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Chapter 3 - Rules

"Spandan!" exclaimed Fiza. It was finally time for the JIPMER trip. She had taken proactive measures to gather notes for the lectures she would miss and had requested slides to review during the bus journey. Priya, who was from Delhi, was known for being the most fashionable girl in the hostel from their year. She went through Fiza's wardrobe and discarded anything she considered "too Mallu" and showcased her own collection of dresses and tops for Fiza to borrow.

Unfortunately, Fiza had restrictions on wearing short skirts or sleeveless clothes, limiting her options. However, she spotted a black dress that fell an inch above her knee, with a scooped neck revealing just a hint of cleavage. As she admired herself in the mirror, Fiza knew she looked fabulous.

"You HAVE to take it," insisted Priya.

"I think I will," said Fiza, still admiring her reflection.

"Your pants need to be higher, and your tops need to be shorter," suggested Priya. "You can borrow my stuff for now, but when you return, we are definitely going shopping."

Fiza acknowledged that her style was conservative. While she never dressed poorly, she didn't pay much attention to keeping up with the latest trends. Typically, she would simply apply kajal and lip gloss. Her flawless skin and natural beauty didn't require much enhancement.

"And please, use an eyeliner and mascara. Stop using kajal under your eyes. Use lipstick instead of gloss. Lip gloss is just too... sticky," Priya added, her nose crinkling. Fiza rolled her eyes in mock exaggeration.

Fiza bid farewell to her friends at the hostel and boarded the bus. She was one of the first to arrive and sat next to Neha, a member of the 'Indian Music' team.

"Fiza, Anjana is going to sit here," Neha informed her.

Fiza stood up and moved to an empty row. While gazing out the window, she felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Abhishek, who seemed oblivious to her lack of interest in him.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked.

Fiza was searching for a way to decline when she noticed Alan entering the bus. Catching his eye, she said, "Hey, come on, I saved you a seat." Abhishek turned around, noticed Alan, and frowned.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Abhishek questioned, his hands clenched in his pockets.

"Nope! I'll only date the man I plan to marry," Fiza responded, looking at Alan before turning to face Abhishek. "I'm very old-fashioned. Boring. You'd have more fun making out with a fish," she said nonchalantly. Alan laughed, while Abhishek gave her one last confused look before walking away.

Alan lifted his bags and placed them in the overhead compartment before handling Fiza's as well. Fiza's eyes unintentionally wandered to the gap between his T-shirt and jeans. It was evident that he worked out. She quickly averted her gaze as he sat down beside her, spreading his legs wide, causing their thighs to touch. Once again, she felt that spark, the thrill traveling up her thigh to her spine.

"You occupy a lot of space," she commented, looking at him.

He shrugged. "You asked me to sit here. And since you don't seem to need much space, I might as well spread out," he grinned.

As the bus started moving, everyone cheered, whistled, and shouted. Fiza took out her laptop and began reviewing her lectures.

"You've got to be kidding me," Alan remarked.

"What?" Fiza responded defensively. "We are missing a lot of classes. You're welcome to review them with me."

Alan gave another shrug and looked away, causing Fiza to imagine him shrugging even if she closed her eyes and thought of him. She smiled and continued going through the slides, but suddenly felt a wave of nausea and dry heaved.