Hai Tujhe Bhi Izazat

Chapter 43

It was a nice sunny day. The corridors of the university were filled with students giggling, talking, laughing and stressing. Everyone was busy in their lives.

And Aaradhya was busy figuring out ways to avoid Abhi. Okay, she knows she likes him. That's fine. Now, when she thinks of the past, she concludes, she has had a crush on him for a very very long time. That's not a problem.

But the problem is that he knows she likes him. What next? She is not a girlfriend material. She cannot say those lovey-dovey things to him. And she cannot talk to him like she used to before. It's kind of awkward.

She doesn't know what's wrong with her circulatory system. Her blood rushes whenever he is near her and her cheeks become dark red. How does she control that?

"What are you doing here? Why are you not in the class?" Abhi's voice brought her back from her thoughts to reality.  She was sitting at the corner of the ground hoping none of her friends would find her there.

"I... I.. Actually... I..." she stammered. She definitely can't tell him she was planning to avoid him until she gets control over her feelings. Skipping class was a bad idea, she knew that. But she wanted some time for herself to think.

"Is everything alright?" Abhi asked concerned.

"Yes. Everything is okay. I just didn't feel like attending class today, so I skipped a lecture. Not a big deal," she said trying to sound as cool as she could.

"Ok. Now tell me what's wrong. You not feeling like attending those boring lectures? Something is not right," Abhi asked. He knows Aaradhya that much. Everyone can bunk classes but she never does something like this.

"It's really nothing. I just want to be alone for some time," she said not meeting his eyes.

"Why? Is something bothering you? You know you can tell me anything," Abhi said gently taking her hand into his.

"No.. No.." her eyes teared up. She felt like a criminal lying to him. But what should she tell him? Oh god! She is worse than a child.

"Why are you crying? What's wrong?" Abhi asked panicked.

"I am not crying," she said almost on the verge of crying.

"You are about to cry. Just tell me. Did anyone say anything to you?" he asked wiping a lone tear that left her right eye.

"I. I don't know. I don't know what to do next," she said taking out her hands out of his grasp.

"Do next? Where?" he asked confused.

"In our relationship. I don't know how to talk to you now. It's all so awkward now," she said wiping her tears.

"You are crying just because of this?" Abhi asked confused and somewhat relieved that it was nothing serious.

"Yes," she said looking downwards not meeting his eyes. She has already done enough to embarrass herself.

"Look at me," Abhi said softly.

She just shook her head and kept looking towards the ground.

"Aaradhya," Abhi said holding her chin gently and meeting her eyes.
"You don't have to do anything. We don't have to change ourselves. You just need to hold my hand whenever I need it and I'll do the same for you. Don't fret over such silly things," he said.

"Okay," she said. He did not speak anything extraordinary. Just simple words. But these simple words were somewhat comforting to her.

"Just okay?" he asked.

"I am sorry. I overthink everything," she said wiping a few more tears that left her eyes.

"I know. Overthinking is not the problem. Not sharing your thoughts is. At least tell me if anything bothers you. Avoiding me every time is not a solution," he said.