The air at Xavier’s was unusually... giddy.

Students laughed louder. The campus felt brighter. Even the chai uncle outside the main gate looked suspiciously cheerful.

But none of it compared to Zoya’s smile.

She walked into the hallway with a bounce in her step, cheeks slightly pink, fingers subconsciously brushing her phone — where Akif’s “good morning” text still sat unread just so she could look at it all day.

Aarfa, who had been watching her silently, finally grinned. “You look like you saw heaven last night.”

Zoya tried to hide her smile. “Shut up.”

“Oh. My. God. You DID!” Aarfa squealed. “He finally said it! Didn’t he?!”

Zoya blinked innocently. “Said what?”

“Don’t play dumb. You guys confessed, huh?”

Zoya nodded slowly. “He said it first.”

Aarfa clutched her chest dramatically. “I’ve waited for this moment longer than I’ve waited for my online orders.”

Zoya giggled. “It felt unreal. Like... I kept waiting for someone to pinch me.”

Just then, Akif walked in through the college gate.

Black hoodie. Messy hair. Slight smile.

Her heart did a backflip.

His eyes scanned the crowd — and found her in seconds.

One soft look. One tiny nod.

It was enough.

She blushed. Aarfa grabbed her arm. “HE’S COMING THIS WAY I CAN’T BREATHE.”

---

They tried to act normal.

They really tried.

But even the pigeons on the window grills could sense something had changed.

Zoya was smiling more.

Akif was talking more.

Ayaan caught them passing a note in the back of the class and gasped so loud the professor paused.

At lunch, Akif sat beside her — not across from her like he always did.

And when Zoya accidentally spilled juice on her kurti, he handed her his hoodie without blinking.

The table screamed.

---

Later that day…

Aarfa, Ayaan, and Zoya sat together in the garden after classes. Akif was supposed to join them, but he had a basketball meeting.

Ayaan leaned forward. “So you two are, like... a thing now?”

Zoya nodded.

“Like... officially?”

She smiled. “Yes.”

Ayaan threw his hands up. “FINALLY.”

Aarfa sighed. “It only took 47 chapters.”

Zoya snorted.

Aarfa nudged her. “What now, huh? Movie dates? Romantic walks? Midnight calls?”

Zoya grinned. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it yet.”

Aarfa fake gasped. “You mean you haven’t already planned your wedding and named your kids?”

Zoya blushed so hard she covered her face with her notebook.

---

Later that night...

Zoya was curled up in bed when her phone lit up.

Akif:

"What are you doing?"

Zoya:

"Trying to avoid Aarfa’s wedding fantasies." 😭

Akif:

"You look beautiful when you blush."

She smiled at the screen like a total idiot.

Zoya:

"Says the guy who turned red when Ayaan asked if we kissed." 😹

Akif:

"I’m never talking to him again." 😭

Pause.

Then another text.

Akif:

"But... can I kiss you? When the time feels right?"

Her breath caught.

Zoya:

"You already kissed my heart." 💗

There was a pause.

Then a voice call.

She a

nswered.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

Long silence. No words needed.

Just the sound of love blooming quietly on the other end.

---

Am I being an Idiot? Romantic? Flirty? Blushy??? Tell me YOUR expression!!! Are you blushing? Because seriously tho I blushed so hard when writing this chapter 🙈✨