Chapter 30
Today, Maya and I are going on our first official date. And here I amโwide awake at 4 AMโwhen the date is at 11.
Pathetic.
I had already taken a shower, tried on a minimum of ten suits, and still ended up feeling like an idiot. Because deep down, I knewโwearing a suit on a date wasn't her thing. Maya would roll her eyes and call me Mr. Khadoos PROFESSOR again.
Still, I wanted to impress her.
Frustrated, I ran a hand through my hair and turned toward the lump sleeping peacefully on the other side of the room. Veer, my younger brother, was hugging his pillow, blissfully unaware of my crisis.
Must be nice.
"Veer," I called, nudging his shoulder. Nothing.
I poked him again. "Oye, wake up."
A groggy groan came from under the blanket. "Bhai, if the house isn't on fire, leave me alone."
I scowled. "It's important."
Veer peeked out, his eyes barely open. "Did someone die?"
"No."
"Then I don't care." He turned over and buried his face in the pillow.
I sighed, then smirked. Fine. You asked for this.
Leaning down, I whispered in a grave tone, "Veer... there's a cockroach on your bed."
His reaction was instantaneous.
With a yell, he shot up, flailing his arms. "WHERE? GET IT OFFโ" He stopped mid-panic, blinking at my amused expression. His face morphed into a deadly glare.
"You. Are. The. Worst."
I chuckled. "Glad you're awake. Now help me."
Veer groaned, rubbing his face. "At 4 AM? What now? Any Uni function? What is so important that you had to traumatize me?"
I ran a hand through my hair. "I have a date."
Silence.
Thenโlaughter.
Loud, obnoxious, Veer-level laughter.
I glared. "Stop."
He clutched his stomach. "You? Rudra Singhania? Losing sleep over a date?" He wiped fake tears. "Man, I never thought I'd see the day."
"Are you done?" I asked dryly.
He smirked. "Nope. But go on."
I sighed. "I don't know what to wear."
Veer's laughter died instantly. He looked at me, eyes wide with disbelief. "You woke me up. At 4 AM. Because you don't know what to wear?"
I crossed my arms. "Yes."
"Unbelievable." He groaned. "Wear black. Girls love black."
"She's not just a girl." The words slipped out before I could stop them.
Veer blinked, then whistled. "Damn. You've got it bad, Bhai."
I didn't bother denying it. "So? What should I wear?"
a. Let's go raid your closet before you die of a fashion-induced meltdown."
I smirked. "Knew you'd come around."
Veer grumbled but got out of bed anyway. That's what little brothers are for, after all.
Now, all that was left was to make sure this date was perfect. Because one thing was certainโI wasn't going to mess this up.
After i finally decided what to wear thanks to Veer, when he returns to his room I look over the clock .
10:00 AM.
By the time I arrived at the cafรฉ, the place was emptyโjust as I had planned. The usual chatter of customers, the clinking of cups, the low hum of conversationโall of it was gone.
Instead, there was soft music playing in the background, the scent of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air.
I had booked the entire cafรฉ for this date.
Not because I was trying to impress Mayaโokay, maybe a littleโbut mostly because I wanted this moment to be just ours. No distractions. No curious glances from students or prying eyes from colleagues.
Just her and me.
I took a deep breath, adjusting the sleeves of my shirt as I waited. Then, as if sensing my anticipation, the door opened.
And there she was.
Maya stepped inside, her eyes scanning the empty cafรฉ with confusion before they landed on me. She looked stunningโwearing a simple yet elegant dress, her hair cascading down her shoulders. But it was her eyes that held me captive.
Those deep brown eyes widened slightly as she walked toward me. "Why is it so quiet?" she asked, glancing around.
I leaned back against the chair, smirking. "Because I booked the whole place."
Her lips parted, her eyebrows lifting in surprise. "You what?"
"I booked the cafรฉ," I repeated casually, watching her reaction.
Maya blinked, clearly taken aback. "Rudra... that'sโ" She stopped, crossing her arms as a small smile played on her lips. "That's ridiculously extravagant."
I shrugged. "I wanted privacy."
She tilted her head, studying me. "Privacy for what?"
I leaned forward slightly. "So I can have all your attention."
Maya's breath hitched, and for a moment, she just stared at me. Then, shaking her head with a chuckle, she slid into the chair across from me.
"You're impossible," she murmured.
"And yet, you're still here," I countered smoothly.
She sighed dramatically. "Against my better judgment."
I grinned, signaling the waiterโwho was the only staff presentโto bring out our coffee.
As the cups were placed in front of us, Maya took a sip, her eyes fluttering shut briefly as she savored the taste. "You remembered how I like my coffee."
"Of course." I watched her, my gaze lingering. "I remember everything about you."
Maya stilled for a second before setting her cup down, looking at me with something unreadable in her expression.
"You do realize you're dangerously close to sounding like a romantic, right?" she teased.
I smirked. "Who says I'm not?"
Maya rolled her eyes, but the way she hid her smile behind her cup told me she liked it.
And just like that, the date had only just begun, but I already knewโthis was going to be something I'd never forget.
Maya took another sip of her coffee, humming in delight. "Okay, I have to admit, this is perfect. The coffee, the ambiance, everything."
I smirked, leaning back in my chair. "So, does that mean I get extra points for planning this?"
She tilted her head, pretending to think. "Hmm... maybe a few."
I arched an eyebrow. "Only a few?"
"Well," she teased, resting her chin on her hand, "you did set the bar very high. So now I'll have great expectations from you, Professor."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Before she could reply, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen, and suddenly, her entire face lit up.
"Oh my God! He posted a new picture!" she squealed excitedly.
I frowned. "Who?"
She turned her phone toward me, and I was met with the face of some pretty boy actor. He had the typical good-boy charm, messy hair, and a perfect smileโexactly the kind of guy women went crazy over.
I clenched my jaw. "Who is this?"
Maya gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest as if I had offended her. "Rudra! You don't know him? This is Aarav Malhotraโthe most gorgeous, talented, charming actor in Bollywood right now!"
I stared at her unimpressed. "Gorgeous?"
"Yes!" She grinned, scrolling through his pictures. "Look at him! He's flawless."
My grip tightened around my coffee cup. "He looks average."
Maya burst into laughter. "You wish! He's got the perfect jawline, dreamy eyes, andโugh, that smile!"
I felt my mood souring by the second. What was so special about this guy? I was right here, sitting across from her, and she was fangirling over him?
Crossing my arms, I huffed. "I have a jawline too."
Maya bit her lip, clearly enjoying this. "Oh? Feeling a little jealous, Professor?"
I scoffed. "Jealous? Of him? Please."
She smirked, leaning forward. "So, if he asked me out on a date, you wouldn't mind?"
I stared at her, my expression darkening. "Maya, I booked an entire cafรฉ for you. Do you think I'd let some Bollywood poster boy take you out?"
Her laughter rang through the cafรฉ, and damn it, I both loved and hated that she was having fun at my expense.
Reaching across the table, she patted my hand. "Relax, Rudra. He's just my celebrity crush. You're still my grumpy, overprotective professor. And My Boyfriend "
I narrowed my eyes. "Damn right, I am."
Maya giggled, sipping her coffee again. "I like it when you're possessive."
I leaned in, my voice low. "Oh, sweetheart, if you really want to see possessive, keep talking about him."
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly looked away, suddenly very interested in her coffee.
I smirked. Much better.
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( Hey sweeties! Do you like this chapter? If yes then please drop a Vote and comment your opinion on it and here's the Jealous scene of Rudra y'all have been asking for) ??