His Chanda | Star-crossed Lovers

Ch-3 Professing a perplexed

On the same night as the dance competition, Chandni planned to study in the garden of Kotha. She covered herself in a warm shawl and picked up her giant books and headed to the garden. She was walking in the corridor when Angraj came out from one of the rooms in the corridor, that too shirtless. Both of them looked at each other in astonishment. But then quickly hid their amusing expressions under the mask of ignorance.

Chandni resumed walking to the garden. After a few moments, she turned around and found Angraj coming behind her. Still, she kept walking to the garden. Again she looked in his direction. He was still pacing in her direction, ignoring her, with a cigarette in his hand.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, only to clarify if he is following her or not.

"I am here to do a moonwalk." It sounded sarcastic to her.

"You know how to do it?" She asked innocently, not understanding his taunt.

"Yeah, just walk under the sky when the moon is shining high above. That's called moonwalk."

"Whoever has told you about it, has lied. Moonwalk is Michael Jackson's famous step."

"Are you seriously this naive?" He could not digest her naive reply.

"Why?" And she could not digest his sarcasm.

"Nothing."  He pulled out a lighter from his pocket and lit up the cigarette. He was about to put it between his lips when she interrupted.

"Please don't smoke." She requested politely.

"Why is that so?"

"I am allergic to smoke."

He could go somewhere else to smoke, but at that time he was feeling calm in the greenery around him. He did not want to argue over just a cigarette so he threw it away.

Chandni sat on the two-seater swing and began reading a book.

Angraj looked at her, he found her adorable. She looked more like a doll. Her hair was blowing with the soft wind.

He shivered with cold. He regretted leaving his shirt in the room. But no way he was going back to bring it from that prostitute's room. She was too much to handle.

Chandni put her books aside and stood up. Removing her shawl she walked to him and forwarded it to him.

"Take it."

"Why should I?"

"Because you are feeling cold. If you remained bare chest in this cold weather you will get ill."

He wanted to refuse, to satisfy his manly ego. But he was not a fool. He knew she was right and he needed it at that time. So he quietly took the shawl and wrapped it around his upper body. He felt warm and the scent of roses engulfed his senses. It was her scent that was intoxicating his senses, while she resumed her studies as well as swinging.

"Which field are you studying?"

"Non-medical. I am in my B.Sc final year."

"Which career do you want to pursue?"  Because it was evident that she will not follow in her mother's footsteps.

"Dance, I want to set up a dance school."

She did not look at him once. Her eyes were fixated on her book.

But his eyes focused on her. It even noticed a little frown on her face.

"Any difficulty?" He asked.

"Yeah, I am unable to understand the chapter I am reading."

"May I help you?"

"Sure."

He moved closer to the swing and sat down beside her, keeping books between them.

She handed him the book and he began reading the chapter.

"It's easy, just a little complex terminology has been used in it. Let me explain....."

He continued making her understand various concepts the rest of the night.

It was weird. A guy and a girl studying together inside those walls which are infamous for selling virginity of women.

"Can you help me in the studies next night as well?"

They finally closed the book when it was almost dawn.

"I'll try to be here."
With that, he left, still, her shawl wrapped around his chest.

☆☆☆

Chandni would be the first girl who was on cloud nine just because her menstruation period started the very next morning. Because now she got another excuse to stay away from prostitution at least for a week.

She did not care about what would happen after a week. She knew God will help her just the way he did it to the date.

She locked herself in her room and studied the whole day. Her exams were about to start after a fortnight. It was her final year, so she was studying as much as she could. Moreover, she did her bachelor's while studying from home. She did not attend any college. The reason was that she did not want anyone to know that she was a prostitute's daughter. It was difficult to study by herself. But using technology does not hurt. Professor Google and Dr. YouTube had played a significant role in her studies.

Finally, the night arrived and she prepared the list of questions she was going to ask Angraj.

Angraj was brilliant. He made her understand everything like he was teaching a toddler. She did not feel uncomfortable in his company. The reason is unknown to her self. But she trusted him, for sure.

She waited till midnight and then headed to the garden. She saw Kangana standing in the middle of the garden with a worried look.

"Kangana, anything wrong?"

"Chandni, I had seen Angraj coming here but he is nowhere to be seen. You know what, last night he suddenly left my room. I think he is ignoring me." She told her with a childish face.

"Why he will ignore you when he does not even notice you? Just let it go."

"How can I let him go? He is so charming!"

"That charming is just using you for his body needs. Don't take it seriously."

"I knew, you are not my true friend."
Kangana left with an amusing frown on her face.

Chandni softly laughed at Kangana's dumb self.

But suddenly she felt someone's presence behind her.

She turned around to find it out.
"Aaaaaaaa..."
She screamed at the sight in front of her.