(Ishan’s POV)

Walking the path I’ve taken for eighteen years,

it has never felt this uneasy.

Heavy. Uneasy. Confused.

Maybe because today, it didn’t begin at home.

It began somewhere else.

A strange room. A strange bed.

And… a strange embrace.

And that too ...of a man.

A man.

I never thought I’d wake up like this.

I don’t even know how I’m supposed to feel about it.

I never had anything against it,

never questioned it either…

but I was certain it wasn’t me.

At least, I was...until last night.

It was a mistake.

It had to be.

I was drunk. He was drunk.

That’s all it was.

Right?

maybe...

But that doesn’t change anything.The night still lingers.In the warmth of his arms,

in the way my body hasn’t quite forgotten...

and in how my heart felt…

strangely

closer. safer. real.

than it ever should have.

Even now!Even this morning!

And that’s what unsettles me the most.

Maybe…

Maybe I’m not-

My phone starts ringing.

Sharp. Sudden. loud.

Too loud in the middle of everything.

I flinch, the thought slipping away before I can finish it.

The screen lights up in my hand.

I already know who it is.

Of course it’s her.

I let it ring

once. twice. thrice.

Then I pick it up with a quiet exhale.

“Where are you?I've been calling since last night, ishu!”

No hello. No pause.

I close my eyes for a second, pressing my fingers against my temple.

“I slept over at a friend’s place,” I say, the words coming out too easily.

Too practiced. Too quick.

A pause on the other end.

“Are you sure you don’t have a girlfriend, Ishu? Because if you do, your papa and I would be very happy to meet-”

“Please, not again, Ma,” I cut in quickly. “I’m already late for college. I’ll come home tonight. Bye.”

I don’t wait for her to finish.

I don’t give her the chance.

The call ends, and for a second, everything goes quiet again.

Too quiet.

I stare at the screen for a moment longer before lowering my hand.

A girlfriend.

The thought lingers, uncomfortable.

I've had girlfriends..

cute ones. hot ones. smart ones.

Some would say I had a type.

I’d say I had options.

And I’d agree, of course.

Why wouldn’t I?

Except,

None of them were really mine.

They were introductions.

Arrangements.

Carefully planned meetings set up by my father,

His friends’ daughters,

names I was supposed to remember,

smiles I was supposed to return.

Dates that felt more like obligations

than anything real.

What messes with my head the most is…

how last night..with him..

didn’t feel like anything I’ve known before.

Softer.

Warmer.

Real.

Nothing like those arranged smiles,

those conversations I had to sit through.

This wasn’t something I was told to be part of.

And maybe that’s what’s throwing me off-

because for once,

maybe..just maybe,

"I'm one of them" I muttered..

"one of who?"a voice interrupts

I freeze.

That voice-

It doesn’t belong in my head.

Slowly, I turn.

And for a second, everything feels… misplaced.

Until I see him properly.

Rehan. My best friend since childhood.

Some even joke and call us 'childhood sweethearts.'

He’s standing there like nothing is wrong, looking at me like I’ve just overthought the entire universe again.

He raises a brow slightly.

“Hello? One of who?”

I blink.

once. twice. thrice.

"I'm right here sweetheart!" he flicks my forehead as he announced.

"ouch-stop doing that man!"i winced to which he just giggled?

No matter how annoying Rehan gets…

his presence has a way of pulling me out of my own head.

Even if only for a moment..

"where were you last night by the way?" Rehan asks with a grin as he puts his hand aroundd my shoulder which i just shrugged off.

"at home-"

"don't lie man!" he retaliates."aunty has been calling me since last night asking about your ass"

Of course she did.

Brown parents always have this belief that their precious child will end up kidnapped, killed, or robbed all at once if they don’t pick up a call for more than half an hour.

"stayed over at a friend’s" i answered.

"a girl?" he smirked instantly.

I glare at him.

I’m convinced he’s a spy hired by my mother.

His eyes widened in a serious expression

"then who? A man?"

My breath hitched at his question. Just for a second. but enough to catch his attention.

“What? No,” I say, a little too fast. “Don’t be ridiculous.”To which he just laughed.

"calm down dude! I was just playing"he said as he hugged my shoulder again,slinging across it, pressing all his weight on my left shoulder.

"comeon let's go! we're already late sweetheart"He adds playfully.

The college gates come into view a few minutes later.

Familiar.Crowded as always.

Students rushing in, some laughing, some half-asleep, some already complaining about assignments they haven’t even started.

Normal. Everything looks normal.

I step inside with Rehan still talking beside me, his voice blending into the noise around us.

But something feels… off.

Like I don’t quite belong in this moment.

Like part of me is still stuck somewhere else.

A strange room. A strange bed. A memory.

that won’t come back properly.

I exhale slowly, trying to shake it off..except it doesn't leave.

"sweetheart, you're zoning out again.."rehan nudges me. "don't call me that" i muttered.He grins like that was exactly the reaction he wanted. stupid.

We push open the classroom door a second later.

The room is already half full.

Students scattered across benches,some whispering, some glued to their phones, some pretending to care about whatever notes are open in front of them.

Familiar. Routine. Safe.

"Why do I feel like you're wearing the same shirt from yesterday?" Rehan asked with a frown on his forehead, where one of his curls rest perfectly.

My fingers tighten slightly around the edge of the desk.

Of course he noticed. He always does.

“I just forgot to change it,” I said quickly, tugging at the sleeve of the hoodie.

Rehan hummed, leaning his chin against his palm as he looked at me with obvious amusement.

“Sure you did.”

“I did.”

“Right.” His lips twitched. “So whose place were you at?”

I frowned. “What?”

He just laughed. fuck .fuck. fuck.

For a second I thought he knew.

Rehan leaned back in his chair with a grin. “What? You disappear for one night and come back wearing yesterday’s clothes. I’m just saying it sounds suspicious.”

The tightness in my chest loosened slightly.

Right.

He was joking.

Of course he was.

Still, something about his expression felt... off.

Like the smile reached his mouth but not fully his eyes.

“Or,” he continued casually, spinning a pen between his fingers, “should I be offended you didn’t introduce me to her?”

“There is no her.”

"Interesting response."

“Oh my god.”

He laughed again, softer this time.

And then the hallway exploded into noise.

People crowding near the railing.

Girls fixing their hair for absolutely no reason.

Guys pretending not to care while very obviously caring.

"The new professor’s here"

"No, idiot, that’s not him'

"I'm telling you, he’s hot"

I didn't pay much attention to it until I saw a familiar face outside the little window of our homeroom...this is bad!-

My stomach twisted violently as the man from last night stepped into view properly, walking beside one of the senior professors like he belonged here.

The room around me suddenly felt too loud.

Too small.

My fingers slipped from the edge of the desk.

Beside me, Rehan frowned immediately. “Ishaan?”

But I couldn’t answer.

Because the stranger turned his head slightly

And looked directly at me.

Like he recognized me too.

"hey-"