Chapter 34: chapter 34

The days continued to pass, and Aarohi and Vihaan remained caught up in their own worlds. Aarohi was focused entirely on her studies, pouring over books and assignments, determined to recover from the disappointment of her last exams. She rarely had time for anything else, her schedule leaving her exhausted by the end of the day.

Vihaan was equally busy, managing the demands of his growing business. With an important project underway, his days started early and ended late. They hadn’t spent any real time together since their coffee date. Their texts had become brief and infrequent, with neither noticing how the distance between them was widening.

---

One afternoon, Aarohi was in the college library, surrounded by stacks of books and papers. She sighed, rubbing her temples as she struggled to focus.

“Looks like you could use a break,” came a voice. Aarohi looked up, startled, to see a guy leaning against the bookshelf. He was tall, with dark hair that fell into his eyes, and he had an easy smile that made him look effortlessly confident.

“Excuse me?” Aarohi said cautiously.

“You’ve been sitting here for hours,” he said, gesturing to her pile of books. “Economics, huh? Tough subject.”

Aarohi frowned slightly. “And you know that how?”

“Because I barely survived it,” he replied with a grin. “I’m Rohan. Final year Business student.”

She gave a polite nod. “Aarohi.”

Over the next few minutes, Rohan managed to steer the conversation into light, easy banter. Aarohi was reluctant at first but eventually found herself smiling at his jokes. He even gave her a few tips for her project, which turned out to be helpful.

As the library began to empty, Rohan stood up. “Well, Aarohi, it was nice meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

She nodded, thinking nothing of it. “Maybe.”

---

A few days later, Vihaan had a rare afternoon free and decided to visit a café near Aarohi’s college to catch up on some paperwork. As he sipped his coffee, he glanced out the window and froze.

There she was, sitting at an outdoor table, laughing at something someone said. Vihaan’s brows furrowed as he noticed the guy sitting across from her. It was clear from the way they were talking that they were comfortable with each other. Too comfortable, in Vihaan’s opinion.

He recognized the spark in the guy’s eyes as he looked at Aarohi—it wasn’t hard to see. Vihaan clenched his jaw, a strange unease settling in his chest.

---

Over the following week, Rohan started appearing more frequently in Aarohi’s life. He offered to help her with her project, dropped by during her breaks, and even waited for her after class a few times. Aarohi saw him as nothing more than a helpful friend, but Vihaan’s unease only grew.

Vihaan couldn’t shake the image of Aarohi laughing with Rohan. The thought of someone else occupying her time, even innocently, made his possessive side flare up.

One evening, during a family dinner, Aarohi mentioned Rohan casually while recounting her day. “He’s been helping me a lot with this project,” she said.

Vihaan’s fork paused mid-air, his jaw tightening. “Rohan?” he repeated, his tone neutral but sharp.

“Yes,” Aarohi said, not noticing his reaction. “He’s really smart. He made the project so much easier.”

Vihaan forced a tight smile but didn’t say anything.

A week later, Aarohi was at a college event, mingling with her classmates. She was deep in conversation when Rohan walked up with two cups of coffee. “Thought you might need this,” he said with a grin, handing her one.

“Thanks,” Aarohi said, taking the cup.

As they chatted, she didn’t notice Vihaan standing across the hall, his eyes fixed on them. He had come to surprise her but stopped short when he saw Rohan leaning in, clearly enjoying the conversation.

Vihaan walked over, his expression unreadable. Aarohi noticed him and smiled. “Vihaan! I didn’t know you were here.”

“I thought I’d surprise you,” he said, his eyes briefly flicking to Rohan. “But it seems you’re already busy.”

“This is Rohan,” Aarohi said, introducing them. “He’s been helping me with my project.”

Rohan extended a hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Vihaan shook it firmly, his grip a little too strong. “Likewise.”

The atmosphere grew tense as the two men exchanged polite but pointed remarks. Aarohi glanced between them, sensing the subtle hostility but unsure what to do.

---

That evening, Vihaan called Aarohi.

“Hey,” she said, surprised. “You left without saying goodbye.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt,” he said coolly.

Aarohi frowned. “Interrupt what?”

“Your time with Rohan,” he said, his tone sharper than he intended.

Aarohi sighed, already sensing where this was going. “Vihaan, he’s just a friend. Why are you making this a big deal?”

“I’m not making it a big deal,” he said, though his voice betrayed his frustration. “But I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Aarohi snapped. “You’re being possessive for no reason.”

“I’m being protective,” Vihaan shot back. “There’s a difference.”

“Well, I don’t need protecting,” Aarohi said, her patience wearing thin. “I can handle my own friendships, Vihaan.”

The call ended abruptly, both of them too frustrated to continue.

Vihaan sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel tightly as the argument replayed in his mind. The thought of losing Aarohi to someone else—whether real or imagined—gnawed at him.

Meanwhile, Aarohi paced in her room, her emotions swinging between anger and confusion. She glanced at her phone, tempted to call Vihaan, but decided against it.

And in the quiet library where it all started, Rohan flipped through a book, a small smirk playing on his lips, unaware of the storm brewing between Aarohi and Vihaan.