The class was done, and the first thing he did was walk toward Aanya—fast. There was urgency in his steps, but as always, Aditi was with her. He wasn't annoyed by her presence; it was just... uncomfortable to speak openly with Aditi around. So, he politely signaled to her that he'd be taking over from here.
Aditi gave him a small smile in return. He was glad—she was cool about it.
Then she leaned in and whispered something into Aanya's ear, and the effect was instant. Aanya looked genuinely shocked.
She turned toward him. He wasn't standing too close, but not far either. He was at a reach—a perfect distance between restraint and desire.
They just looked at each other. But this time, he was the one to break the eye contact first, which was really something—given his obsession with her eyes and face.
He took a step forward. Her breath visibly hitched. He smiled, inwardly amused. Then he reached out, gently took her wrist, and pulled her a little closer.
"Wanna grab something with me today?"
His voice was soft but carried weight—an unspoken depth, a desire lined with uncertainty.
He seemed different today. More confident in himself. More confident about them. And though she wanted to grin widely, she settled for a small, charming smile instead.
They walked out of the classroom with their hands intertwined. It was subtle yet intimate. She walked close to him—close enough to feel the warmth radiating off him, close enough to catch the scent of his cologne. He smelled incredible... almost irresistible.
When they reached the car, he opened the door and carefully helped her in, making sure she didn't bump her head. Once she was settled, he jogged to the driver's side and pulled out of the parking lot.
He didn't want this time with her to end just yet. Not when things were beginning to feel so... right. Just a little longer with her—he needed that.
The drive began in silence—and it stayed that way for a while. It was better that way, because she eventually fell asleep.
He glanced at her, nervous. There was no one around to keep him in check, and she was sleeping right beside him. His fingers twitched with the urge to hold her, to pull her closer. He restrained himself.
When they reached the café, he parked and looked at her—truly looked at her. He traced the lines of her face with his eyes, drinking in the stillness, the softness, the peace she unknowingly brought into his life.
Then, gently, he woke her up.
She stirred slowly. He helped her out of the car.
They walked in and ordered two wraps and medium espressos.
While waiting, Aanya began talking—random things, fragments of thoughts, completely unrelated stories. And he couldn't explain how happy he felt. She was finally opening up, letting herself be silly, letting him in. He was listening, truly listening, not missing a word.
When the food arrived, something shifted again.
It was the first time he'd ever seen her eat. And god, was she cute while doing it. Not messy, but undeniably adorable. There was sauce on the side of her mouth.
He couldn't help himself.
He picked up a napkin and wiped it gently. She froze for a second, blinked in surprise. He smiled. He liked how flustered she got—how easily her reactions gave her away.
The café had been everything he hoped for—simple, warm, real. But there was something inside him urging for more. Not more in intensity... more in time. The day felt incomplete. They had shared comfort, laughter, and silence. But something deeper still lingered in the air between them.
He wanted to sit there forever, but he knew he couldn't.
If it weren't for her cuteness, he wouldn't have pulled the next move. But now wasn't the time to waste.
He paid the bill, then gently took her wrist and guided her back to the car.
They drove—not toward college, but away from it.
"Where are we going?" Aanya asked.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, his eyes on the road.
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."
He smiled. "Good. Maybe this'll be the first and last time you're actually glad to have bunked college."
The car hummed beneath them, and with each mile, the world outside grew quieter. The city faded behind, and with it, the noise. The ocean was calling—he could feel it. He wasn't sure why he chose the beach. Maybe because it felt endless, like how she made him feel. Or maybe because it gave them both space to breathe, to feel, to become something more.
She looked thrilled... but worried too. The unknown of it all, the isolation—just the two of them.
She caught him glancing at her a couple of times. She could feel his eyes on her flicking towards her every now and then.
They reached the destination just before dusk.
It was a beach.
She had dozed off again, and just as he reached to wake her, something in him paused. Her lips... they looked soft, inviting. He leaned in—just enough to feel her breath. Just enough to know what he could do, but chose not to.
Instead, he nudged her awake.
She blinked, dazed, her cheeks immediately flushing when she saw how close he was, ge savored the closeness between them for a while, but he had to move back.
He opened her door, still keeping their faces inches apart. One move, and that kiss would've happened.
But she stepped out, and he followed.
She walked to the sand and sat down quietly, watching the sun. He sat beside her. For a moment, he wanted to reach for her hand—but she shifted, instead laying her head in his lap.
He wasn't expecting that.
She stared at the sun. He stared at her.
Then she turned to face him.
Her hand came up to cup his cheek—and he leaned into her touch, eyes fluttering shut for a second, overwhelmed by the gentleness of it.
Then she got up.
He looked at her, unsure of what was coming next.
And then... she hugged him, snuggling her face in the nape of his neck, she took a deep breath, inhaling his cologne.
He was in utter shock, not because he didn't like it, but because he hadn't expected this to happen... ever.
For a few minutes he didn't reciprocate her hug, but he did give into it almost immediately when he realized the depth of her actions. She scooted closer towards him.
It was beautiful.
The waves whispered in the background, the sky burned in hues of orange and pink, and amidst it all—two college students sat discovering something neither of them could quite put into words