By now, Meera had accepted one thing: wherever she went, Aarav Malhotra wasn't far behind.
At first, she thought it was coincidence. Then persistence. Now? Now it felt like fate had assigned her a personal bodyguard she never asked for.
She spotted him again outside the campus library, leaned casually against the railing, flipping through his phone. He didn't look up, didn't move, but she knew. The moment she stepped into his line of sight, his attention shifted.
Priya nudged her. "Okay, Joshi, you have to admit it—this is either the most devoted stalker in history or he's planning your kidnapping."
Meera muttered, "Don't joke. At this point, I'm considering filing a missing person's report for myself."
Still, she plastered on her best fake smile and marched toward the library doors. "Morning, Malhotra. Shouldn't you be drafting legal contracts or whatever it is future overlords do?"
He slid his phone into his pocket, eyes locking onto her. "I prefer real-world practice."
"Oh, right." She rolled her eyes. "Stalking 101. Top of the class?"
"Observing," he corrected smoothly, falling into step beside her. "You're careless, Joshi. Always distracted. Someone has to keep you safe."
Meera stopped dead in her tracks, glaring at him. "Safe from what? My caffeine addiction? The horror of a missed deadline? Please. The only danger here is you scaring off my social life."
His lips twitched, almost a smile. "Good. You don't need one."
Her jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!"
He didn't reply, only opened the library door for her with infuriating calm.
Inside, Meera tried to focus on her research paper. But every time she glanced up, there he was—sitting across the room, pretending to read, his gaze flicking to her whenever she shifted.
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. She packed her laptop, stormed over to his table, and dropped into the chair opposite him.
"Okay, enough," she whispered harshly. "What do you want from me?"
His eyes lifted slowly from the book, calm but sharp. "You."
The word was so simple, so direct, it knocked the breath from her chest.
Meera laughed nervously. "You don't even know me. We've had, what, three conversations? Two of them were arguments. And you threatened me!"
"You interest me," he said, unblinking. "That's enough."
Her pulse quickened. "That's not how normal people work, Malhotra."
"I'm not normal," he admitted, his voice quiet but steady.
For a moment, they just stared at each other. His gaze was intense, unyielding, as if he was trying to memorize every detail of her face. It was suffocating and yet… strangely magnetic.
Meera tore her eyes away, muttering, "You're impossible."
When she stood to leave, his hand brushed her wrist—barely a touch, but it sent a shiver down her arm. "Careful walking back tonight," he said softly. "Some places aren't safe after dark."
Her laugh was forced. "Right. And you'll be there in the shadows, my knight in Armani?"
He didn't smile. "Always."
That evening, as Meera walked home, she kept glancing over her shoulder. The street was quiet, her footsteps echoing. Maybe Priya was right. Maybe she should've been scared.
But deep down, what unsettled her wasn't the possibility that Aarav was following her.
It was the strange comfort she felt knowing he probably was.