chapter 11 : aftermath

It was finally happening. The plan was in motion, and my excitement was barely contained. I leaned against the wall outside the storeroom, glancing at my watch. Tanishka would be here any minute with Aaradhya. The door was already set to “malfunction,” thanks to Aryan and Karan’s handiwork.

For once, my idiot friends had done something right. The thought of having Aaradhya alone, away from the constant buzz of college chaos and her deliberate avoidance of me, sent a thrill through me. Tonight, I’d finally get to know her better—without the walls she always kept between us.

“Ready?” Aryan whispered, nudging me.

I smirked. “More than ever.”

We heard footsteps approaching, and I straightened. Tanishka’s voice echoed in the hallway. “Aaradhya, please! I really need that box from the storeroom. I can’t go alone; it’s creepy there at night.”

“I don’t understand why you need it right now,” Aaradhya replied, her voice laced with suspicion.

“Because I’ll forget by morning,” Tanishka said dramatically. “Come on, it’ll only take a minute.”

The door creaked open, and I saw Aaradhya step inside, her brows furrowed as she scanned the dimly lit room.

“Where’s the box?” she asked, turning to Tanishka.

Tanishka grinned. “Oh, right over there.” She gestured vaguely before slipping out of the room.

Aaradhya turned around just in time to see the door close. She ran to it, jiggling the handle. “Tanishka? The door’s stuck!”

I stepped out of the shadows, unable to hide my amusement. “Looks like we’re locked in.”

She spun around, her eyes narrowing. “What are you doing here at this hour?”

I shrugged, feigning innocence. “Same as you—helping Tanishka.”

Her suspicion deepened, but she said nothing. Instead, she pulled out her phone, her fingers flying over the screen.

“No signal,” she muttered, glancing at me.

“Guess we’re stuck here for a while,” I said, leaning casually against a shelf.

The room was cramped, filled with old furniture, dusty books, and a faint smell of mothballs. Aaradhya paced, her frustration evident.

“This is ridiculous,” she muttered. “Why would the door suddenly jam?”

I smirked, enjoying her irritation. “Maybe it’s fate.”

She shot me a glare. “Don’t start.”

I chuckled, watching as she scanned the room. Her eyes landed on a small, high window. Without a word, she moved toward it, dragging a chair beneath it.

“What are you doing?” I asked, amused.

“Getting us out of here,” she replied, climbing onto the chair.

The window was just out of reach, and she stretched, trying to unlatch it. I stepped closer, ready to intervene.

“Aaradhya, be careful—”

Before I could finish, the chair wobbled, and she lost her balance. I lunged forward, catching her just in time. She landed against my chest, her hands clutching my shirt as she steadied herself.

Our eyes met, and for a moment, neither of us moved. Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly stepped back, breaking the spell.

“Thanks,” she muttered, avoiding my gaze.

I smirked, leaning closer. “You’re welcome. But next time, maybe let me handle the heroics.”

She rolled her eyes, though I didn’t miss the small smile tugging at her lips.

As the hours dragged on, we settled onto the floor, leaning against opposite walls. Aaradhya kept glancing at her phone, as if willing it to connect to the outside world.

“You’re awfully quiet,” I said, breaking the silence.

She glanced at me. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

She hesitated, then said, “Why you’re here.”

I raised a brow. “I told you—helping Tanishka.”

She gave me a look that said she didn’t believe me but didn’t press further. Instead, she changed the subject.

“You should stop trying to get involved in my life,” she said, her tone firm.

“Why?” I asked, genuinely curious.

“Because I can’t take Aaradhya’s place,” she said softly, her voice barely audible.

I frowned. “What are you talking about?”

She shook her head, as if dismissing the thought. “Forget it. We need to figure out how to get out of here.”

I watched her closely, sensing there was more she wasn’t saying. But I let it go, for now.

After several failed attempts to open the door or find another way out, we gave up. Aaradhya sat cross-legged on the floor, her head resting against the wall.

“You look exhausted,” I said, sitting beside her.

She shot me a tired glare. “Thanks for the observation.”

I chuckled, leaning closer. “If you get scared in the middle of the night, feel free to come over here.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t respond.

Minutes later, her breathing evened out, and I realized she’d fallen asleep. I couldn’t help but smile, watching her peaceful expression.

For the first time in a long while, I felt… content. And as I leaned back, closing my eyes . she likes me too .

I stirred awake in the middle of the night, a soft sound pulling me from my dreams. At first, I thought I was imagining it, but then I heard it again—a low, muffled whimper. My eyes opened to the dim light of the storeroom, and I turned toward Vikrant.

He was tossing and turning, his face contorted in distress. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his lips moved, whispering words I couldn’t make out. His usually composed, arrogant demeanor was completely gone, replaced by a vulnerability I never thought I’d see.

Without thinking, I crawled over to him, my concern overriding any hesitation. “Vikrant,” I called softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He didn’t wake up. Instead, his movements became more frantic, his whimpers louder. My heart clenched at the sight.

“Hey, it’s okay,” I whispered, shaking him gently.

Suddenly, his eyes flew open, wide with fear. Before I could say anything, he grabbed me and pulled me into a tight embrace. I froze, my heart racing as his arms wrapped around me, his face buried in my shoulder.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “You’re okay.”

Gradually, his breathing slowed, and his grip loosened slightly. But he didn’t let go completely, and I didn’t try to pull away. For the first time, I saw a side of him that was raw and unguarded. This arrogant, infuriating man had his own demons, and tonight, I’d caught a glimpse of them.

I stayed still, not wanting to wake him fully. His arms were strong, holding me as if I were the only anchor keeping him grounded. And though I hated to admit it, I didn’t mind.

I woke up to a strange sensation—a soft tickling against my cheek. Blinking my eyes open, I realized the source of the sensation: Vikrant’s breath. He was still holding me, his face close to mine, his lips brushing against my skin as he slept.

My heart skipped a beat, and I tried to pull away, but his grip tightened.

“Vikrant,” I whispered, trying not to panic.

He stirred, his eyes fluttering open. For a moment, he looked disoriented, his gaze meeting mine. Then, a slow, mischievous smile spread across his face.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice husky with sleep.

“Let go,” I said, trying to sound firm despite the heat rising to my cheeks.

“Why?” he teased, his arms still around me. “You looked so comfortable.”

I glared at him, though my blush betrayed me. “I wasn’t comfortable. Now let me go.”

He chuckled but finally loosened his grip. I scrambled to my feet, brushing off imaginary dust to avoid meeting his gaze.

“You’re blushing,” he said, his tone smug.

“I’m not,” I shot back, refusing to look at him.

“You are,” he insisted, standing up and stepping closer. “It’s cute.”

I turned away, my heart pounding. “We need to figure out how to get out of here.”

He didn’t respond immediately, and when I glanced back, I found him watching me with an intensity that made my stomach flutter.

“What?” I asked, trying to sound annoyed.

“Nothing,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips. “Just thinking about how last night, you came to me.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off.

“Don’t deny it,” he said, his voice soft. “I remember. You calmed me down.”

I looked away, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “You were having a nightmare. I just… didn’t want you to wake everyone else.”

He stepped closer, and I felt his fingers brush against my arm. “Thank you,” he said, his voice sincere.

I glanced at him, surprised by the gratitude in his tone. For a moment, we just stood there, the air between us charged with unspoken words.

Finally, I broke the silence. “We should really figure out how to get out of here.”

He smiled, stepping back. “Alright, kitten. Lead the way.”

Despite his teasing, there was something different about him this morning—something softer. And though I wouldn’t admit it, I felt different too.

The next day, I found myself sitting with tanu , Aryan, Karan, and Rohan at our usual spot in the college canteen during lunch. My mood? Let’s just say I was far from forgiving. After everything they’d pulled last night, I wasn’t going to let them off the hook so easily.

Tanu was sitting beside me, trying to look innocent, but the way she kept glancing at me nervously gave her away. Aryan and Karan were munching on their sandwiches, exchanging whispers, while Rohan was pretending to focus on his phone. And then there was Vikrant—leaning casually against the wall beside the table , arms crossed, his usual smirk plastered on his face.

I cleared my throat, making everyone’s heads snap toward me. “So,” I began, my tone sweet but with an edge of danger, “does anyone want to explain why I was tricked into spending the night in a storeroom?”

Tanu  immediately raised her hands in surrender. “It wasn’t my idea!” she blurted out, pointing at Aryan and Karan. “They came up with the whole plan!”

“Hey!” Aryan protested, glaring at her. “You were the one who lured her there!”

“Only because you two begged me to!” she shot back.

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. “And Rohan?”

Rohan looked up from his phone, startled. “I was just... supervising?”

“Supervising?” I repeated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Really?”

He nodded vigorously, avoiding my gaze.

“And what about you?” I turned to Vikrant, who hadn’t said a word.

He shrugged, the smirk on his face growing wider. “I just wanted to spend some quality time with you.”

My jaw dropped. “Quality time? By locking me in a storeroom?”

“It worked, didn’t it?” he said, his tone was infuriatingly calm.

I glared at him, my cheeks heating up. “Unbelievable,” I muttered, turning back to the group. “Alright, since none of you seem to feel guilty, I’ve decided you all deserve some punishment.”

Tanu  groaned. “Come on, Aaradhya, it wasn’t that bad!”

“Oh, really?” I said, raising an eyebrow. “Then you won’t mind cleaning my room  for a week.”

Her eyes widened. “What? The whole room ? And you know I would make you do it . ”

“Yes,” I said firmly. “And no shortcuts. ”

Aryan and Karan exchanged worried looks. “What about us?” Aryan asked hesitantly.

“You two will help the car clean duty every evening for a week,” I said with a sweet smile.

Karan groaned. “But.... you're ruthless !”

“Exactly,” I said, enjoying their reactions.

Rohan looked at me nervously. “And me?”

“You’ll be the food ticket of mine ,” I said. “Every lunch break for a week. And no sneaking off to your phone.”

He groaned, slumping in his seat.

Finally, I turned to Vikrant, who was still leaning against the door, watching the entire scene with amusement. “And you,” I said, pointing at him.

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk never wavering. “Yes, kitten?”

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, my cheeks heating up again. “Your punishment is...” I paused, trying to think of something fitting.

Before I could say anything, Tanishka spoke up. “It was all Vikrant’s idea!” she said quickly. “He’s the mastermind behind everything!”

Aryan, Karan, and Rohan immediately chimed in, nodding and pointing at Vikrant. “Yeah, it’s all his fault!” Aryan said.

“Punish him, not us!” Karan added.

I looked at Vikrant, who was now the center of attention. He didn’t seem fazed at all. In fact, he looked even more amused.

“So, you’re the mastermind,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

He shrugged. “Guilty as charged.”

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Fine. Your punishment is... you’ll have to carry my books for the rest of the week.”

His smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by a look of surprise. “That’s it?”

“And,” I added, “you’ll also have to help me with my assignments.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Deal.”

The others groaned in protest. “How is that fair?” Aryan complained.

“Because he’s the one who started all this,” I said firmly.

Vikrant pushed off the doorframe and walked over to me, his smirk returning. “Anything else, kitten?” he asked, his voice low.

I glared at him. “Don’t push your luck.”

He chuckled, leaning closer. “You’re cute when you’re angry, you know that?”

My cheeks burned, and I quickly turned away. “Lunch is over. Let’s go.”

As I walked away, I could hear the others grumbling about their punishments and Vikrant’s laughter following me. Despite everything, I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe spending time with these people wasn’t so bad after all.