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Aarav sat quietly in the common area, flipping through his strategy notes. His mind, however, was elsewhere. Haniya's uneasy behavior, the way she had avoided him earlier—it was bothering him. He decided to give her space, ignoring every glance, every half-smile she tried to hide.
Then, Anamika arrived.
She sauntered in, smiling brightly.
"Hey Aarav! Busy with strategy?" she asked, her voice warm and casual.
Aarav looked up, returning the smile with his usual calm demeanor.
"Just going through some notes," he replied.
Haniya, sitting at the far end of the hall, froze mid-breath. She could see the ease in Aarav's tone, the comfort in his body language as he chatted with Anamika. A sharp pang of jealousy twisted inside her chest. She clutched her phone tighter, refusing to let her emotions show.
Anamika laughed softly.
"You've been working too hard. Take a break sometimes. You know, maybe hang out with someone special?" she teased, shooting a playful glance at Aarav.
Aarav tilted his head, smirking faintly.
"Someone special, huh? Noted."
Haniya felt her stomach twist. She looked down, pretending to scroll through her phone, but she couldn't help noticing the subtle closeness—the relaxed way Aarav leaned toward Anamika, the way he laughed at her jokes.
Vivaan noticed her expression immediately and nudged Harsh.
"Uh-oh… she's jealous."
Harsh grinned.
"Finally! About time. Look at them—completely ignoring each other, and now jealousy? Delicious."
Aarav, oblivious to the boys' commentary, nodded politely to Anamika.
"So, what brings you here?" he asked casually.
"Oh, just checking on you guys," she said, her tone light but her eyes sharp. "Make sure the team isn't slacking… and, of course, keeping you in line," she added with a wink.
Haniya's chest tightened. She tried to focus on breathing normally, but every word, every laugh, every glance made her heart race.
Anamika leaned slightly closer to Aarav, lowering her voice.
"You know, you're really amazing with this team. They all trust you, but… hmm, it must be exhausting sometimes, isn't it?"
Aarav smiled faintly.
"Maybe. But someone's got to make sure everyone's doing their best."
Haniya felt her jaw clench. The warmth in his tone, the way he nodded as she spoke—it shouldn't have affected her this much, but it did.
Anamika's eyes flicked toward Haniya, noticing her at the far end.
"Hey, Haniya! Don't look so serious! Come, join us for a bit," she called cheerfully.
Haniya shook her head, her voice calm but firm.
"I'm fine here, thank you."
Aarav didn't intervene, keeping his focus on Anamika. Haniya felt the sting of that. Her heart ached a little.
Anamika, sensing something, smirked slightly.
"Oh? You're upset, huh? Don't tell me it's because of me," she teased, her tone playful but intentionally provoking.
Haniya's eyes narrowed.
"Not at all," she said through gritted teeth, turning away.
Vivaan and Harsh, watching from the side, whispered to each other.
"Bro, she's boiling inside," Vivaan said.
"Yeah… you could fry an egg on her forehead," Harsh added.
Finally, Anamika patted Aarav's shoulder and laughed.
"Well, I'll leave you to your work. Don't forget, someone has to babysit the team properly," she said teasingly, giving Haniya one last look before walking away.
As soon as she left, the tension between Haniya and Aarav grew heavier. Neither spoke. Both avoided eye contact. Haniya focused on her notes, Aarav on his strategy. The room was filled with unspoken words, heated glances that never met, and the silent acknowledgment that something had shifted between them.
Vivaan whispered softly to Harsh,
"Antarctica-level cold war… again."
Harsh chuckled,
"And this time, it's way more intense."
Aarav glanced at Haniya once, then looked back at his notes, silently vowing to himself: he wouldn't let her discomfort continue, but he wouldn't force her either.
Haniya, meanwhile, tried to calm her racing heart, telling herself repeatedly: ignore, act normal, don't let him see how much it hurts.
And so, they continued the day—together in the same room, yet miles apart in their silence.
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