At this point, I should’ve known better.

Because for the third day in a row, I found myself sitting across from Mehul at lunch.

Not following him. (Obviously.)
Not making it a habit. (Maybe.)
Just… existing. At the same time. In the same place.

Mehul didn’t even blink as I sat down.

I grinned. “You know, if you just admitted you enjoy my company, I wouldn’t judge you.”

Mehul took a sip of his coffee. “That’s never happening.”

I gasped dramatically. “You wound me.”

Nothing. No reaction.

But he didn’t tell me to leave, either.

That had to count for something.

I barely had two minutes of peace before a chair scraped loudly next to me.

“Look at them,” Arjun sighed, dropping into the seat beside me. “A picture of routine.”

Riya sat across from him, smiling sweetly. “Some would even say… a habit.”

I groaned. “Why are you two like this?”

Mehul, as expected, didn’t react.

Arjun leaned in, smirking. “You know, statistically, when you sit with the same person every day, it means—”

“It means the cafeteria has limited seating,” I interrupted.

Riya snorted. “Oh, really? Because I see plenty of empty seats right now.”

I pointed my spoon at her. “Let me eat in peace.”

Arjun nudged Mehul. “Blink twice if Vihaan’s annoying you.”

Mehul didn’t blink.

Arjun gasped. “Oh my god.”

Riya grinned. “He’s immune to Vihaan’s nonsense?”

I rolled my eyes. “Or maybe—just maybe—he secretly enjoys my company.”

Mehul looked up, expression unreadable.

Then, in the flattest voice possible, he said, “That’s never happening.”

Arjun howled with laughter.

Riya beamed. “I like him.”

I sighed, dragging a hand down my face.

And yet—despite everything—I caught it again.

That tiny, barely noticeable pause before Mehul spoke.

Not a sigh. Not amusement.

Just something.

And somehow, that tiny moment was enough to completely ruin my day.

Because now, I wanted more of them.

I was so gone.