I feign shock, placing a hand dramatically on my heart. “Cola? The nectar of the Gods?” I exclaim, pretending to be offended. “You’re a menace to society, you know that? Next thing I know, you’ll be calling pineapple on pizza a crime.”
Her eyes widen and she gasps dramatically. “Please tell me you’re kidding,” she begs.
I laugh out loud. “Of course, I’m not a monster.”
She sighs in relief. “Can we start now?” she mutters, narrowing her eyes at me. Her focus is back where it belongs.
I shoot her mock-salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
“So, what do we have to do?” I ask.
“We have to make a business plan for a small business.” She delves into the details of the assignment, and I try to listen to her carefully, but my eyes keep drifting to the strand of hair falling on her collarbone, just begging to be pushed back behind her ear. I shake my head slightly, trying to snap out of it.
I need to focus on the project, not her.
“So what do you think?” she asks, raising her eyebrow. I blink, realizing that I’ve been caught staring. I quickly look down at my lap, trying to act nonchalant.
“Uh, yeah, sounds good.” I can feel my face heating up, hoping she didn’t notice my obvious distraction.Keep it together, Daniel.
“Okay. So, let’s start.” She orders me to research certain industries that she finds interesting since I have no opinions so far. I do as I’m told, pulling out my laptop and clicking open a newtab.
Anya cracks her fingers and neck, diving back into her laptop to pull up the relevant documents. Her determination is intriguing. As she talks, her gestures are animated, her passion for the subject evident in every word. When I first met her yesterday, drenched in coffee, seething with anger, I was so enchanted by how unfiltered and beautiful she was. And then, when we met in the library, I was sure I was going to enjoy her fiery company. I can’t get her out of my mind, I guess. If I wasn’t in the situation I’m in, I would ask her out. Pretty sure she’d reject me though.
I shake my head slightly, trying to get rid of the thought.Stop it, Daniel.We’re here to work, not swoon over her.I force myself to focus back on the task at hand. I research the topics she assigned me, compiling the points in my notes app. She keeps giving updates I never asked for, but who am I to stop her? I listen to her intently. I look at the watch.
“Should we take a break?” I suggest when I notice that we’ve been working for a while. “We’ve covered a lot already,” I add.
“No, not enough,” she says without looking up from her laptop. I shake my head, closing her laptop halfway. She gasps. “What the hell?” She opens her mouth, but I put a finger on her lips. Her lips feel soft against my skin. Her eyes grow large.
I inhale sharply. “We have a lot of time, Anya. We’ve been at it for an hour now. We need to give our minds a rest.” She folds her arms and pouts but doesn’t protest anymore. I chuckle at her antics.Damn, she’s adorable.
“I gather you take studies very seriously,” I comment.
“Well, I’m an Asian kid. I need academic validation,” she retorts. “There’s this constant pressure to excel academically.”
“Why?” I ask, and she laughs, almost evilly.
“Indians are obsessed with education. My parents don’t put so much pressure on me, but growingup with so much competition around, I just became the same as others.” She sighs, leaning back in her chair. “It’s like we’re conditioned to believe that our worth is tied to our academic achievements,” she says with a slight chuckle. “And God forbid we have any other interests or hobbies. It’s like we’re expected to be robots who only study and excel.”
“So, now that you’re here, why don’t you try chilling out a bit? I’m not saying you shouldn’t study, but being study-oriented doesn’t really mean that you will be successful,” I comment, my voice soft but firm.
Anya smirks, folding her arms across her chest. “Oh, so you’re trying to give me life advice now?” she retaliates, a hint of amusement in her voice. “And what makes you think I don’t chill out? Just because I take my studies seriously doesn’t mean I don’t have any fun.”
“So what do you do for fun? Enlighten me, please,” I question, leaning in slightly. Anya cocks her head, thinking for a moment before answering.
“Well, I like to read, watch shows, and listen to music. And most importantly, sleep.” She sighs, putting her head down on the table. I snicker.
“Ah, sleep. Now, that’s the kind of fun I can get behind,” I say, yawning for emphasis. “But really, don’t you ever feel like you need more excitement in your life? Something that doesn’t involve staring at a book or a screen?”
Anya tilts her head, giving me a thoughtful look. “Where are you heading with this?” She narrows her eyes, scrutinizing me.
“I have no ulterior motives, I promise.” I laugh lightly. It’s so easy to converse with her and so hard at the same time, I can’t quite figure her out. “My roommate is organizing a party this weekend,” I suggest.
She lifts her head and raises a skeptical eyebrow at my suggestion. She’s not a big fan of going to parties, I can tell. “A party?” she asks, her tone laced with suspicion. “Why are you telling me that?” She raises an eyebrow. Even I don’t know why I brought up the party.
I laugh. “I am inviting you, dumbass,” I comment, digging myself deeper into the hole I’d opened moments ago.
She rolls her eyes, “And what makes you think I would want to go to a party? I’m not exactly a social butterfly. Quite the opposite actually.”
