accidentally in love

The Unexpected Turn

Aradhya couldn’t get Zayn’s words out of her head.

It had only been a few hours since the incident in the hallway, but her thoughts kept circling back to his teasing grin and the strange, unspoken challenge that had lingered in the air between them. It was like he’d planted a seed of doubt in her mind, and now it was growing, rooting deeper with every passing minute.

As she walked into the library, hoping to lose herself in her books, the last thing she expected was for her day to take another turn.

"Hey, Aradhya!"

She sighed and turned around. Of course, it was Zayn. He was leaning against the doorframe of the library, looking annoyingly relaxed. His hands were in his pockets, and the cocky grin he wore every time they crossed paths was firmly in place. She could tell he wasn’t here to study.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. It wasn’t working.

Zayn raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "I could ask you the same thing. This is a library, right? Don’t tell me you’re slacking off, Aradhya."

She rolled her eyes, stepping past him into the quiet space. "I’m just here to get some work done. Not that it’s any of your business."

"Touchy," he commented, following her into the library. "I’m here because I needed a break. You know, from all the hard work of being the smartest kid in school." He walked over to a table and sat down, looking far too comfortable for someone who didn’t seem to care about anything.

"Well, I’m here to do actual work," Aradhya replied, sitting at a table across from him. She opened her laptop and tried to ignore his presence, but it was impossible. Zayn had this way of filling up every room he was in, as if his energy couldn’t be contained.

"Okay, okay, I’ll leave you alone," Zayn said dramatically, putting his hands up in surrender. "But just know, if you need a break from all that... serious work, I’m always around."

Aradhya resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. "Don’t you have something better to do?"

Zayn just shrugged, clearly unfazed. "Not really. I’ve already finished all my work for the day." He leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying the effect he was having on her.

It was the typical Zayn—playful, cocky, and completely unaware of how much he got under her skin. Aradhya didn’t know why she let him bother her so much. He was nothing more than an annoying distraction, right? Yet, here she was, struggling to focus on the essay in front of her with him sitting just a few feet away.

Zayn seemed to sense her growing frustration. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "You know, you could at least take a break once in a while. You’re always so serious. Lighten up."

Aradhya shook her head. "I don’t need your advice."

He grinned. "You could use it, though."

There was a pause. The noise of students chatting and flipping through books seemed to fade as the tension between them grew thicker. Zayn’s gaze was still fixed on her, like he was trying to figure her out, trying to find some weakness to exploit. And for once, Aradhya wasn’t sure if she was ready to give him that satisfaction.

Just as she was about to speak, something unexpected happened. Zayn stood up abruptly, walking over to her side of the table. "Hey, you still haven’t admitted it, have you?"

"Admitted what?" Aradhya asked, her annoyance growing. She didn’t want to play his games anymore.

Zayn leaned down, his face inches from hers. "That you secretly enjoy my company."

Her breath caught. She stared up at him, unsure of how to react. He was too close, too confident, and for a moment, she felt her pulse quicken.

Before she could respond, Zayn stepped back, his smirk widening. "Nah, I’m just messing with you. But I’ll get you to admit it someday."

Aradhya quickly turned her attention back to her laptop, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks. "Just leave me alone, Zayn," she muttered.

"Sure, sure," he said, but his tone was light. He walked back to his seat and resumed his usual posture, like nothing had happened.

It took a few moments for Aradhya to calm herself down. Her heart was racing, and she couldn’t tell if it was from the close proximity, his teasing, or something else entirely. But she knew one thing for sure—Zayn wasn’t going to make it easy for her. And maybe, just maybe, there was a part of her that didn’t mind.