Aarohi And Dev

CHAPTER 59

Aarohi POV

As I discreetly secured the door, mindful of the impressions Aunty and Devika might form, I swiftly changed into my attire for the day. During breakfast, I couldn't help but marvel at how every nuance of Dev's demeanour radiated care and affection. The intensity of his love was almost overwhelming, in the most delightful manner.

Upon our arrival at the university, I sensed the weight of lingering gazes, particularly from female onlookers admiring Dev. An unexpected surge of jealousy began to stir within me, prompting an impulsive action. Without hesitation, I turned towards him and planted a fleeting kiss on his cheek, a gesture that undeniably asserted my claim.

"Rose, I belong entirely to you," he remarked, a mischievous smile playing upon his lips. "Although I must admit, I rather enjoyed that." His words, infused with playful fondness, elicited a heightened fluttering in my heart.

A soft chuckle escaped me at Dev's light-hearted remark, and I strolled onto the campus grounds. The grim and apprehensive expression on Mayank's face immediately caught my attention, serving as a stark reminder of the impending group assignment hanging over us like a foreboding shadow. With a weary sigh, I felt the palpable weight of the inevitable burden.

Mayank hurried towards me, his eyes wide with worry. "Ru! Is this the apocalypse?" he exclaimed dramatically. "Tara is ready to unleash her wrath, and I fear Rajveer might make a rash move before she even has the chance," he added, gesturing towards the equally tense Rajveer.

"This assignment seems determined to rob us of any peace," I muttered softly to myself, already feeling drained by the mere prospect of it all. Just as I pondered how we would navigate the challenge ahead, my gaze landed on Tara approaching in the distance. A pang of dread settled in my heart, anticipating the storm she was likely to bring along with her.

As we all settled down, the tempting idea of skipping class briefly crossed my mind. "Maybe we should just bunk..." I whispered, though I quickly brushed off the notion. "No, that's not the solution. We'll have to confront this challenge sooner or later." My determination wavered as the seniors started entering the room, and I turned to Tara, quietly pleading, "Please, let's stay composed. It's only one lecture. Just this once." She offered a stiff nod, clearly suppressing her frustration.

As we divided into our designated groups, I noticed Rajveer's intense gaze fixed on Mayank, his attention completely diverted. We moved a bit away from the main group, attempting to settle in. Our senior joined us, requesting brief introductions before diving into the project. However, Rajveer seemed lost, continuing to shoot daggers at Mayank. I gently nudged him, encouraging him to introduce himself, but his focus remained solely on Mayank, who was now exchanging glances with Tara.

It was evident that this day was going to be a challenging and arduous one.

"Rajveer, what's your take on this suggestion?" The senior's voice cut through the tension, but Rajveer, in his typical fashion, gave nothing away. His blank expression was doing little to ease the situation, so I quickly jumped in, trying to steer the conversation and avoid any friction. I explained our approach, hoping to keep things on track, though internally, I was bracing for something to go wrong.

Just as I was finishing up, I heard a distant laugh, Mayank's, clear and unmistakable. I glanced over and saw him chatting casually with Karthik, both of them completely sidetracked from the task at hand, exchanging jokes instead of ideas for the project. Karthik’s playful pat on Mayank’s shoulder was enough to set Rajveer off. He shifted, ready to stand and confront Karthik, a fire in his eyes that I’d seen before.

Panicking, I grabbed Rajveer’s arm, stopping him mid-motion. "Don’t," I whispered urgently. "Remember, Karthik’s into Tara, not Mayank." I was trying to hold it all together, but internally, I was crying out at the absurdity of my situation. How did I end up in this mess? Holding back one ticking time bomb while trying to stop another from going off, this assignment was already more than I had bargained for.