She had caught glimpses of emotions flickering in his eyes—annoyance, frustration, confusion—but never like this. Never this raw.

And for the first time, she realized something.

He’s not unaffected by me.

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought.

For so long, she had been the one chasing, the one reaching for someone who never turned around. But now, standing in front of Aarav, watching his carefully built walls crack just a little, she felt something shift between them.

And she wasn’t going to let the moment slip away.

Tanya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, tilting her head. “Aarav.”

His jaw clenched. “What?”

She grinned. “You didn’t answer my question.”

He exhaled sharply, looking away. “Because it was a stupid question.”

“Is it?” She took a step closer, eyes glinting with mischief. “Then say it.”

His brows furrowed. “Say what?”

“That you’re not jealous.”

Aarav’s lips parted, but no words came out.

Tanya’s smile widened. “See? You can’t.”

He shook his head, muttering something under his breath. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re adorable when you’re flustered,” she teased, reaching out to poke his cheek lightly.

Aarav took a step back, glaring at her. “Don’t.”

Tanya laughed, the sound ringing through the crisp morning air.

He could act all cold and indifferent, but she had seen it. The way his ears turned slightly red, the way his fingers twitched as if resisting the urge to grab her wrist and stop her from leaving.

He felt something.

And that was enough for now.

For the rest of the day, Tanya made it her mission to push his buttons.

Not in an annoying way—more like in a Tanya Kapoor way.

Aarav sat in the library during their free period? She sat across from him, pretending to study while stealing glances.

Aarav walked down the hallway? She casually “ran into him” and flashed him the brightest smile.

During lunch, when she saw him sitting with his usual group of friends, she passed by and purposely dropped her pen near his feet.

“Oh, Aarav, can you get that for me?” she asked sweetly.

He narrowed his eyes. “You dropped it on purpose.”

Tanya gasped dramatically. “I did not!”

He bent down to pick it up anyway, placing it in her palm with a sigh.

She winked. “See? You’re so nice to me.”

Aarav looked like he was this close to losing his mind.

Jay, who was sitting nearby, smirked. “You know, Aarav, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was chasing you now.”

Aarav shot him a glare. “Shut up, Jay.”

Tanya bit back a laugh.

Jay just shrugged, leaning back. “Hey, I’m just saying. The way she looks at you—it’s different.”

Tanya turned to Aarav expectantly. “Did you hear that? Different.”

Aarav didn’t respond. He just stabbed his fork into his food a little too aggressively.

Tanya took that as a win.

Later that evening, as Tanya sat on the balcony of her home, her phone buzzed.

Aarav: Are you done acting weird today?

She grinned.

Tanya: Weird? I was just being my lovely self.

There was a long pause before his next message came in.

Aarav: You’re exhausting.

Tanya giggled, hugging her knees to her chest.

She was enjoying this. The slow, teasing game they were playing. The way he was beginning to notice her—not as the girl who chased Jay, but as someone who made his heart race.

And maybe, just maybe—

She could make him fall for her.

For real this time.