Fated To Love You

Chapter 84

Abhishek took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he closed his eyes for a brief second. When he opened them again, the sharpness in his gaze had softened, but there was still a weight behind it.

Instead of confronting Siddharth in front of everyone, he turned back to the boy, his expression hardening again. "Tum log padhai likhai ke alawa sab cheezon mein itne interested kyun rehte ho? Jab dekho tab gossip karna, chhoti baat ko bada banana, bas! Class mein padhai pe dhyaan do, yeh faltu ki baatein karne ki jagah!" His voice was firm, cutting through the tension in the room.

The boy flinched, bowing his head even lower. "Sorry, sir..." he mumbled, shuffling uncomfortably under Abhishek's piercing glare.

The rest of the class sat frozen, their curiosity quickly turning into nervousness. Some of them exchanged hesitant glances, while others stared down at their books, pretending to focus. The air in the room felt thick, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for something more to unfold.

Ruhi, who had been sitting stiffly in her seat, shifted uncomfortably. Her fingers gripped the edges of her book as she kept her eyes fixed on a random page, unwilling to meet anyone's gaze. Her heart was pounding, but she refused to let her face betray any emotion.

Siddharth, on the other hand, remained eerily silent. He hadn't moved an inch, still sitting in the same stiff posture as before. His hands remained clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. But unlike before, there was a flicker of something in his eyes—relief? Gratitude? It was hard to tell.

Abhishek exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temples for a moment before shaking his head. "Bas. Class pe dhyaan do. Ek aur baar aisi faltu baatein sunayi di, to sabse pehle wahi punishment milegi jo tum logon ko yaad rahegi." His voice held a finality that left no room for argument.

The boy quickly nodded and sat down, while the rest of the class straightened in their seats, suddenly extra attentive. The whispers had died down, replaced by an uncomfortable silence that lingered in the air.

Abhishek's eyes flickered towards Siddharth one last time, his expression unreadable, before he looking back towards the class and continued the test as if nothing had happened.

*.*

That night, the atmosphere in the hostel was the same as any other—students chattering in the corridors, the occasional laughter echoing from different rooms, and the faint hum of a cricket match playing on someone's phone. But inside Abhishek's room, there was an unusual silence.

Abhishek sat at his study table, flipping through the pages of a book, but his mind wasn't on it. His eyes kept drifting toward the door, expecting a knock any moment. Siddharth aayega... bataayega sab kuch... he thought. He knew Siddharth well—he was emotional but not the kind to bottle things up for long, especially not from him.

But as time passed and the hostel gradually grew quieter, his expectations started to wane. Siddharth didn't come.

Abhishek glanced at the clock—11:30 PM. He frowned slightly. He should have come by now... He considered going to Siddharth's room, but then shook his head. Nahi. Agar usse baat karni hogi, to woh khud aayega.

Meanwhile, in his own room, Siddharth lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His hands rested behind his head, his face blank, but his mind was anything but calm. He wasn't avoiding Abhishek—at least, that's what he told himself. He just... didn't want to talk about it.

He knew the moment he walked into Abhishek's room, he'd have to face everything again—the confession, the rejection, the humiliation. And right now, he just wanted to push it all away.