1.3 | Heartbreaks For Sale

07.

A/N:

If I had to name this chapter I'd call it the calm before the storm.

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“I REDO YOUR SCARF ALL THE TIME. You never get it right,” Jasper said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“But it’s different with him. I only just spoke to him yesterday and we are definitely not friends,” Akshara countered and then lowered her voice, “he is my soulmate. Why don’t you understand? You’ve been there!”

“I was pulling your leg. No need to get all pent-up about it.” He ruffled her hair, laughing at his annoyed best friend. “Anyways, what was his name you said?”

“Whyte.”

He made a face. “Whyte as a first name? Weird. Whyte what?”

“I don’t know. I heard his friends call him that. We never got the chance to properly introduce ourselves to each other.”

“Yeah, you were busy hugging and touching each other,” Jasper commented before chuckling to himself.

Akshara kicked his shin. “Don’t be an ass,” she said and launched into a rant. “He is so handsome, oh my god. And he smells amazing, like what perfume does he use? And he is really sweet to me. The way he laughs… you can tell that he isn’t an asshole.”

“So laughter can now be used to detect asshole-ness?”

“Stop it and just be happy for me.” Akshara paused and looked at him, eyes slightly widening with realisation. “Ah, you are jealous. Why don’t you move on and try dating someone else?”

“Not interested. Never will be unless it’s Airaa.” His reply was instant as if he’d thought about it and rehearsed the speech already. 

“God, you and your stubborn ass. I’m leaving. Print out those documents I sent you, will you? I’ll pay you back later.”

“Just get me those carrot cakes from Dessertion tomorrow.”

“You got it.” Akshara waved hastily and hurried to the coffee shop she and Whyte had agreed to meet in. As she made her way through campus, dying to get the taste of hot mocha in her tongue, a text swooped in. It was from him. 

I am so so so sorry. Don’t think I’ll be able to make it. Stuck under a pile of journals in the library :(

She  stopped walking so abruptly that the guy behind her slammed into her. “Sorry,” she quickly muttered before moving under a tree. She stared at the text, trying not to feel like a deflated balloon. Her fingers wanted to type that it was completely alright but her heart wasn’t ready to allow it; they hovered over the keyboard hesitantly. She so badly wanted to meet him.

What coffee do you take? She texted, an idea forming in her mind. 

The reply was quick. A Cappuccino. Preferably w a dose of caramel. Why?

General knowledge :)

With that, Akshara pocketed her phone and rushed to the coffee shop. When she placed the order for two takeaways, she looked around the cosy interiors of the cafe. It was busy, milling with people in oversized sweaters and trench coats. Her eyes went to the Christmas discount scribbled on the black board with green chalk. She mentally calculated the money she’d be saving and smiled eventhough the amount was meagre.