Rekindling Hearts: A Second Chance Love Story

Chapter 6: Fragmented Moments: Unforeseen Connections;

I was looking around for an idea to deal with it. As Juan and John began playing a game, their loudness started to bother me.

 "Should I shout and tell them they're annoying and to lower their volume? Maybe if I raise my voice, he might look in this direction and see me for sure."

Before I could speak, Rudra returned with our orders. In an unexpected turn, John's accidental movement caused the tray to topple, creating a mess.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... Noooooooo... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! What the hell... What have you done, guys?" I screamed, much louder than intended. My dress was ruined and so smelly...yak.....

Juan promptly apologized and urged me to change my clothes, as they resided in the hostel and had a spare outfit.

Observing Rudra's guilt-ridden face, I felt a rush of empathy for him. Approaching him spontaneously, I reached out,

 "Rudra, could you pass me some tissues, please?"

 He promptly handed me tissues and joined in to help clean up.

 "It's okay, Rudra, this wasn't your fault. Juan, John, wait for me to come back and I'll deal with you later."

As I stood up, I realized the embarrassing situation I was in. I should have been noticed by everyone, and they were laughing. He should have observed this. Should I look for his reaction? But when I glanced in his direction, he seemed angry, his eyes ablaze.

"Is he mad? Because of my behavior? No, my actions shouldn't anger him," I pondered, unsure.

Rudra held onto me protectively, shielding me from the eyes of onlookers, while Juan diligently cleaned my jacket.

Despite my embarrassment, I found my attention diverted by Sanjay's unexpected reaction, and then I noticed his fiery glare directed at me. Confused and flustered, I struggled to comprehend his sudden anger.

"Is he mad at me or something else?" I questioned, puzzled by the situation.

"Huh, whatever it is, perhaps he's upset about something else," I mused.

As I prepared to leave the canteen, Rudra tugged at my hand, assisting me to rise from the chair.

It was then that I noticed Sanjay, furiously pushing his chair and leaving.

"What is wrong with him?"

I don't mind anyway. Look at me, how I've ended up. I was like a princess in the morning, and now I smell so badly."

I hastily returned to the hostel, cleaned myself up, changed clothes, and refreshed my makeup. Once done, I rushed back to school.

After classes, as I was preparing to leave, Rudra once again apologized for the incident.

I assured him it wasn't his fault. They were careless.

Then he walked me to the parking area, where my driver was waiting.

"Okay, Rudra, my car is here. Bye."

As I made my way to the car, I noticed Sanjay waiting nearby.

"Ah, he must be waiting for his driver again," I thought as I continued walking.

But to my surprise, he approached me.

"Hi, are you okay? I saw you were having a problem at noon. Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for asking," I replied, a bit surprised by his concern.

"Are you waiting for your driver?" I inquired.

"Oh, well no. I was waiting for you," he responded, with a smile.

"Oh, really? That's so thoughtful of you. Is your driver already here?" I inquired with a glimmer of curiosity.

He chuckled softly, "Nah, I usually ride my cycle to school. I'm not a fan of traveling by car unless I'm behind the wheel."

"Cycling is great for staying healthy," I remarked, a hint of admiration in my tone. Recollecting my dad mentioning his residence in our neighborhood, an idea sparked within me.

"He lives nearby, just a couple of turns away. Perhaps I can find a way to ask for a ride without being too direct," I pondered quietly.

"You know, I've always been interested in cycling, but I never really learned how. I'd love to ride a cycle," I expressed, subtly hoping to convey my interest in the idea of riding together.