The Chai Corner's cozy vibe felt like a pressure cooker now, with Riya standing by the table, her arms crossed and her eyes flicking between Arjun and Kiara like she was solving a puzzle. Vikram, oblivious to the tension, plopped into a chair, grinning like he'd just orchestrated a college fest blockbuster. "This is gonna be epic!" he said, waving the waiter over. "One masala chai, extra adrak, and make it quick!"
Arjun wanted to strangle him. Kiara's hand was still on his arm, her touch warm but her smile razor-sharp, like she was ready to play her role to perfection. "So, Riya," she said, her voice dripping with charm, "Arjun was just telling me about your college days. Sounds like you two had some fun times."
Riya's jaw tightened, but she forced a smile. "Yeah, fun. Until he got boring." The jab landed like a Mumbai pothole—jarring and unavoidable. Arjun flinched, but Kiara's grip on his arm tightened, grounding him.
"Boring?" Kiara laughed, leaning closer to Arjun, her hair brushing his shoulder. "Funny, I find him pretty… captivating." She glanced at him, her eyes twinkling with mischief, but there was something softer underneath, like she meant it. Arjun's heart did a somersault, and he prayed his face wasn't as red as the café's chili sauce.
Vikram, slurping his chai, jumped in. "Yo, Riya, you're just salty 'cause Arjun's killing it with Kiara. Look at them—total couple goals!"
Riya's smile faltered, her eyes narrowing at Kiara. "Couple goals? Please. Arjun doesn't do 'goals.' He does… study notes and instant noodles." She turned to Arjun, her voice softer but pointed. "I didn't think you'd move on so fast."
Arjun opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He wasn't sure if he was moving on or just drowning in Kiara's performance. Before he could fumble a response, Kiara slid her chair closer, her knee brushing his under the table. "Oh, he's full of surprises," she said, her tone playful but firm. "Right, babe?"
There was that word again—*babe*. It hit Arjun like a shot of espresso, waking up every nerve. He nodded, managing a weak, "Uh, yeah." Riya's eyes widened, and Vikram nearly choked on his chai, grinning like a kid at a mela.
But the moment cracked when Riya leaned forward, her voice low. "How'd you two even meet? Arjun's not exactly the 'meet cute' type."
Kiara didn't miss a beat. "Online," she said smoothly, her hand now resting on Arjun's, her fingers tracing a lazy circle that made his brain glitch. "We clicked instantly. He's got this… quiet charm, you know? Hard to resist."
Arjun's face burned, but he caught the flicker of doubt in Riya's eyes. She wasn't buying it completely, and that made him nervous. What if she asked more questions? What if she figured out the whole "rent-a-date" thing? He glanced at Kiara, who gave him a subtle nod, like she was saying, *Trust me.*
Vikram, oblivious as ever, decided to escalate the chaos. "Yo, let's make this fun! How about a double date? You and Mr. Leather Jacket, me and… well, I'll find someone. We'll hit up a club or something!"
Riya's face soured. "I'm not dating him," she said, gesturing vaguely toward the café door, where Leather Jacket Guy had apparently ditched her. "He was just… a friend."
Arjun's eyebrows shot up. Riya was single again? A week ago, that news would've sent him into a spiral of hope. Now, it just felt… irrelevant. His eyes drifted to Kiara, who was watching Riya with a mix of curiosity and caution.
"Single, huh?" Kiara said, her tone light but probing. "Well, maybe you and Arjun can stay friends. He's a good guy to have around." She squeezed his hand, and Arjun swore his heart stopped for a second.
Riya's lips pressed into a thin line. "Yeah, maybe." She stood abruptly, grabbing her phone. "I've got to go. See you around, Arjun." Her eyes lingered on him, then flicked to Kiara, a storm brewing behind her fake smile. She walked out, her ponytail swishing like it was angry at the world.
Vikram let out a low whistle. "Bro, she's *wrecked*. You and Kiara are like a K-drama power couple!"
Arjun forced a laugh, but his mind was reeling. Kiara's hand was still on his, and he didn't want to move, didn't want to break whatever this was. But the café clock was ticking, and their "date" time was almost up. Again.
Kiara pulled her hand away, leaning back with a sigh. "Well, that was… eventful. You okay?"
"Yeah," Arjun said, though he wasn't sure. "Thanks for, uh, handling that. You're really good at this."
Her smile was smaller this time, almost wistful. "It's my job." She glanced at her phone, then back at him. "Time's up, Arjun. I should head out."
His stomach sank. "Already?" The word slipped out, too honest. He cleared his throat, trying to play it cool. "I mean, yeah, sure. Thanks for… everything."
She stood, slinging her bag over her shoulder, but hesitated. "You're not what I expected, you know. Most guys want a show. You just… want to be you." She paused, her eyes searching his. "It's nice."
Before Arjun could respond, Vikram jumped in. "Yo, Kiara, you should come to the college fest next week! Arjun's performing in the coding hackathon—total nerd vibes, but you'd make it cooler."
Arjun shot him a look that screamed *shut up*, but Kiara's face lit up. "A hackathon? That's… very you, Arjun." She grinned, then turned to Vikram. "Maybe I'll show up. If he invites me."
Arjun's heart skipped. Was she serious? Or was this just her keeping up the act? "Uh, yeah," he stammered. "You should come. It's next Saturday. At VJTI. No pressure or anything."
Kiara's smile softened, and for a moment, it felt like they were the only two in the café. "I'll think about it," she said. Then, with a playful wink, she added, "Text me the details. Not through the app."
She walked out, her yellow anarkali catching the light as she disappeared into the Mumbai evening. Arjun stared after her, his phone burning a hole in his pocket. *Text me. Not through the app.* Did that mean… something? Or was he reading too much into it?
Vikram slapped his back, jarring him out of his thoughts. "Bro, you're in deep. That girl's got you wrapped around her finger, and it's not even fake anymore."
"Shut up," Arjun muttered, but he couldn't stop the smile creeping onto his face. He pulled out his phone, opened WhatsApp, and started typing a message to Kiara. Not through the app. Just him.
*Hey, it's Arjun. Hackathon's next Saturday, 3 p.m. at VJTI. Would be cool if you came. No exes this time, promise. 😅*
He hit send before he could overthink it, his heart racing like he'd just coded a program with no bugs on the first try. As Vikram rambled about club plans, Arjun's eyes drifted to the café window, where the Mumbai skyline glowed against the dusk. For the first time in weeks, he wasn't thinking about Riya. He was thinking about a girl in a yellow anarkali, and the possibility that maybe, just maybe, this wasn't all fake.