Chahat exhaled sharply, still annoyed but slightly calmer. Mehendi had a point—getting worked up only gave people more to talk about. But that didn't mean she had to like it.
Before anyone could say more, Tiya's phone buzzed. She glanced at it, then burst into laughter.
"Oh, you are gonna love this," she said, turning the screen toward them.
Chahat leaned in, dreading whatever nonsense had come up now.
The latest post on the gossip forum read:
BREAKING: Chahat's fiery reaction only proves there's something more! Is she hiding feelings for Jay?
The attached image? A blurry shot of her from earlier, gesturing wildly while ranting. Someone had captioned it: "Deny it all you want, but that's the look of someone in deep, deep denial."
Chahat let out a strangled noise. "Are you kidding me?"
Mehendi sighed. "Okay, now they're just baiting you."
"Oh, I know they are," Chahat muttered, rubbing her temples. "And it's working."
Tiya, still grinning, scrolled further. "Oh, look! There's a poll. Does Chahat secretly like Jay? And, wow—62% say yes."
Chahat snatched the phone from her. "That's it. I'm deleting the entire internet."
Mehendi plucked the phone from her hands. "Or, you could just not look at it."
Tiya stretched, looking far too entertained. "Or, hear me out—you and Jay fake date for a week and then dramatically break up in public. That'll kill the rumors and be hilarious."
Chahat just stared at her. "You need a hobby."
Tiya shrugged. "This is my hobby."
Mehendi, ever the voice of reason, sighed. "Look, if you really want this to stop, just act unbothered. The moment it's boring, they'll move on."
Chahat groaned, flopping back against the couch. "Fine. I'll ignore it. But if one more person asks me if I'm in love with Jay, I'm going to scream."
Tiya smirked. "Noted. So, if I—"
"No."
Mehendi laughed. "Tiya, leave her alone."
Tiya huffed. "Ugh, fine. But I expect some drama in return."
Chahat just rolled her eyes, but as the conversation drifted to other topics, that nagging feeling remained.
Because, despite what Mehendi said, this wasn't going to die down anytime soon.
The next morning, Chahat walked onto campus with her usual determination—not that it stopped the stares. A few students whispered as she passed, and she caught snippets of their conversations.
"I heard she and Jay have secret meetings in the library."
"She totally snapped on the forum because it's true!"
"Do you think Kiya knows?"
Chahat gritted her teeth and kept walking. Ignore it. Ignore it.
Then, just as she reached the main hall, her worst nightmare materialized—Jay himself, leaning casually against a pillar, scrolling through his phone.
And, of course, he saw her immediately.
His lips curled into an amused smirk. "Ah, the woman of the hour."
Chahat groaned. "Oh, not you too."
Jay chuckled, putting his phone away. "Hey, I just came to say thanks."
She blinked. "Thanks?"
"For making me look so desirable. My DMs are blowing up." He waggled his eyebrows. "Turns out, being at the center of a love triangle is great for my reputation."
Chahat scowled. "I am not part of a love triangle!"
Jay shrugged. "Tell that to the internet."
She groaned again, rubbing her temples. "I hate everyone."
Jay laughed. "Relax, Chahat. You know how this place is. Give it a few days, and they'll find something else to obsess over."
"That's what Mehendi said," Chahat muttered.
"And Mehendi is usually right." Jay stepped beside her, walking in the same direction. "But if you really want to speed things up, you could always start an even wilder rumor."
She shot him a look. "Why does everyone want me to add to the chaos?"
"Because it's fun," Jay admitted. "But hey, if you'd rather keep denying your undying love for me, that works too."
Chahat stopped in her tracks and glared. "I will push you into that fountain."
Jay smirked. "See? Fiery. No wonder people think there's something there."
Chahat groaned. "I'm walking away now."
"See you at our secret library rendezvous," Jay called after her.
Chahat didn't turn back. But she could hear the grin in his voice—and worse, she knew this nonsense was far from over.