Chapter 5

Naina flipped through her anatomy textbook, her hair falling into her face as she leaned over her desk. The weight of medical school was a constant, but she loved the challenge. Her notebook was already filled with precise diagrams and neat handwriting, a testament to the hours she spent making sense of the dense material.

But no matter how hard she tried, her focus kept slipping. She couldn't stop replaying the moment in the auditorium when Ayaan Malhotra had looked at her—or had he?

"You're imagining it, Naina," she muttered under her breath, shutting her book with a soft thud.

It had to be her imagination. Why would he, of all people, notice her? She wasn't the kind of girl who turned heads—especially not the head of someone like Ayaan, the engineering student who seemed to have the entire university wrapped around his little finger. She'd heard about him even before she'd seen him perform.

Her phone buzzed to the conversation on her girl's group, dragging her out of her thoughts. Despite not meeting half of her friends, such as Riya, on a frequent basis due to classes and her staying away—Riya was always updated.

Riya: Just admit it already. He was totally looking at you.

Naina: He wasn't.

Ananya: He wasn't, babe. Maybe you imagined it.

Naina frowned at her screen.

Riya: Ignore Ananya. She doesn't have eyes.

Ananya: I'm just saying! Ayaan Malhotra probably wasn't looking at Naina.

Riya: And why not?

Ananya: Because Naina's too normal. He's... you know, him.

Naina: Thanks for the pep talk, guys. Really motivating.

She tossed her phone onto her bed, feeling deflated. As much as she wanted to believe Riya, Ananya was probably right. Ayaan had no reason to notice her when there were girls practically throwing themselves at him.

But the way his gaze had lingered—it felt real. Didn't it?

---

Two days passed without a single glimpse of him, and Naina began to convince herself that it was for the best. The university was massive, and as a medical student, her classes were worlds apart from the engineering department. The chances of running into him were slim.

That didn't stop her from scanning the cafeteria or library out of the corner of her eye, though. Not that she'd ever admit it to herself.

---

The canteen was buzzing with the usual energy—students grabbing their lunch, chatting with friends, and the air filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Naina sat with Ananya and Meera, her eyes wandering between the stacks of medical textbooks scattered across the table. The conversation was light, but her mind kept drifting, thinking back to Ayaan and the way he had looked at her during his performance. The way his eyes locked with hers, even for that brief moment, had sent a wave of heat rushing through her. She couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted, though she wasn't sure what.

"So, Naina," Ananya said, nudging her, "are you finally going to admit it? That you've got a thing for our campus heartthrob?"

Naina immediately shot her a glare, her cheeks burning. "It was just an infatuation. It's done now," she muttered, but her voice lacked the conviction she usually had when denying such things. It was impossible not to remember the way Ayaan had looked at her.

Before Ananya could tease her further, Rohan, one of Meera's friends, walked up to their table. He was carrying a pile of assignment papers, his face set in a thoughtful expression.

"Hey, Meera," Rohan greeted, setting the papers down. "I need you to take a look at this. I'm stuck on a few questions."

As Rohan and Meera dove into their discussion about assignments, Naina's attention drifted once more, this time to the door. And that's when he walked in.

Ayaan.

He was holding a coffee cup, casually strolling into the canteen with his usual confidence. His tall, athletic frame seemed to command attention the moment he entered. His friends, including Rohan, greeted him with a wave, but Ayaan's gaze was drawn somewhere else. Naina's heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. For a brief moment, he froze, his eyes locking onto hers from across the room.

Naina immediately looked away, hoping no one had noticed the brief connection. She couldn't be caught staring, especially not when her heart was racing.

Ayaan, seemingly unaware of the effect he had on her, casually walked over to Rohan's table, where the group was gathered. He set his coffee down, glancing over at Meera and Ananya before his eyes fell on Naina again. She tried her best to look anywhere but at him, but she could feel the weight of his gaze. The way he was studying her, noting her features—the way her caramel-highlighted hair framed her face, the delicate curve of her jaw, the softness of her lips. His attention made her feel exposed, though she tried to appear unaffected.

He didn't acknowledge her directly. Instead, he shifted his focus to the conversation at hand, speaking about the party he was organizing. "Don't forget, everyone, the party's this Friday. It's going to be huge, so make sure you show up," Ayaan said, his tone loud enough for the entire table to hear. His voice had a certain command to it, and as always, he carried himself with effortless charm.

Naina tried to keep herself composed, but a small flutter stirred in her stomach. She was aware of how close he was now, the scent of his cologne reaching her even though she wasn't looking directly at him. She couldn't ignore the fact that he was there, standing only a few feet away, as if somehow just existing in the same space was enough to make everything feel more intense.

She couldn't figure out what it was about him—his sheer presence made everything else feel insignificant. And yet, he didn't seem to care much for her. He was just announcing the party, talking about the details as though it was a casual thing, not realizing that the mere mention of it had her on edge.

His gaze flickered once more in her direction, but this time, she caught him staring—just a second longer than necessary. Her heart skipped again. She quickly turned her head back to her friends, trying to act nonchalant, though her face was burning.

"Are you planning on going?" Meera asked, nudging her with a grin.

Naina could feel her cheeks heat up even more. "I don't know," she mumbled, not sure if she was talking about the party or the attention Ayaan was giving her.

"Trust me, you'll regret it if you don't go," Ananya chimed in, her voice teasing. "It's gonna be fun. Everyone's going, including Mr. Heartthrob himself."

Naina couldn't help but bite her lip nervously. The last thing she wanted was to show up at the party and make a fool of herself.

Before she could respond, Ayaan turned to leave, his coffee cup still in hand. He didn't say anything else to her, no teasing or casual comments, just the weight of his stare that lingered for just a moment too long. As he walked past their table, Naina exhaled slowly, her heart still thudding in her chest.

"Is it just me, or did he totally check you out?" Meera whispered with a raised eyebrow.

Naina didn't have an answer for her. She didn't know if it was true or if her mind was playing tricks on her, but she knew one thing for certain: things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.

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