Part 3: The Challenge
580 Words
Aarushi tried her best to ignore Vivaan, but he seemed to enjoy making his presence known. Whether it was in the library, the café, or even the corridors of the literature department, he always found a way to be near her.
One day, as she sat in the library, immersed in a novel, a shadow fell over her table.
Vivaan (smirking): “Still pretending I don’t exist?”
Aarushi sighed and looked up. “You again?”
He chuckled and pulled out the chair opposite her. “I like how you say that, as if you’re annoyed. But I think you secretly enjoy our conversations.”
Aarushi closed her book. “Vivaan, don’t you have anything better to do?”
He leaned forward. “Not really. You’ve become my new favorite hobby.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s exactly why I don’t want to talk to you. I’m not a hobby, Vivaan. I’m not like the girls who throw themselves at you.”
Vivaan's smirk faltered for a split second, but he quickly recovered. “Fair enough. Then let’s make a deal.”
Aarushi narrowed her eyes. “What kind of deal?”
Vivaan (grinning): “One coffee. Just one. If you don’t enjoy it, I’ll leave you alone.”
She hesitated. “And if I say no?”
Vivaan shrugged. “Then I’ll keep pestering you until you agree.”
Aarushi sighed. “Fine. One coffee. But after that, you stop bothering me.”
His eyes gleamed with victory. “Deal.”
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The Coffee Date
A few days later, Aarushi found herself sitting across from Vivaan at the campus café. She had chosen a quiet corner, hoping to get this over with quickly.
Aarushi: “Okay, so let’s just drink this coffee and go back to our normal lives.”
Vivaan smiled. “You say that like you’re not enjoying my company.”
She gave him a flat look. “I’m not.”
He chuckled. “Alright, Aarushi. Tell me something about yourself. What do you want to do in life?”
Aarushi hesitated before answering. “I want to be a writer.”
Vivaan nodded. “That makes sense. You always have your nose buried in books.”
Aarushi tilted her head. “And what about you? Besides being rich and annoying, what do you want to do?”
Vivaan laughed. “I like that. Well, my parents expect me to take over the family business, but I don’t know if that’s what I want.”
Aarushi noticed the flicker of doubt in his eyes. For the first time, he seemed… real.
Aarushi (softly): “Then what do you want?”
Vivaan looked at her for a long moment. “Maybe I’ll figure it out someday.”
Aarushi was surprised at how honest he sounded. Maybe there was more to Vivaan Mehra than just his arrogance.
She hated to admit it, but this coffee date wasn’t as terrible as she had expected.
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Later that night…
Meera (excitedly): “So? How was it? Don’t lie, I can see it on your face—you liked him!”
Aarushi rolled her eyes. “It was… tolerable.”
Meera: “That means you totally like him!”
Aarushi sighed. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling. But one thing was clear—Vivaan Mehra was slowly making his way into her life, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to stop him anymore.
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End of Part 3.
- Writer
