Tanya adjusted the strap of her dress and took a deep breath before stepping inside. She had spent extra time getting ready tonight—subtle waves in her hair, a soft shimmer on her skin, and a dress that hugged her just right. She wanted to stand out. She wanted Jay to notice her.

And he did.

From across the room, Jay’s eyes flickered to her, his gaze lingering a second longer than usual. Her heart skipped a beat. This was it.

“Tanya, right?” His voice was smooth, confident, exactly how she had imagined.

She smiled. “Yeah.”

“You look good tonight.”

Tanya felt warmth bloom in her chest. “Thanks.”

“Wanna dance?”

The words she had been waiting for. She nodded, and in the next moment, Jay led her to the dance floor, his hand resting casually on her waist. The music slowed, the lights dimmed, and for the first time, Tanya felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

But from across the room, Aarav Mehta saw everything.

The way Jay’s hand lingered on Tanya’s waist, the way she smiled up at him, the way she leaned in just slightly when Jay whispered something in her ear.

And for the first time, something inside him twisted painfully.

“You okay?” Daksh Patel asked, nudging him.

Aarav let out a dry laugh—one that didn’t sound like him at all. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

But even he didn’t believe his own words.

The air inside suddenly felt suffocating. He turned on his heel, pushing past groups of people until the cool night air hit his skin. He should leave. Go home. Forget everything.

“You look like you just lost a war,” a voice came from behind him.

Aarav turned. Esha Jain stood near the entrance, arms crossed, amusement dancing in her eyes.

He sighed. “Didn’t know you were watching.”

“I wasn’t,” she smirked. “But your face is kinda hard to miss.”

Aarav shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

Esha raised an eyebrow. “Yeah? ‘Cause it looks like you just watched the girl you love dance with someone else.”

Aarav’s eyes flickered to her, surprised. “You knew?”

Esha scoffed. “Aarav, please. I think the whole universe knew.”

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “Great.”

Esha leaned against the wall. “So, what now? You gonna keep watching from the sidelines, or are you finally gonna move on?”

Aarav didn’t answer.

Because, for the first time, he wasn’t sure what to do.

Meanwhile, inside the party, Tanya was lost in the moment. Jay was charming, effortlessly so. Every smile, every glance, every touch—she felt like she was in a dream.

But then, just for a second, her eyes flickered toward the entrance.

And she saw Aarav walking away.

Her smile faltered.

She wasn’t sure why.

But something about it didn’t feel right.