Quatervois

Part 10

*After 4 days*

(Tara's POV)

As I lay on the hospital bed, lost in my thoughts, a knock on the door jolted me back to reality. Granting permission to enter, I found Dhruv standing there. It was a surprise to see him alone – I wondered where Mira and Noah were.

"Hey, both of them are in detention. So, I'm going to be your host for today," he said with a hint of mischief in his tone.

"Hi there. Detention? What did they do?" I inquired.

"They got caught using their phones in Mrs. Betty's class. You know, the European nightmare in our Asian world," Dhruv explained with a wry smile.

"Oh no, they're in trouble for real," I chuckled, knowing well how strict Mrs. Betty was.

"Yeah. By the way, I've got news for you and a burger too. Which one do you want to devour first?" he teased, revealing the burger he had brought along.

"I'll go with hearing the news while munching on that burger," I replied, accepting the burger with a grateful smile.

"Smart choice, just as I expected," he said, handing me the burger before diving into the news. "So, today I went to the principal's office on behalf of Mira. I informed him about your situation and asked if the school could offer any assistance."

I took a bite of the burger and waited for him to continue, intrigued.

"After our discussion, he mentioned that they'd be more than willing to help you. But due to the upcoming tests, they can't provide extra classes. So, the suggestion is that you get homeschooled for a while," Dhruv revealed, pausing to take another bite of his burger.

Homeschooling was an interesting option, but the challenge was finding a teacher. Who could teach me? I'd never taken private tuition before.

Dhruv seemed to read my thoughts. "If you're interested, I could help. While I'm not as good at studying as you are, I could secretly record the lectures for you and ask your doubts in class the next day. What do you think?"

I looked at him, surprised by his initiative. It wasn't a bad idea – getting lectures from someone who was in school would likely be more effective than relying on an external tutor. After a moment of consideration, I made my decision. "That's actually a great idea. I think I'll go for it. Thanks."

His eyes brightened, and he responded, "No need to thank me. I'm just glad you liked the idea. Here are today's notes, and I'll start recording the lectures from tomorrow."

Dhruv handed me a stack of neatly written notes, and a hint of pride glimmered in his eyes. I smiled gratefully and took the notes from him.

"Your handwriting is quite neat," I complimented as I flipped through the pages.

"Thanks," he replied, rubbing the back of his head, his bashfulness adding to his charm.

I mentally berated myself for noticing these things about him. What was I thinking? Embarrassed, I scolded myself internally, yet I couldn't help but admire his genuine expressions and his unassuming appearance.

But wait, why am I thinking this way? I reprimanded myself once again, but my gaze remained fixed on him as he focused on something on his smartphone.

Today was the first time I had truly noticed him. He wasn't like a K-pop idol or a Bollywood heartthrob, yet there was a certain appeal to him. His features weren't carved as sharply as a knife, his hair wasn't styled with gel, his eyes weren't a striking blue or green – they were a deep, warm brown. His skin wasn't the fairness that was often idolized, but rather the natural Indian complexion. His smile was quirky and endearing.

In short, he wasn't perfect by societal standards, but he was undoubtedly appealing, just the way he was.

Once again, I mentally chastised myself for these thoughts. However, my gaze remained drawn to him until our eyes locked, my light brown orbs meeting his deep brown ones.

It was a fleeting moment, but in that gaze, a connection was formed – one that left me curious and intrigued.