...The art of falling in love...( Abhira❤️Armaan)

11.

The following day, a palpable tension enveloped the college. Abhira, still fuming from her explosive confrontation with Armaan, resolved to keep her distance. She entered the staff room with the intent to prepare for her project, but a familiar name bring the very attention she wanted to avoid.

"Armaan, how's it going?" Professor Soni's voice drifted through the semi-shuttered door. Abhira halted in her tracks, curiosity piqued. She hesitated for just a moment before inching closer to hear better, despite herself.

"Uh, what, ma'am?" Armaan's voice came back, hesitant.

"You and Abhira," Professor Soni prodded, a bemused smile on her face. "Didn’t you told me  pairing up you with Abhira for the project?"

The very mention of her name sent a jolt through Abhira. She stepped back instinctively before Armaan could respond.

"I just wanted to know her, that’s it," he said, his voice a mere whisper, filled with a mix of determination and defiance.

Abhira's heart sank. Knowing that he had asked for a partnership just complicated things further. In a daze, she stepped away from the door and darted down the hallway, desperate to escape the weight of his intentions.

As the afternoon wore on, Abhira found solace at her usual lunch table with Tanvi, laughter flowing freely between them. But as Armaan’s figure loomed in the corridor, she felt the warmth of her joy begin to dim. With an internal sigh, she braced for the inevitable confrontation.

“Hey, can I sit?” Armaan’s voice broke through her thoughts, shaky but attempting to sound casual.

“Sure,” she replied with a guarded smile, curiosity battling chips of hurt tension in her heart.

“I wanted to talk about the project,” he started, his voice catching on words he could scarcely form. “And about hanging up on me last night.”

Her heart raced with a mix of anger and exasperation. "That was just a mistake. I thought it was a wrong number!"

Armaan locked eyes with her, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Was it? You made it sound like you didn’t want to talk to me."

"Maybe I didn’t!" Her own voice rose unexpectedly, the cafeteria quieted to just the two of them, all eyes waiting. It felt fragile, electric, and yet it both thrilled and terrified her.

"Why not? We’re supposed to be a team, and you’re acting like talking to me is a chore!

His words were raw, cutting through her defenses. “Because you pull everyone into your orbit, and I can’t handle that,” she snapped back, anxiety and vulnerability mixing into one tense breath.

Silence settled in as they exchanged heavy glances. She could see his confusion and hurt, but the flicker of vulnerability in her own heart was terrifying. "I pulled you into my orbit? I don’t even know what that means!” he exclaimed in frustration.

“You assume everything’s fine, that I’m okay with your plans,” she replied, voice softening as the fight slowly drained from her. “But what you want isn’t what I want.”

“What do you want, Abhira?” he asked earnestly, leaning in as if to break through their swirling emotions.

“I want to complete this project quickly,” she said resolutely, her voice firm. “And after that, you are not to interfere in my life. I don’t want to talk to you after that.”