✤✤✤Author's POV✤✤✤

All the eyes were on Riyansh as he was busy teaching and everyone was busy studying except those two pair of eyes which somehow always find their way out of the window. And Yes, those eyes didn't need any introduction. As those eyes stared outside aimlessly searching for something. And even those eyes didn't know what was that something?

Abruptly, They noticed that the wind outside had become rebellious. The soft wind was blowing in the way it wanted, compelling every other thing to flow with its flow. It was looking courageous blowing like that in a bold manner.

It was announcing the arrival of storm by making the leaves shiver on its touch and by making them dance on its tips. And it caught Arya's attention. And a desire took birth in her mind, the desire was to see if the wind could flow her with its flow as well.

Though, it was impossible but there are times when we all desire something impossible. Don't we? Therefore she lowered her gaze carefully and sneakily turned her head.

And then took a look on everyone, trying to avoid any accidental eye contact. All the faces were concentrated on Riyansh. And Riyansh had also forgotten himself trying to explain the poem to his class being in his own poetic trance.

Taking this as an advantage, she silently opened her window. And the wind came swiftly. But It didn't flow her with its flow, On the other hand it hit her on her face. Though the blow of the wind was not ferocious, it was more like a sweet graze on her skin .

The wind was caressing her face, brushing her hair and compelling her hair locks to fall on her face. The soft touch of cold wind made Arya tremble a little bit. And though she was caressed by wind.

But still, she felt suffocated, suffocated from inside. Her eyes became miserable thinking of it. She tried to breath but still she could only feel immense suffocation and nothing else. Her soul was choked by some invisible mask and even the ferocious flow of wind could not take it off.

The wind was making the atmosphere cold. One of the boy shivered and his gaze shifted to Arya while Riyansh was looking in the book. The boy requested, "Would you please close the window, Arya? " He rubbed his hands together for warmth.

This caught Riyansh's attention and he looked towards Arya who didn't utter a word and closed the window immediately. After Arya closed the window the wind became more violent banging on the window.

Even making the window shudder. As if it was separated from its beloved whom it came to meet for the last time and some heartless person had interrupted this union of two lovers.

"Looks like a storm is going to come with a lots of rain today." The boy uttered looking at the window.

"Well, I don't care about Rain but it's should not be thundering or lightening today." Riyansh commented in a grim tone while looking outside of the window.

"Why that's so, Sir?" A girl asked curiously raising her eyebrows.

"Because, I have Astraphobia. I become overly anxious, get scared and have panic attacks in that condition, Irha." He said in an uncomfortable tone having an awkward smile with nervousness. Fear creeping in his heart evident from his uncomfortable smile.

Arya was listening to all of this with her full concentration. Because she was a very good listener and observer. She could be a spy because of her listening and observation skills. She used to stay low but always alarmed. Aware of her hunters and her surroundings. Perhaps, it was because she was a sort of an over thinker too. This was the reason why she used to get high marks even when she did nothing but looked out of the window all the time. Because her ears always worked when her eyes did not.

"Well, I have got an idea from this. Let's learn something out of the syllabus today. So, we have read poems about rain since childhood. So, let's study about How rain plays an important role in poems? Okay, students" Riyansh commanded.

Winds was uncertain sometimes blowing like a wild beast and sometime like a frail brook. But something that was certain was that it would going to be a wild rain today.

Well, now the last period was over and whole college ran towards their home like they got freedom from a mental hospital. But Arya usually went home, late. She liked to stay in the college and do her personal stuff. As she liked the feeling of being alone. Though, she always stayed alone all the time. But she actually liked the silence of being alone.

Now, it was time for her to bid farewell to college until the next day. But as soon as she came out of the college gate. She saw Riyansh pacing back and forth and looking very worried. The Winds were now losing their control over them and going insane.

"What is sir doing here? He should be home by now. Everyone must have reached their homes by now?" Arya thought to herself looking at him.

His nervousness was not pouring just from his face but from his body as well. The way he was walking back and forth. The way he was looking at his watch again and again and touching his forehead in tension. Everything was telling that he was very worried.

"Why is he looking so tense? It's weird to look at him like this. These emotions are looking ugly on his face. Only his kind smile suits him." She thought to herself.

He was so busy that he didn't notice her. And suddenly his phone started ringing. He picked up it faster than the speed of bullet train.

"Where are you? Di, you promised me to pick me up for a ride to home, today. And you haven't reached yet" He stated in a frustrated voice.

It was loud enough for Arya to hear.

"Di, you know because of your promise. I have even missed my last bus to home. Now, the next bus will come in one hour. And also I don't think I can be here anymore. The weather is really horrible and you know about my phobia." He uttered with horror in his voice while he bite his lips and massaged his forehead slowly.

"He surely looks in very bad condition." Arya thought listening to his conversation.

"What? You can't come. How can you do this Di, how?" he shouted in horror. He wanted to say much more but suddenly the cloud thundered and his phone fell out of his hands from the jolt of terror he felt in his body after hearing the thundering cloud.

He quickly sat down to pick up his phone but his phone was broken, And once again the cloud angrily thundered torturing him. And this time he shuddered in fear.

He didn't get up from his place. He was just trembling like an innocent child does after getting scolded by his parents for the first time. His lips were quivering too with fear.

He shut his eyes tightly. And even closed his ears tightly by his hands. He was anxious and having panic attacks when even rain started pouring. And he just covered himself in his body unable to think straight and do anything in fear and anxiety.

"Oh! My God. He is serious. I need to help him." She thought to herself and quickly ran to him.

Her heart felt heavy looking at him like this. She sat down near to him while his eyes were still closed and rain was drenching him. He was looking like he could cry any time now.

She looked at him with kindness and touched his hand. And after getting the touch of her hand. He opened his eyes gradually. He looked at her in nervousness and she looked like a guardian angel to him at that moment.

She held his hand tightly in her hands and looked into his eyes with kindness. "Don't be scared. Everything will be alright. I promise you will be fine." She said holding his hands with confidence.

The tears that were lying in his eyes had now poured. And she wiped them with her fingertips. Though, her fingers were rough but her touch was still softening for him.

Once again the cloud drummed loudly. And he shivered, panting heavily. "It's gonna be fine. I am here with you. I am not gonna leave you." She assured him. He didn't say anything but just looked in her eyes. She was the same girl, the blank, emotionless girl.

But he wondered why was he not able to recognize her in that moment? She was looking a total different person at that time. He knew she was courageous and independent kind of person but he did not knew about her kindness.

"Why are you afraid of thunder so much?" She questioned him like she was his teacher.

"I.. I am afraid because its loud noise scares me. It makes me remember that day in the childhood when I was lost and I had to face all the horrible sounds of thunder by myself. And from that day it became my trauma. It still haunts me to this day." He told her in a heavy voice.

"You were alone that day. But today you are no more alone. You don't have to face this all alone. I am with you and we both will fight this thunder together." She said wiping his hair out of his eyes.

It gave him sense of strength. And then she remembered she had an Umbrella in her bag. She took it out. And shaded him and herself. Then she looked at him and questioned him, "What is your favorite song?" He furrowed his brows in confusion and then told her his favourite song. And she started singing that song in a light voice while he looked at her. "I know I don't sing that well. But perhaps you will feel less stressful then" She said and still his hand was clutched tightly in hers.

"I can't still believe she is the same girl. I teach in the class daily. She is so kind, warm and so thoughtful. She is a true goddess." He thought to himself.

"Let's start singing, The cloud is thundering and scaring you. Now, let's have a singing battle with clouds." She said looking determined.

He looked at her and said, "Well, I don't actually sing that well." in a low tone.

"Then that's more of a reason to sing. Then we can take revenge from the cloud for scaring you by making them listen to your voice. Every time the clouds will thunder. We will change the song." She said to him in a manner like she actually wanted to take revenge from clouds.

He couldn't help but smile at her childish proposal. He didn't know this ferocious queen could be such a cute child from inside. He accepted her proposals and then they started singing.

When the clouds thundered for first few times and he shivered she comforted and encouraged him with sweet words while holding his hand, pressing it lightly and started singing more loudly as she was teaching a lesson to the clouds who tried to scare him. And his fear started shrinking. The clouds thundering was sounding less horrible with her voice mixed with in them.

Now, he just flinched a bit when clouds thundered but as he sang with her loudly all his favourite songs. His fear was vanishing now. This time when the clouds thundered. He acted normal, he didn't flinch or felt scared. He overcame his fear with her.
And she looked at him and exclaimed, "Hurray! See, we have defeated the clouds."

He looked at her kindly. And said, "Yes, we have."

She was standing with him there for more than 40 minutes. Helping him fight his fear.

"I am fine now. You are probably late. You should go to your home." He uttered with his normal kind voice.

And that was when she came back to reality. She quickly left his hands. And she also got into her original state. Her blank eyes were back and her kind eyes were now vanished.

When he looked into her eyes he realized that her cold self was back. The same self which he was wondering about, which he knew and taught every day. Her whole personality change was just like a ghost came in her body and left.

"Okay, then I should take my leave." She said coldly as she started walking her way back. But he grabbed her wrist making her stop in her track. She turned around and looked at him.

And without even saying anything. He just hugged her tightly. "I didn't even say thanks to you properly and you are leaving." He said to her while she was confined in his arms.

His sudden hug shocked her. And her mind stopped working. Her heart was now thundering against her chest. All she was thinking was to get out of his embrace. When his hands caressed her hair from the back delicately.

And she felt a sense of relief. She felt a comfort she never felt. The thought of getting out of his embrace was no more. His warm arms made her feel like she, for a few moments wanted to escape from the reality in this embrace.

He was saying sweet words in her ears like how thankful he is and how great she is. And his words felt like a lullaby which can put any tired soul to restful sleep.

His caress made her felt a strange unknown feeling which was contending. She wanted to get enveloped in his arms more tightly. And somehow, she didn't want to leave this peaceful confinement of his arms. She wondered if that is how people feel when they get embraced? Does everyone feel the same comfort? Are hugs generally so good? She never knew the answers as it was her first hug.

Her tired soul was resting in his arms. When someone is tired they sleep for feeling refreshed again and his arms were more effective than thousands of slumbers for her.

She hesitantly moved her arms up to hug him thinking whether she should hug him or not and being nervous about it. But then she gathered the courage and gulping down she tried to filled him in her embrace but due to her fate. He broke the embrace at that moment only not knowing she was going to hug him.

He looked at her face and in her eyes and then smiled and said, "Even if I say 100 thanks or thousands of thanks. They won't be enough. But still thanks once again I am in debt of you."

She made a straight face at his words and uttered, "If you are so grateful. Then promise me one thing. You will forget what happened today. Today should not be discussed again. Don't question me why or for what? Just forget it already." And looked at him with her ice-cold eyes.

He looked at her and sighed, "If that's what you want. Then I will forget you helped me today. Happy now? "

"Yeah, that's fine." She said and started leaving when she stopped and looked back at him. She searched in her bag and took out something. It was a chocolate.

She gave it to him and said, "I don't like chocolates. I had it in my bag as an emergency snack. But I think it will be expired lying in my bag. So, keep it. And don't think I am doing it because I want to make you feel good after a bad day."

She said in a commanding voice. Now, rain had stopped so, without thinking twice and looking back she just headed off to her home.

"Why would I think like that? You clearly didn't want to make me feel good after a bad day." he said to himself and smiled shyly.

Next day, someone was interrupting the class from the morning, by sneezing again and again in the middle of every period. And that someone was Arya. She had caught cold. Her nose was all red.

It was the last period. Everyone was busy studying when once again she sneezed and this time it pissed off a boy. "If you have cold. Then you should stay at home, Arya." He blurted out annoyingly.

Arya just lowered her head in embarrassment. Riyansh noticed it and commanded in an angry tone, "Shirish, apologize to Arya right now. It's not her fault that she got sick. How inhumane of you?"

That boy rolled his eyes and said, "Sorry" in a pissed off voice. "Apologize genuinely, Shirish. If you don't have manners then you should stay at home as well." Riyansh said furiously and this was the first time everyone saw him angry. But, Riyansh was really out of his temper.

"I am really sorry, Arya." Shirish said forcefully but in a mannered way. "That's good, Shirish. And Arya, you stay after the class. I want to discuss something important with you." he said and started teaching again.

"What does he want to discuss? I told him to forget everything." She thought to himself and then nodded her head in a yes.

After everyone went out of the class. Riyansh commanded while looking in his book, "Arya, Come here."

"Is he alright? Does lightening really struck him after I left. He never looked like this. He is looking scary. I don't like him this way." She thought to herself while pacing slowly towards him.

She reached to him. And he lifted his gaze to look in her eyes. And his gaze softened and he was back to normal his kind self. He smiled at her. And he took out an Umbrella lying behind his desk. And gave it to her.

"This is yours. You forgot it. So, I thought to return it." He said in a kind voice.
"Oh, thanks." She uttered and started to walk back when he stopped her and said," There is one more thing that is yours. Please take it back as well."

"My other thing? I don't remember forgetting other thing." She thought to herself wondering about it.

And he took out a beautiful black-colored choker from his bag which had a beautiful crown on it. Seeing it she quickly said, "It's not mine."

"It's off the girl who helped me yesterday. It's a thanks gift for her. I know that girl like black color so much. She always wears black and even own all her stationery of black colour. So, I thought it would suit her style. " He replied to her.

"I told you to promise me to not remember the happenings of yesterday." She frowned in disappointment.

"I also promised that I won't remember that "You" helped me. But I remember that some girl did help me yesterday. I just don't remember her face and name." He said to her smiling confidently.

"I can't take it. Keep it to yourself..." Before she could say more he put a finger on her lips. And said, "Shh... I am your professor, You aren't mine. It's for the girl who helped me not for you. And if that girl didn't take it. I have to remember everything and break my promise. So, it's better you give it to that girl. You know her. Don't you?"

His sudden actions made her felt a tickling in her stomach and her heart to start thumping against her chest. But she just rolled her eyes.

And took the choker from his hands. It was first time she got a gift from anybody. And somehow, some where she didn't feel that bad about the gift.

"Umm... Thanks." She said hesitantly.

And he smiled and without looking towards her he said, "You don't have to hide your feelings from me or from yourself, Arya. Like, you were there with me. I will also be always there for you too."

She felt nervous hearing those words. But also good too.

"He doesn't have to be so kind towards me. He even observed me so well, that he knows I like black color so much" She thought to herself going back to her seat.

She looked at the choker. And said, "It's surely beautiful." And sighed.

To be continued....

Author's Note

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