2 2- Jealous Gazes

Akira's POV

It seemed like everything had come to a stop and only when Elena reached out her hand to me to help did everyone get out of their trance.

Using her hand as support I got back up and dusted my clothes to make sure they were clean. I looked back at Elena and saw her standing beside me as if waiting for something.

"Thanks...Onee-chan" I said realising what she was waiting for.

She beamed with a smile once again.

"You're welcome...follow me I'll show you around" she said as she beckoned me to follow her.

"Wait...what about all these people, I think they want to talk to you" I asked.

"I will still be here for two more years, they can talk to me then.....or do you not want me to give you a headstart in your college life? It seems my kindness has been wasted on you" she said in a teasing tone.

"N-no please, show me around...." I said as followed her timidly, cursing myself for falling into her trap.

"There is still time for the welcome address for you freshmen so I'll help you get used to the campus till then....you shifted into the dorms already right, I was busy yesterday so I couldn't come to help you" she spoke as she walked in front of me.

"Yeah...I settled in nicely. Though I thought the dorms would be inside the campus itself, but I guess it is nicer that we have them outside....also, mixed-gender rooms were quite a surprise. A fairly liberal policy don't you think? Unfortunately, though I don't seem to have a roommate yet" I rambled on as I followed her.

"I see.....good" she said, though I didn't hear that last word as she whispered it under her breath.

"That building complex is for the Science and engineering students, that one is for the design school...The one a bit far away over there is for the Medical school" she pointed out here and there as we walked, every scene was more fascinating to me than the last as I watched in awe at the humongous campus.

But as I was walking I could feel a prickly sensation on my back, nothing physical...just an imaginary sensation I guess. I was not unaware of why I was feeling this way, a beautiful lady being your best friend has its own disadvantages. I turned back to look at the multiple piercing glares of the people around me as I walked along with Elena. They were filled with envy, jealousy and even hatred.....not only men but women too had the same expression.

This wasn't something new and at this point, I was used to it. What was funnier was that Elena had never been aware of the way people looked at her and the people around her. It has always been like this, even when we were kids...Personally, I think she just doesn't care. It made me respect her personality even more.

As we kept walking around we eventually lost track of time and I realised how much time we had spent only after getting a notification on my phone from the reminder I had set.

"Umm...Onee-chan, I think we got a bit carried away. I need to leave for the welcome address" I said in a panicked tone.

Elena turned around with a blank expression and looked at me.

"Don't worry, you can't be late....." she said nonchalantly.

"What do you mean 'can't' be late? If I don't go back now I won't make it back on time" I said questioningly.

"How many years have we known each other Akira?" she asked in her usual sweet voice.

"About 13 or 14 years now right..." I answered, still confused as to where this conversation was going. The anxiety of missing my first milestone in college crept up slightly.

"Yes....then you should also know that I don't say things lightly without knowing what they mean" she said in a firm tone.

I stood there more confused than ever, but eventually just gave up overthinking it and looked at her in resignation.

"Good, you should know by now that I have your best interests at heart and whatever I say will be in line with that.....so better just obey what I say, that's what I said all those years ago didn't I" she continued while smirking.

"Spoken like a true Onee-chan, I am not a kid anymore you know" I said in return.

"Oh I am VERY well aware, this is not coming from a condescending point of view...its just objective fact that you are better off doing what I tell you to" she said.

"Touche.." I replied with a chuckle. She was not wrong, somehow every single time she has told me to do something or to just follow her advice things have always worked out for the better. I would have been stuck in multiple tricky situations if it weren't for her, powers of being a perfect human being I guess.

"Also we have known each other for 13 years, 4 months, 22 days and...." she checked her watch "15 and a half hours and 36 minutes".

"Anyway, we can head back now.... let's go at our own pace" she continued.

I followed behind her as we walked back together, the crowd in the public spaces had gotten significantly less crowded. Most of the people were freshmen after all.

The walk back was much more peaceful, it was just me and her. No sights to see or people wishing death on me constantly, it was calm.

"Why are you walking behind me....match my pace, come on" she demanded.

I did as she said and walked in pace with her and it felt just like old times when we used to take the long walk from our high school back to our respective homes, even though no conversation was happening between us, the silence was comforting. It was only in my first year of high school that Elena was also there as a third-year student.

As we finally arrived at the main auditorium where the welcome address was supposed to be held, reality kicked back in and I started panicking again.

In this panic, I felt Elena's hand on my shoulder.

"Relax...you are on time. Though I guess I do owe you an explanation don't I" she said.

"Please enlighten me" I pleaded.

"Well, every year the person who starts the welcome address is not a faculty member or a professor...It's a student. A student who was voted as the highest achiever in the university" she said.

"Oh, I know where this is going..." I said under my breath.

"Well...The Welcome address can't start if the person who welcomes them isn't here can it" she said as she flicked my forehead playfully, indicating that she heard what I said.

"Now shoo, I need to welcome the students" she said as she winked, the mischievous grin she had on her face was mesmerising. Again I wished I was a normal person who wasn't crazy in the head so I could have fallen for her. She entered the auditorium and promptly disappeared into it.

I sighed as I followed her in...

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A.N- Hey guys hope you liked the second chapter, this was lot more chill and peaceful....