The hottie of their batch, the topper and very smart, Abhimaan Singh towered over her. The football was back to the ground and the game continued. He saved her from getting a concussion.
“Hi!”
He breathed and her eyes lost focus. How hot can someone's whisper be? Oh she was in too bad. She had the biggest crush on Abhimaan since her first semester. Well, 90% of their batchmate girls were, but yes.
“Hi!”
She whispered back but it sounded more like a dying fish. Amusement flickered on his face and he asked, raking his eyes over her form.
“Are you okay? Hurt somewhere?”
She couldn't trust her voice anymore so she just nodded. He chuckled and left after giving her another brief glance. She turned around still in daze and started walking aimlessly until her frienfs joined her.
“Damn! One lucky girl you are! Apne crush ke itna kareeb, aankhon mai aankhein, whisper shisper and all haa!”
Anjali blushed profusely and reprimanded her friends. This was the first stair in their journey.
A few days later when she was still having dreams about his closeup profile, Abhimaan stopped her in the corridor. If stopping her wasn't shocking enough, he'd taken her name.
He knew her name! Before she could get out of that giddiness, he asked.
“Are you busy right now? Kuch kaam tha tumse. Baat ho skti hai abhi?”
Ok! Someone needed to wake her up. She was still dreaming.
“Anjali?”
“Huh? Yeah! Yeah, I am free. Bolo.”
“Umm-yaha nhi. Canteen chale?”
What was it that he wanted to talk somewhere else? Her dreamy side thought of it to be a proposal. His love confession. Blah! It only happens in movies Anjali! Wake up!
“Sure!”
She answered keeping her emotions in control. They moved towards the canteen walking side by side. She could see how slow he was walking to match her pace because she was a slow walker.
It somehow made her blush. They reached the canteen but it was packed. Anjali was raking her eyes through the place to look for a seat when he called out two people's names.
“Find another seat for yourself.”
He said and the two boys who looked like they were juniors, immediately cleared their seats and went away.
“Juniors pr hukum chala rhe ho. Bad manners!”
She teased while taking her seat and he gave her a look.
“Friends hai. Jaante hai football team se. Aur thoos chuke the dono. Jallad nhi hu mai.”
The way he defended himself made her laugh.
“Unhe chhodo! What will you have?”
He asked taking the menu and she shook her head.
“Nothing! I'm not hungry.”
“Umm-ok. Tea person or coffee person?”
“Coffee! Anytime!”
She answered and he smiled. He called the person taking and serving orders.
“Do cold coffees laana bhaiya.”
The boy nodded and went off writing it in his notepad and Anjali looke at him. Coffee? Was this an unofficial coffee date? She'll assume it to be.
“Kya baat krni thi tumhe?”
She asked and he sighed.
“Tumhe accounts aa raha hai samajh?”
She nodded.
“Please tutor me!”
Her eyes widened and she asked.
“What?”
“Haan! Please please please Anjali. Mai fail ho jaaunga yaar.”
She rolled her eyes at his exaggeration.
“You are one of the top 5 University rankers. University Abhimaan, not even college. And you want me to believe tum fail ho jaaoge.”
“Arre accounts mai yaar.”
He clarified and she nodded.
“Please mana mat krna. Please! Warna iss baar toh mai latak jaaunga.”
She raised her eyebrow at his choice of words and he quickly corrected.
“Accounts mai latak jaaunga. Please say yes Anjali. Please!”
He made such a cute face that he couldn't deny. Although she wasn't going to anyway. Who would deny a chance to be close to her crush?
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
He asked and she reaffirmed.
“Okay.”
“Okay! Perfect! Yeah! Pass ho gaya bhenchod!”
She laughed and he grinned.
“So classes kabse start kr skte hai mam?”
“Jabse tum chaho.”
“Great then! Mai kal se apni accounts ki books laana start krta hu.”
She nodded and asked.
“Lekin classes kaha karenge?”
“Tumhe college ke baad rukne mai problem toh nhi hai na?”
She shook her head and he grinned.
“Bas phir figure out kr lenge. We'll find some empty classroom ya library mai baith jaayenge.”
Just at the moment, their orders arrived and they had their coffee while chatting with each other.
Anjali had been explaining him concepts of the subject since quite a time now. Their exams are close and after a few weeks, no one would be able to go out because of exams so, Anjali and her friends were out for a fun day.
She and Abhimaan have become good friends. He was too naughty while studying with her. Teasing her. Doing things that made her blush. Sometimes she felt like he too felt something more than just friendship for her. The way he kept touching her. Innocent touches, his constant urge to try sitting closer to her. All of it confused her sometimes. But he never said anything. And she didn't want to assume anything.
She was walking peacefully towards the cafe which was located inside the mall when Akash threw his arm around her and pretended to bite her head.
She shrieked and punched his stomach.
“Pagal kutte!”
He laughed and closed his arm which was on her shoulder such that she bumped into his chest and he knocked on her head making her groan and hit him.
Abhimaan, who was coincidentally at the same mall with his friends and had seen Anjali stopped in his tracks towards her when he saw the guy walking beside her do this.
An uneasy feeling settled at the pit of her stomach when he saw how close the two of them seemed. Was he a boyfriend he wasn't aware of? Why did the thought unsettle him?
He knew he wouldn't be at peace until he knew what Anjali and the guy's relationship was. And so, gulping his uneasiness down, he called her name.
“Hey Anjali.”
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