The night was eerily silent, the only sound in Satish's room being the rhythmic ticking of the clock.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
Satish lay on his bed, eyes open, staring at the ceiling as if the answers to his confusion were written there.
But they weren't.
Instead, his mind was replaying Nilesh's words over and over again, like a broken record stuck on one infuriatingly accurate truth.
"You might be a great professor, but when it comes to emotions? You're a complete idiot."
Satish exhaled sharply, rubbing his face.
"Am I really that obvious?"
No. That was ridiculous.
He was in control.
He was always in control.
But then... why was he still awake at this ungodly hour?
Why did her face-Sharayu's face-keep flashing in his mind?
The way she had looked in that red suit... and then in that navari saree on Ganesh Chaturthi.
That damn nose ring, those bangles, the way her saree draped around her waist.
Something in his stomach twisted at the memory.
His fingers clenched the sheets. "Shit."
He turned to the other side, trying to force his mind to stop thinking about her.
She was his student.
He was her professor.
This was absurd.
And yet...
Sleep finally claimed him.
The room was dark, the faint glow of the streetlights barely seeping through the curtains. Satish had finally fallen asleep... but his mind had other plans.
The dream started innocently enough.
He was back in college, walking through the empty corridors after class. The air was strangely warm, the silence thick.
And then, suddenly-
"Sir."
A voice-soft, familiar, and yet laced with something different.
He turned around.
And there she was.
Sharayu.
But not in her usual jeans and kurti or even the traditional outfits she wore for festivals.
She was in red again.
A deep, dark red saree, its fabric hugging her curves in a way that made his throat dry up.
Her hair was loose, cascading down her back, her bangles softly jingling as she took a step closer.
Her eyes held something he had never seen before-something dangerous, playful, knowing.
"Why do you keep looking at me like that, Sir?" she asked, tilting her head, amusement dancing in her gaze.
Satish froze.
His mind screamed at him to move, to say something, to break away-but his body refused to listen.
"I-" His voice came out strained, almost hoarse.
She took another step forward.
And then another.
Until she was too close.
Her fingers lightly grazed his forearm, sending an unfamiliar shiver down his spine.
"You're my professor," she whispered, her lips dangerously close to his ear.
"You shouldn't be thinking about me like this."
Satish's breath hitched.
This wasn't real.
This wasn't right.
This shouldn't be happening.
And yet-
Her fingers trailed down his wrist, her nails barely scratching his skin.
His pulse pounded.
His heart raced.
And just as she leaned in, lips parting-
Satish woke up.
His eyes snapped open.
His breathing was heavy. Too heavy.
The room was dark, silent-except for the erratic beating of his own heart.
And then-the realization hit him like a truck.
Oh. My. God.
He sat up instantly, his hands gripping his hair, his body still burning from the dream that should NOT have happened.
"What the actual hell was that?!" he muttered, horrified.
A cold sweat ran down his back.
He was a grown man.
A rational, composed, professional man.
And he just had a damn wet dream about his student.
He buried his face in his hands. "I'm going to hell."
Satish swung his legs off the bed, running a frustrated hand through his already messy hair.
This was nothing.
A stupid dream. That's it.
Dreams didn't mean anything.
Right?
RIGHT?!
He refused to believe that this had anything to do with his actual feelings.
He was just tired. His brain was playing tricks on him.
It was nothing.
...Then why did his body still feel warm?
Why was his chest still tight, his skin still tingling?
Why did he remember every single detail so vividly?
He grabbed his phone, checked the time-4:12 AM.
"Fantastic. Just perfect."
There was no way he was getting any more sleep tonight.
By the time morning arrived, Satish had come to a firm conclusion:
Forget it.
Pretend it didn't happen.
Move on.
***
He got ready for work, dressed in his usual crisp white shirt and black trousers, convincing himself that today was just another normal day.
But the moment he stepped into college...
The first thing he saw was Sharayu.
Standing near the corridor, laughing at something Rutuja said, completely oblivious to the absolute nightmare he had been through last night.
And just like that-
The dream came crashing back.
Red saree.
Soft whispers.
Her fingers on his skin.
Satish immediately turned on his heel and walked the other way.
Nope.
No.
Not today.
He needed distance.
Because if he stayed near her for even one more second-
He wasn't sure if he'd survive the day without completely losing his mind.
For the next three days, Satish felt like he could finally breathe.
No unexpected dreams.
No stolen glances.
No moments of awkward tension.
Just work, papers, and lectures. Exactly how life should be.
He spent his time buried in exam preparations, reviewing syllabus coverage, and conducting doubt-solving sessions for other classes.
The university exams were approaching fast, and every professor was on edge.
Each morning, he woke up, got dressed, went to college, took his lectures, and came home without any unnecessary distractions.
Without Sharayu.
And he told himself that was a good thing.
Right?
The fourth day.
Taxation Lecture.
The one lecture he had been avoiding thinking about.
The moment he stepped into the classroom, his gaze instinctively shifted to where she usually sat.
And there she was.
Right there.
In her usual seat.
Looking straight at him.
And smiling.
And just like that-
The footage broke.
Satish froze.
It was a simple smile. A polite one. The same one she probably gave every professor.
Then WHY did it feel like someone had just punched him in the gut?
His chest tightened.
His palms felt clammy.
And, for some godforsaken reason, his brain decided to replay his dream in high definition.
The red saree.
The whispers.
The touch.
"Oh, for the love of God."
He immediately looked away.
His hands gripped the book tighter than necessary. His heartbeat wasn't normal anymore.
This wasn't normal.
She is just a student.
A student.
A STUDENT.
He repeated it like a damn mantra.
But his body?
Didn't seem to get the memo.
His heartbeat was erratic.
His breathing felt uneven.
And, worst of all-he had completely forgotten what he was supposed to say next.
"Sir?" one of the students called out, snapping him back to reality.
Satish blinked.
Shit.
He cleared his throat, quickly looking at the board instead of anywhere near her.
"Alright. Let's begin."
***
The next hour went in a blur of technical terms and formulas.
University exams were serious business.
The syllabus was vast, the pressure immense. The entire class was hyper-focused, scribbling notes, highlighting important sections, and murmuring formulas under their breath.
Even Sharayu.
She was focused, writing diligently, looking just as stressed as everyone else.
Which was great.
Because at least that meant she wasn't looking at him.
Satish took a deep breath, trying to get a grip on himself.
This was what mattered. The exams. The students' success. Their performance.
Not some ridiculous dream.
Not the fact that he had felt something when she smiled.
Not the fact that even now, his mind refused to let go of that moment.
Not the fact that, for the first time in his life-
A mere student's presence alone was unsettling his entire existence.
Satish forced himself to focus on the board, scribbling down key points with his marker, but his mind was elsewhere.
Every time he turned around, his eyes betrayed him.
They sought her out. Automatically.
There she was, her head bent over her notebook, her fingers twirling her pen as she concentrated.
She wasn't even looking at him.
And yet, he felt the impact of her presence like a physical force.
"Ridiculous."
His grip on the marker tightened.
Why was his body reacting like this?
He had spent years as a professor, dealing with countless students-so why her?
What was so different about Sharayu?
For Sharayu, this was just another lecture.
Well. Sort of.
She had seen the way Satish froze when she smiled.
Had he looked away too quickly? Yes.
Had his entire body gone stiff for a second? Also yes.
"Weird," she thought, shaking it off.
He was a professor. Maybe he was just lost in thought.
Or maybe, just maybe...
She was imagining things.
She sighed, continuing to write down the key points from the board, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside Satish's head.
For the rest of the hour, Satish avoided looking in her direction at all costs.
He focused on the textbook.
He focused on the syllabus.
He focused on the goddamn ceiling if he had to.
Because every time his eyes wandered back to her, his heart would do something completely absurd.
It was as if his body had decided to wage war against his own mind.
By the time the lecture ended, Satish felt exhausted.
And not from teaching.
From fighting himself.
"This has to stop."
He closed his register, took a deep breath, and turned back to the class.
"That's all for today. Prepare well. The exams won't be easy."
His eyes flickered towards her seat for the briefest moment.
She was already packing up, chatting with Rutuja, completely unbothered.
Of course.
To her, this was just another class.
To him?
It was a goddamn nightmare.
As soon as Satish left the classroom, Sharayu's friends pounced on her.
"Saru, he literally glitched when you smiled!" Rutuja whispered dramatically, shaking her by the shoulders.
Arohi smirked, nudging her. "I told you! Universe is working overtime for you two."
Sharayu groaned. "Shut up, it was nothing."
Kunal chuckled. "Nothing? You're telling me that the ever-so-serious Satish Sir just forgot how to function for no reason?"
"Exactly!" Rutuja nodded enthusiastically. "He couldn't even look at you properly!"
"Guys, stop it," Sharayu huffed, shoving her books into her bag. "You're all overthinking."
"Oh, sweetheart," Rutuja grinned mischievously, "if anyone is overthinking right now, it's not us-it's him."
Sharayu rolled her eyes, ignoring them as they continued their relentless teasing.
Because, deep down...
She couldn't shake the feeling that, just maybe-
They weren't entirely wrong.
Meanwhile, Satish walked down the hall, hoping that fresh air would clear his head.
But no.
His brain had already betrayed him.
He could still see it.
That damn smile.
That one-second moment of eye contact.
And worst of all-
The way it made him feel.
"I am losing my mind."
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.
And as if the universe wasn't already mocking him enough, his phone buzzed with a message.
From Nilesh.
Nilesh: So? When are you confessing to your "mere student"?
Satish groaned.
As soon as Sharayu and her friends left the classroom, they did not let her breathe.
Hriday slung an arm around her shoulder, his smirk too smug for her liking.
"So, Saru, how does it feel to be the only student who can make Satish Sir malfunction?"
Rutuja gasped dramatically. "Oh my god, Hriday, do you think he's okay? Maybe we should check his pulse next time she walks in."
Kunal grinned. "Forget pulse, let's check if he still knows how to form sentences."
Arohi and Gayatri were already giggling, and Vrushal shook his head in amusement. "You guys are too much."
Sharayu groaned, rubbing her temples. "I hate you all."
"Do you, though?" Rutuja wiggled her eyebrows.
"You should be grateful," Kunal added.
"We are merely pointing out the obvious: Satish Sir is acting weird around you."
Gayatri hummed in agreement. "Like, seriously, we've never seen him so... lost before. He's always so sharp and intimidating, but today? One smile and-"
She mimicked a glitching robot, making the whole group burst into laughter.
Sharayu huffed. "You guys are overthinking. He's our professor. Maybe he was just distracted."
Kunal smirked. "Yeah, distracted by what, exactly?"
Arohi snickered. "By whom, you mean."
"Enough!" Sharayu groaned, walking ahead to escape them, but her ears burned at their words.
Because, deep down, a tiny, annoying part of her brain was starting to wonder...
***
Satish sat in his cabin, his head in his hands.
"This is getting out of control."
He had thought that avoiding her for a few days had fixed the problem.
He had been wrong.
Today's one second of eye contact?
Destroyed him.
Her smile? Sent him into another existential crisis.
And worst of all?
His students definitely noticed.
"I am a professor. I am professional. I have control over my emotions."
Except, apparently, he didn't.
His phone rang which made him snap out of his thoughts.
It was Nilesh.
Satish sighed. "What now?"
Nilesh smirked. "Just checking in on you, dear friend. You seemed... distracted today."
Satish glared. "I am fine."
Nilesh was talking like he had all the time in the world. "Oh, I don't know. Looked like you were having a minor breakdown in front of the entire class."
Satish groaned, rubbing his temples. "I hate you."
"You love me," Nilesh corrected. "So? How bad is it?"
Satish sighed heavily. "...It's bad."
Nilesh nodded like he expected this. "I figured."
There was a long pause before Nilesh grinned. "So? When are you confessing?"
Satish almost cut the call.
Nilesh leaned forward, a smug look on his face.
"You like her."
Satish looked physically pained. "I-No."
"Satish."
"No."
"Satish."
"...Maybe, maybe not."
Nilesh grinned. "I knew it!"
Satish groaned, leaning back in his chair. "This is ridiculous. She's a student. I shouldn't even be thinking about this."
Nilesh shrugged. "And yet, here you are, thinking about this."
Satish sighed, rubbing his face. "This is going to ruin my sanity."
Nilesh smirked. "Too late, buddy."
Satish ended the call.
Satish woke up with one goal.
"Today, I will be normal."
He got dressed.
He drank his coffee.
He left for college.
He was ready.
The day had started with Satish mentally preparing himself to act normal.
He had convinced himself that nothing was wrong.
That he was not affected.
That he would not overreact.
And then...
He saw her.
And he absolutely lost his mind.
Because right there, in the middle of the hallway, was Sharayu.
She was laughing.
But not just laughing.
Laughing while Hriday had his arm slung around her.
Hriday said something, and she playfully shoved him.
He pretended to stumble, caught her waist for balance, and the two burst into another fit of laughter.
Satish?
Satish saw red.
His hand clenched into a fist.
His jaw tightened.
His brain short-circuited.
"Why the hell is his hand there?"
"Why is she letting him touch her like that?"
"Why am I even reacting like this?"
"Oh, right-because I'm an idiot."
Before his rational brain could step in, his jealous, overprotective, completely unhinged side took over.
And the next thing he knew-
He was storming towards them.
"WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE?"
The entire corridor went silent.
Hriday, who had been mid-laugh, froze.
Sharayu, who had been mid-sentence, blinked in confusion.
Even the students passing by stopped like deer caught in headlights.
Satish did not care.
His glare was sharp enough to cut through steel.
"You are in a college, not a fish market!" His voice boomed, echoing in
the silent hallway.
Hriday, ever the daring one, opened his mouth. "Sir, we were just-"
"I don't want excuses!" Satish cut him off, voice sharp. "You are disturbing the decorum of this institution! If you want to behave like rowdy kids, go somewhere else!"
Sharayu flinched.
For some reason, seeing her eyes widen in surprise made Satish's stomach churn.
His anger was misplaced.
He knew that.
And yet, he couldn't stop himself.
"Have some decency! Keep your hands to yourself!" he snapped, specifically glancing at Hriday.
Hriday looked bewildered.
Even the usually fearless Rutuja and Kunal were staring at Satish like he had grown a second head.
Sharayu, however?
Her expression changed.
The surprise morphed into something else.
Something Satish couldn't quite place.
But it made his stomach feel like it had been tied into knots.
And just as quickly as he had stormed in, he turned on his heel and walked away.
Without waiting for a response.
Satish locked himself in his cabin, sat at his desk, and stared at the wall.
For ten minutes.
Not moving.
Not breathing properly.
Just staring.
Because what in the actual hell had just happened?
"Did I just scold them for being loud? In a college?"
"I have literally ignored fights before. WHY did this bother me so much?"
"Oh, right. Because I am an idiot."
He buried his face in his hands.
"This is why professors should never, ever develop feelings for a student."
"
Because now I look like a complete MORON."
He groaned loudly, leaning back in his chair.
***
Hriday: WTF just happened.
Kunal: Did Satish Sir just yell at us?
Rutuja: I think we were just victims of an emotionally unstable man's crisis.
Arohi: Bro looked like he was ready to commit murder.
Gayatri: On Hriday, specifically.
Vrushal: Not gonna lie, I feared for your life, bro.
Hriday: Same, dude. SAME.
Sharayu: Guys, shut up. This is embarrassing.
Rutuja: Oh, honey, we haven't even started yet.
Gayatri: This man really walked in, got jealous, and left without explanation.
Kunal: Bro thought he was in a Bollywood movie.
Arohi: I swear he almost punched a wall on his way out.
Hriday: Am I allowed to be terrified?
Rutuja: Hriday, you touched HIS girl. He almost ended you right there.
Sharayu: WHAT DO YOU MEAN "HIS GIRL"?!
Gayatri: Oh, sweetheart... if only you could see what we see.
Hriday: So, do I get hazard pay for being an accidental catalyst in their slow-burn romance?
Vrushal: At this point, you deserve insurance coverage.
Rutuja: This is getting FUN.
Satish scrolled through his phone, saw the endless messages about him, and sighed.
"I am going to die from secondhand embarrassment."
Because, for the first time in his life, he had absolutely no justification for his actions.
Except for one.
A
nd it was the one thing he didn't want to admit.
That Hriday touching Sharayu had pissed him off.
Not as a professor.
Not as an authority figure.
But as a man.
And that?
That was dangerous.
Because it meant only one thing.
He wasn't just affected.
He wasn't just intrigued.
He was jealous.
And there was no going back from that.
***
Sharayu marched straight into Satish's cabin, her footsteps echoing with pure determination.
She had spent the entire night fuming over what had happened.
Who did he think he was?
Did he own the college?
Did he own her?
Was he the decorum police of the institution?
No.
He was just a professor.
And she was going to make him understand that.
She swung the door open without knocking.
Satish, who had been mid-sip of his coffee, almost choked.
"Sir, I need to talk."
Satish, still recovering from his near-death experience, blinked rapidly.
Then slowly placed his cup down.
"...Clearly."
She folded her arms. "Why did you shout at us yesterday?"
Satish internally panicked.
Because he knew why.
But there was no way in hell he was going to say it directly.
So, instead, he did what he did best.
He deflected.
Satish leaned back in his chair, expression calm and professional.
"I am a professor, Sharayu. It is my responsibility to maintain discipline."
She rolled her eyes.
"Discipline? Sir, we were talking. In a college. Not a temple."
Satish coughed. "You were disturbing the atmosphere."
Sharayu's eyebrows shot up.
"The atmosphere?"
"Yes. The learning environment should not be compromised."
"Sir, you teach Taxation. The only atmosphere you create is one of pain and suffering."
Satish internally sighed.
This girl.
His defensive strategy was not working.
He needed a new plan.
So, he tried something even more indirect.
He cleared his throat. "I was just trying to prevent... unnecessary distractions."
Sharayu frowned. "Distractions?"
Satish nodded, acting all wise and superior.
"Yes. Certain... activities can be distracting for both the students... and the faculty."
Sharayu tilted her head. "What activities?"
Satish looked anywhere but at her.
"Physical interactions in academic spaces."
Sharayu looked genuinely confused.
"Sir, we weren't even doing anything wrong. Hriday was just being friendly!"
Satish's eye twitched.
Because that was exactly the problem.
But instead of saying that, he went for maximum indirectness.
He waved a hand vaguely. "Well, sometimes people don't realize when they're crossing a line."
Sharayu narrowed her eyes. "What line?"
Satish pressed his lips together. "...A line exists."
Sharayu leaned forward.
"Sir, what exactly are you trying to say?"
Satish leaned back.
Because this was dangerous territory.
Satish took a deep breath. "There are certain things... that can cause a reaction."
Sharayu frowned. "What things?"
Satish exhaled.
"...Things that happen when someone sees something they don't want to see."
Sharayu blinked. "Like... bad handwriting?"
Satish nearly facepalmed.
"No. Things that cause a person to feel... a strong response."
Sharayu squinted. "Like... exam stress?"
Satish clenched his jaw.
"Sharayu."
She stared at him. "...Yes?"
He leaned forward slightly, his voice lower.
"Sometimes... a person gets affected when they see something."
Sharayu paused.
Satish continued, choosing his words painfully carefully.
"And sometimes... a person reacts in a way they don't expect."
Sharayu's brows knitted.
"Sir, are you talking about... allergies?"
Satish exhaled sharply through his nose.
"WHY IS SHE LIKE THIS?!"
He gritted his teeth. "No. Not allergies. A human response."
Sharayu nodded slowly. "Oh. Like anger?"
Satish ran a hand down his face.
"We're going in circles."
He decided to try one last time.
He leaned in just a bit closer.
"Sometimes, a person feels something... when they see someone else being too close to another person."
Sharayu stared at him.
Then blinked.
Then slowly said, "...Sir, are you talking about territorial dogs?"
Satish nearly flipped the desk.
"SHE CAN SOLVE COMPLEX TAX PROBLEMS BUT SHE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THIS?!"
He gave up.
Satish sat back, rubbed his temples, and muttered, "Forget it."
Sharayu folded her arms. "Forget what? You still haven't explained why you shouted at us."
Satish just waved a hand. "I was in a bad mood."
Sharayu narrowed her eyes.
Satish stared at the ceiling.
The tension was unbearable.
And then-
The door swung open.
And in walked Hriday.
"Yo, Sharayu-"
Satish instantly went stiff.
Hriday immediately noticed.
And smirked. "Oh, am I interrupting something?"
Satish gritted his teeth. "No."
Sharayu glanced between them and sighed. "It's fine. We're done here."
Satish looked at her sharply.
"...We are?"
She nodded. "Yes. You were just in a bad mood, right? No big deal."
Satish's soul left his body.
"NO BIG DEAL?! AFTER ALL THAT?! AFTER I INDIRECTLY CONFESSED MY JEALOUSY?! AFTER I SUFFERED THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION?!"
He wanted to bang his head against the wall.
Hriday, who was clearly enjoying this too much, grinned at Satish. "Sir, I'll make sure not to disturb the 'atmosphere' next time."
Satish gave him the deadliest glare possible.
Hriday just winked.
Satish clenched his jaw.
Sharayu patted Hriday's arm. "Ignore him. Let's go."
Satish twitched.
Hriday smirked even harder.
And just before leaving, he turned back and whispered under his breath-
"Better luck next time, Sir."
Satish?
Satish just sat there.
Staring at the wall.
And realizing-
That he was officially doomed.
**************************************
I updated becoz I promised you all !!!
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