Chapter-6
"Why not?" Jeevika demanded. "You don't look like you care about anything or anyone. If you can insult your student's mother to this extent then why do you have a problem with anyone else mentioning your upbringing? A little hypocritical don't you think?"
"Mind your language! I am a highly respected member of the faculty here. I can get you thrown out of this course in 5 minutes Ms. Chaudhary."
"Not Respected! Feared! There's a difference."
Viren was taken aback at Jeevika's remark. He knew she wasn't wrong but to have it thrown in your face like that was neither expected nor welcome.
"Either way, you'll be out before you know it." Viren said as he pressed Jeevika up against the wall.
"Aah!" Jeevika cried out. Viren's grip had gotten tighter and it hurt more than she was capable of ignoring.
Viren immediately let go of her and stomped out of the room. Jeevika knew she had hit a nerve with him but didn't know what.
Probably should not have spoken about his family. Of course he reacted like that. Jeevika you're an idiot. Kal unse jo kaha uske liye sorry bolne gayi thi aur kya karr ke aagayi. Ho kya jaata hai tujhe unke saamne?' she thought to herself that night. But if he cares so much about his family he can't be that bad. Maybe he has some redeeming qualities.'
On the other hand was Viren, still reeling from the events of his graduation night, of what had gone down that night at home and the thing that changed his life forever. He knew he wasn't going to be able to forgive himself for that night ever but he never thought that after all the walls he had put up somebody would make it difficult for him to not care anymore. The five minute interaction with Jeevika had almost made him tell her the truth to shut her up, to prove to her that he wasn't as bad as she thought of him to be.
What was surprising what that he cared. The idea that this girl thinks so low of him made his heart sink. Not respected. Feared.' Her words echoed in his ears and for the first time he was bothered that someone doesn't like him.
Jeevika constantly surprised him. And more than her his feelings towards her behaviour surprised him. Those first thirty minutes of class when she didn't look up at him to meet his eyes made him so restless and that surprised him. Everytime he would ask her a question and she would look at him with blank grey beautiful eyes, his reluctance from yelling at her surprised him. When she barged into his office to lecture him on Morality and he shut the door in her face without insulting her like he normally would have, surprised him. And today the girl's ability to look him, Mr. Viren Singh Vadhera, in the eyes while showing him the mirror and him caring about her low opinion of him surprised him. More than anything else his anticipation of next day's class and the prospect of seeing her again surprised him.
"She's messing with my head. Why the hell am I thinking about a girl? A student that too. Ridiculous!"
As expected next day Jeevika was seated at the last bench, hiding behind Sahil.
"Hey Jeevika! Where were you after class yesterday? I couldn't find you at all."
"I got held up. Sorry!" Sahil proceeded to show Jeevika his new Bluetooth headphones. He went on and on about its features and its sound quality. He was like a dog with a bone. Looking at him Jeevika smiled. There was so much innocence in Sahil. His eyes twinkled with his every word and he played around with the headphones like a little kid. He reminded her of Aditi if nothing else. These two are exactly the same. When Aditi starts talking about something she also forgets everything else in the world. Doesn't even care if the other person is listening.'
Aditi interrupted Jeevika's train of thought. "Waise guys, don't you think it is weird how Raavan threw us out of class yesterday?" Ever since the first class Raavan had become the Student's nickname for Viren. Aditi's explanation seemed justified. Just like Raavan Viren too was a super intelligent creature but just like Raavan he lived on his own planet and treated everyone else like Crap.
"The dude is weird Aditi. Ismein surprising kya hai?" Sahil answered.
"Still. He has never dismissed a class a minute before he had to. First he snaps at aunty and then shoos us away like stray dogs. Jeez."
"If you three are done gossiping over there, May I start my lesson?" the three of them turned to look at a stone faced Viren Vadhera standing at the podium glaring ar Jeevika who immediately ducked behind Sahil.
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