Page 35 of A King's Oath

Ava — half-splayed in the corner, doodling on her palm with a pen, hair back up in that high ponytail, locks falling down her sides. As if she sensed him, her eyes rose from her palm and sparkled in an instant. Samarth’s heart somersaulted. Only his father’s face had transformed like this when he walked into a room.

Hi,he mouthed, beginning to make his way towards her. He began to lower his bag beside her when Tulika pushed his shoulder — “Bro, what? That’s my place!”

Samarth turned to her with his best smile — “Do you want to trade it for my window bench?”

Tulika glanced from him to Ava, back to him and then at the window seat.

“I will if you two tell me what’s going on,” she cocked her hip out, giving Ava a look. Samarth began to diffuse that question when two words were thrown from behind him.

“We’re dating.”

Samarth felt his face redden and a smile he couldn’t curb pull up his mouth. He turned, eyebrows raised at Ava… now his girlfriend as per the newest class announcement. She was doodling on her palm, legs drawn up, back to the wall, while people around them abandoned whatever they were doing to stare at them.

“Oooohhhh…” somebody started and the rest followed suit, hooting. Tulika slapped his back and grabbed her bag. Samarth chuckled, lowering himself beside her, ignoring the whistles and the hoots. Ava didn’t even glance up.

“What are you writing there, my name?” He leaned back on the backrest, hoping he sounded a little flirty. The way she sputtered, he knew he didn’t. He was such a dud when it came to it. He hoped he would be able to pick it up soon to make her red like she had been the last few days with him.

She turned her palm up to him. He squinted, taking it and pushing his head into it.

“Channel with a small x?”

Her palm smacked his nose.

“Ow!”

“Chanel, Samarth. Pronounce it right. It’s sacred.”

“What sacred,” he rubbed his nose.

“The brand.”

“Why are you writing brand names on your palm?”

“Because I like the logo.”

“Good moooorning, Ms. Shanaya…” the class stood up singing in unison.

“Good morning, please be seated…” Ms. Shanaya trailed, her gaze directly zeroing in on him. She frowned, then glanced back at his place that now Tulika occupied.

“The sinus still going on, Samarth?” She asked, concerned.

“No, ma’am, I am fine,” he smiled. She smiled back — “Then why are you there? Go back to your place.”

Shit.

Ava’s low snort vibrated from beside him. He poked her side under the bench, she kicked him back.

“Go back to your place. Tulika, come back here.”

“Go, I might write your name on my other palm then,” Ava joked as he reached down to pack his bag. Before he got up though, Samarth grabbed her clean palm, opened her pen one-handed and wrote in small letters —

Behind the stables after class

Then, in bigger, bolder letters —

SAMARTH

When he swung his bag up to leave, Ava’s hair was covering most of her face. And it was red behind all that black.

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