Red Strings: Fated Bond (Under Major Editing)

06| I saw him

The tears that threatened to fall streamed down my face and I wiped them away quickly, not wanting anyone to see the raw emotions I was feeling.  Upon reaching the administration building, I leaned against the wall.

Why? Why was this happening to me? Why couldn't I escape from him?

I wiped away my tears with the sleeves, but fresh ones continued to flow. Even the open area felt suffocating and I despised experiencing such emotions.

My gaze was drawn to the gate in front of me, and there, I spotted Adwait. Our eyes met, and I saw his eyebrows furrow in concern as he took in my disheveled appearance. 

The last thing I wanted was to have to explain myself or relive the events of the encounter with him. I knew that I had no more strength left to fight, so I made a quick decision to leave.

I began to stroll away, though, I could feel the weight of his eyes upon me. I had no energy left to face his questions or his worry. All I desired was escape, a quiet place where I could be alone with my thoughts and emotions.

I headed over to the campus grounds where students were all over the place, chatting and hanging out in groups. I spotted a bench under a big  tree. Once I plopped down, I closed my eyes and took in some deep, soothing breaths of that fresh air.

I kept myself occupied with a book or my phone—anything to keep my mind off the fact that he might still be lurking around campus. The story in those pages did wonders to distract my racing thoughts. 

When the next lecture was just 10 minutes away, I figured it was time to head to the scheduled hall.

I entered the empty lecture hall and took a seat near the window that would allow me to gaze outside and let my mind wander.

I was lost in my thought all the while looking out of the window when a figure entered the lecture hall, breaking my trance. 

I turned my attention to the door and there he was, Adwait. 

He stopped in his tracks and our eyes met. I quickly looked away, focusing on my hands that were resting on the desk, hoping he wouldn't come near me.

To my surprise, I saw him advancing towards my desk, causing my heart to race with anxiety. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, his tone filled with concern. 

I was taken aback by his question, my eyes widening in surprise. 

Since when did he start caring about me? 

"I'm fine. What could happen to me?" I tried to keep my tone steady but the fear in my heart was evident in my voice.

"Your expression gives you away," he pointed out. "I saw you at the pavilion earlier, looking fit and fine. But when I saw you again near the administration office, your eyes were red and puffy," he added, suspicion heavy in his voice. "Is it because of that guy?" he pressed on.

My breath caught and I felt like all my defenses were crumbling. He'd seen me at my lowest, and I was feeling so vulnerable, so exposed.  

A tear slipped down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away not wanting him to see me cry. 

"You can sha-" his sentence was abruptly cut off by the sound of the bell ringing for the next period. 

I observed how his expression shifted as if he was emerging from a trance.

Students began to file into the classroom and Adwait made his way to a seat in the middle row, his friend joining him soon after.

I couldn't help but wonder what he was about to say next.