"I still haven't figured out how to sit across from you, and not be madly in love with everything you do."— William C. Hannan

SANA scanned the college cafeteria with a frown, her gaze sweeping over the tables. The usual bustling scene was oddly quiet, and none of the familiar faces were in sight.

No Julia, no Siya, and no Sidharth Kapoor.

She sighed, feeling the emptiness around her.

They’d returned from Mount Abu three days ago, but the aftermath was still palpable. It was her second day back at college, and yet, Siya, Ram, and Kapoor hadn’t shown up, all clearly choosing to avoid each other. And Julia... she came with her to college but had been distant, neither of them speaking to each other for the past two days.

Sana slumped into a chair, her thoughts racing back to the conversation she’d had with Julia after Mount Abu. Julia had filled her in on what happened between Ram, Siya, and Kapoor, but angrily didn’t quite cover how Sana felt. She was downright disappointed with Julia. All this heartbreak over one reckless dare. None of them were coming to classes, and each of them seemed hurt in a way that made the silence worse.

"Was this all really necessary?" Sana wondered bitterly.

Ram, burdened with guilt, was now taking over the role as CEO of his father’s company. Last night, he called to tell her he was officially starting his position today. His father, Mr. Rudra Thakur, was ready to retire and enjoy life with his wife, Mrs. Payel Thakur. Ram’s decision to join the business so suddenly felt like a way to avoid the inevitable awkwardness he’d face if he returned to college and saw Siya and Kapoor.

Julia had tried to justify everything to Sana, though. “I know I overstepped, Sana,” Julia had said, her tone low and remorseful. “But don’t you think this had to happen? They would’ve kept pretending otherwise, both of them too afraid to face the truth.”

“Truth?” Sana had snapped, her voice icy with disappointment. “Siya, Kapoor, Ram—they’re all hurt because of you, Julia. Whatever the reasons you had, you had no right to meddle with their lives like that.”

Now, alone in the cafeteria, Sana’s anger simmered. Julia’s little stunt had left everyone in knots. Siya, hurt and confused between two men; Kapoor, upset and wounded by Siya’s torn feelings; and Ram, both frustrated with Siya and guilty for disrupting her relationship. Whatever the state of Kapoor and Siya’s love, they seemed happy together—until Julia’s dare pulled the floor out from under them.

A pang of guilt gnawed at Sana too.

"I’m no better than Julia," she thought, regret filling her.

She’d unknowingly played her own part in this, all for a reckless plan. That day in Mount Abu, she pulled Ram in for another kiss, just to make Sidharth jealous. It had worked—she remembered the flash of fury in his eyes, the way he looked ready to pummel Ram for touching her. Possessive, exactly as she wanted him to be.

Her phone buzzed, jolting her from her thoughts. It was a message from Sidharth.

I’m going to punish you for that kiss with Ram. And, make sure you get your medical tests done today. We’ll meet after college.

Her stomach twisted.

This was happening.

She hadn’t even signed the contract yet, but he’d made it clear he’d draft the final papers today and accompany her for the medical tests.

“Next week… we start everything next week,” she murmured to herself, nerves bubbling up.

It had been a year since she’d last been with someone, and the thought of diving into an arrangement like this with Sidharth Vyas made her heart race.

What am I getting myself into?

Her phone buzzed again, another message from Sidharth.

Be ready. I don’t have all day.

She rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “Oh, believe me, I’m ready. Just not for whatever punishment you have in mind.”

The prospect of facing him, of having him beside her through these formalities, made her both nervous and strangely excited.

Sana sighed and got up from her chair, making her way to the counter to place her order.

"A coffee and club sandwich, please," she said to the man behind the counter.

He nodded and told her it would take about ten minutes.

She gave him a small smile, then turned back toward her table, her thoughts already drifting back to Sidharth and this absurd contract between them. The idea of actually following through with it, of having him beside her, felt surreal—and nerve-wracking.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice someone blocking her path until she walked right into him. Before she could react, she felt herself starting to fall backward. Her breath caught, but a hand gripped her wrist, pulling her close. She collided against a solid chest, and the familiar deep voice filled her ears.

"Hey, you alright?"

Sana’s eyes flew open, and she looked up to see Kartik, one of Sidharth's friends, watching her with a smirk.

She quickly stepped back, feeling his hand slip from her wrist but linger, and uncomfortably, on her exposed waist. She was in a crop top and denim, and the warmth of his touch made her skin prickle uncomfortably.

"Yes," she replied shortly, a polite but tight smile on her face as she stepped further away from him. She didn’t miss the way his eyes roamed over her before he gave her another smirk.

Kartik’s gaze followed her as she walked back to her table. Even seated, she felt his eyes on her, an unsettling weight she couldn’t shake.

"What does he want?" she wondered, her mind buzzing.

Thankfully, after a few more seconds, his gaze finally shifted away, and she took a deep, relieved breath. But her relief was short-lived. A familiar, smooth voice echoed across the cafeteria.

"Kartik, did you place our order yet?"

Her pulse quickened as Sidharth strode in, followed by his usual gang. "He's here."

Kartik, turning to him, shrugged. "I’m about to. Just grab us a table by then."

Nodding, Sidharth and his friends scanned the room, and his eyes fell on Sana.

She sat frozen as he walked toward her, his gaze lingering on her red crop top, taking in her bare arms, her exposed waist.

"She's looking hot," he thought looking at her.

At that moment, he felt like grabbing her arms, drag her out from the cafeteria to his car and fuck her until she is senseless.

She could practically feel his stare as it raked over her, intense and unashamed.

"What’s his deal?" she thought, clenching her fists.

But before she could look away, he was beside her, brushing his fingers teasingly against her arm. The touch was so brief, so sneaky, yet the sensation ran straight to her core.

Her head snapped up, eyes wide, just in time to catch him looking back over his shoulder with a smirk. He winked, and then he turned away, sauntering to his table across from hers, settling in so that he was directly facing her.

Oh my God.

Sana’s cheeks turned red, her heart hammering in her chest. She pressed a hand over her pounding heart, willing it to calm down, but it ignored her commands. How could it, when Sidharth was sitting right across from her, eyes dark and a knowing smirk on his face, as if he was fully aware of the effect he had on her—and enjoying every second of it?

Forcing herself to look away, she focused on her sandwich that had arrived, grateful for any distraction from his scorching gaze. She picked up her coffee and took a sip, trying to tune out the pull of his presence. She could hear his low, rumbling laughter as he joked with his friends, but somehow, she knew his eyes were still on her, roaming over her every detail. Her skin tingled with the feeling of being watched, even as she kept her eyes firmly on her food.

Across the table, Sidharth smirked, taking in the way she avoided his gaze, the flush on her cheeks. He was enjoying every minute of it.

Just then, Kartik returned to the table, sliding into the chair beside Sidharth. He leaned in, his voice low, but loud enough for Sidharth to hear. “You’re into her, aren’t you?” Kartik teased, a sly grin on his face. He clearly wasn’t letting this go easily.

Sidharth’s jaw tensed, and he cast a dark glare in Kartik’s direction. “Stay away from her,” he warned, his tone quiet but lethal.

Kartik’s grin faded, replaced with a look of mock innocence. “Why?” he challenged, a smirk playing at the edges of his mouth. “Something between you two, huh?”

"He better have a death wish," Sidharth thought, his jaw clenched tighter.

But he didn’t answer. He didn’t owe anyone an explanation, least of all Kartik. Instead, he ignored him, fixing his gaze back on Sana, who still seemed oblivious to the silent storm brewing between him and Kartik.

But as he watched her, that possessiveness he’d felt earlier swelled up again. He’d seen how uncomfortable she’d looked when Kartik had grabbed her waist, and he couldn’t shake the impulse to make sure she knew exactly who she belonged to—even if she didn’t quite realize it herself yet.

"She’s mine, for the next ten months. I'll make sure she knows that too," Sidharth thought, smirking as he watched her from across the cafeteria.

Sana lowered her gaze, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, feeling shy and unnerved under his intense stare.

"What’s wrong with him?" she wondered, a little flustered.

They’d agreed to keep this arrangement under wraps, but the way he was openly giving her that I'll-fuck-you look told a different story altogether. That smirk, the way his eyes followed her every movement—nothing about it was helping her keep her composure.

She finished her sandwich quickly and stood up to leave, hoping to escape his lingering gaze. As she walked out of the cafeteria, she felt his eyes on her back, the prickling sensation at the nape of her neck confirming it. She rushed toward her classroom, her mind still replaying the last few minutes.

On her way, she ran into Julia, who seemed to be heading toward the cafeteria. They shared a tense look—Sana was still upset, and Julia looked genuinely remorseful.

"Sana, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that," Julia said, her voice soft. "I realize now it was a mistake."

Sana crossed her arms, her expression hard. "I'm not the one you wronged, Julia. Apologize to them. Especially Kapoor."

Julia nodded. "I will."

"Good." Sana gave her a curt nod.

Julia’s gaze softened with emotion, and she reached out, holding Sana’s hand. "Sana, I really miss you. Miss us." Her voice wavered as she held back tears. "Please talk to me. Please?"

Sana’s expression softened for a moment. She did feel bad for Julia, but she wanted her friend to understand the consequences of her actions. Plus, she noticed her professor heading toward the classroom. She was running out of time.

"Julia, I need to get to class. We’ll talk later, okay?" Sana said quickly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze before hurrying off to her seat.

Julia stayed behind, watching Sana disappear down the hallway, her shoulders slumping with a sigh. She lingered, lost in thought, before finally taking a step toward the cafeteria. She was so distracted that she didn't see the small rock in her path and stumbled over it, twisting her ankle.

As she teetered forward, her arms flailing, she braced herself for the embarrassment of landing on the ground. But instead, strong arms caught her, wrapping securely around her waist and pulling her back up against a firm, muscular chest.

She looked up, dazed, as the scent of warm spice and sandalwood enveloped her. She blinked, realizing how close they were—his arm was around her waist, his other hand pressed gently to her back. It almost felt like a protective hug.

"Thank you," she murmured, her cheeks flushed as she looked up to see her rescuer. Her eyes widened in shock when she recognized him. "Professor Rajveer?"

His intense gaze settled on her, and she felt his hand slip from her waist as he took a step back, freeing her from his hold. But his eyes remained stern, watching her with an unreadable expression.

“Ms. Julia,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice. “Watch where you’re going. Not everyone is here to save your clumsy ass.”

Julia blinked, stunned by his words, but she could hear a subtle hint of concern laced through his otherwise stern tone. He turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, speechless. She watched him go, her cheeks still warm from his touch, her heart racing as his words echoed in her mind.

Finally, she snapped out of her daze, a dreamy smile forming on her face. He cares… even if he doesn’t want to show it. Her hands went to her waist, the place where his arm had been wrapped just moments ago. She could still feel the warmth of his hold, like an imprint that lingered.

For a moment, she felt as giddy as a teenage girl, jumping slightly with excitement, her grin growing wider. But when she noticed a few passing students giving her odd looks, she quickly stopped, flipping her hair with a sassy flair.

“What? Mind your business, idiots,” she shot back, rolling her eyes as she made her way into the cafeteria with a triumphant smile.

Professor Rajveer paused outside the teachers' room, unable to shake off the image of Julia’s bright, smiling face as she strutted away after that little scene. He chuckled to himself, remembering how she’d looked up at him in shock—and maybe a bit of awe—as he held her close. Her skin had felt so soft beneath his hand, and the faint, sweet scent that lingered around her was still fresh in his memory.

"She’s crazy," he murmured, shaking his head with a smile. "And driving me crazy, too."

"Professor Rajveer? We’re waiting," a voice called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He looked up to see one of his colleagues waving him into the teachers' room, where a few of his coworkers were debating which club to go to tonight.

"Yes, coming," he replied, straightening his posture as he entered the room and took a seat.

His colleagues were animated, tossing out names of places and talking about what they’d do after work. But Rajveer wasn’t really listening. His thoughts kept drifting back to Julia, her easy laughter, her slightly clumsy charm, and the way her eyes lit up every time they happened to cross paths. She wasn’t just another student to him anymore; she’d become… someone he thought about far too often.

"She’s only nineteen," he reminded himself.

And she was his student. Just thinking about her like this felt dangerous, forbidden. A relationship between them would be complicated—teacher and student, a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

He was twenty-five; only six years older, not an insurmountable gap. But it wasn’t just about age. The nature of their connection, the boundaries of their roles—it all held him back.

But then, he couldn’t ignore the way his heart quickened every time she was around, or the pull he felt toward her. Maybe it was just a harmless crush on her end, a temporary fascination. But from his side? He could feel it deepening, growing into something stronger. The thought terrified him. He was supposed to be the one in control, the one with clear boundaries.

"I should stop," he thought, his fingers tapping absently on the table, trying to ground himself. "I should stop thinking about her."

But could he really?

Every rational part of him told him to let go, to focus on his work, to keep his distance. Yet every time he tried, he found himself right back here, wrestling with the same feelings. A heart wants what it wants, and his wanted her.

"This is bad," he thought, running a hand through his hair, realizing the depth of what he was feeling. "I’m already falling for her."

Shit!

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