The library clock ticked too loudly. At least, that's what Ananya thought as she sat across from Riyan Arora, their laptops open like weapons in a duel.
Stacks of reference books surrounded her in neat piles, highlighted notes already color-coded. Across the table, Riyan leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen between his fingers, not a single page open.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, shoving a journal toward him. "At this pace, we'll fail."
He grinned, stretching lazily. "Relax, bookworm. Deadlines are like basketball games—you don't win in the warm-up, you win in the last quarter."
Ananya pinched the bridge of her nose. "This isn't a game, Arora. It's half my grade."
"And mine." His smirk softened. "Contrary to popular belief, I actually care."
She blinked, caught off guard. For a moment, the cocky mask slipped, and she saw it—the flicker of pressure he carried. The need to prove he was more than just a pretty face. But then he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, and the arrogant smirk was back.
"So," he drawled, "what exactly is our project again? Besides me trying not to drive you insane."
"Renewable Energy Solutions," she snapped. "If you'd bothered to read the syllabus."
His chuckle was low, annoyingly smooth. "I prefer hands-on learning. Why don't you explain it… slowly… so I don't miss a detail?"
Her pen slammed onto the table. "You think this is funny?"
He leaned in, closing the gap between them, his voice dropping. "I think watching you lose your cool might be the highlight of my week."
Her heart skipped, but she masked it with a glare. "If you put half as much effort into research as you do into annoying me, we'd have a Nobel Prize by now."
For a beat, their eyes locked—hers sharp, his amused. And beneath the clash, something hummed in the silence. Unspoken. Dangerous.
The library lights flickered overhead, breaking the moment. Ananya tore her gaze away, shoving a notebook into his hands.
"Read this. Summarize the first three pages. No shortcuts."
Riyan raised a brow but accepted it, flipping open the book. His usual arrogance dimmed, just for a second, replaced with something she hadn't expected—focus.
And for the first time, Ananya wondered if she'd misjudged him.
Of course, then he looked up with a grin and said, "So… how mad would you be if I just copied the Wikipedia version?"
She groaned. "Unbelievable."
His laughter echoed softly through the quiet library, and Ananya realized something terrifying: this semester was going to be hell… the kind that felt dangerously addictive.