The rain had finally stopped.

  I woke up to golden morning light slipping through the cracks in the curtain. The air smelled faintly of soap and… something sweet?

  Ayesha had curled up into the blanket on the bed, hugging a pillow like it owed her money. Her hair was a mess of black silk across her face, and her breathing was soft and even.

  I sat up quietly, rubbing my eyes, trying not to make a sound.

  How did she fall asleep like that after such chaos yesterday?

  I watched her for a second longer than I probably should have.

  And then looked away — because, well... yeah.

  I stood, stretched, and walked to the kitchen to boil water for tea. She stirred a little, sat up like a confused cat, then blinked at me sleepily.

  "You’re awake already?" she mumbled.

  "Didn’t want to be late. We’ve already skipped college for two days."

  That woke her up fully.

  "Wait— college?!"

  She scrambled up like she had forgotten it even existed.

  I blinked.

  “…You go to college?”

  She tilted her head at me, brushing her hair back.

  "Of course. Same college, Computer Science department. Third year."

  I nearly dropped the kettle.

  "Wait... Same college, like my college.."

  We stared at each other.

  No way.

  No actual way.

  She blinked innocently. "Maybe we were in different sections?"

  I nodded slowly, processing it. "Maybe…"

  She stepped into the bathroom with a towel, still looking sleepy, while I just stood there thinking:

  She’s been going to the same college as me this entire time?

  How did I never notice her?

  No, forget that.

  How did everyone not notice her?

  We left the apartment twenty minutes later.

  The rain had left everything shining. Puddles reflected the blue sky, and the air had that crisp, clean smell that only came after a storm.

  We walked side by side, quietly.

  She didn’t say much, just looked around like the world was new.

  I kept stealing glances.

  She wasn’t holding my arm or anything.

  Wasn’t talking nonstop.

  Wasn’t making a scene.

  But still— it felt like she belonged beside me.

  Like people who didn’t know us would think we always walked like this.

  And apparently… people were noticing.

  The moment we entered campus, I felt it.

  Heads turned.

  Whispers rose.

  Eyes followed us.

  "Is that… Ayesha?"

  "I thought she was absent?"

  "Who's that guy with her?"

  "Wait—isn’t that just that average dude from our class?"

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  I felt heat crawl up my neck.

  Ayesha, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered.

  Her gaze stayed calm, straight ahead, like none of it mattered. Like none of them mattered.

  And for the first time, I wondered if she had always been like this.

  In class, we sat together.

  Not too close. Just… enough.

  The professor glanced at us, raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment.

  The lecture began. I tried to focus, I really did — but I could feel her beside me. The way her pen scratched neatly across the page. The way her hair slipped over her shoulder when she leaned in.

  I had no idea what the professor said that entire hour.

  Break came, and I stretched, turning around — only to find Zubair and Saad, two of my oldest friends, grinning like idiots.

  Zubair elbowed me.

  "You absolute legend."

  I blinked. "What?"

  Saad leaned in, eyeing Ayesha.

  "You and her?" He raised an eyebrow. "When were you going to tell us, bro?"

  "It’s not like that," I said quickly. "I just… offered her coffee one day. That’s all."

  Zubair smirked. "Oh, is that what they’re calling it now?"

  Saad slapped his thigh, laughing.

  "Come on, you live under a rock and suddenly you're bringing the most beautiful girl in college to class and sitting beside her? This isn’t coffee, bro. This is history."

  "Shut up," I muttered, ears burning.

  They winked and backed off, giving me that look.

  Ayesha tilted her head slightly, pretending not to hear.

  But she was definitely listening.

  A few minutes later, three girls walked over.

  I assumed they were her friends because Ayesha's entire vibe changed — just a tiny bit.

  Her posture shifted. Her tone warmed. But her eyes… stayed the same.

  "Two days absent and you're returning like this?" one of the girls said dramatically.

  "Girl, is he your boyfriend?" another teased.

  Ayesha smiled softly.

  " It's not like that... We’re just… living together temporarily."

  The girls howled.

  "Temporarily?"

  "You moved in with that average looking guy ?"

  "Are you for real?"

  Ayesha just shrugged, twirling a strand of her hair. “He made me coffee.”

  The girls screamed again.

  One of them pulled her aside, whispering something in her ear that made Ayesha’s lips curl slightly.

  I didn’t hear what was said.

  But whatever it was, she looked at me right after — and there was something new in her eyes.

  Possession.

  Then he came.

  Rizwan.

  The smartest guy in our department.

  Top scorer, front row sitter, king of correct answers.

  He walked up confidently, eyes flicking to Ayesha — and only her.

  "Ayesha," he said, smiling a little too politely.

  "I’m pairing up teams for the group project. Since you’re top of the class, I thought it made sense if we worked together."

  The girls giggled behind their hands.

  I saw it — the way he stood, the way his eyes scanned her face — like he already expected a yes.

  And I don’t know what came over me.

  Before Ayesha could even open her mouth, I leaned in slightly, resting my arm lazily on the desk between us.

  "She’s already working with me," I said.

  Rizwan paused.

  "What?"

  I shrugged.

  "I asked her last night. She agreed. Guess you’ll have to find someone else."

  Ayesha didn’t say a word.

  Just… watched me.

  Rizwan frowned.

  "But this is an important assignment—"

  "Yeah," I interrupted. "Wouldn’t want to mess it up by mixing signals."

  His mouth opened slightly.

  Then closed.

  Then, finally, he walked off.

  The moment he left, I slumped back in my chair.

  Ayesha turned her head.

  "That was…" she said slowly.

  I avoided her eyes. "Sorry. I didn’t mean to—"

  "—hot," she finished.

  I froze.

  She smiled.

  One of those slow, secret smiles like she was keeping something only she understood.

  And for the rest of the day, she sat just a little closer than before.

  --------------------------

  By the time we got home, the sky was that soft, lazy orange you only see when the clouds are still wet and the sun’s in a good mood.

  The silence between us wasn’t awkward.

  It was… full.

  Like the day had said more than we needed to.

  Ayesha stepped out of her shoes at the door and disappeared into the kitchen, humming under her breath. Some old tune. I think I’d heard it once as a kid.

  I dropped my bag, flopped onto the couch, and let out a sigh I didn’t know I’d been holding.

  College was exhausting today — not because of the lectures.

  Because of her.

  Because of the way people looked.

  Because of the whispers.

  Because of the moment I stepped up to Rizwan like I cared.

  Why did I do that?

  I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of it — when I heard her call.

  "Haider?"

  I looked over.

  She was standing in the doorway to the kitchen, wearing one of the outfits she bought during her shopping spree. A soft blue top, fitted just enough to make me look away, and a long skirt that moved when she walked.

  "Want tea?"

  I nodded, swallowing. "Yeah. Thanks."

  She turned and went back in.

  Ten minutes later, she returned with two mugs. She placed one in front of me, then curled up on the other end of the couch, her knees pulled to her chest, sipping her own quietly.

  For a few minutes, we just… existed like that.

  Together. Apart. Warm.

  Then she spoke, her voice a whisper:

  "I liked today."

  I looked at her. "Why?"

  She stared into her cup.

  "Because… I got to walk beside you."

  I didn’t know what to say to that.

  So I said nothing.

  And she didn’t ask for anything more.

  Later, while I was washing the mugs, she came into the kitchen and leaned against the counter, watching me with that unreadable look.

  "You were angry today."

  I kept my eyes on the sink. "No, I wasn’t."

  "You were."

  "A little," I admitted.

  She tilted her head. "Why?"

  I didn’t answer.

  She stepped closer, the air warming between us.

  "Because he looked at me?" she asked, eyes soft.

  I turned off the tap.

  "Because he assumed he had a right to."

  A moment passed.

  She smiled again — slow, dangerous, beautiful.

  That same smile she gave me after I rejected Rizwan for her.

  "Good."

  I turned away, grabbing a towel to dry my hands.

  "I don’t want to talk about this."

  She stepped back, not pushing.

  That was the strange thing about Ayesha.

  She didn’t need to cling to make me feel her presence.

  She was presence.

  Even when silent. Especially when silent.

  Night settled in.

  She went to shower, and I cleaned up a bit — folding the blanket, fixing the cushions, checking my messages.

  When she came out, towel drying her hair, her face was flushed from the warm water.

  She looked at me, paused, then walked over and sat beside me, close enough to feel the heat off her skin.

  "You’re still quiet," she said softly.

  "I’m tired."

  She nodded, laying her head on my shoulder like it belonged there.

  "I’m here."

  "I know."

  The room went quiet again. The only sound was the soft whir of the fan and her breathing, steady against me.