You have me. Until every last star in the Galaxy dies. You have me.

"So I heard you love getting annoyed by me?" I asked positioning myself on the desk he was sat behind. I didn't settle my skirt which rode exposing my knees. And Laksh eyes passed at them uninterestingly ahh what a pretend my dear. I swear they light up when they found their way back to me.

He leaned back against his seat casually looking at me with a minute expression of a tiny smile," who's spreading false news about me?" He said.

I reached over and drew my face to his, "you know how I hate when you act so unaffected by me?" I narrowed my eyes at him. I actually was amused by his acts when I know him so well and how I could get him all worked up! like the back of my hand.

He too shifted closer making our noses brush igniting a spark, "I am not unaffected" he told in light breath fanned my lips, his dark eyes held mine in instant captive.

"Then why the pretend?" I asked in wonder biting my lip.

"I don't want to lose control," he said slowly eyes slid down to my lips involuntarily my lips twitched, "okay I understand.." I agreed

I head-butted him, "then fucking lose control! I command you to lose control right now!" I demanded.

He stared at me then his lips quivered he pulled me in and buried his head in my shoulder muffling his laughter.

Ugh...

I chewed the inside of my cheek embarrassedly, when he didn't stop laughing. Normally I would love to sit back and hear his laughter but not when I am the cause of the mockery. I pushed him away and jumped off. Ambling across his room to the bookshelf mindlessly.

His parents were back from the Business trip and they were... nice people. Who am I kidding! They were very good people but a little problem they think I am a nice girl too and bugs their son only for study matter. Ha! If only they knew what we study!

Oh we study also

Yes also...

Anyway,
Laksh didn't tell them about us that we were dating. They have some issues concerning dating before graduation so we had to hide it from them.

So exciting!

I always wanted to have this sneaky relationship it's so thrilling. Oh my God like I could sneak in and out of his bedroom. I smiled thinking of its prospect while looking through his neatly arranged shelves.

"I guess you're angry?" He asked from behind walking over to me

"Angry!? Nope, I am livid!" I said with a grin that reached to my ears. My finger ran on the spines of the books when something caught my eyes. I squinted to be sure I was not seeing just anything. I pulled it out.

My science notebook!

My class 8 science notebook!

I spun around only to get my notebook yanked off from my hands.

What?

Laksh raised it so that I couldn't reach it and get what was mine!. I jumped, he stepped back quickly.

I put my hands on my hips, "what's that supposed to mean!?" I questioned strictly.

"Oh well um..nothing," he said taking another step back, looking here and there escaping my thorough stoic interrogation mode.

Oh, now I was livid for real

I had turned the world upside down searching for this fucking science notebook and it was with him all this time!

How dare he hid it from me?!

"You know it's mine "I stated while he shielded it behind his back like it was his now.

"I know" he admitted without any fear.

I was impressed
and disappointed he wasn't scared of my wrath!

"And it should belong to me and it should be with me how the fuck you have it?!"I yelled marching towards him putting more effort to be angry at him. It's difficult when he appeared so fucking hot with those specs. I will kiss the life out of him in those.

I don't really give a fuck about that notebook but let's see how can he explain this hustling!?

"I found it" he gave a three words reason. As if that could explain any mystery on this Earth.

"You have any idea? How crazy I went searching for it around the school?! I did the work with my tears my blood against my WILL . I completed in a whole fucking night, I was awake like a fucking pathetic owl toiling to finish it up and submit way too later after the deadline but anyway I still did it and only a fool follows a deadline!. But the next day I got to know I lost it. Was it all a dream! No one believed me! I told them I fucking lost it I fucking completed my work then I lost it but you know who believed me?" I asked I was seeing red remembering everyone looking at me with disappointed faces as if they were some big saints!

"Aside from me, I think no one" Laksh replied his lips tipped with an irking cool smile.

How the fuck he could act so cool!?

"Oh wow am I joking Laksh!? Am I doing a stand-up comedy here!? that you're finding me amusing? For worse, You could have been dead right now the way I cursed you every moment of doing the work again. By the time I did it all over again I was confirmed the person who had it should be dead by now periodt! And the funny thing was I thought I misplaced it but It was with you -.... where you going mister I am still talking...

He moved towards his closet and pulled it open to get something.

Meanwhile, I continued nagging him, "You really were threatened by me you feared you will lose your position to a girl in the ranking! You chauvinist bastard how are you so primitive!? I didn't know I am dating a caveman who can't see a gorgeous strong girl take over him in his studies! You will resort yourself to robbery line I never thought so low of you! Where is the man I knew where is that- wait is that my mask ??

He showed the golden familiar mask which I was accused of stealing and hiding from the stage props. Because after rehearsal I couldn't find it. I knew I wore it I removed and kept it where all the props were assigned to be deposited, I thought due to carelessness I have dropped it here and there when in actuality.

My jaw dropped, "you have been plotting against me since we were 13!"

I shifted back and dropped on the adjacent sofa. I need to sit down for this. So our Rivalry ran way too deep than I thought.

Laksh came near me observing me with a warmth that made me stared back at him forgetting everything for a moment

"How can someone so beautiful be so dumb?" He wondered getting on one knee in front of where I sat.

I glared then shot up with wide eyes noticing what he was doing, "you're not going to propose me we are too young to get married!"

He pulled me down by my hand, rolling his eyes, "I am not proposing and we aren't even that young"

Fuck! that statement is one of the favorite ones he said to me till now.

He brought out another mask a silver one where did he get this now? Was he trying to tell me indirectly he has a strange fetish for stealing masks?

He put it on near his face. It was smaller it didn't cover much but it made something clicked in the back of my mind.
It was the similar mask of the guy I met backstage. Like a Cinderella, I asked around of him. Even though I didn't know his name his face his actual whole self I just knew he had perfect lips and fucking attractive personality. And I so wanted to know more about him.

Later Ishaan confirmed it was him. I said he didn't even join the school at that time and he replied with a flirty remark I saw his mirage way before he got admission in the school. These memories speak volumes about my malfunctioned choice at that time.

I stared at Laksh for some moments in the silver mask and then I realized the mask wasn't the only same thing it was actually him...

"Oh," I whispered as I let it sink in.
"It was you..."

"Yep," he said keeping aside the mask and showing me his charismatic face.
"I was drawn towards you even before I got to know you properly"

"You were stalking me?" I asked slightly rejoiced by the idea of Laksh stalking me.

He appeared hesitant, "nope .. completely but yeah I only followed you to the girls' washroom when I saw you looking upset and then my concern was rewarded with a tap thrown at my head"

I processed all the information putting two and two together quickly like I a smart girl I was and after like ten minutes I understood everything.

"Don't! Don't put it on me you were low-key obsessed with me keeping my notebook my mask following me around...You devil you got me in trouble so many times and all along you were just being shy to tell me you were already in love with me" I leaped at him angrily taking him by sudden his foot slipped he fell backward on the floor with me on top of him. Of course!

I pinned his body to the ground with mine. With my arms on either side of his head, I inclined my head away to look at his oh so surprised expression. His arm was instantly around my waist keeping me secure against him, while he pushed back my hair behind the ear that was falling on his cheek.

"Why you must make me speechless in this way?" I said staring at him, his glimmering eyes already had mine glued to them.

"You seemed too out of reach at that time" he replied smoothly as if he had considered that question many times.

I groaned frustratedly and affectionately... Then I kissed his forehead his cheeks his nose his chin his lips showered his face with kisses. He held my head close in no complaints, "you made me realize you despise when it was completely opposite! I hate that I love you now!"

He rubbed my shoulders kissing the side of my head, in order to calm down myself but ugh...I was nowhere done with him.

How dare he tells me he loves me from before?

How dare he made me think I was the first one to fall for him?

It had to always be the guy to fall first it's never otherwise!!

Ugh I love him so much and now that is annoying

•~•~

So, today was the day of the results of all these not-so-regular tutoring in which I always had my tutor distracted and do everything aside from studying. I sighed I didn't study well this time and the exams were also just fine. Not that bad, I guess so If I don't count that I couldn't complete the physics paper on time so two marks were already deducted from what I can even score.

I walked to the bulletin board while texting Laksh,

Avi
If I got the first rank you gonna kiss me right in front of the whole class in the hallway

I had to work to improve his shy nature. I am not into PDA but I don't mind making others jealous making them green and flexing our relationship to the school.

Ha! I always said I am mean by nature

Laksh 🥀
There's only one first rank in the class in case you didn't know

Avi
You don't say 😑

Arrogant as always

My eyes traveled to the board on the list of class 11th.

Of course, Laksh was the first rank holder

Even though I wanted to take his position and bring him down but on inside I know better I see no amount of distraction could dissuade Laksh from getting what he wants. Honestly, I want him to succeed to go a long way and acquire himself a name, a position, and whatever he aims at. I can be his biggest supporter. I sighed have to now forever share him with books.

Ugh, I am so jealous of them already.

I searched my name and found on ..
5th

My name...yes my name oh fuck it's my name obviously!

Wait a second!

"Holy shit I am fifth!" I yelled in astonishment.

Scaring the person standing in front of me.

"Oh God, I am fifth!" I screamed to Riya who was coming this way.

I couldn't believe it because usually, I had my rank between 10 to 20. So it was quite surprising.

I hugged Riya taking her by sudden all the while shouting, "I am fifth first five of three sections!! Oh God, I didn't know I was that good!"

Riya patted my back chuckling, "congrats I happened to be 3rd this time!" She told smugly.
I pulled away with narrowed eyes, "how?"

She grinned, "Laksh helped me a little with studies and Kavya too"

"Where's he?" I asked chewing my lip and eyes looking around anxiously.

"he went to the library"

"Of course he didn't need to check he already knew he was first that arrogant devil!"

I made my way to the library swiftly as I stepped into the aisle where I know he must be I was yanked from the right.

An arm pulled me against the hard and quite familiar chest. My hand traveled up clasped the nape of his neck.

"Hi, topper.." I said in a whisper, " I am fifth you know! your position was in real danger this time" I told him threateningly.

"I knew that's why I didn't give my 100 percentage in tutoring you," he told pretty honestly.

My eyes widened in shock, "you didn't!"

He leaned his head down against my forehead, "there's always the next time" he said yearningly.

Oh fuck! he was going to kiss me here in the library. I peeped over his shoulder even though the librarian was far from where we were but still, we can get caught and not to mention the cameras above

Nevertheless,
I tiptoed giddily meeting his lips the thrill only made me more excited. He softly pulled me into him. I kissed his delectable lips urgently couldn't just get enough of him. He devoured my mouth having me pressed by his lean taut body against the shelves. Our urgent grabbing for each other made the books skewed off the shelves, their dropping sound got mixed up in our heavy breathings.

Perfect

"Next time" I agreed sighing as I held onto him. My real thing. The promising start of the new journey.

•
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•
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The End