She paused near Vihan, acknowledging everyone at his table except him until she settled down beside him. Instantly, the atmosphere at the table shifted; Ridhan's gaze altered from Vihan to her, confusion etched on his face.
Meanwhile, Saanvi wore a curious smile, eager to understand why Leena was interested in their group. Seated next to Ridhan, Saanvi posed a question that echoed in everyone's minds. "What brings you here?"
"Oh, I just needed Vihan's assistance with something," Leena calmly responded, her eyes moving from Saanvi to Vihan. Vihan's body tensed at her words, his hands gripping a spoon tightly, his mind racing.
"With what?" Saanvi probed further. "With English," Leena replied, unaware of the turmoil building within Vihan. "I was working late last night and noticed that a page from the book was torn."
"Will you help me, Vihan?" She asked, to which Vihan nodded slightly. However, his response was ignored as Saanvi intervened, disrupting her plan. "Oh, you can borrow my book."
"No!" Leena exclaimed, her outburst surprising everyone once again. "I mean, Vihan could assist me," she said, forcing a smile and glancing at Vihan's wide eyes. "Right?"
Once again, Vihan nodded in agreement, hurriedly rummaging through his bag to retrieve the book before someone else could interfere. "Thanks. I'll return it to you tomorrow," Leena said, smiling at him. Her words elicited a soft smile from him too, and she left in silence.
The primary reason for seeking Vihan's book was to foster a stronger connection and gain insight into her feelings. However, their encounter only heightened the tension between them.
There was something about him that had left a lasting impression on her mind, something she couldn't quite comprehend. Sitting at her desk, she absentmindedly scribbled through the notebook while her left hand grazed over Vihan's English book, absorbing the words.
Suddenly, the words imprinted turned into the softness of her vision. The sensation of the rough page entering her vessels through her fingertips.
Her eyes moved across the words like when she was examining him from an incredibly close distance during the lunch break. The words remained in their place, just like when he was frozen in time, not shifting an inch. A period at the end of a sentence brought her reading to a halt, like a mole on his lips that captivated her attention,
He is more exquisite than my dreams, she thought, as her fingers glided from the top to the bottom of the page, merging her senses with her vivid imagination. Does he feel the same way?
It was a peculiar question, yet one she could understand.
She stood up, as if hypnotized, book in hand, and walked over to her bed, her eyes lingering on the pages. She sat down, once again entranced by her daydreams of him. But this time correcting her dreams with a real vision.
The crimson blush on his cheeks, his smooth skin, and his full lips her dream didn't do justice to his real-life features. So she was justifying it with her imagination.
Her body sank into the mattress, and she placed the book near her nose, inhaling deeply, as if she could capture his scent, just as she wished. It did indeed smell like him, reminiscent of the scent of calla lilies.
The delicate fragrance of lilies wafted through her nose, seeping into her nerves, causing her to shut her eyes and sending a numbing sensation through her body. A burning desire surged within her, prompting her to writhe on the mattress.
Her gentle inhales transformed into deep, heavy breaths, echoing his imaginary moans of pleasure in her mind. In that moment, an intense craving took hold, compelling her to slide her right hand into her pants. "Please, I want it," he whispered in her ear, urging her fingers to rub her sensitive clit.
His moans echoed in her mind, and she gasped as her wetness welcomed her fingers. The sensation was electrifying, making her head conjure an image of his impressive length. His moans spurred her on, prompting her to move her fingers inside her with increasing fervor.
With each flick of her fingers, her breaths morphed into moans, harmonizing with him in her fantasies. Her body yearned for more, more pleasure and more of his tantalizing moans.
The mole near his lips seemed so inviting that her imagination placed her lips on it, pushing her closer to orgasm. With a few more intense flicks, she let out a guttural growl, succumbing to the pleasure, her body trembling with ecstasy.
Quivering from the intensity of her release and her vivid fantasies, she finally let out the frustration of not having him in reality, a sense of dissatisfaction quickly settling in.
As her body gradually settled down, she realized that these dreams needed to be handled carefully. Simply washing them away or talking to him wasn't enough.
Exhausted from her unconscious turmoil, she withdrew her wet fingers, finding his book carelessly lying on the bed. Reaching for her own book on the table, she tore out a page and wiped her damp fingers with it. One page after another, she continued tearing, until her book lay lifeless in the dustbin.
"You're acting strangely," Vritti's words echoed in her mind as she stared at the bin full of crumpled pages beside her bed, acknowledging that she was right. I am acting strangely. And I have to do something about it.
Her gaze shifted back to his book, then to the lilies adorning her table. Standing up, she plucked a lily from the vase and settled back, staring at it intently.
"What is it that excites me about him? "she wondered aloud, bringing the flower closer to her nose, once again engulfing herself in the scent so reminiscent of his presence.
This question lingered in her mind until she fell asleep, the book still beside her head after hours of contemplation.
"What is it that excites me?" she mused, her mind repeating the question as she made her way slowly through the bustling crowd of students toward the classroom. It had gone from morning to noon and she could not stop thinking about him, even in her classes.
"What is bothering you so much?" Vritti inquired, noticing Leena's distracted demeanor since the morning. "Hmm?" Lost in her thoughts, Leena hadn't registered a word Vritti said. "What's wrong? What are you thinking?" Vritti asked again, her tone a mix of concern and sternness.
"Nothing," Leena denied, though the seriousness on her face was hard to ignore. "Is it about the dreams?" Vritti probed as if she already knew it was about Vihan, adding, "You can't lie to me, so don't play games. What's bothering you? I can't stand seeing you like this."
With a sigh, Leena recounted the events of the previous night and the nagging question in her mind, receiving a response she had anticipated. "So you do like him!" Vritti exclaimed, a smirk playing on her lips.
"No, I don't," Leena responded firmly, trying to dismiss Vritti's accusation. "Right. You didn't tell me you tore the pages of your book just to get to know him. And you don't like him?" Vritti mocked.
"I don't know why I did that," Leena replied, torn between her conflicting emotions as they reached their English class. "So, are you sure now?"
"No! I don't know if I'm sexually attracted to him or if I actually like him," frustration etched on her face with every word. "Hmm. He's not your usual type, so it's confusing. What should we do about it?" Vritti suggested, settling down beside Leena in class.
"Wait, there he is," Vritti's eyes caught sight of Vihan, Saanvi, and Ridhan, sitting five rows ahead of them. "Should we go talk to him?"
"What am I going to say? That I'm having sex dreams about him?" Leena replied, her expression incredulous. "You can't say that. But you have to talk to him. Otherwise, how will you figure out what you're feeling?" Apologetic for her previous suggestion, Vritti advised.
"I guess." With uncertain words hanging in the air, the class began. Despite the teacher discussing important topics, Leena's entire focus remained on Vihan.
He sat awkwardly, his stationary slipping from his control. A pen fell, and he bent down to pick it up, unexpectedly meeting her gaze, her eyes calm and his surprised. He hustled to sit stiffly back again, evidently torn off. But not for her eyes.
She couldn't grasp what it was about him that captivated her because, clearly, he wasn't her usual type.
He was too innocent, naïve, and quiet. His physique might have been pleasing to the eye, but his words and demeanor didn't align with her preferences. Dreams aside.
If he truly resembled his dream self, what would she do? His words in her dreams were like a melodious tune to her ears, leaving her questioning her own desires.
As soon as the class came to an end, Vritti hurriedly pulled Leena by her arm, practically dragging her along. "Let's go!" Leena, stumbling after her, managed to stop them both before they could potentially fall. "Hold on, we know where he's headed."
"Oh, right." Vritti, surprised as if she didn't know, released her arm. "Why are you so eager about this?" Leena questioned, her curiosity evident as she glanced at Vritti, sharing a similar expression. "It might turn into something, you know? Like a relationship or something."
The aggressive excitement on Vritti's face faded swiftly at Leena's dismissive words. "That would never happen!" With her statement hanging in the air, they stopped in front of Vihan's table, exchanging greetings with everyone.
*****
END OF THE CHAPTER
----Love, author! ❤️