Fan of a Gangster

First Distance

The college halls buzzed with chatter as the first lecture of the day dragged on.

Rudra slouched in the back row, casually leaning against his desk, eyes half-closed. But every so often, his gaze flicked toward Aanya, who sat a few rows ahead, pretending to take notes but secretly glancing back.

Aanya (whispering to herself): “Why does he have to look that good even in lectures?”

Rudra smirked when he caught her staring and slowly raised a single eyebrow, a silent dare.

She bit her lip, trying to hide her grin, but failed spectacularly.

Aman and Dev, noticing the silent exchange, nudged each other with wide grins.

> Dev (whispering to Kabir): “It’s happening. The Gang Queen’s got him wrapped around her little finger.”

Kabir: “Shh! Don’t jinx it. Let them play the game.”

Throughout the lecture, they kept exchanging tiny glances, a brush of hands when passing notes, and subtle, playful nudges — all unnoticed by the professor, but felt strongly by both of them.

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🌤 Break Time

During the break, Rudra and Aanya managed to sneak closer under the pretense of checking notes.

Rudra (smirking): “You’re taking notes too seriously. Trying to impress me?”

Aanya: “And you? Sleeping on the job?”

Rudra: “I’m conserving energy… for someone important.”

Her cheeks warmed, but she shot back, playful:

Aanya: “Hmm… someone important, huh? Should I be scared or flattered?”

Rudra: “Both. Always both.”

They laughed softly, stealing a few more fleeting touches before the bell rang.

⚡ The Assignment Bomb

As the lecture ended, the professor cleared his throat.

Professor: “Alright, everyone. New assignment. This is a field project. You’ll be divided into Group A and Group B. Group A will visit the field site first — two days. Group B will follow after. I’ll announce the groups now.”

Rudra’s heart sank slightly as the professor read aloud:

Group A: Rudra Mehra, Aman…

Group B: Aanya Kapoor, Dev, Kabir, Jiya…

Rudra froze for a second, realizing — for the first time — he and Aanya would be apart.

Rudra (muttering): “Of course, just my luck…”

Aanya noticed his expression and frowned, whispering to Kabir:

Aanya: “Why does he look so… worried?”

Kabir (grinning): “Oh, don’t worry. He’ll survive. Maybe he’ll even miss you.”

Rudra, meanwhile, tried to mask his frustration, tossing Aman a quick glare:

Rudra: “I can’t believe this. Two whole days without her? That’s torture.”

Aanya, realizing the sudden separation, felt a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.

Aanya (softly): “Two days… without seeing him…”

Her heart skipped — a first real test of how strong their connection had grown.

As the students packed their bags and whispered about the field trip, Rudra and Aanya exchanged one last glance across the room playful, teasing, and charged with the unspoken promise: two days apart won’t break them.