Ishq Nasamajh

Chapter 29: Problem is You

Siddhart's POV:

As weeks passed, I found myself becoming more invested in my role as the president of the Photography Club.

I observed with pride as my students improved their skills and grew more passionate about photography.

Seeing Alisha among them always brought a smile to my face. Her presence filled me with energy and motivation, inspire me to work even harder.

However, Shubham's constant presence around Alisha grated on my nerves. I couldn't shake off the feeling of irritation whenever I saw them together, and I couldn't help but feel protective of Alisha.

During one of our club meetings, I assigned the next assignment: human photography. I watched closely as the students paired up for the task, my eyes lingering on Alisha and Shubham. To my dismay, Shubham deliberately became Alisha's partner, and jealousy and anger surged within me.

As I busied myself with instructing other students, I heard a snippet from Shubham that made my blood run cold.

"She's such a babe. I can't wait to get close to her and capture her beauty up close," while Shubham's gaze fixed on Alisha.

Without a second thought, my protective instincts kicked in. In a fit of rage, I stormed over to where Shubham was taking Alisha's picture, grabbed him by the collar, and delivered a hard punch.

"Don't even think about that!" I exclaimed, my voice laced with fury. The sudden outburst shocked everyone in the room, including Alisha, who looked on with wide eyes.

As the punch connected, a stunned silence enveloped the room. Shubham staggered back, clutching his jaw, while I stood there, seething with anger and frustration. The weight of my actions began to sink in as I realized the gravity of what I had just done.

Alisha's eyes widened in disbelief, her expression a mix of shock and confusion. "Siddhart, what..." she began, her voice trailing off as she struggled to find the words to express her thoughts.

Shubham, on the other hand, recovered from the initial shock and his expression turned defensive.

"Hey man, what's your problem?" he retorted

But I wasn't backing down. "My problem is you," I snapped back, my voice trembling with suppressed anger as I again grabbed his collar and wishper in his ears, "Stay away from her. I won't tolerate any disrespect towards her and ......"

Before I could finish , the club advisor burst into the room, drawn by the commotion.

"What's going on here?" he demanded, his gaze shifting between me and Shubham, who was now nursing his bruised jaw.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I struggled to find the right words to explain my actions.

"I... I overreacted, sir. I apologize," I managed to say, my voice laced with regret.

The advisor's stern expression softened slightly as he regarded me. "This behavior is unacceptable, Siddhart." he scold, his tone firm but not unkind.

With a heavy heart, I nodded in acknowledgment. As the tension in the room began to dissipate, I glanced over at Alisha, hoping to convey my remorse through my gaze. But her expression remained unreadable, leaving me with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Feeling the weight of guilt and confusion pressing down on me, I made a hasty exit from the class, craving the solitude of my dorm room.

The walk back was a blur, my mind consumed by the events of the day and the tangled web of emotions they had stirred within me.

Collapsing onto my bed, I closed my eyes, hoping that a few moments of rest would offer some clarity amidst the chaos.

Yet, as I lay there in the dim light, my thoughts continued to race, each one vying for attention.

The memory of my outburst in the class replayed in my mind, each word spoken by Shubham echoing like a haunting refrain.

I knew I had acted impulsively, driven by a surge of protectiveness over Alisha, but now, in the quiet of my room, doubt gnawed at my resolve.

Should I have reacted differently? Should I have kept my emotions in check, rather than succumbing to the heat of the moment? And more importantly, should I reveal the truth to Alisha about my identity as Prem?

The prospect of confessing weighed heavily on my mind. On one hand, I longed for the honesty and openness that such a revelation would bring, yet on the other, I feared the consequences of exposing myself.

As I lay there, consumed by my thoughts, the door to my room burst open, and Rohan stormed in, his expression a mixture of concern and agitation.

"Hey, what's this I heard about you hitting that library guy? Kya Kiya usne bhyii?" he demanded, his voice edged with anger.

I sighed, knowing that I couldn't keep it from him. "Yeah, it's true," I confessed, recounting the events of the photography class and the disturbing thoughts I had heard from Shubham.

Rohan's eyes blazed with fury. "Just a punch, dude? He deserves much more than that," he growled, clenching his fists.

I placed a calming hand on his shoulder, knowing that Rohan's protective instincts were as fierce as my own.

"It's under control. Besides, I didn't want to make things worse," I assured him, trying to diffuse the tension.

Then, gathering my courage, I revealed my inner turmoil to Rohan, admitting that I wanted to tell Alisha the truth about my identity as Prem.

Rohan's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but then a mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Okay, tell her," he declared, his tone decisive. "And why not take it a step further? Tell her about your feelings on the trip. It would be epic!"

His suggestion caught me off guard, but the more I thought about it, the more it appealed to me. Maybe Rohan was right. Maybe it was time to lay my heart bare and take a leap of faith.

Before I could dwell on it further, a message notification on my phone distracted me, and as I glanced down, my heart skipped a beat.

It was a message from Alisha, her name lighting up the screen like a beacon in the darkness, erasing all other thoughts from my mind.

Alisha: Premmmm pata hai Aaj kya hua. Siddhart punched Shubham out of nowhere!

Me: Oh no, really? Maybe he had his reasons.

Alisha: Hmm but it was so unlike of him.

Me: Don't stress too much about it. let me try to soothe your worries.

"Chandni ki tarah chamakti hai aapki muskurahat,
Dil ko bhaati hai aapki baat,
Chand se bhi nikhar kar aayi hain aap,
Har pal, har lamha, aapki yaadon mein kho jaata hai yeh dil saath saath"

Alisha: Wow, that's beautiful, Prem😭❤️

Me: aapne bataya tha you were going on a trip. Ryt?

Alisha: haan ryt..

Me: well, I have a surprise for you.

Alisha: What??🙄tell na

Me: then it won't be a surprise Chandni.

Alisha: But Prem this is not done. Trip toh next week haina. Ok give me a hint atleast.

Me: good night Chandni.😝

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Hope you liked the chapter
Take care ❤️