Chapter - 17

ARJUN'S POV:

Here's your corrected and slightly refined version with improved grammar, punctuation, and flow while preserving the essence of your original story.

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ARJUN'S POV:

As the new day begins, the sun's rays filter through my window, landing directly on my face. I don't want to wake up. I just want to stay in bed all day.

Suddenly, flashes from last night flood my mind. My eyes fly open, and I sit up with a jolt.

The moments replay in my head-dancing with her, getting lost in her captivating black eyes, the way she placed her hand on my shoulder, her laughter echoing in my ears, sharing a meal together, and the moment I told her I liked her.

Goosebumps rise on my skin as I recall it all. A foolish grin spreads across my face. But then-wait. I didn't get a reply from her.

After that, we barely got a chance to talk. I have to speak with her today.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I get up and head to the washroom to freshen up. Afterward, I rummage through my wardrobe, my eyes settling on my favorite black shirt. I pair it with gray pants, grab my bag, and head downstairs.

Dad is already seated at the dining table, sipping his coffee, while Mom prepares breakfast. As soon as he sees me, he gestures for me to come over.

I know where this is going-another lecture. You shouldn't have behaved that way last night. They're family. Blah, blah, blah...

I respect my dad immensely-he's my hero. But if there's one thing we'll never agree on, it's that idiot.

I take my seat as Mom places my coffee in front of me before heading back to the kitchen.

"Arjun, I need to talk to you," Dad says.

I sigh. I knew it.

"Dad, not again. At least spare me in the morning," I groan, resting my forehead on the table.

"If you don't want to hear lectures, then stop behaving like a street fighter. Be a man, a grown-up man. Handle things maturely. Fighting is not the solution," he says, lifting my head.

"I wasn't the one who started it," I blurt out.

"But you continued it. You could have stopped," he counters.

Before I can respond, Mom steps in. "What is this nonsense early in the morning?" she scolds, coming out of the kitchen.

"Raghu, it's over now. Don't start again. It's irritating to listen to your arguments first thing in the morning," she huffs.

"Okay, okay, Sumi, I won't say another word to your son. You don't get angry," Dad teases, zipping his lips and pretending to throw away the key.

I raise my hands in surrender to her too.

The way Dad looks at Mom-I think this is what love is. I want to experience this kind of love too. God, when will it be my turn?

"Sri, Naina, come down quickly!" Mom calls, placing plates on the table.

"I'm coming, Maa!" Sri shouts back.

I help Mom set the table and then take my seat again. Sri and Naina come down the stairs together.

Naina is wearing a black kurti with blue jeans, accessorized with oxidized jewelry. We're twinning today.

Our eyes meet for a brief second before she quickly looks away.

Wait... did she just avert her gaze?

They both take their seats across from me. Mom serves breakfast, placing a dish on the table.

"Mom, why Upma?" Sri whines like a child.

"It's easy to make," Mom replies, serving Dad first.

We all laugh and begin serving ourselves. As I reach for the dish, Naina does too. Our hands almost touch, but she pulls hers back immediately.

What is happening?

I quickly serve myself and start eating, but my mind is elsewhere. I keep glancing at her, waiting for her to look at me, but she doesn't. She knows I'm looking at her-she's intentionally avoiding me.

For some reason, it stings.

Feeling frustrated, I finish my breakfast quickly and stand up.

"How did you finish so fast? Did you even eat properly?" Mom asks, concerned.

"I'm not that hungry today," I mutter, grabbing my bag.

"Finish your breakfast quickly-we have to leave," I tell them.

"Bhai, we're taking the scooty today. Naina has some work. You go ahead," Sri says.

"No, you girls go with him," Mom insists.

Before I can argue, Naina speaks up. "Actually, Aunty, I really need to finish something urgent before college. It might take a while, and I don't want him to miss his first lecture because of me. Sri also doesn't have a class right now, so we'll go together later."

Is she doing this on purpose?

"Okay, then. I'll leave," I say, throwing one last glance at her, hoping-begging-for her to look at me.

She doesn't.

I leave the house, anger bubbling inside me. As I drive to college, only one thought keeps haunting me-Is she avoiding me?

Does she not like me?

No, I don't believe it. I saw it in her eyes. She loves me the way I love her.

But then why is she doing this?

If she really doesn't like me, then I've made a terrible mistake. I've ruined our friendship. At the very least, she could have been a good friend.

Drowning in these thoughts, I barely notice when I reach college.

I enter the class and see Dhristi already sitting in our usual spot, waiting for me.

I slump into my seat with a loud thud, making her look up.

"Hey, you're early today. And... you look off. What happened?" she asks, studying my face.

"Not something, Dhristi. A lot has happened," I say, rubbing my temples.

"Ooh, sounds interesting! Tell me everything-I'm all ears," she says excitedly, straightening up.

I explain everything to her. By the time I finish, she looks like she's in shock.

"Dhristi, I don't know what to do. She won't even look at me," I say helplessly.

"Don't worry," she says, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I think she's dealing with something internally. First, figure out what's on her mind."

I nod, but the unease doesn't leave me.

The professor enters the class, but my mind is far away.

I need to fix this. Soon.

____________________

SRI'S POV:

Me and Naina picked up some books and headed to the college. As I walked into my class, I quickly realized that the professor was absent. A small, victorious smile crept onto my lips-an unexpected free period was always a gift.

I was about to settle in when Ameya suddenly stepped in front of me, blocking my path with a playfully.

"Where were you, Sri?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. "We were planning to play a game. Come join us!"

I glanced behind him at Laksh, Pinky, and the others, who were all waiting expectantly.

"Sorry, guys," I said, offering them an apologetic smile. "The librarian called me. I have to go."

Laksh frowned, tilting his head. "Why, though? You can go later, right?"

What should I say? They're my new friends. I can't just tell them that I don't feel like spending time with them right now.

I hesitated for a second before blurting out, "You know Arun, the senior?"

The moment his name left my lips, Pinky let out a dramatic gasp, her eyes widening. She clasped her hands together, practically swooning.

"Oh my god! Yes! The hottie!" she gushed, cheeks turning pink.

I blinked, caught off guard by her reaction. My stomach twisted weirdly, and I didn't know why.

I definitely didn't like the way she was ogling over Arun.

Clearing my throat, I tried to brush off the irritation bubbling in my chest. "He and I need to arrange some books, librarian believes us more.

Pinky leaned in, wiggling her eyebrows. "Wait... you and Arun? Together?"

Laksh smirked. "Are you guys close?"

I rolled my eyes. "Obviously. He's Naina's brother-my best friend's brother."

Pinky looked surprised. "Ohh, so that's why!"

Just then, another girl, Meera, joined in, her expression amused. "But he's also your brother's enemy, right?"

The air around us suddenly shifted.

I stiffened, my fingers curling around my bag strap. "That's... different."

"Still, isn't it awkward?" Meera prodded, clearly enjoying the topic. "I mean, best friend's brother and brother's rival? That's quite a mix."

I forced a smile, refusing to give them more details. "It's nothing like that."

But even as I said it, something inside me churned.

Before they could press me further, I turned on my heel and walked away, my mood souring for reasons I didn't want to acknowledge.

Anger? Annoyance? Or maybe... something else entirely.

Jealousy? Possessiveness?

I shook my head. No, that couldn't be it. Could it?

By the time I reached the library, my thoughts were still tangled. I pushed open the heavy wooden doors, and the familiar scent of books and paper filled the air, grounding me.

The library was quiet except for the rhythmic flipping of pages and the faint rustling of footsteps. Sunlight streamed through the large window, casting warm golden hues across the room. Outside, birds chirping on the tree beside the window, chirping softly as if lost in their own little conversation.

I wandered between the shelves, fingers brushing the spines, scanning titles until one caught my eye-a book on literature. Randomly pulling it out, I tucked it under my arm and walked further, searching for something different.

Then, I spotted it.

A book about an ancient king's war, hidden between two thick volumes. Just as I reached for it, the book jerked in the opposite direction. Someone was pulling it from the other side.

I frowned, a hint of irritation sparking inside me. Who dares to take the book that I want?

I tightened my grip. The person on the other side did the same.

"What the-?" I muttered, yanking harder toward my side.

The book slipped from both our hands, falling to the floor with a thud.

Determined to confront the culprit, I hurried to the other side of the row.

And-bam!

Our foreheads collided.

"Ow!" Arun winced, stepping back.

I blinked, momentarily stunned, then without thinking-I bumped my head against his again, harder this time.

Arun reeled back, looking at me in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded, rubbing his forehead.

I crossed my arms. "If you don't bump again, horns will grow."

There was a pause. Then, both of us burst into laughter.

As the laughter faded, my gaze landed on the book in his hand-the same king's story I had tried to pull.

"You!" I pointed at him.

"Oh, so you were the one dragging it?" Arun smirked, shaking his head.

"Okay, fine," I sighed. "Read it first, then hand it over to me."

He raised an eyebrow. "You sure? You were ready to fight for it a second ago."

I shrugged, lifting the book in my hand. "I already have one."

Arun glanced at it, his expression softening. "This is a great book," he said. "I'm already on page 15."

My eyes widened. "I'm at page 12!"

Arun chuckled. "Then you go ahead. I'll read later."

"No, no." I waved my hand. "You're ahead, so you continue."

He hesitated for a moment before a small smile played on his lips. "Let's do one thing. We have free periods, right? Let's sit and read together."

I blinked. "Together?"

"Yeah. From page 12 onwards."

A moment later, we found ourselves settled by the big window in the corner of the library, sunlight spilling in through the glass. The world outside faded as we flipped through the pages, our shoulders nearly touching.

As I read, I suddenly became aware of Arun's steady breath near my face. I glanced sideways-only to find him completely engrossed in the book.

For a second, the world stood still between the pages of the book.

And for the first time, I realized that silence could feel this... alive.

______________________________

NAINA'S POV:

Finally, it's a leisure period. I'm exhausted, and I haven't even eaten properly.

How could I?

How could I eat when Arjun barely touched his food this morning? Watching him leave the dining table without finishing his meal broke my heart. It's painful-ignoring someone you love, especially when you know they feel the same way.

Convincing Sri that I had urgent work was already difficult.

But the truth is, I can't let myself get close to him.

I don't know what will happen if I do. I might accept my feelings, and I can't afford that.

After last night, I've decided to end this here.

I need to meet him and say-Look, Arjun, I don't have feelings for you. You're a good friend, and I don't want to ruin our friendship.

Yes, I can do this.

I can.

Can I?

No. I can't.

This dilemma is driving me insane.

Shaking away my thoughts, I quickly walk toward my friends, joining them in the corridor. Harshita, Deepak, and Sowrya are discussing some web series I haven't watched. My mind isn't in the conversation, though.

As I glance around, I notice a group sitting on the stairs, singing.

From a distance, I recognize them-it's Drishti di and her friends. Arjun's classmates.

They're playing Antakshari.

Curious, I instinctively move toward them.

"Arey, Naina! Come here!" Drishti di calls out.

I hesitate for a second before walking closer.

"What are you guys up to?" I ask with forced enthusiasm.

"We're playing Antakshari. Want to join?" she offers.

"Sure! I'm in," I say, sitting down as someone makes space for me.

Beside me sits a friend, and across from me is Drishti di's group.

"Okay, now it's your turn to sing," she says with a grin.

Someone starts singing-

"Gulabi aankhen jo teri dekhi..."

Everyone joins in.

A few rounds pass, and now it's our turn again.

And then...

I see him.

Arjun.

He's walking past us, a guitar in hand.

He must have just finished his music class.

Before I can look away, Drishti di calls out

"Hey, Arjun! Come here!"

Why? Why him?

He scans the scene, hesitates briefly, then walks toward us.

"Arjun, join us! You're perfect for this," Drishti di says excitedly, pulling him down to sit beside her.

He's looking at me.

I try my best to avoid his gaze.

"Seriously? Competition? We're just singing for fun," Deepak comments.

"Whatever! Oh, wait-I have an idea," Drishti di exclaims. "Arjun, why don't you play something on the guitar?"

The group cheers.

"Sure, which song do you want me to play?" Arjun asks, settling down.

"Who will sing, though?" he asks, looking around.

"Naina, why don't you?" Drishti di suggests, smirking.

I freeze.

Me?

"Me? No. No, I can't," I stammer, shaking my head.

From the corner of my eye, I see Arjun smile.

Why wouldn't he?

"Naina, come on! Don't be shy. Everyone knows you can sing!"

The group starts urging me.

And then-

"Naina, please," Arjun says softly, his eyes filled with something I can't ignore.

At that moment, I melt.

"Fine," I sigh, raising my hands in defeat.

I glance at Drishti di suspiciously.

Was this planned?

Were they both in on this?

"Which song?" Arjun asks, looking at me.

For the first time today, our eyes meet properly.

"Anything is fine," I say, looking away.

"Zehnaseeb!" Drishti di shouts excitedly.

"I don't know the lyrics," I try to excuse myself.

"No problem! We can Google it," she says, pulling out her phone and handing it to me.

Why do people get such good ideas in the worst situations?

"Okay, let's start," I say reluctantly.

Arjun begins playing his guitar.

Naina:

"Zehnaseeb, Zehnaseeb,

Tujhe chahoon betahasha, Zehnaseeb..."

I sing the lyrics, locking eyes with him.

Arjun:

"Mere kareeb, mere habeeb,

Tujhe chahoon betahasha, Zehnaseeb..."

Naina:

"Tere sang beete har lamhe pe humko naaz hai,

Tere sang jo na beete uspe aitraaz hai,

Is kadar hum dono ka milna ek raaz hai..."

(Why do these lyrics feel so personal?)

Arjun:

"Hua ameer, dil gareeb,

Tujhe chahoon betahasha, Zehnaseeb..."

Naina:

"Zehnaseeb, Zehnaseeb,

Tujhe chahoon betahasha, Zehnaseeb..."

Everything flows perfectly.

The moment feels surreal.

As the song ends, everyone cheers.

"You guys make a great pair," Drishti di remarks.

I stare at her in shock.

"I mean a musical pair-you sing, he plays the guitar. A great duo," she adds casually.

Everyone nods.

I need to get out of here.

"I have some work," I mumble, making an excuse and quickly walking away.

But just as I turn the corner-

I hear him.

"Naina!"

I stop.

Taking a deep breath, I turn around.

Arjun is walking toward me.

"What?" I ask, pretending not to know what he wants.

He sighs, running a hand through his hair before sitting on a nearby step.

"You didn't reply to me yesterday," he states.

I knew this was coming.

"Look, Arjun, I wanted to talk to you about that," I say.

Before I can continue, he pulls me down beside him.

"What are you doing?" I ask, startled.

"You were standing in the heat. I couldn't let you do that," he says casually.

Why are you doing this, Arjun?

You're making it so hard for me to say no.

"You were saying?" he prompts.

I take a deep breath.

"Arjun, I know you like me. But I don't feel the same way," I say in one breath. "You're a good friend-someone I trust blindly. But nothing more than that. Please don't complicate things. Let's stay friends."

He stares at me, unreadable.

"I know you're lying, Naina," he finally says, his voice firm.

"No, I'm telling the truth," I reply quickly.

"But your eyes say something else," he says, locking onto them.

I feel numb.

"I don't know what you think you understand, but this is final, Arjun. There's nothing between us. Let's end this here," I say.

Not waiting for his reply, I turn and walk away.

Before I change my mind

_______________________________

AUTHOR'S POV:

Sri and her friends were lazily lounging in the canteen, skipping yet another boring lecture, when her phone buzzed.

Rhea calling...

She picked up, her casual mood shattering the moment she heard the urgency in Rhea's voice.

"Sri! Ma'am just announced a project. Get to Auditorium 1, now!"

"What?!" Sri bolted upright, eyes widening.

Her friends, sensing the shift, leaned in. "What happened?"

"Project. Auditorium. Now!" she blurted, already shoving her things into her bag.

The group scrambled up, but just as Sri was about to rush out, a professor appeared out of nowhere, blocking her path.

"Drop these in the staff room, Sri," he said, dumping a stack of files into her arms without waiting for a response and left hurriedly.

She groaned internally but nodded. "You guys go and wait for me outside the auditorium," she told her friends.

They dashed off, leaving her behind to complete the task given by rude cold professor of the college.

As she exited the faculty block, she caught sight of a familiar group heading in the same direction.

Arun and his friends.

His group wasn't as chaotic as hers except Rohan .As they passed, Arun's friends exchanged casual greetings with her as she is new and not that much close.

"What are you doing here?" Arun's voice cut in, sharp yet casual, his brow slightly raised in curiosity.

Sri shifted the files in her hands. "Files," she muttered, avoiding unnecessary conversation.

As they walked, Arun's eyes flicked to her again when he noticed she wasn't heading towards her class block.

"You're going the wrong way. Your class block is on the other side, no?"

"I have to go to the auditorium," Sri replied.

Arun frowned. "Why?"

Sri sighed. "We have a project, so I have to go."

Arun's expression shifted slightly. "Even we are heading there for a project."

Rohan came in the conversation . "Yes, actually, the project is a collaboration between juniors and seniors."

Her head snapped toward him. "Wait... seniors have the same project?"

Rohan checked his watch tensed while saying "Let's go, we're getting late. Sri, join us."

All five guys, along with Sri, headed toward the auditorium.

Just then, Sri's friends messaged her:

"We got a lecture from one of the professors for standing outside, so we're inside now. We've saved a seat for you."

But Sri's heart wanted to stay back with Arun. So, she replied:

"I'm fine at the back of the auditorium. You guys carry on."

The auditorium buzzed with murmuring students. Sri and Arun slipped into the back row, standing near the door, both scanning the scene with quiet observation.

The principal took the podium, clearing his throat before speaking.

"We are introducing a senior-junior collaborative project. Seniors will guide juniors and help them throughout. The teams will be assigned randomly."

Professor Rathod stepped forward.

"One junior. One senior. Topics will be given by your mentors. All the best. Good luck, students."

One by one, names were announced.

Each pair triggered hushed whispers. Some students sighed in relief, others groaned in despair.

Then-

"Sri Sehgal with Arun Dixit."

Sri froze.

Her mind blanked for a second before she turned her head slightly.

Arun, too, looked momentarily stunned, processing the pairing.

"Wait-what?" Arun muttered under his breath.

Slowly, they turned to face each other.For a second, there was silence.

Then, breaking the tension, Sri and Arun exchanged an side hug.

(Outside the auditorium)

Sri crossed her arms, staring at the name list on her phone again.

Sri Sehgal - Arun Dixit.

It was real. No mistake. No second chances.

"Still in shock?"She looked up. Arun stood beside her, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.

"I wouldn't call it shock," Sri muttered. "More like-"

"Disbelief?" he offered.

"More like the universe playing some twisted joke on me," she corrected, stuffing her phone into her pocket.

Arun smirked. "And here I thought you'd be thrilled to work with me."

Sri scoffed. "Oh, right. Because being paired with the Arun Dixit is every student's dream?"

"Glad you finally understand."

She rolled her eyes. "No, really. It's just... you're a topper. You'll obviously ace this, and I'll just be the unnecessary extra."

Arun frowned. "You actually think that?"

Sri shrugged, looking away. "You score above 90 like it's nothing. I barely touch 60. You're used to excelling. I'm just... getting by."

Arun exhaled sharply. "Sri, scoring well in exams and actually understanding something are two different things."

She looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"Many people just memorize, write, and forget. That's not intelligence," Arun continued. "Skills, problem-solving, and the ability to think-those matter more. And you have that. I know you do."

Sri blinked, caught off guard. "You... think I'm good at this?"

Arun tilted his head slightly. "I know you are. And I don't work with people who don't give their best."

A slow smile crept onto her lips. "So, this is your way of saying you trust me?"

Arun chuckled. "Something like that."

Sri nudged him playfully. "Fine. But you're not going to boss me around like I'm your junior."

"No promises," Arun said, smirking.

"Arun!" She hissed .

He laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. Let's just win this."

Sri watched him, noticing how effortlessly confident he was. She had always admired his focus, the way he handled pressure like it was nothing.

Then-

His gaze flickered to her, sharp yet amused.And that's when she realized-he had noticed the way she looked at him.

A slow, knowing smile spread across his lips.

Sri's stomach flipped.

And somehow, that was more terrifying than the project itself.

Sri didn't want things to be awkward between them, so she quickly continued.

"Yep. Even night hours if needed."

Arun stopped. "Night hours? I have six guys in my room."

"Oh-I meant... you could come over-"

Arun's face darkened. Sri froze, realizing her mistake.She had forgotten. Arjun and Arun were enemies.

Quickly, she recovered."Relax. Your sister is also with us. We'll figure it out if you're okay with it."

Arun sighed, nodding. "Fine. Let's just focus on the project."

The tension lingered.Tomorrow, the real challenge would begin.

(Time skips)

As the evening settled in, students poured out of their classrooms, eager to head home. Sri, as always, was the most excited. She swiftly grabbed her bag and rushed out, stepping into the corridor. Her eyes scanned the surroundings for Naina, but there was no sign of her. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone, about to call, when Naina finally emerged from the block, walking toward her.

"Naina, yaar! Why are you always the last one to come out? You're late every single time!" Sri complained, visibly annoyed.

"I'm not late, Sri. You're just too early," Naina countered, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Just as they were about to leave, Sri's gaze landed on Arjun approaching from his block. Instinctively, she grabbed Naina's wrist and pulled her back.

"Wait, Naina! Arjun is coming," she whispered urgently.

Naina turned to look but immediately averted her gaze-only to be taken aback by another sight.

"Sri, Arun is also coming this way!" she said, her voice laced with surprise.

Both girls found themselves glancing left and right, their heads moving in perfect synchronization as the two boys walked toward them from opposite directions.

Arjun and Arun soon spotted each other, their strides quickening as if in an unspoken race. The air grew thick with tension, making it seem as though they were competing for the same destination-Sri and Naina, who stood frozen in the middle, caught between them.

Both reached at the same time, their eyes locking in an intense glare.

"Come on, Sri and Naina. Let's go home," Arjun said, breaking the silence.

"Wait, Naina, I need to talk to you," Arun interjected, drawing everyone's attention.

"What happened, bhaiya?" Naina asked, looking at him curiously.

"I have great news! Mom and Dad are shifting here," he announced with excitement.

Naina's face lit up with pure joy. Letting out a delighted squeal, she jumped and hugged her brother.

"Wow, bhaiya! This is amazing! Now we can all live together again, just like old times," she said, clapping her hands. Deep inside, she also felt relieved-Arjun's presence had been growing awkward for her, and this change would give her some space.

Sri, too, was thrilled. The idea of her favorite uncle and aunt moving nearby made her happy, but at the same time, a pang of sadness crept in-Naina wouldn't be living with her anymore.

Arjun, on the other hand, felt disheartened. With Naina moving in with her family, his chances of strengthening their bond seemed to slip further away.

As they chatted, Naina's phone rang. It was her mother. She quickly answered and put the call on speaker, allowing everyone to join in-except Arjun, who stood a little apart, silently listening.

"Mom, I'm angry! Why didn't you tell me first?" Naina pouted playfully.

"Sorry, beta, I thought you'd be in class. But actually, I called to tell you something, and even Arun doesn't know this yet," her mother said, her voice carrying a hint of excitement.

"What is it?" Naina asked, exchanging a glance with Arun.

"We bought a house there," her father's voice chimed in.

"Really? That's amazing, uncle!" Sri exclaimed happily.

"Where exactly is the house, Dad?" Arun asked, intrigued.

"It's in the same street as Sri's house-right opposite to their place. It was on sale, so we bought it," his father revealed.

"What?!"

both Arjun and Arun shouted in unison, whipping their heads toward each other in shock.

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