grin. "But how did you know?"

The room went dead silent for a split second before the chaos broke out. "Sir! Do you actually have a girlfriend?" a girl in the front row asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"Yes, I do," Aryan replied smoothly, leaning against his desk. "Was I not supposed to have one?"

"NOOO!" all the girls shouted in unison.

Aryan chuckled, looking genuinely amused. "Whoa, I didn't know you all loved me that much. But what can I do? My heart already belongs to someone else." He paused, his gaze sweeping the room until it landed directly on me. "But actually, maybe I need your advice. What should a guy do if his girlfriend starts avoiding him for no reason?"

He kept his eyes locked on mine. The mischief in them was dancing. "What do you think, Miss Aashi? What could be the reason for her avoiding me?"

I was mid-sip of my water and I immediately choked. Water went everywhere. Richa started frantically rubbing my back as I went into a coughing fit.

"How... cough... how would I know, Sir?" I managed to wheeze out, my face turning a deep shade of crimson.

"Sir, she can't help you with that," a girl nearby said in a mocking tone. "Aashi doesn't have any experience in dating. She's never even had a boyfriend."

Aryan tilted his head, looking at me with a look of mock sympathy that made me want to throw my textbook at his head. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Malhotra. I didn't realize you were so... inexperienced."

He was vibrating with suppressed laughter. You're enjoying this way too much, you devil, I thought, glaring at him with all the fire I could muster.

"Sir," I said, my voice dropping into a serious, icy tone. "I believe we are here to study. Why don't you start the lesson already?"

"Ah, Miss Aashi. Always so serious," Aryan countered, his smirk widening. "It doesn't hurt to loosen up sometimes. Honestly, I think you should really try dating someone. It might help you be a little less... grumpy."

I gave him a look that clearly said, 'Do you want to die tonight?' Aryan's bravado finally flickered. He cleared his throat and started rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly finding the chalkboard very interesting. "Well, class... I think that's enough fun for today. Let's get to work."

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Aashi's POV

It was late, and the house was silent. I was curled up in bed, trying to lose myself in a novel to forget how much my heart had raced during Aryan's little performance in class today. Suddenly, a soft, rhythmic tapping sounded against my windowpane.