(: Is there anyone who is below 18 years of age? Please let me know so that I'll know how intense I should write. I do not want to make the book 18+, but if there are more readers below 18, then I guess I'll have to do some arrangements. So, let me know honestly. You may also DM me, if you aren't comfortable commenting here. Thank you!!!)

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Sneha narrowed her brows at him.

"You can't have coffee in here. See." She pointed at a board that clearly read 'No Eatables Allowed'.

"I am sure the head of this library can make an exception for me." He said arrogantly and took his wallet. Retrieving a 2000 rupees note, he pushed it to her side.

"Get one for yourself too." He said flatly.

Sneha glared at him but then slowly stood up with a sigh. The 4 days long leaves were also important to her. Coming out of the library, she walked towards the coffee cafe.

'Does he think I am his secretary?' She wondered angrily as she waited for her order to be packed.

She checked her phone for any update from her fiance. Her face fell when she realized that he was still busy.

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Placing the coffee and the change in front of him, she took her seat again. As he had said, no one complained when she informed them for whom the coffee was for.

"You didn't get one for yourself?" He asked curiously as he held the coffee cup.

"I don't want coffee." She answered and held the next book in line.

"You could have bought whatever you wanted then." He insisted.

She looked at him again.

"I don't want anything. Let's see the next book." She answered gently.

At the exact moment, her phone made a beep sound, informing her about a new text message. She knew who the sender was. Shashank must have replied something. She desperately wanted to read it and reply too. But, she stopped herself. She was afraid that Viraj might get to know somehow about the identity of the sender of the message.

'Why am I afraid? It's not like I am cheating on Viraj!' She told herself.

"This story is about Alice who accidentally goes to a strange place. She then tries to slay a dangerous monster and free the empire." She concluded.

"Note it down." He said and she complied. Viraj simply stared at her and the way she typed. She had a slow typing speed, he realized. It was almost comical.

As she typed, his gaze slowly went astray and moved towards her neck and then to her blossoms which rose and sank in a rhythm. His mouth felt dry at the sight. He never felt anything like this before...just by seeing a female body. Hell, he had never been paid attention to this before. What was she doing to him?

A highly nasty thought entered his mind.

He wanted to feel them.

'F***! What is wrong with me?' He scolded himself again.

As soon as she took the next book, her phone went off. Her eyes automatically widened. She knew who it was. Her strange reaction caught his attention too and he wondered why she got so nervous suddenly.

Sneha quickly took out her phone, surprising Viraj more than she herself got surprised when she saw Shashank's name flashing on the screen. Thankfully for her, they were sitting opposite each other.

Viraj had no idea she had bought a new phone, that too a smartphone. He remembered her conversation with her younger sister where she had accepted that she was broke over money.

He noticed how she cancelled the call and texted something.

Fearing Viraj's maniac side to surface, she cancelled the call of her fiance and texted him quickly.

'A little busy. I'll call you back.' She replied and kept the phone back in her pocket. To her relief, Shashank didn't call again. He just texted an 'okay' with a smiley.

"You bought a new phone?" He asked curiously as he took a sip of his coffee.

'Relax, Sneha! Don't panic. You are not cheating on him. You can lie.' She told herself.

"Uhh...yes." She answered and then quickly reviewed the next book in the sight.

"How did you buy one when you couldn't afford it?" He asked curiously because this particular model wasn't a cheap one, nor was it an expensive one.

Sneha looked up at him and narrowed her brows. She took it as a direct insult.

"Why do you think I can't afford it?" She asked.

Viraj shrugged before replying.

"Isn't it obvious? If you could, you would have bought one already, instead of using that cheap model." He answered.

She felt highly irritated with his response. He really had the power to bring out the worst in her.

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you but I can afford things like this. I just chose not to waste money on things I don't want." She answered coolly.

"And now you want it?" He asked while taking a sip again.

Sneha looked at him uneasily.

"Yes." She lied again. What alternative did she have anyway!

Trusting her, he didn't ask any further. He had given her laptops discreetly, so perhaps she must have chosen her savings for the phone. He concluded.

She started reading the book review.

"Are you taking the bus these days?" He asked, taking her by surprise again.

"Uhh...why?" She asked.

"I don't see you in the parking lot with your friend these days." He asked and she narrowed her eyes at him again.

His questions were as strange as him.

"Uhh...yes. Yes, I take the bus." She lied. She didn't want to accept that she was trying to ignore him in college.

'Why is he even interested to know this?' She wondered. She was sure he didn't like her since he cleared it in the car ride, on the day she saw him murder the poor man.

"Why are you not using the cycle? You were using it till last Friday?" He asked.

"Uhh...Its chain went loose. So, I have to get it fixed." She lied again.

"You don't know how to fix the chain?" He asked, surprised by the fact.

'I do!' She sighed.

"No." She lied and focused on the book again.

Viraj nodded, believing her yet again.

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Viraj was impossible! He literally sat with her till 8:45 pm, which was the end of her shift. Sneha had reviewed at least 50 books but he got satisfied with only 5.

"My shift is over, now. I have to go home." She reminded him when he muttered 'next'.

Viraj looked at his watch and frowned.

"Already?" He asked.

Sneha wanted to scoff at it.

"Yes. It's almost 9. I have to complete the exit responsibilities and it takes about 10 minutes. I should go now. You may continue searching for the ideal book or should I ask someone else to help you out?"

"No need. I am heading home too, now." He interrupted her and stood up. He didn't even realize that he had spent more than 3 hours with her. It felt like only 15 minutes had passed!

Sneha nodded and gave his phone to him carefully. He took it lazily and placed it in the pocket as he wore his blazer again.

She quickly kept the books back on the shelf and Viraj, as expected, didn't help her. He simply walked out of the library.

Sneha walked towards the counter to write the exit timing when her supervisor walked towards her.

"Sneha." Lata called for her.

"Yes, ma'am?" She asked expectantly.

"Good news! Rani Ma'am approved your leave!" Lata said with a huge smile. It automatically made her very happy.

"Really!" Sneha asked happily.

"Yes. And, she even told me that all the four leaves will be paid leaves."

Sneha looked at Lata in confusion. First, they weren't even giving her leave and now, suddenly they became so godly and gave her 4 paid leaves!

"How? Why? Are the two leaves going to be compensated from the next month?" She asked curiously.

"No. She just told me that your work had been quite appreciable. So, as a reward...I guess. Just don't tell this to any other part-timer or they'd start demanding the same." Lata requested.

"Uhh...okay! Sure! Please tell ma'am that I am very thankful to her." Sneha told Lata and walked towards the staff room to get her bag.

'Why did Rani ma'am allow me 4 paid leaves, out of blue? Am I that good at my job? Cool!' She praised herself and started walking towards the exit, in the direction of the parking lot. Taking out a rubber band from her bag, she tied her hair into a tight pony.

She however will never get to know that it was Viraj who had asked the management to agree to her little request. That was the only reason why he had asked her to go out of the library for coffee. He had employed that time to go and talk to Rani.

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Sneha was about to take out her key from the bag when a car approaching towards her halted in front of her.

She looked up and scrunched her brows again.

'Now what? What does he want?' She wondered as Viraj scrolled the window down.

"Sit." He said aloud for her to hear.

She gave him a questioning look.

"W.why?" She asked hesitantly.

"I am going that way only. I'll drop you home." He explained. Initially, he had no intentions to drop her home. He was all set to leave for his own home. But then, thinking about her safety and visualizing her travelling on the bus, this late at night, made him uneasy.

She was about to say that she had the cycle when she quickly remembered...

'Damn! I told him that I didn't bring the cycle. Now he will think that I lied!' She thought and internally slapped herself.

"Sneha?" He called for her attention again as she remained standing.

"Uhh...it's okay. I will take the bus." She answered and started walking towards the main exit.

'I'll take the cycle after he goes away.' She planned.

However, she hadn't even taken a step forward when he honked. She didn't look back though. Instead, she fastened her steps.

Viraj was beyond confused now. Here, he was giving her a helping hand, something he didn't do for others, and she was just turning her back to him!

'What's wrong with her?' He wondered and opened the car's door to exit.

Sneha didn't hear the soft click of the door as her mind was in planning mode. She planned to walk a little till she gets assured of him leaving the scene. Then she'd walk back to the parking lot of the library and ride the cycle.

A warm hand clasped her wrist and she went on action mode. She turned around swiftly.

"What are you doing? Leave my hand." She almost whined. What was wrong with him holding her hand whenever and wherever he wanted! She wondered.

"I said I'll drop you home." He repeated.

"And I said I'll take the bus!" She insisted with a frown while pulling her hand with a jerk. She absolutely hated his touch. It was foreign and...wrong!

"The car will be comfortable. What's wrong with you?" He asked completely confused by her actions.

Sneha raised her brows.

"What's wrong with me? You have a sister too, Viraj! Would you allow any man to give her a late-night ride? Even to her home?" She asked, trying to knock some sense.

And it was a valid question. She was engaged now! What would people say if they see her riding with another man when she was in a relationship with someone else. Hell, it didn't even sound convincing to herself!

"I am not just any other man! I don't have any wrong intentions for you." He corrected her.

"It's not just about intentions. What would people say if they see us together?" She asked.

"Why would anyone say anything? I am sure they have their own business to mind!" He answered in a confused tone. Of course, he didn't know how things worked in her society.

Well, Sneha wasn't here to teach him about society, either.

"My parents wouldn't like it if you'd drop me home. I am really fine with the bus." She changed the topic.

He knew now that she was just giving excuses.

'So she doesn't want me to drop her home.' He concluded and took the matter to his ego. And now, he took it as a challenge. He would make sure to drop her home tonight. No matter what.

"I am sure your parents will appreciate my efforts in ensuring your safety. Now, get inside the car." He said strictly.

Sneha, literally scoffed at his audacity.

'Who does he think he is?' She wondered.

Now that she was Shashank's fiancee, she didn't want to cheat on him. Instead, she felt confident and encouraged to stand up for herself and not let any random man give her a free ride or whatever.

Ignoring his remark, she turned around to walk again. And, it infuriated him, beyond limits. He took a few steps ahead and held her wrist again to pull her into his car. He sure had lost all sanity.

Sneha froze when she felt his hand on her wrist again. He had succeeded in pulling her almost to the front of the car.

"Leave my hand, Viraj. It is highly inappropriate and I won't hesitate to..." She warned.

"To what?" He challenged but didn't leave her hand.

Sneha looked up to meet his eyes. Her eyes were fireballs right now. For her, this was clearly manhandling, and the perfect scenario to practice her self-defence skills.

So, that's what she did...