Red Strings: Fated Bond (Under Major Editing)

07| Is it because of that guy?

She eagerly reached into the recesses of her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Let me show you the photograph we took together."

Her statement left me utterly dumbfounded. It couldn't be true. I was the kind of man who disliked taking pictures, so the idea of having a picture with her, a complete stranger to me, was out of the question altogether.

She pivoted her phone towards me, revealing a snapshot that had captured us in close proximity.

She was dressed in a blue cocktail dress, hand tightly clasping my arm in the photograph. Her face was lit up with this radiant smile, totally opposite to my own, which looked all stiff and unfeeling. In the picture, I was holding a glass of wine, and it hit me - this had to be from my birthday celebrations, during dinner.

The memory came rushing back vividly - I'd been deep in conversation with some friends when she just popped up out of nowhere, insistent on getting a photo.

Ignoring my objections, she called over the photographer to capture the moment against my wishes. And I fucking complied because she was my dad's business partner's daughter.

"Ah, it all makes sense now. You're Devendra uncle's daughter, the one who nearly tripped during the dance when your dress got tangled in your heels?"

Once again, embarrassment crossed her features. "Yes, that's me."

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Nitya darting past Ishana in the direction of the lecture hall. I glanced at my watch and realized we still had ten minutes left before the lecture was scheduled to commence.

"Excuse me," I uttered, before hastening my steps towards the classroom.

I didn't hear what Ishana was saying as I had already turned away.

I entered the lecture room. It was empty except for one person, Nitya, who was gazing out the window, lost in thought.

She turned her head towards the door, and our eyes met. But just as quickly, her gaze dropped down on her hands resting on the desk.

I felt this pull toward her desk, like I was in some sort of trance.

The memory of her storming out of the administrative office burned bright in my mind, and I felt a strong urge to check on her. To make sure she was okay, to ensure that everything was alright.

"Are you doing alright?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, perhaps taken aback by my genuine inquiry. After all, we had always been at odds with each other, so it must have been difficult for her to process the fact that I was actually showing concern.

I wondered why I was even asking her that.

"I'm fine, what could happen to me?" she replied, trying to put on a brave front, but her voice gave away the fact that something was definitely off.

"Your expressions say otherwise." 

And then it him me. She was acting this way ever since I saw her at the pavilion.

"I saw you at the pavilion. Is it because of that guy?" I probed, reading her expressions. "Right after that, I saw you with red eyes near the administration office."

I'm just guessing, but that man might be the reason for her situation.

Her face lost its color when she heard my words. It was as if someone had uncovered her darkest secrets. She began nervously fidgeting with her fingers. A single tear rolled down her cheek.

I couldn't help but feel a pang of pain in my chest.

"You can sh-" My sentence was abruptly cut off by the ringing of bells, breaking me out of my trance.