An Innocent Crush ✓

02 | Sir or bhaiya?

"Datenge?"

"Bohot."

"Marenge bhi?"

"Oh, you don't know, he is a monster, monster..."

Kiara halted in her tracks and looked at her cousin, horrified. She turned around instantly and started walking back. "Hey! Oi! What happened?" her cousin asked, grabbing her bag to stop her.

"I don't want any tuition classes, absolutely not," she tried to walk again, but her cousin's grip was strong and didn't let her move at all.

"Oh, I was just joking. Bhaiya is really nice and funny too. Come on!"

He started dragging her by her bag, almost making her fall. She glared at her cousin but still followed him, as they got closer to their tutor's house. Kiara's heart started to pound at an unusual pace, she was nervous. Never had she ever taken tuition classes, this was her first time and obviously she was scared.

As they reached the house, Kiara's cousin knocked on the door and a middle-aged woman with glasses opened it. "Aao aao bacho, you must be Kiara, Vikram's sister?" she asked with a warm smile.

Kiara hesitantly nodded, she stepped inside the house, her cousin following closely behind. The living room was neat and organized, "Dhruv! Dhruv! Tere students aa gaye!" She called for her son.

Kiara stared at her feet, feeling a bit nervous. She really wanted to go home right now. Hearing the footsteps coming downstairs, she looked up towards the source of the sound.

A tall man wearing a white button-up shirt approached them while folding his sleeves. Kiara kept staring at him. He was quite good looking, fine! He was handsome. He was wearing glasses and had a friendly smile on his handsome face.

"So you're the new student? What's your name?"

"Um, I'm Kiara," she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

"Nice to meet you, Kiara. I'm Dhruv, you can call me sir or bhaiya," he said warmly, smiling a little at her.

'Bhaiya? No way I'll call him bhaiya...'

Kiara hesitated for a moment before timidly nodding her head.

"Vikram, show her the study room," Dhruv said, Vikram nodded his head before leading her to the study room.

As they settled in, Kiara couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Contrary to her initial fears, Dhruv seemed kind and approachable. As the tutoring sessions began, Kiara found herself surprised by how patient and dedicated Dhruv was.

He explained concepts thoroughly and made sure they understood before moving on. He had a knack for breaking down complex topics into simpler, more manageable parts, which made learning much easier for Kiara and her cousin.

She found herself actually looking forward to the tutoring sessions, as Dhruv made the subjects more interesting and enjoyable. He even shared fun anecdotes and related the topics to real-life situations, which further enhanced their understanding.

Slowly, Kiara began to relax and even enjoy the learning process. She realized that Dhruv wasn't the monster her cousin had jokingly described. Instead, he was an incredibly knowledgeable and personable teacher.

Kiara started looking forward to her tuition classes. It wasn't just about studying anymore; it was about the connection she had formed with her tutor, Dhruv became a mentor and friend.

Outside of the tutoring sessions, Dhruv's family also made Kiara feel welcome and comfortable, his mother would often offer them snacks.

The following few months went the same, he would teach them, clear their doubts and ensure they were progressing well in their studies.

3 months later ||

Dhruv glanced at Kiara, who anxiously bit her pen. He was taking a test today, and true to Kiara's nature, she hadn't studied at all. Now, she was struggling to remember the answers.

"Madam Kiara, are you so hungry? Should I give you my pen to eat as well?" Dhruv teased, smirking at her. He often teased her, actually, he teased her all the time, and she had grown accustomed to it.

Kiara rolled her eyes and pushed her test toward Dhruv. "Just grade it already, Sir."
Dhruv chuckled and began checking her answers. As he went through her paper, he noticed a lot of mistakes and frowned. "Kiara, you didn't study at all, did you?"

She sheepishly smiled and shrugged. "I got caught up with other things, sorry."
Dhruv sighed, but then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "Well, since you didn't study, come here!"

Kiara bit her inner cheek before getting up from her seat. She slowly walked toward his side and stood in front of him. Dhruv leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Put your hand forward," he said and grabbed the stick from the table.

Kiara's eyes widened in fear as she nervously glanced at the stick in Dhruv's hands. He raised an eyebrow at her and gestured for Kiara to give him her hand.
Clutching her t-shirt tightly with her other hand, she extended her palm to him. Upon seeing him lift the stick, Kiara closed her eyes tightly, scared of the pain. Dhruv glanced at her softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. He slowly placed the stick in her hand.

Feeling nothing, Kiara opened her eyes and looked at him. He was already looking at her. "Next time, study properly, or else I will really hit you. Okay?" he asked, removing the stick from her palm. Kiara smiled widely and nodded at him.

"Yes, I will, sir."

"Good."