Chapter 5: The Push and Pull

Ananya

I practically ran into the college building, my heart pounding—not just from anger but from the way Aarav had looked at me. His words kept replaying in my mind: Stay away from that boy.

He didn't have the right to control me! This wasn't the 18th century. I was more than capable of making my own decisions.

Yet, as much as I hated to admit it, there was a small part of me—a stupid, irrational part—that didn't completely hate the way he had said it. Like I mattered too much to him.

"Ananya!"

Priya's voice jolted me from my thoughts. I turned to see her rushing toward me, her face lit with excitement.

"Where have you been? Class is about to start!"

"Long story," I mumbled, not ready to dive into the Aarav saga.

She gave me a curious look but thankfully didn't push. Together, we headed to the classroom, where I hoped to find some semblance of normalcy.

Aarav

I should have left.

I should have turned the car around and gone straight to the office, where stacks of files and a packed schedule awaited me.

But instead, I found myself sitting in the car, watching the college gate like a hawk.

I wasn't proud of it. Hell, I barely recognized myself these days. But the thought of leaving her here, of not knowing who she was talking to or where she was, was unbearable.

I had never been like this before—possessive, obsessed, weak. But Ananya had a way of slipping past all my defenses, turning my carefully controlled world into chaos.

And the worst part? I didn't want it to stop.

Ananya

As the day went on, I tried to push Aarav out of my mind. But fate seemed to have other plans.

It was during lunch break, while Priya and I were sitting under a tree, that it happened.

"Ananya!"

I looked up to see Rohit—one of my classmates and an annoyingly persistent admirer—walking toward us with a grin.

"Hi," I said cautiously, already sensing trouble.

He plopped down beside me, completely ignoring Priya's death glare. "You're looking cute today," he said, his tone casual but his eyes too bold for comfort.

I rolled my eyes, not in the mood for his antics. "What do you want, Rohit?"

He smirked. "Can't a guy just compliment his friend?"

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out, only to see Aarav's name flashing on the screen. My stomach did a little flip as I answered.

"Yes?"

"Come to the gate."

His tone was curt, leaving no room for argument.

"What? Why?"

"Now, Ananya."

He hung up, and I stared at the phone in disbelief. Priya leaned over, her eyebrows raised. "Was that...?"

I nodded, already gathering my things. "I'll be back."

As I made my way to the gate, I tried to suppress the nervous flutter in my chest. But the moment I saw Aarav leaning against his car, his dark eyes locked on mine, the flutter turned into a full-blown storm.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, stopping a few feet away from him.

He straightened, his gaze sweeping over me before landing on my face. "I don't trust that boy."

My jaw dropped. "You came here because of Rohit?"

He didn't deny it.

"You're unbelievable," I said, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "This is my life, Aarav. You can't just show up whenever you feel like it and—"

"I can," he interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "And I will."

I stared at him, completely thrown. There was no arrogance in his tone, no hint of a challenge. Just a simple statement of fact.

"Why?" I finally asked, my voice quieter now.

He took a step closer, his towering frame casting a shadow over me. "Because you're mine, Ananya. And I don't share what's mine."

For a moment, I couldn't breathe. His words were heavy, possessive, and completely unapologetic.

But before I could process them, he turned and walked back to his car, leaving me standing there with a whirlwind of emotions I didn't know how to handle.

Aarav

As I drove away, I gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to calm the storm inside me.

The look on her face when I had said those words—it had been a mix of shock, confusion, and something else. Something I couldn't quite place but that gave me hope.

I knew I was crossing lines, pushing boundaries that I had no right to push. But when it came to Ananya, all my rules, all my principles, went out the window.

I had promised myself that I would protect her, even if that meant protecting her from herself.

And I wasn't going to let anyone—least of all Rohit—get in the way.