Chapter 36

Ayaan strolled across the bustling campus, his hands stuffed into his jeans pockets, his eyes scanning the crowd. It was a warm day, and students milled about, laughing and chatting, but his focus was solely on one person—Naina.

He had looked for her at their usual spots—the library, the café where she sometimes studied, even the open courtyard where she liked to sit with her books. But she was nowhere to be found. A pang of frustration settled in his chest as he pulled out his phone and typed a quick message.

Ayaan: Where are you? Haven't seen you all day.

He stared at the screen, waiting for the double ticks to turn blue, but they didn't. The message sat there, unread, and his frustration deepened. She always replied to his texts, even if it was hours later. This silence was new—and it didn't sit well with him.

As the day dragged on, Ayaan found himself wandering aimlessly, his mind clouded with overthinking. He leaned against a tree near one of the lecture halls, tugging at the watch on his wrist.

I kissed her again. Was that the problem? he thought. His jaw tightened. Maybe I was coming on too strong. Did I scare her? Push her too much? Maybe she's regretting letting me get close.

The thought made his stomach twist uncomfortably. He wasn't the type to second-guess himself—he always acted with certainty. But with Naina, everything felt different, uncertain, fragile.

Later, as he stood outside the canteen, Ayaan spotted Meera and Ananya walking toward him, engrossed in their conversation. He straightened up and called out to them, plastering a casual smile on his face.

"Hey, you two. Busy day?"

Meera glanced at him and grinned. "Oh, hi, Ayaan. Yeah, just running some errands. What's up?"

"Not much. Just... I haven't seen Naina around today. Have you guys?" He tried to keep his tone light, but his curiosity was obvious.

Ananya shook her head. "Nope, I haven't seen her since yesterday. Why, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just wondered," Ayaan replied quickly, waving it off. "She didn't show up for class, and she's not replying to texts."

Meera raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "You're worried about her?"

"Worried? No," Ayaan said, scratching the back of his neck. "Just... you know. Curious."

"Hmm." Meera smirked knowingly but didn't press further. "Well, if we see her, we'll let you know."

"Cool. Thanks." Ayaan gave them a quick nod and walked off, his heart sinking a little.

Meanwhile, Naina sat cross-legged on her bed, her books spread out in front of her. Her room was silent except for the faint hum of the ceiling fan. She was supposed to be studying, but her mind refused to focus.

Her thoughts kept circling back to the morning's events, replaying them in an endless loop.

What did I even expect? she thought bitterly. Ayaan's always been flirty, always surrounded by people. I've seen the way girls look at him. Did I seriously think I had a chance?

Her chest tightened as she remembered the girl kissing his cheek, the easy way he'd smiled at her. I'm such an idiot.

Naina closed her book with a sigh and rubbed her temples. She hated feeling this way—jealous, insecure, vulnerable. It wasn't who she was. But Ayaan had a way of getting under her skin, breaking down the walls she'd carefully built around herself.

~•~

That evening, Naina decided to step out for some fresh air. She pulled on a hoodie and grabbed her wallet, heading to the nearby shop to get a carton of milk. The streets were quieter now, the day's chaos giving way to a calmer rhythm.

As she stepped out of the shop, she froze. Across the street, Ayaan was leaning against his bike, scrolling through his phone.

Her heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she considered sneaking away before he saw her. But luck wasn't on her side. He glanced up, his eyes locking onto hers immediately.

"Naina!" he called out, his voice filled with relief as he strode toward her.

She forced a small smile. "Hi, Ayaan."

"Where have you been all day?" he asked, his tone more curious than accusatory. "You weren't in class, you didn't reply to my messages..."

"I was busy," she replied, keeping her tone neutral.

His brows furrowed. "Busy with what? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Ayaan studied her, his sharp eyes catching the slight edge in her voice. "You don't seem fine. Did I... do something?"

"No," she said quickly, but the word sounded unconvincing even to her.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Naina, if something's wrong, just tell me. I can't fix it if I don't know what it is."

She shook her head, taking a step back. "I don't want to talk about it."

Ayaan's frustration bubbled over. "Why not? What's going on with you?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it," she snapped, her voice sharper than she intended.

He blinked, taken aback by her tone. "Fine. Then at least let me take you for chai. We can just... sit and talk, no pressure."

"No," she said firmly, her voice trembling slightly. "Not today. Not ever."

Ayaan's jaw tightened. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Naina took a deep breath, steadying herself. "It means you and I are miles apart, Ayaan. I should've trusted my gut and stayed away."

She turned and walked away quickly, leaving him standing there, stunned.

"Naina!" he called after her, but she didn't stop.

When she reached the elevator, she turned back briefly. "Goodnight, Ayaan," she said softly, her voice laced with finality. The doors closed before he could say anything else.

~•~

Ayaan leaned back on the couch, his head resting against the wall as Aisha pranced around the kitchen making herself some tea. She was humming softly, completely unaware of the turmoil brewing inside him.

"You look like someone just canceled the IPL," she teased, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Ayaan groaned. "Not in the mood, Aisha."

She carried her tea over, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to him. "Okay, spill. Who is she?"

Ayaan looked at her sharply. "What?"

Aisha smirked knowingly. "Don't 'what' me. I've been your cousin long enough to know when there's a girl driving you crazy."

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "There's... no one. It's complicated."

"Complicated means there's someone," Aisha pointed out with a grin. "Come on, tell me."

Ayaan sighed, closing his eyes for a second. "Fine. Her name's Naina."

"Oh, so she has a name. That's progress," Aisha quipped. "What happened?"

Ayaan looked at her, his jaw tightening. "She's mad at me. I don't know why, but she's mad. She said we're 'miles apart' and walked off like... like..." He gestured helplessly, his frustration evident.

Aisha sipped her tea thoughtfully. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" Ayaan shot back, then paused, his voice softening. "At least... I don't think I did. I kissed her—"

"You what?" Aisha almost choked on her tea.

"—but that was a couple of days ago, and it was mutual," Ayaan continued, glaring at her interruption. "I don't think it's about that."

Aisha blinked at him. "Okay, so what else could it be?"

"I don't know!" Ayaan exclaimed, leaning forward and resting his head in his hands. "She's been ignoring me all day, and when I finally saw her tonight, she looked... different. Distant. Formal, even. Like I'd done something unforgivable."

Aisha studied him for a moment, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Wait a second. Are you saying she got mad today? After this morning?"

"I don't know. But I guess so—she was replying until the afternoon," Ayaan muttered, staring at the floor.

Her smile widened as realization dawned. "Ohhh. It's my fault, isn't it?"

Ayaan frowned, lifting his head to look at her. "What are you talking about?"

Aisha leaned back against the couch, grinning. "You didn't tell her I'm your cousin, did you? Or that I am here in Mumbai?"

His brows furrowed. "Why would that—" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening in horror.

Aisha laughed, shaking her head. "Wow, bhaiya. You really messed this one up."

"Wait," Ayaan said slowly, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You're saying..."

"Think about it," Aisha interrupted, raising a brow. "This morning, when I saw you outside campus and kissed your cheek? What if she saw that and assumed..."

Ayaan groaned, leaning back again and covering his face with both hands. "No way. That can't be it."

"It's totally it," Aisha said, still amused. "You're clueless, aren't you?"

Ayaan dropped his hands, glaring at her. "You kissed me in public!"

"Hey! I wanted to surprise you. But I was there long before I kissed your cheek. Don't blame me for your lack of communication," Aisha shot back, rolling her eyes. "Maybe don't let random girls kiss you next time."

"You're not random; you're my cousin!" Ayaan exclaimed, exasperated.

"Yeah, but does she know that?" Aisha countered, raising a challenging brow.

Ayaan stilled, his frustration giving way to guilt. "She doesn't," he admitted quietly.

"Exactly," Aisha said, her tone softening. "If she saw that, she probably thinks..."

Ayaan groaned again, his head falling back against the couch. "This is such a mess."

"Not really," Aisha said with a shrug. "Just explain it to her."

"It's not that simple," Ayaan muttered. "She's already pulling away. And the way she looked at me tonight... it was like I broke something."

Aisha reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Then fix it. If you really like her, don't let her walk away because of a misunderstanding."

He nodded, though the weight in his chest didn't ease. He couldn't lose Naina—not over something as ridiculous as this.

As Aisha got up to leave, she turned back with a cheeky grin. "Oh, and next time I kiss you, maybe put up a sign that says, 'Cousins only.'"

Ayaan threw a cushion at her retreating figure, but he couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips. Still, as he sat alone in the quiet room, his thoughts returned to Naina. He needed to talk to her soon.

The only issue was—would she trust him?

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