Chapter 7 - "Am I In Love?"

I was studying in the library when Rhea came and sat beside me.

"Where is Neil?" She asked to which I shrugged.

"You don't know?" She again questioned.

"No." I silently spoke, poking my head again in the book.

"A girl proposed him." She said, and my heart stopped working. I immediately glanced up, my eyes widened.

"Wh..What?" I fumbled, getting up.

She nodded and it didn't take me a second to run out of the library.

As I entered the corridor, I saw him with so many girls around.

"That blue one from the right." Rhea pointed towards a girl whom I had seen once or twice before.

"Did he accept?" I asked, absentmindedly.

"Yes." She spat out.

"How could he do this to me? He didn't even tell me." I mumbled under my breathe, my fists clenching. Then, as if he saw me, he began nearing me, leaving all those girls behind.

As I saw him approaching me, I ran away only to be followed by him.

"Avni. Stop!" I heard him shout and then I felt his hand grabbing mine. In a blink of an eye, I was turned around, our chests crashing.

"Leave me." I uttered, trying to move away.

"What's wrong?" He held me tighter.

"How could you do this to me Neil?" I whispered, looking him in the eye.

"Do what?" He asked, confused.

"You accepted her proposal?" I looked at him, as a tear rolled down my eye.

"Oh come on Avi! It's just a time pass. You know right? I am not the one to deny. She proposed me and I just accepted that rose. She is assuming that I accepted her proposal. I am not all interested." He clarified, wiping off my tear.

"Stop doing this."

"What?"

"Breaking hearts. You shouldn't have accepted her rose if you knew that these girls always assume everything themselves. They assume it to be a true love whereas it isn't from your side. And it breaks their hearts." I tried to make him understand.

His hold on me loosened. I could feel the hurt in his eyes.

"You think I am good at breaking hearts? Did I ever break yours? Ever?" His tone was rough as he left me.

"I.. Yo.. You are taking me wrong Neil."

"Okay. What do you mean then?" He asked, calming himself down.

I neared him and grabbed his hand.

"I meant that if you don't love someone, try your best to not give them false hopes. It hurts Neil. I am a girl. I can feel it." I rubbed my thumb over his palm.

"I'll try. But trust me, I don't really want them to surround me. I don't know why they do."

"Because you are handsome. Good looking." It spilled out of my mouth.

He smirked, yanking me to him.

"Really?"

"I.. I mean of course th..ey try to near you bec..ause they feel like you are handsome." I covered up as he sighed.

I saw those girls eyeing at us both. And then that blue one who proposed him, came near us.

"You did this to me? How could you?" She shouted.

Before she could grab Neil's collar and beat him up, I came in between,"Dare you touch him!"

She took my warning seriously and went away. Neil smiled at me before he heard the professor calling him and he went away.

###

It was sometime later that I was sitting near the pool side, my books in my lap. The same girl came to me.

"You may leave. Thank you." I warned, my eyes fixed on my book.

"Azaad hun mein. I can do anything I want." She spat out, vehemently.

I chose to stay quite. I packed my bag and stood up. I was just about to walk past the pool, when I felt a strong push at my back and soon I found myself struggling inside the water. My bag flew away and the last thing that I saw was three of the girls laughing and running away.

"Help...! Someone.. Help m..me pl.. please!" I pleaded for help wondering if anyone could hear me. I tried to keep my balance when the water entered my mouth and I found myself drowning, thinking it to be my last day.

I gained consciousness, only to find him sitting near me on the bed, squeezing my hand.

"How am I here? I.. I didn't die?" I uttered and he dug his head into my neck, wrapping his arms around me.

"Neil.. It's alright, I am fine, see." I tried to set things but his hold on me tightened.

I caressed his back before he raised his head to look at me, "I brought you here. Why? Why did you jump into the pool when you don't know how to swim?"

"Because those silly girls of our college pushed me into it, and they went back laughing at me." I pouted.

"I won't leave them! How dare they?" He clenched his fists and I got up, realizing that his anger had no limits.

"Relax! I am alright na! You saved me, and I am here with you. So, just stop!" I tried to calm him down.

"On the safe sight, you should learn swimming" he stated. "Swimming? Okay, teach me. The most easiest way please." I agreed.

"Whenever you find yourself stuck in water, just hit a backstroke. Float flat on your back and flutter kick with your feet." He spoke.

"That's it? It's easy." I exclaimed. "Yes it is." He smiled.

"Wese Avni, tumhe kuch ho bhi jata tou mujhe koi faraq nahi padta!" He teased me, one of his favourite tasks to do. "Hahaha! Very funny!" I rolled my eyes.

"Joking! You're my friend yaar! How can I live without you?" He spoke, dramatically.

"Of course" I said, knowing he never meant whatever he said.

"Acha.. you go take shower. Neela Aunty is waiting for lunch downstairs." He said, getting up.

"Tum khaana khaa ke jaana." I stopped him.

"Of course. Aunty ne Rajma Chawal banaye hein and I won't leave it!" He laughed.

"Uffo! You and your love for food!" I tried to get up but somewhere found myself still drowning in the water.

He helped me get up but it felt like I was really still inside the pool. I felt my head spinning.

"Avni.. You okay?" He asked, grabbing my hand.

"Yes. Actually it's because of Aquaphobia. I will be alright if immediatley get some distraction." I told him.

"Aviiiii!" He hugged me tighter.

"I am sorry. It's all because of me." He apologized making me hold him back.

"No! It's okay Neil. I am fine." I spoke, pulling back.

"Chala ja nhi raha and I am fine!" He got up, again trying to get me up.

I took tiny steps and was able to walk slowly.

That was when I found myself gathered in his embrace and being scooped up in his arms. He lifted my feet off the ground and had me carried in his arms. He walked out of the room taking me.

"Neil.. utaaro mujhe. I can walk. I have not lost my leg!" I smacked his shoulder.

"Shut up." He shushed me up.

I looked at his face, the most gorgeous one I have ever seen. How I wanted to grab his hair and kiss him senseless!

Oh! Wait! What? Did I just admitted that I had wanted to kiss him? Woah! What was this!?

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that we had reached the dining hall. He made me sit on the chair and sat beside me as Neela Maa entered and served the food.

The whole time I had kept on looking at him, thinking did he really feel the same? Or did I actually feel it or was it just a random thought?

I found myself entangled in the chain of my crazy thoughts whereas destiny had something else in store for both of us.