Falling for You

Chapter 9 - "Move"

"So we're still on for the study date today?" Siddharth asked Akshara just as they began to settle in for class.

"Date?" Akshara's heart skipped a beat at the word date. Because that word had implications. And she didn't know how she felt about those said implications.

"I mean, group study date. Since Krishika will be joining us too." Siddharth added, disappointedly.

"Uhh..." Before Akshara could respond, the door to the classroom opened and Abhimanyu to stepped inside, just as the whispers stopped and surprised silence blanketed the entire room.

"Abhimanyu?" Akshara's eyes connected with Abhimanyu's dark brooding ones as frown lines began to crease her face.

The first thing Abhimanyu noticed as he entered the classroom was Akshara sitting front and center of the class with the girl, he had seen before on the first day of college. His eyes than shifted slightly to Akshara's right where a boy, a guy, was sitting a bit too cozily close to her, much to Abhimanyu's displeasure. He remembered seeing the guy somewhere before, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly where. He then moved his gaze to stare intently into Akshara's eyes.

What is Abhimanyu doing here? Akshara wondered.

Who is the guy and why was he sitting so fucking close to Akshara? Abhimanyu wondered.

Abhimanyu looked around the classroom for an empty seat but found none vacant close to her. So he walked past Akshara to sit in the row behind her, wanting to maintain a distance. Akshara offered him a small smile as she glanced back just in time to see him take his seat.

As Abhimanyu sat down behind Akshara and the guy, he felt conflicted. He wanted to give Akshara space but for some reason he was unable to. He watched as the guy, whom Akshara has referred to many times as Sid in their hushed whispers kept tapping Akshara's shoulders wavering for her attention.

"Hi. I'm Atul Menon. I know...you're Abhimanyu Birla. I...just..."

Abhimanyu zoned out of what the guy beside him was saying as all his attention was focused on the happenings in front of him. As the whispers grew, Abhimanyu twirled and twisted the pen in his hand and within a few minutes of watching Akshara talk to the guy, his pen snapped in half, just like his patience did, spilling ink all over the table.

Abhimanyu clenched his jaw as he saw Akshara laugh at something the man said and before he could stop himself, he found himself getting up from his chair, walking up right in front of where the guy and Akshara were sharing inside jokes and slammed his notebook right on the table with a loud thud.

Akshara flinched at the sound, her smile turning into a worried frown and looked up just as her eyes connected with Abhimanyu's darkened, brooding gaze.

"Move." Abhimanyu shifted his focus from Akshara to the guy sitting beside her.

"What?" Siddharth chuckled, in disbelief at Abhimanyu's attitude.

"I said. Move." Abhimanyu bit out, glaring at Siddharth, putting the fear of God into him.

Siddharth gulped as he looked towards Akshara trying protect his dear life before quietly getting up from his seat like a mouse and shifting three rows behind and away from them.

Satisfied by the distance, Abhimanyu took his seat beside Akshara, feeling his body relax. Except now, Akshara was the one who was tensed.

Before Abhimanyu could say anything to Akshara, their Professor entered the room, putting a stop to the conversation before it even began. Akshara focused all her attention towards the front of the room, forcing Abhimanyu to do the same.