The moment Zoya walked into class that morning, she could feel it.

The energy had shifted.

She looked around. Some girls stared. A few whispered. One even giggled and looked away.

Zoya frowned. She quietly sat down, unpacking her notebook.

From the back row, Jiya’s voice sliced through the air like glass.

> “Someone got a drop in a boy’s car yesterday.”

Zoya stiffened.

She didn’t turn. Didn’t say a word.

Jiya continued, fake-innocent.

> “Rain, right? Such a classic scene. Must’ve been so romantic.”

“Zoya, you should totally write a story about it. Call it Pity Pickup,” she added with a laugh.

The class laughed with her.

But Zoya stayed still.

Aarfa wasn’t here.

Akif wasn’t here.

And her heart was thudding in her chest.

---

During break, she sat alone under the banyan tree near the library.

Ayaan walked by with his headphones, spotted her, and doubled back.

> “Yo. You okay?”

She nodded.

> “You sure? Because Jiya’s being Jiya.”

Zoya sighed. “I don’t know what I did to her.”

Ayaan sat down beside her. “You existed. You breathed. You got Akif to smile. That’s enough to make her burn.”

Zoya blinked. “Why would that matter?”

Ayaan chuckled. “Because she’s had a crush on him since forever.”

Zoya looked down.

> Of course.

Of course this had to get messy.

---

Meanwhile, Jiya was in the canteen with her girls, smirking like she owned the world.

> “She acts all quiet, but she’s clever. First Aarfa’s circle, now Akif? What next? She’ll steal my seat?”

Her friend nudged her.

> “But Akif doesn’t even talk to anyone. He talked to her.”

Jiya’s smile faded for a second.

Only for a second.

Then it returned — sharper, colder.

> “Watch me, girls. I’ll show her who this campus really belongs to.”

---

But what she didn’t know…

was that Akif had heard everything from a distance.

And the next time he saw Zoya?

He didn’t smile.

He didn’t tease.

He just walked up to her, looked her in the eyes and said:

> “Ignore her. She doesn’t deserve your thoughts.”

Zoya looked at him — tired, confused, but still holding it in.

> “I’m not used to t

his attention,” she said softly.

Akif’s voice lowered.

> “Then get used to me.”

---

To be continue....

_____

if anyone finds my story boring. The exist button is right there.💋🎀🪐

Let's meet in next chapter.