➽────────── ADHI

"I'm not your fucking servant, Anish. You always do this", I snorted through the phone as I was on my way to the library to get my very own best-fucking-friend's laptop which he had left there because of his careless ass. This is probably the twentieth time he has left behind something carelessly. We need the laptop immediately as we have to work on a project.

"Please, my dearest bro. This will be the last time, I swear", he said. That's what he says every time. Nevermind. It's already seven o'clock at night. I had to stayback at the campus for sometime to do some of the club work. The library closes in another half an hour. I have to hurry up.

"Just fuck off and be on time to my home. Sharp nine", I declared as I hung up the call. We had planned to work on our project together, tonight.

I took long strides towards the library. As I reached the library, almost all of the lights were off but it wasn't locked and the librarian didn't seem to be present there. I strolled through the library to find his laptop, wishing that I don't get locked here. Thanks to the darkness.

I switched on the mobile torch and searched the entire library. As I was searching, I suddenly heard the sound of door locking. Shit. It should not be what I'm thinking. I rushed towards the door. But before I could reach the door, it was locked and the person seemed to have given a zero fuck to check if anyone was inside.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I raked my hands through my hair in frustration. I decided to call someone and tell them about the situation, but heaven wasn't on my side. My phone battery had died. Great!

I went back to search for the laptop, at least I can contact someone through mail or whatsapp web. As I was pacing here and there, I suddenly bumped into some figure and fell down on my ass due to the sudden force. I noticed that I bumped into a girl. Her face wasn't visible because of the darkness.

"Oh God! No, please. I'm just twenty years old and it's not the time to meet a ghost"

I heard the girl panicking and crying for life. Ah, silly girl. People are still scared of ghosts? Tch tch. Oh! Wait a minute. This voice... NO! Is it MAYA?

"Maya?", I screamed, surprised to have met her here.

"The ghost know my name? I'm fucked up", she cried, still on the floor because of the earlier accident.

I wanted to laugh so bad because of her funny panicked state. Damn, she's too cute and funny. The last three months with her have been no less than a roller coaster. Sure, we fight and tease each other a lot. But that's not all of it. Those secret glances at each other and our fingers brushing against each other whenever we pass something. We both know we're driven towards each other. It might not be called love, yet. But it's definitely not a simple crush nor a simple attraction. But the truth be told, I've fallen for her clumsy ass.

"Calm down, missy. It's me, Adhi", I said as I got up from the cold floor and extended my hand towards her for her to get up.

"Adhi? What the heck are you even doing here?", she asked as she took my hand and got up from the floor. Our hands remained clasped together.

"A long short story. But why are you here?", I asked, not wanting to lose the touch of her skin.

"I was here studying. But then I slept and when I woke up, I found out that I got locked up. But thank heavens, I'm not alone. I've you with me", she beamed, not knowing the effects the last line had on me. "You got your phone with you? Let's call someone and ask them to open the door. My phone has died", she said.

"Oh shit. Same", I said with oh-so-sorry-eyes. But truth be told, being locked up in the library with Maya doesn't sound bad. I mean, it's better than being alone.

"We're done for. And please don't leave my hand and don't even think of leaving me alone. If you have an idea of leaving me, then consider yourself dead", she ordered, pointing her finger at me. Why do her words today sound like they have a different meaning apart from this situation's meaning?

"I'll never leave your hand. You can trust me on that", I said as I pressed her palm, assuring her. She looked at me as though I said something out of the syllabus. "I mean, I'll keep you safe from the ghosts by having you close to me", I corrected myself to put down the awkwardness that I had created with my words before.

"Let's just sit down and wait for someone to open up the door", I said and she agreed. We sat down by the bookshelf, on the floor, even though there were a lot of chairs and tables in the library.

Our shoulders touched each other's as we sat down. We both looked at each other, knowing the brewing tension between us. It suddenly felt hot. We both knew for a fact that if we are together for some more time together here, we might do something that we might regret later. Living together in the same apartment is different than getting locked up in the library, that too with no lights. The library felt so small suddenly.

She rubbed her palms together, trying to get some warmth from the friction. She hugged her knees and placed her cheek over her knee, facing me sideways, catching me admiring her. Shit!

I quickly averted my gaze, but it was too late. Her smile hinted that she had already noticed. Embarrassed, I ran a hand through my hair, trying to play it cool, while her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer before she looked away.

"You have some water with you?", she asked, now looking at me again. "No", I said with apologetic eyes.

"I need to search for Anish's laptop. That's the reason I came to the library at such an odd hour", I said and I was about to get up. But before I could, she pulled me down my sleeve.

"Wait. I'm also coming with you", she said as she got up. I also got up and she held me by my sleeve, her hands circled over my arm. I smiled at her action and I calmed my rising heartbeats.

Damn, I never knew there lived a scaredy-cat beneath the oh-so-confident image of hers. Not going to lie, I freaking love this version of hers. I thought of playing a little with her.

I made a slightly scary sound and at the same time, I accidentally hit the bookshelf and a book fell down. Maya screamed her lungs out of fear and crashed against my chest onto a bone-crushing hug. This is not what I had expected.

Her heart raced, and I could feel every beat reverberating through me. For a moment, time seemed to stop as we stood there, wrapped in each other. I opened my mouth to apologize, but the words never came out. The warmth of her body against mine, the way she held on just a little too tightly—it was like she was scared to let go. She was too warm to let go of her.

"I didn't think you would get this scared", I said. She slowly pulled out of the hug and mouthed a curse word. That only made me laugh.

"You fucking asshole", she barked as I was laughing, throwing my head back and placing my hands on my stomach.

Maybe this way of spending the night with Maya was a zillion times better than doing the project together with Anish. I'm sorry bro.

🕯️🗝️🪞💌

a/n: two to three more chapters to go before we bid a goodbye to these babies.