35

The morning light filtered through the curtains as Tara slowly stirred from sleep, the remnants of the night's dreams fading quickly. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, but there was something lingering in her chest—a strange, uncomfortable feeling. It was the image of Zara and Aryan talking and laughing together, too easily, too naturally. Her chest tightened at the thought, but she quickly shook her head, trying to dismiss it.

Why do you care? she asked herself. You said it doesn't matter.

But it did. And she hated herself for it.

Tara shook off the uncomfortable thoughts, forcing herself to focus. She got up, went through her morning routine, and showered, the hot water soothing her tense muscles but not quite washing away the unease.

She dressed quickly, trying not to think about anything but her work. She sat down at her desk, opened her books, and tried to dive into studying, but her mind kept drifting back to the images of Aryan and Zara. The way they spoke, the way Zara's laughter seemed so... easy around him. Tara hated the knot in her stomach.

Just as she was about to give in to the swirl of thoughts, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Rohan:

"Hey, come downstairs, we're all hanging out in Aisha's flat. Movie time. Come on, you need a break."

With a sigh, Tara quickly closed her books. Maybe a distraction would do her good. She grabbed her phone and keys, heading out of her room and down to Aisha and Aria's flat.

When she reached Aisha's flat, the sounds of laughter and voices hit her. Everyone was lounging around, snacks scattered across the table, the TV playing some random comedy. As soon as she entered, the group turned, and Rohan waved her over.

"Come join us!" he said, grinning.

Tara smiled back, forcing the tension from her shoulders, but the moment she stepped inside, she saw him.

Aryan.

He walked in casually, his eyes flickering to hers the second he entered. Tara stiffened, her heart instantly racing in her chest, but she did her best to ignore it. She moved past him, taking a seat on the couch with Aisha and Zara, trying to act as if everything was normal.

But Aryan didn't sit far. He chose the spot next to her.

Tara felt the heat of his presence beside her. His nearness made her skin tingle with unease. She could feel the weight of his gaze, even though she didn't dare look at him.

The movie played on, but Tara's focus was anything but the screen. The way Aryan sat next to her, so casually, so... like nothing had changed between them—it made her heart race.

She could feel his arm brushing against hers, and every touch, every subtle shift made her stomach twist.

It was all too much. But she couldn't back out now. She just had to breathe and get through it.

Just ignore it, she told herself. Just focus on the movie.

But deep down, she knew. The tension between them was palpable. It wasn't just the movie or the group—it was something else entirely.

And as she sat there, pretending to laugh at the film, she couldn't help but wonder how long she could keep pretending everything was fine.

"You know this reminds of Mismatched—just throwing the coffee on her!" Aisha, at one point, said, looking at the screen—unaware of the storm she has unleashed in Tara and Aryan's minds.

Coffee.

Tara's mind instantly flew back in time, to their initial days, when Aryan used to tease Tara in the name of annoying her. How their bantering would last all day along.... And how she had once accidentally threw coffee on him.

Aryan looked at Tara and understood. She was lost in thought as well. He sighed, looking to find refuge in anything to avoid looking at Tara and seeing his past in front of him.

~•~

Aryan trudged back from the movie night, his mind still clouded with thoughts of Tara. Her presence, the way their arms brushed when she sat next to him, the subtle tension in the air—it all replayed over and over in his mind, a loop he couldn't break. It wasn't just the physical proximity, though. There was something deeper, something unresolved.

He tried to shake it off, his thoughts growing more frustrating. Why does this feel so complicated? he thought, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. His studio was just ahead. Maybe a run would give him some clarity.

He sprinted across the canal next to his accommodation. It were as if he was running away from his past, from everything that's holding him back. From his messed up fate.

After 40 mins, he finally stopped and headed back.

When he entered the building and made his way to the lift, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out absently and saw the notification from Zara.

"Hey, do you wanna grab a coffee tomorrow?"

He frowned.

What is this? he thought, feeling an unfamiliar sense of confusion rise in his chest. He wasn't sure what to make of it. He didn't know how to respond to Zara. He liked her, sure—but it was platonic. She was a nice girl, sure, but why did the idea of spending time with her feel... off? Especially now, when his head was still filled with Tara.

With a deep sigh, he muttered, "I'll answer this later. Whatever."

He shoved his phone back into his pocket and stepped into the lift, hoping for a few moments of quiet in his studio.

But as the elevator doors slid shut, he was met with an unexpected sight—his parents.

His dad stood with a calm expression, but it was his mother who caught his eye. She was looking at him with an unreadable gaze, her usual cool demeanor replaced with something softer, almost apprehensive.

"Aryan!" His dad's voice cut through the air, a surprising warmth in his tone.

Aryan blinked in surprise. "What are you guys doing here?"

His mom shifted uncomfortably, glancing at her husband before speaking. "We were in the area... thought we'd stop by."

The words felt off, as if they were masking something deeper, but Aryan didn't have time to question it. He simply nodded and stepped aside to let them in. As the lift doors closed, the feeling of unease washed over him once again.

What's going on?

💜