Meera Joshi had one rule as the photographer for Campus Life Weekly: always catch people in their real moments.
Which is why, when she spotted Aarav Malhotra — the untouchable, arrogant law student who never cracked a smile — slouched on a bench, noodles dangling from his mouth like spaghetti in a cartoon, she couldn't resist. Click.
The photo was too good. It was human. It was hilarious.So naturally, she published it on the front page of the humor section.
By the next morning, the entire college was laughing.
"Did you see it? Aarav Malhotra, the great ice prince, looking like a toddler eating Maggi!" her friend giggled.
Meera grinned. "Relax. It's harmless fun. He probably won't even notice."
She was wrong.
Because when she walked into the library that evening, she felt it — the weight of someone's eyes burning holes into her back. Slowly, she turned.
Aarav was standing there, the newspaper in one hand, the photo circled in red ink. His jaw clenched, eyes dark like a storm.
"Enjoying yourself?" His voice was low, dangerous.
Meera swallowed. "Uh… it was just a joke. You know, lighthearted?"
He stepped closer, too close. She had to tilt her head up to meet his gaze.
"You think making me a joke is funny?" He whispered, but the sharp edge in his tone made her shiver.
Meera forced a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "Come on, Malhotra. It's not like the world ended. Everyone has bad noodle days."
His eyes didn't soften. Instead, he leaned even closer, his breath warm against her ear.
"Delete it," he ordered. "Every copy. Every file. Or I'll make sure you regret ever pointing a camera at me."
Meera blinked, startled by the intensity in his voice. This wasn't just embarrassment. This was something else. Something darker.
She tried to play it cool, backing away. "Relax, Aarav. It's just a photo. You're acting like I exposed state secrets."
But the way he was looking at her… like she was his target, his obsession, his possession… it sent a chill down her spine.
For the first time, Meera wondered if she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.