Chapter 7: CHAPTER 5

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Reyansh's POV

The sun hung high over the courtyard, casting playful shadows as I rolled my sleeves up, the fabric tightening around my forearms.

I could hear the echo of laughter and the squeaky sound of sneakers on the court. Aarav and Arushi were bouncing a basketball back and forth, their enthusiasm infectious.

I had reluctantly said yes to the match, but now that I was here, the competitive side of me was creeping in.

“Sir, are you ready to get schooled?” Aarav called out, a smirk plastered on his face.

“School? You mean where I teach? Good luck with that,” I shot back, adjusting my glasses, trying to maintain the air of an aloof professor.

Noor stood to the side, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. “Don’t let him intimidate you, Aarav. He only intimidates with math.”

“Math is a sport of its own,” I quipped, dribbling the ball and launching it towards the hoop. Swish! “That’s one point for the professor!”

Aarav rolled his eyes, grabbing the ball and charging at me. “Okay, okay, let’s see how you handle real competition!”

The game unfolded like a scene from a comedy. Aarav and I were neck and neck, bantering back and forth.

I could hear Arushi cheering, “Come on, Sir! Show him you're not weak like him!”

“C'mon sir dikhado sabko ki aapne bhi maa ka dudh Piya hai!” Noor added, laughter bubbling in her voice.

What the heck she said.

I sprinted after Aarav, determined to block his next shot. “I’m not just a professor; I’m a mathematician. I calculate your every move!”

“Kya calculate karoge sir? Ki kitni baar bachon se haar gaye?” Aarav shot back, narrowly dodging my reach and scoring another basket.

“Shut up!” I huffed, but I couldn’t help the smile creeping onto my face.

The game intensified, sweat beginning to bead at my forehead, but I was in my element.

With a swift move, I snatched the ball from Aarav and landed a three-pointer. “Boom! Take that!”

“Not bad for a math geek!” Noor laughed, her voice ringing out like music.

But just when I thought victory was within my grasp, I made a crucial mistake.

Chasing after the ball, I collided head-on with Noor, and we both tumbled to the ground. “Whoa!” I exclaimed, feeling the impact, but more shockingly, I found myself staring up at her, our faces inches apart.

“Well, this is awkward,” I said, my heart racing as I lost myself in her vibrant green eyes.

“Ha ha jaise mai to Mari Jaa rhi hu iske liye” she replied sarcastically making me frown. “But I think I prefer this position.”

“Really? You like being on top?”

“Only when it’s you beneath me,” she shot back, laughter bubbling between us.

I pushed myself up, but not before I caught Aarav and Arushi giggling in the background.

“You two okay??” Aarav asked, the teasing lilt in his voice irritating me.

“Yeah, we're fine,”she replied and faced me “I think you were enjoying it a little too much, Professor.”

“Enjoying being flattened? Not my idea of fun.” I brushed off the grass from my pants, attempting to hide my embarrassment.

“Or maybe you enjoyed being flattened by a student,” she teased, her laughter ringing like a bell.

“I don’t think that’s allowed,” I replied, my voice dropping an octave as I stared back at her, trying to maintain my professor facade. “Aren’t there rules against that?”

“Rules are meant to be broken!” she declared, winking at me before standing up and offering her hand.

I took it, our fingers brushing for just a moment longer than necessary. “Thanks for the assist,” I said, and she smirked.

“Anytime, Professor.”

“Next time, I’ll make sure to avoid falling beneath my students.”

“Good luck with that,” Noor quipped, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. “With how clumsy you are, it might be a challenge.”

“Clumsy? Please, I’m just too fast for my own good,” I retorted, trying to sound confident despite the lingering heat in my cheeks.

“Fast or not, you still lost to me,” Aarav chimed in, grinning widely.

“Ha kyuki tumne cheating ki!” I protested, throwing my hands up in mock surrender.

“Cheating? I prefer to think of it as strategy,” Aarav replied, puffing out his chest in a mock display of bravado.

“Sure, strategy that involves you running into people,” Noor laughed, her eyes shining with amusement.

The playful banter continued, and for a moment, I forgot that I was their professor and they were my students. We were just friends, enjoying the late afternoon sun and the thrill of competition.

“Okay, enough about my basketball skills,” I said, stepping back to catch my breath. “How about I take you all back to class before you turn me into a meme?”

“Oh, please! That would be hilarious!” Noor and Arushi exclaimed, their eyes lighting up with delight.

“I’d rather not become a laughingstock,” I replied, feigning a serious tone. “But I suppose I can’t escape that fate, can I?”

“Not with us around,” Aarav grinned, tossing the ball back and forth between his hands. “You’re stuck with us, Professor.”

“Lucky me,” I muttered, rolling my eyes dramatically.

“Maybe we can convince you to have another match next week?” Noor suggested, her smile wide.

I paused, contemplating. “Next week? I’ll have to check my schedule—”

“Your schedule has room for fun, I promise!” Noor interrupted, her tone playful yet persuasive.

“Fun? I thought I was here to teach!”

“And we’re here to learn! It’s a perfect exchange,” Aarav chimed in, nodding sagely.

“Right, because playing basketball counts as learning,” I said, crossing my arms, unable to hide my smile.

“Absolutely! It’s all about teamwork! And maybe a little bit of strategy,” Aarav replied, his grin relentless.

“Fine, I’ll consider it,” I conceded, raising my hands in mock defeat. “But only if you promise it'll be the last time.”

Noor stepped forward, her expression suddenly serious. “No way! We want you to sweat more and more!”

I chuckled, shaking my head at their antics. “You’re all impossible.”

“Impossible? Or just too much fun for a boring professor like you?” Arushi shot back, her eyes twinkling.

“Touché,” I admitted, the atmosphere lightening with our playful exchange.

“Now, let’s get back to class before we become late and I have to explain to the dean why we were playing basketball instead of learning,” I said, motioning for them to follow me.

“Blame it on the professor!” Noor laughed, falling into step beside me.

As we walked toward the classroom, I could feel the warmth of the sun on my back and the laughter still echoing in the courtyard.

Maybe this whole friendship thing wasn’t so bad after all.

Noor's POV

The professor who's usually lost in the world of numbers and equations is playing with us; a smile, rare and almost shy, played on his lips.

He smiles. Interesting.

Wait!! he got dimples. OMG!!

[Aage Jane se pehle vote kardo maze aayenge ab aage🎀]

The game reached a frenetic crescendo. A desperate scramble for the ball ended with me and Crocodile colliding, a tangle of limbs and surprised gasps.

I landed squarely on top of him, our eyes meeting inches apart. Time seemed to slow.

I, usually quick-witted and teasing, found herself utterly speechless, lost in the captivating depth of Crocodile's startlingly blue eyes – eyes that seemed to hold the same infinite depth as the mathematical concepts he lectured on.

For a breathless moment, we simply stared at each other, the sounds of the game fading into a distant hum.

Then, a slow smile spread across his face, a genuine smile that reached his eyes and transformed his whole demeanor.

The moment dissolved as quickly as it arrived. I, regained my composure and playfully shoved Reyansh, teasing him about his clumsiness.

He laughed, a deep, resonant sound that surprised her even more than his smile.

Okay so he laughs too.

I was just looking at him. Okay okay iwas admiring him a bit.

Is he cute? Ummm....A little No, a big Yes. Oh god this Crocodile.

We bantered playfully, the earlier awkwardness forgotten. As I walked away, brushing dust from my clothes, I couldn't shake the image of his smile.

I had always thought of him as somewhat rude and grumpy, but this was different.

This was... captivating. I couldn't believe the hidden warmth I had discovered beneath the surface of the seemingly austere the Crocodile.

The casual game had yielded an unexpected and utterly delightful discovery.

After lectures I decided to go back home.

As I reached home I slammed the door behind me and kicked off my shoes, letting them fly across the hallway.

"I’m home!" I called out, the echo of my voice bouncing off the walls.

The day had been long, filled with lectures and endless notes, but at least I had a story that would make my parents laugh.

My mom poked her head out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Noor! How was college today?"

"Mom, you won't believe it!" I plopped down on the couch, my energy bouncing back. "We made our grumpy math professor, play basketball with us!"

Her eyes widened, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. "The one who looks like he just swallowed a lemon?"

"Exactly! But he smiled! I swear, I thought he was incapable of it," I said, leaning in, my excitement palpable.

"When he made that crazy shot, his entire face lit up like a Christmas tree! I didn’t know he had teeth!"

Mom chuckled, shaking her head. "Maybe he’s a math wizard and a basketball prodigy. Did he yell at you afterward?"

"Of course! After he made that shot, he was like, ‘You kids are lucky I’m not grading your performance!’ He’s such a softy underneath all that attitude! You should have seen him—at one moment he was grumpy, and the next, he was laughing! It was like watching a bear trying to dance and today, he weirdly encouraged us to do something fun. I think he’s finally cracking under the pressure of us being his students."

Mom laughed, pouring herself a cup of tea. "Well, maybe you’re the sunshine he needs in his life."

I snorted. "Sunshine? More like a tornado. He probably thinks we’re all a bunch of clowns. But you know what? I think I might actually like him. Just a bit."

Dad cleared his throat, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Just a bit, huh? You sure you’re not falling for the bear?"

Oh god my parents.

"Ugh, Dad! No! He's just... interesting!" I rolled my eyes again, trying to suppress a smile. "Anyway, I have to study later. Bye."

I ambled to my room, changed into my comfiest clothes, and flopped onto my bed.

My phone buzzed, and I grabbed it, scrolling through Instagram. Photos of my friends at parties and cute puppies flooded my feed, but I was just too lazy to care.

Then, a notification popped up. The college group chat lit up with Unknown number and Reyansh Malhotra as name.

My heart raced a little. What was he up to? I opened the message, and it read,

“I'll be taking online class in 2 hours. If anyone dares to skip, you won’t be allowed to sit in my class for a whole week.”

I frowned, rolling my eyes. “Just when I thought he was being nice,” I muttered to myself. “Back to Grumpy Crocodile.”

I switched to my friends' group chat, where Aarav and Arushi had already started buzzing.

“Did you see his text?” Aarav’s text popped up.

“Yep, the Crocodile is back,” I typed.

“Maybe he just wants us to take him seriously,” Arushi replied with a winking emoji. “Or maybe he’s just lonely.”

“Lonely? With that attitude? Shutup!” I shot back, laughing at my own joke.

Dinner came and went, and soon I was perched in front of my laptop, the clock ticking ominously.

I logged into the online class, the anticipation buzzing in the air. I was ready for whatever this Crocodile was going to throw our way.

As expected, the moment he appeared on screen, he looked like he had just emerged from a cave. “Welcome, students,” he said, his voice deep and gravelly.

“I trust you all have been keeping up with the material.”

I could see a few faces on the screen grimacing like they had just bitten into a lemon.

“Yeah, right!” I muttered, knowing full well most of us had barely skimmed through the textbook.

“Let’s address the elephant in the room,” he continued, glaring at the screen like he could see right through our lazy souls.

“You all are slacking off. I expect to see improvement by next week, or there will be consequences.”

“Consequences? Like what? No more basketball?” I whispered to myself, giggling.

“Ms. Sharma,” he said, and my stomach dropped. “Care to share your thoughts with the class?”

“Uh… no?” I squeaked, my heart racing.

“Then perhaps you would like to explain your lack of focus? Let me remind you all that this is not a joke. You’re here to learn, not to waste time. If you’re not serious about your education, then—”

“Pakka biwi ne khana nahi diya hoga!” I blurted out, not realizing my mic was on.

The silence that followed felt like an eternity, my face turning beet red. I could almost hear the collective gasp through the screen.

His expression shifted from stern to surprised. “Ms. Sharma, I am single. You may now leave the class.”

My stomach dropped. “What?!” I shouted, the realization hitting me like a tsunami.

“No! I didn’t mean it like that!”

The class erupted in laughter, and I could feel the heat rushing to my face. “Oh my God,” I groaned.

I slammed my laptop shut, humiliation washing over me. “Great, Noor. Just great,” I groaned, throwing my head back against the wall. How had I turned a simple class into a disaster?

My phone buzzed again, and I reluctantly opened the group chat.

“Did you seriously just say that?” Aarav typed, followed by a string of laughing emojis.

“I can’t believe you’re this much straight,” Arushi added.

“Yeah, well, it wasn't planned.” I replied, trying to brush off the embarrassment. “He probably thinks I’m a lost cause.”

“Or maybe he thinks you’re hilarious,” Aarav said. “You might have a shot at breaking through that grumpy wall of his.”

“Yeah, right. Like I’d ever date a guy who looks like he’s got a permanent frown,” I typed back, but a tiny voice in my head wondered if there was more to him than just the grumpy exterior.

The night wore on, and I tried to focus on my studies, but Crocodile’s words echoed in my mind again. “You may now leave the class.” I had to admit, it stung a little. He hadn’t even been that harsh with me. Maybe I’d misjudged him, or maybe I was just looking for an excuse to poke fun.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed again, and I jumped. It was a message from the Crocodile, directly in our college group chat.

“For those who had something to say in class, I suggest using it more wisely next time.”

Aarav wasted no time and called. “Noor, you’re going to have to explain yourself next class!”

I groaned, my face burning again. “No, I will not. I think I’ll take a page from his book and just glare at everyone instead.”

“Good luck with that,” Arushi replied, and I could almost hear the laughter in her voice.

As the night deepened, I finally crawled into bed, thoughts swirling in my head. Maybe tomorrow I’d find a way to apologize—or at least explain myself.

If Crocodile could crack a smile, maybe, just maybe, I could crack through that tough exterior. But first, I needed to survive the next class without saying something ridiculous again.

The stakes were high, and my pride was on the line. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a chaotic adventure—one that might involve a grumpy math professor and a whole lot of laughter.

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