I squinted my eyes. The sun's golden rays dripping into the room left me blinded. "What time is it?" I groaned to myself as I rolled around on my bed, trying to locate my phone.

The last few weeks have been hell for me. All I was focused on was my finals, and excessive mock tests by our teachers didn't let me live in peace either. Though I did perform very well in my mocks, I was pretty damn sure that I'd do pretty well in the finals.

08:32: My phone screen illuminated, and I squeezed my eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden lighting.

Subsequently, I sat up on my bed before falling back on the pillow again. "Oh, I'm late for the exam." I breathe out.

"Shit!" I jolted up the moment my bed hair crashed over my face with a slight sting as I proceeded to stare at my phone in horror.

I was late for my exam. My last exam! THAT TOO MATHEMATICS?????

I was finally settling on my math teacher's good side, or at least I think I was. I performed well in his mock tests, and he said that has a lot of expectations of me as my brother was exceptionally good in mathematics too. And I don't want him to think that I wasn't trying.

And I tried, okay? I studied till 3 in the morning yesterday, but here I go.

I rushed to the bathroom, where I got ready, and an idea popped up in my mind again. Hence, I ran into my room again, grabbed my phone, dialled Abhinav's number, and put it on speaker before rushing back to my wardrobe and bringing out the necessities. After a few rings, the call was picked up. I heard him pick up the call.

"Abhinav, please, please, please, please, pleaseeeeeeee do me a favour!"

I said out loud while brushing my hair, phone parentlessly lying on my bed,

"Man! I'm so late. Please pick me up from the hostel in 5 minutes. I know you're already on campus. I swear, if math doesn't go well, I will jump off the cliff or go nuts." 

I clutch my water bottle, thrusting it into my schoolbag, and my gaze simply follows the wall clock. 08:46

We were supposed to appear thirty minutes before the exams began, and I was already fifteen minutes late! That too on math?

I breathed heavily and rushed down the stairs, skipping breakfast because we didn't have time for that, did we? Nervousness crept over me, and yes, all the bad thoughts rushed into my mind, like negatively had some serious infatuation with me.

ok butter paneer or palak panner? no no no this is not the time for this, Anika!

So, shining in the setting sun like a pearl upon the ocean, come and feel me—noooo!!

I cried internally. Why do I have to think lame things at serious moments like these?

I slapped my head and rubbed my eyes, trying to recall the formulas. However, my eyes fell on the person coming towards me. I squint my eyes and blink rapidly to clear my vision. 

Probably Veer, I thought. But why is he wearing a black blazer? Didn't we have a navy blue blazer? He absentmindedly ruffled his hair, and suddenly, his face popped into clear view, causing my eyes to widen like saucers.

Panicking, I fished out my phone to check the recent calls, and I mentally slapped myself. 

Ain't no way I dialled Advik's number instead of Veer's. 

How did I manage to save Abhinav's number as Veer!? Oh, Anika, you weren't half-asleep during that call, were you? The struggle of navigating through phone contacts suddenly felt like a comedy of errors, and I couldn't help but shake my head at my own blunder.

"Shall we?" I looked up at Advik, a hint of guilt creeping in for interrupting whatever he was engaged in. But at that moment, urgency outweighed everything; I needed to get to school as quickly as possible.

"Sorry, I thought I dialled Abhinav," I apologised while settling onto his bike. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and he didn't offer me one either. Running his fingers through his hair, he adjusted the collar of his white shirt before revving up the engine.

"When does your exam start?" he asked, completely brushing off my apology.

"9," I replied briefly, and he glanced back at me. "Do you trust me?" his voice echoed, drawing my attention. Do I trust him? "what?" I peeked at him, meeting his gaze, and Advik heaved heavily before parting his lips, "Where are your hands?" 

huh? 

"Quick, quick. We don't want you going nuts after mathematics, do we?" He taunted, and a rush of heat surged to my cheeks. God, what else did I even say during the call? I have this habit of blabbering nonsense whenever I'm panicked, so I couldn't help it. Even if I had known I had called Advik instead of Abhinav, I'm pretty sure I would've said something equally nonsensical.

izzat ki ma been ho gyi.

"Here," I said, extending my hands on either side of his waist, showing him my palms. 

"Great!" he grabbed both of my hands, yanking me towards him with a sudden jerk, catching me off guard. My chest collided with his back, and before I could react, he encircled my hands around his waist, leaving my eyes wide with surprise.

"Grab on tight! no helmet today," he urged and nervousness crept in me, "Advik no–" Before I could warn him, the crisp breeze embraced my face as Advik leaned on his bike, gripping the gear before accelerating onto the road. 

His strong perfume infiltrated my senses due to our close proximity, and a wave of heat raced through my neck, causing my entire body to tense up. 

My hold around his waist involuntarily tightened with the speed of his bike. Despite the chilly weather, I could almost feel the comforting warmth radiating from his body. A strange sensation fluttered in my stomach, and I shook my head, trying to ignore the swirling thoughts. Ugh, I hate this feeling!

Discomfort, nervousness, anxiety, panic, and hundreds of other mixed feelings welled up inside me with each passing second. I couldn't afford to be late, and today, my academic concerns weighed on me more than anything. Although I knew I would be permitted to enter the exam hall even if I were two hours late. But, there was something else that I feared.

The fear of failure.

I release my grip from around Advik's waist, attempting to sneak a peek at my wristwatch. However, he catches my hand before I can check the time and guides it back to its original position.

In the blink of an eye, the bike came to a stop, and I promptly hopped off as soon as my school appeared on the horizon. My hands still trembled with nervous energy as I took a few more steps. However, my steps halted when a voice called behind me.

"Anika!"

I looked back at Advik and cursed myself mentally for not thanking him. So ungrateful of you, Anika!

I jogged back to him, "Thank you so so so much and I am sorry!" I said sincerely. 

"Here you go..." He retrieved something from his pocket and handed it to me—a packet of cookies. My heart warmed, and I glanced up, meeting his gaze.

"All the best and go!" he cheered, playfully shooing me away. Turning around, I jogged back to campus, tucking the packet of cookies into my blazer's pocket, a small smile gracing my lips.

"Where the fuck this girl vanished?!" I whisper-yelled in frustration, eyes fixed on my phone screen, dialling Savi's number again and again

Here I am, supposedly "celebrating" the after-exam party with my so-called "friends," and the vibe is nowhere close to celebratory. Our finals ended today, marking the official goodbye as most of our classmates would be switching schools. Hence, I was dragged to this resort club for a supposed final goodbye.

How did we end up here, you ask? because Raghav's uncle had some connection with the owners of this club and he allowed us to party here since it's a private club.

My eyes roamed, taking in the luxury of this place. It screamed expensive. it was divided into seven chambers and each of them had four rooms, a big hall, a bar side and a dance floor. It was like seven individual clubs seamlessly merged into one, each block reserved for a different group.

I stared at my classmates dancing on the dance floor like maniacs while music blasted. The pink-blue light illuminated the club with loud music, and the scent of alcohol mixed in the air causing me nothing but suffocation.

What caught me off guard was that they weren't just dancing but they were indulging in alcohol and vapes. The discomfort settled deep in my gut as I sat on the sofa awkwardly, a little distance away from the dance floor and the bar.

I fumbled with my phone, attempting to call Savi to tell her about my departure, only to find her phone switched off.

Yes, Savi and Raghav were changing schools too, so I wanted to meet them for the last time before leaving. I thought we would enjoy ourselves in the club, and that was another reason for me agreeing to the party but they became more engaged in other things as soon as we entered the club.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed Raghav on the dance floor, and I dialled his number looking at him. I observed his moves.

His dancing paused as he fished out his phone, glancing at it and scanning the surroundings. What happened next left me blue—he powered off his phone and resumed dancing.

Really? Friends?

I looked down at my feet in disappointment.

"Ay, shorty, wassup?" The voice interrupted my thoughts, and I gazed up at the person before me, utterly bewildered.

"You said you wouldn't come," I blurted out, directing the question at the guy standing in front of me—the one who claimed to be 'not interested' or, let's say, 'too innocent for partying and stuff' when Raghav first brought up the club plan. So, what brought him here now?

When Raghav pitched the club idea, this guy was the first to decline. So, why the sudden change of heart?

"Couldn't let you enjoy alone." Veer, the self-proclaimed innocent party-pooper, lashed his boxy grin and I couldn't help but chuckle. I retaliated, "Too bad, I was about to leave."

"Then it is awful," he shrugged, gesturing towards the dance floor. I shifted my gaze to where he pointed and then back at him. He shook his head, leaving me bewildered.

"Are you drunk?" I asked.

"no, I was checking if you're drunk." His deadpan response cracked me up,

I shot him a glare, and he chuckled again, "What if I were drunk?" he teased.

I arched an eyebrow, smirking as I took a step closer. His eyes widened, and he hesitated, stepping back. "Anika..."

"I totally would," I declared, taking another step, as he gulped nervously, his expression turning from playful to slightly horrified

With a pressed-lip expression, I fought back a smile while watching his horrified face.

"Whatcha guys doing?" Savi's words crashed into our little confrontation, and I quickly stepped back, suppressing a grin.

"Ye meri maasumiyat ka najayaz faida utha rhi hai!!" Veer pointed at me and I chuckled.
(She is taking advantage of my innocence.)

Savi looked at me in confusion, and I shrugged my shoulders.

"tujhe koi andha bhi na chede"
(not even a blind person will tease you.)

I laughed at Savi's exclaim and Veer rolled his eyes in response. Suddenly Raghav appeared out of nowhere, and it was my turn to roll my eyes at him and he noticed, "What with that look?"

I pointed at his phone and he looked at me as the realisation settled in, "I was about to answer but the music was loud-"

"I saw that, Raghav. Don't even get me started." I cut him off. I'm not here to entertain him.

Raghav shook his head, taking out a black cylindrical bottle and, with an air of defiance, bringing it to his mouth, inhaling. Savi, clearly disapproving, smacked his shoulders, exclaiming, "Stop vaping!"

Vape? I shot him a bewildered look and scrunched my nose. Was he out of his mind?

Suddenly, my phone buzzed, and my eyes widened at the notification.

Advik: Are you home?
                         ₀₇:₄₉ ₚ.ₘ

Shit! Shit! Shit! I cursed silently, realising how late I was. You are doomed, Anika!

Me: Yes! :D

I hurried back to the sofa where I was seated earlier, snatched my handbag, and muttered nonsense to myself. I needed to leave early; otherwise, the security guard would become my mortal enemy.

You know, the hostel curfew drama. We minors had to be inside by 8 p.m., or else they'd lock us out. And guess what? I'm still a minor. The struggles of underage rebellion, folks!

"Guys, I'm leaving!" I exclaimed, hastening my steps towards the exit of the chamber and descending the stairs.

"Yo, wait!" I heard Raghav yell from behind. Oh, shoot, I forgot to say goodbye.

Pausing at the main reception area, I turned back to face them. "Forgive me if I ever hurt your feelings in any possible way," Savi said, and I shook my head, pulling her into a hug. "I will miss you, hm?" I added, and she nodded before we separated.

"Me tooooooo~," Raghav sang, extending his hand for a hug. I scrunched my nose, and he realized he still had that vape in his hand. "Come on," he insisted, but I shook my head.

"GUYS, GROUP PHOTO!!" Veer cheered, reaching for the pockets of his hoodie. His eyes widened as he searched and then checked his jeans pockets. We looked at him in confusion. "I think I left my phone at home."

"What the heck, man?" Raghav smacked his head lightly, making Savi and me laugh. "Take mine," I offered, passing him my phone since he is the tallest among us.

I stood between Raghav and Savi and Veer raised his hand higher, "Say vadapaw!"

"Cheese!" Savi said,

"Say vape!" we passed the bombastic side eye to Raghav

"What? It's good! Take a shot too," he said placing the vape in front of me and I pushed his hand, "Oh! Come on, Anika, you're missing the fun!"

Am I? They look cool while doing that. am I not cool if I don't vape or drink like others?

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Raghav persisted, thrusting the vape into my hand. My eyes widened, and my heart raced in my chest.

A group of seniors strolled past us, shooting glances our way. "Kids these days," one of them remarked. The vape's scent made my head heavy. I can't do it.

"Anika," Veer's voice came from my right, his expression cold. I furrowed my brows at him, and he shook his head, totally telling me to deny the vape I had in my hands, earning a 'Please, do something' look from me.

"Anika," Raghav echoed, raising his eyebrows. "What?"

"You called me?" I stared at him. "I didn't."

"Anika."

My breath caught, and my eyes widened.

I know this voice.