Twisted Red Threads

2. The name

Isha handed the water bottle back, her fingers barely brushing his before she pulled away.

"Be more careful next time," he said, his voice calm, indifferent.

Her anger flared." Be more careful? You almost ran me over by your stupid car," She said angrily, "Maybe you should watch where you're going." He didn't react. Just looked at her.

Then, he said her name....

"Isha West."

Her eyes widened, "How do you...."

"I go to the same college as you." His dark eyes held hers. "You stand out." Isha folded her arms. "Well if you know me you might as well tell me who you are."

He didn't hesitate.

"Rohit Oberoi."

The name hit her ears, and for a second, something felt off. "Oberoi? Why does it sound familiar?" she asked herself.

Before she could figure it out, Rohit had already turned back towards his car. He didn't say another word. Isha exhaled and Without another glance, she walked away, disappearing into the streets.

After a while isha reached her apartment where maya, her best friend as well as her roommate was waiting for her. "You're late, maya said. "You would't believe what happened today. I almost got hit by a car," isha said, sitting on the couch while observing her knees.

"What? Are you ok?" Maya looked at her knees, "Oh my god, do you not know how to walk on the streets. Let me bring you something to put on your knees."

"I was walking fine all right. It was his fault that Rohit, " isha said while pulling a cotton on her knees. "He said he is from the same college as us." maya handed the first-aid box to isha, wait you mean the Rohit from the Oberoi family".

"Yeah, do you know him?" isha asked. "Of course, the whole college knows it. Wait, let me show you his pfp of insta" Maya grabbed her phone, typing quickly. "Here," she said, turning the screen toward Isha.

A sharp black-and-white photo filled the display. Rohit Oberoi, dressed in a crisp suit, his face half hidden in shadows. His jawline was sharp, his dark eyes staring straight into the camera.

"That's the one I am talking about," Isha said in a low voice. "That's why his surnname was familiar."

Maya smiled. "Girl, you ran into him? The most mysterious guy in our college? Some say he's crazy. But one thing's for sure he's got many secrets.

Isha frowned. "What kind of secrets?"

Maya leaned in. "The Oberois are old money, big influence, but Rohit... he's different from his family. He doesn't hang out with the rich kids, doesn't party. No one really knows what he does or goes after college," sha smirked. "Maybe he spends his time by hitting people with his stupid car."

Maya laughed. "Or maybe he has fallen for you."

Isha rolled her eyes, "I assure you that's not the case." He has many options other than me, and I am not interested to. But I don't get this...how did he know my name? "What ! He knows your name. Girl he likes you for sure now," Maya said with confidence.

"That's absolutely not the case," isha said while bandaging her knee.

But she still remembered the way he looked at her.

Heavy. Cold. Sharp.

She pushed the thought away and focused on bandaging her knee. "Whatever. I don't care who he is. I'll just avoid him from now on. Maya smirked. "Yeah, good luck with that."

-----

That night, Isha couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face.

His unreadable stare,

The way he had said her name.

Something about him was... off.

And ,

A small, unwanted part of her wanted to see him again.