34

The library was quiet, the only sounds being the faint scratching of pens against paper and the occasional hushed whispers of students discussing their work. Tara sat across from Jay at a corner table, her laptop open as she flipped through notes on her tablet. Jay, leaning forward, studied the screen intently, nodding as he followed along.

"So basically," Tara explained, pointing at the diagram on her screen, "this model helps us analyze how different algorithms optimize processing time. It's a key part of our coursework, so you'll need to get comfortable with it fast."

Jay exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck. "Man, I have a lot to catch up on. You're a lifesaver, Tara."

She gave him a small smile. "You'll be fine. Once you get the basics, the rest will fall into place. Just don't hesitate to ask me anything."

Jay grinned. "I appreciate it. I can already tell you're a great teacher."

Just then, Aryan walked into the library with Karan, his hands in his pockets as they moved toward the study tables. His eyes instinctively scanned the room—and then they landed on Tara.

She was leaning in slightly, talking to Jay, her brows furrowed in concentration as she explained something. Jay nodded, completely focused on her words, and Aryan felt a strange tang in his chest, something bitter and unsettling. He stood still, watching them, the sight gnawing at him in a way he didn't expect.

He clenched his jaw, about to turn and leave when Karan, who had been watching him carefully, grabbed his shoulder.

"Bhai," Karan said, his voice low but firm. "What's going on? Why are you just standing here watching this happen? What's happening to you?"

Aryan exhaled slowly and leaned back against the wall, running a hand over his face. His voice was quiet, almost defeated. "I can't do anything, Karan. She doesn't want me around. She's scared of getting hurt because of Mom."

Karan narrowed his eyes. "Come on, Aryan. You don't really believe that's the reason, do you?"

Aryan's throat felt tight. "It is the reason. It really is."

Karan shook his head in frustration. "This isn't fair. This is wrong. You can't just lose her like this."

Aryan's gaze flickered back toward Tara, who was still talking to Jay, completely unaware of his presence. His fists clenched at his sides, but he remained silent.

~•~

The restaurant was buzzing with life, the air filled with the scent of spices and fresh bread. The group sat around a long wooden table, laughter and conversation flowing easily. Tara, sitting beside Aisha, turned slightly to introduce Jay to the rest of them.

"So," she started, clearing her throat, "uh... this is Jay." She gestured toward him as he gave everyone a friendly nod. "He's new to our course."

Jay smiled. "Nice to meet you all."

Rohan was the first to respond, grinning. "Welcome to the chaos, man."

Aakash nodded in agreement. "Yeah, hope you're ready. It gets intense."

Jay chuckled. "I've been warned."

Tara continued, going around the table. "This is Aakash, Rohan, Aisha, and Aria." She paused when her eyes landed on Aryan. Her throat felt a little dry. "And... umm—" She hesitated for just a second before recovering, "This is Aryan."

Aryan's gaze met hers briefly, something unreadable in his eyes. Then, he gave a small smile, his voice smooth but distant. "Hey again."

Jay nodded. "Yeah, we've seen each other around."

And just like that, the moment passed, but Aryan didn't miss the way Tara had stumbled over his name. He could tell she was trying too hard to make it seem normal.

They settled into easy conversation, but Aryan found himself only half-listening. His eyes kept drifting toward Tara and Jay, watching the way they spoke—how she leaned in slightly when he asked her something, how he nodded attentively when she explained something about their coursework and their funny moments from their previous years.

It wasn't anything inappropriate. It wasn't even overly friendly. But it still made Aryan's stomach twist in a way he hated.

Karan, sitting beside him, leaned in and murmured, "You can stop this, you know."

Aryan's jaw clenched. "What?"

Karan's voice was quiet, but firm. "Just tell her she's yours, Aryan."

Aryan's expression didn't change. He just looked at Karan with a blank face, as if the words meant nothing. As if they hadn't struck something deep within him.

Karan sighed but didn't push further.

Meanwhile, Zara turned toward Aryan, resting her chin on her hand. "So, Aryan," she said with a curious smile, "do you ever get tired of coding? Computer Science sounds exhausting."

He blinked, forcing himself to shift his focus. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But I don't mind it."

Zara tilted her head. "Huh. You don't seem like the tech guy stereotype."

He smirked slightly. "And what's that?"

"You know... socially awkward, always talking about algorithms, lives in hoodies."

Aryan let out a low chuckle. "Well, I do own hoodies."

Zara laughed. "I'll allow it, then."

Tara caught the exchange from across the table. She told herself it was nothing—just normal conversation. It wasn't like Aryan was smiling in a way he hadn't before. It wasn't like it affected her.

She shook off the feeling and turned back to Aisha, trying to lose herself in their conversation.

But across the table, Aryan's eyes flickered toward her, catching the moment she forced her attention away.

His fingers tapped lightly against the table, but he said nothing.

A Shift in the Air

The conversation at the table continued, laughter and chatter filling the space. But for Aryan, the sounds blurred into the background. His focus remained elsewhere—on Tara, on the way she leaned into Jay's words, on the way she smiled at something he said.

It wasn't forced. It wasn't distant.

It was effortless.

And it gnawed at him.

Karan's words lingered in his mind like an echo he couldn't shut out. Just tell her she's yours, Aryan.

But she wasn't. Not anymore.

He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to look away. Across from him, Zara continued talking, her voice light and teasing, but he barely registered it. Instead, his gaze flickered back—just in time to see Jay casually lean in toward Tara, pointing something out on her phone.

It was nothing. Nothing at all. But something inside him snapped like a wire stretched too thin.

His fingers curled into fists beneath the table.

"Tara."

Her name left his lips before he even knew he had spoken.

She looked up, slightly startled, meeting his eyes across the table. There was something unreadable in his gaze, something that made her breath catch.

For a moment, no one else existed.

Jay glanced between them, sensing the shift, but Tara didn't move. She just held Aryan's stare, something unspoken hanging heavy in the air.

Aryan's grip on his knee tightened. He wanted to say something, anything. He wanted to drag her away from this table, away from Jay, away from whatever distance had formed between them.

But before he could, Tara blinked and looked away.

Just like that, the moment shattered.

She turned back to Jay, forcing a small smile. "What were you saying?"

Aryan exhaled sharply, leaning back in his seat, his chest tight with something he couldn't name.

Karan, watching him, shook his head. "Bhai... stop lying to yourself."

Aryan didn't respond. He just let the weight of the moment settle over him.

And for the first time in weeks, he realized—he was losing her and he isn't able to do anything about it.

And it was killing him.

💜