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ANYA

“Ma, I swear to God, I’ve been eating enough.” I sigh, rolling my eyes as I hold the phone to my ear. It’s been six months since I moved away, and they still worry about me so much. Although I’m very grateful to have such loving parents, it can get annoying sometimes.

“You don’t have to worry about her eating habits at all, Ma,” my brother shouts from the living room. “You know she’s a foodie,” he adds and I can almost see him scowl.

I scoff. “I’m fine. I swear, Ma. Papa, why are you silent? Please help me out here,” I plead, looking at his familiar amused smile.

He chuckles through the screen. “Have I ever won against her? Call your brother; he’s the only one she listens to,” Papa says coolly. I sigh.

“Ma, I’m really late. I’ll call you back tonight, okay?” I say gently. She nods and I can see the sadness on her face, but before I start to feel guilty, I end the call .

It’s my fault. I’ve been idling throughout winter break, so I woke up late. God knows why I thought it’d be a good idea to wash my hair because it takes me forever to dry it so I can look like a decent human being.

I wasted my winter break sleeping and binge-watching crime thrillers. Well, besides my internship, which only involved making coffee and picking up people’s trash here and there. Oh, and on New Year’s, I socialized—just for the day.

The first semester was hectic, and I’m still adjusting to this atmosphere. Having Arnav here is such a blessing. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but he isn’t as annoying as I thought he would be and it is a little too helpful, which is so out of character for him. I also have Siya with me; she makes university life so much more bearable.

“Stop daydreaming and get ready!” Arnav yells, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I’ll drop you off. You’re already late,” he says and I nod even though he can't see me. I jump into action immediately.

“Do you need help?” Siya appears in the doorway of my room, her head tilted as she takes in the mess I’ve created while getting ready.

“Yes, please,” I whine, grateful for her timing. She chuckles, taking the blow dryer from my hand. Long hair problems . It takes me forever to dry it, so I’m grateful that she’s helping. I quickly change into my college attire, pairing a long-sleeved black sweater with light-wash jeans. I add a black puffer jacket and a black scarf to wrap snugly around my neck.

It’s not my fault. Being from India, I grew up in a warm climate, and now I’m excited to face snow. I mean, yes, Delhi gets very cold, too. But it never snows there, so to say the cold is killing me here would be an understatement. But despite the freezing temperatures, I won’t lie, I love every moment of it.

“Arnav is waiting for us in the car,” Siya says. “Give me a moment. I’ll go grab my bag.” She adds and runs off to her room. “Are you excited?” Siya asks as we head to the elevator a few minutes later.

I scoff. “I mean, it’s alright. It’s just a new semester. I’m sure by the end of this one, I’ll be a crying mess.” I push away the memories of endless all-nighters, caffeine-fueled breakdowns, and the crushing weight of deadlines from last semester. She laughs softly.

“What about you?” I ask.

“I’m nervous.” She fiddles with her fingers.

“I’m just a call away. Always remember that,” I say gently, taking her hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. She gives me a grateful smile. I love this woman so much. After all she’s been through, to come this far is just so brave. I smile back, adoring my best friend. The pressure of making connections with people who seem to glide through life so effortlessly, always scares her.

The elevator pings and we jog towards the car. Arnav looks pissed, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel. He has been grumpy for as long as I can remember. Ugh, now he’s going to chew my ear off. I can hear my mother’s voice saying, “ He already doesn’t speak much, Anya.” I take a seat in the passenger side while Siya sits in the back.

“Oh, so you’re finally done?” he taunts as he starts the engine. I roll my eyes. Typical Arnav.

“I apologize, brother, for the inconvenience I’ve caused. But no one asked for your generous offer. We could have managed our way to university.” I flash him a fake smile.

Arnav rolls his eyes at my comment. “We both know you have the navigational skills of a drunken goldfish. You’d be lost within minutes,” he retorts grumpily.

“I had Siya with me. We could have managed. And I’ve been going on my own for the last six months. Just admit it, bro, you care about me.” I narrow my eyes at him.

“That’s—” Arnav begins, but Siya interrupts us before he can snap out a snarky remark.

“I am very nervous, guys. Can you two please be civil for once in your lives?” she pleads.

Arnav huffs at Siya’s words, but the tension softens. The car grows silent for a moment. I notice him observing Siya through the rearview mirror.

“Siya, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” He tries to reassure her. He is a man of few words and you will hardly ever notice him making a conversation. It’s not because he is an introvert, it’s because he doesn’t like people, which I think applies to me, too, in some ways. I just don’t show it openly, and I am definitely not grumpy. But one thing I know is that he treats Siya like his own sister. He cares for her as much as he does for me, and he will definitely throw punches if someone ever makes her cry. So will I. “You are amazing, Siya. Remember last sem? You handled it like a pro. Everything will be fine,” he adds.

“For once in his life, he is right. Siya, you’re bomb, baby. Take a deep breath and rock the world.” I smile.

Arnav pulls up in the parking lot and says, “Here, I bought you guys coffee.” He pulls two coffee cups from the cup holders, handing them to us.

“Thank you.” Both Siya and I speak simultaneously. We get out of the car. I link my arm with hers and wave to Arnav.

As we walk towards the main building, I glance around, taking in the familiar surroundings. The campus looks the same as ever, filled with crowds of students rushing to their classes, athletes jogging and exercising, and couples walking hand-in-hand.

I take a sip of my iced coffee. “I’ll never understand why you drink cold coffee in winter,” Siya says, shaking her head.

I chuckle. “Hey, it’s my guilty pleasure. Besides, it’s the perfect combination of bitter and sugary,” I reply. “My day feels incomplete if I don’t have cold coffee in the mornings. It makes me grumpy.”

I see a tall guy jogging towards me. His pace is fast and he looks lost in his world. Before I can get out of his way, he collides with me and the coffee cup slips out of my hand, spilling the chilled beverage on both of us.

Siya gasps. “Oh God. Are you alright, Anya?” she asks, reaching out for me, concern flashing in her brown eyes.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going.” I huff, annoyance creeping down my spine.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking at—” He pauses, gaze traveling slowly up my face. When his eyes finally meet mine, a flash of surprise crosses his expression as if he’s only just become aware of our surroundings. He towers over me, broad shoulders casting a long shadow. Angular, sharp features define his face with a tousled mess of chestnut brown hair that falls over his forehead. His piercing emerald-green eyes are intense and vibrant while a strong jawline and a hint of stubble lend him a rugged, untamed air.

I catch myself staring and feel a wave of embarrassment for getting distracted. “Seriously, watch where you’re jogging next time,” I say, trying to keep my composure despite the coffee dripping down my front.

Amusement flickers in his gaze. “I apologize,” he repeats.

“Well, your apologies are not accepted because I am going to have to spend my entire day drenched in cold coffee. And if I catch a cold, I will—” I fumble, my nose flaring in anger. It doesn’t help that this guy is dangerously handsome .

“You will what?” He chuckles, the sound making my cheeks flush. A small smile forms on his face.

My frustration rises more, realizing that he finds this situation entertaining. “I will…” I poke his rock-hard chest. “I don’t have to tell you what I will do. You just pray to God that I don’t fall sick because of you.” I fold my arms across my chest, shooting him a scathing glare.

A low laugh rumbles through him as he looks at me. The cocky bastard is enjoying my anger, which just fuels it.

I continue, trying to look as intimidating as possible despite my five-foot-six stature. “You are paying my dry cleaning bill, I don’t care.”

“Okay, okay. I promise to pay for your dry cleaning. No need to get all riled up.” A smirk touches his lips.

“Come on. We are late,” Siya says slowly. My eyes widen as I remember I have a lecture to attend. “Oh shit!” I curse and glare at him. “Now, I am late for class, too. All thanks to you.” I cough, and without giving him an opportunity to speak, we rush away. I push him slightly out of my way intentionally. I don’t usually hold grudges, but I do now. I turn around to glance at him once more, only to find him looking at me. I hold up my middle finger, and he laughs again.

What a great start to the semester!

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