The college was buzzing with excitement as preparations for the Freshers' Party were in full swing.
In the main hall, a stage was being set up, the music club was busy discussing the DJ's playlist, and everyone was engaged in their own fun and chatter.
Even outside the library, there was a certain liveliness. Some students were discussing notes, while others were simply gossiping about the party.
But Niki was far from all this noise.
She sat near a window in the library, her face illuminated by the soft golden sunlight filtering through.
Her hazel eyes sparkled in the light, but her attention remained fixed on the book in front of her.
She was lost in thought, as if everything around her had faded into the background.
She stretched a little, leaning back in her chair, closing her eyes for a brief moment.
And then...
A chair scraped against the floor.
Someone sat down across from her.
Niki remained absorbed in her book.
But…
She felt someone watching her.
For a few seconds, she tried to ignore it.
But the intensity of that gaze was impossible to overlook.
She finally lifted her eyes—
Aditya.
The same eyes.
Deep, searching, as if trying to see right through her.
For a moment, an odd silence stretched between them.
Then, Aditya smirked and said—
"You? Here in this college?"
Niki looked at him directly.
She didn't say a word.
Her silence was an answer in itself.
Aditya drummed his fingers on the table, his smirk deepening.
"I didn't expect to see you here."
This time, Niki responded immediately, "You still would've liked to see me in the hospital, wouldn't you?"
Aditya shrugged slightly, a faint amusement in his expression.
"Maybe… that's the only place you deserve."
His words were light, but for Niki, they were sharp as a blade.
Her expression hardened.
She shut her book without a word and stood up.
She walked away toward the farthest corner of the library.
A quiet place.
Known for being a favorite spot for couples.
But Niki didn't care about that.
She just wanted to get away from Aditya.
Yet…
He followed her.
Not hurriedly, not hesitantly—just calmly, as if he had all the time in the world.
As if he already knew she wouldn't be able to escape him so easily.
He pulled out the chair across from her and sat down.
For a moment, only silence lingered.
Niki tried to focus on her book again, but she couldn't ignore his presence.
She knew he was watching her.
"Can't you find another seat?" she asked without looking at him.
Aditya smirked, leaning back slightly. "Why? This place seems nice . You know it why this place is quite femous.
Niki exhaled sharply and replied, "People like you have ruined libraries for actual readers. You probably know this place better than anyone, don't you?"
Aditya casually tapped his fingers on the table. "No. It's actually been ruined more by people who love eavesdropping and gossiping."
Niki shut her book.
This time, she looked straight into his eyes.
Aditya smiled slightly.
"You must've heard what happens here..."
That same challenge in his voice.
That same game.
"Would you like to experience it?"
And then...
Under the table, his foot lightly brushed against hers.
Niki felt a jolt rush through her.
She instinctively pulled her foot away.
But Aditya just kept smirking.
He knew he had unsettled her.
Niki didn't say a word.
But her eyes…
They burned with fire.
--
The second I turned to leave, his hand caught mine.
Firm. Unyielding.
A jolt ran through me, not of fear—but of pure, burning rage.
Before I could even react, he pulled—not hard enough to hurt, but just enough to throw me off balance.
My back hit the bookshelf behind me.
Books rattled. A few slipped off the shelves, falling to the ground with dull thuds.
And just like that—
We were too close.
His face hovered inches from mine.
I could see everything. The flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. The slight curve of his lips. The way his grip on my wrist was firm, but not tight.
He wasn't holding me down.
He was testing me.
"Let go," I said, my voice steady.
Aditya tilted his head slightly, his grip loosening—but he didn't step back.
"You're still just as reckless," he murmured, amusement lacing his words.
"And you're still just as unbearable," I shot back.
That smirk grew. "You missed me."
I almost laughed. "I'd rather miss a bus than miss you."
His eyes darkened slightly, but instead of answering, he took a slow step back.
The moment he released me, I exhaled sharply.
But before I could push past him, he spoke again—
"See you at the café."
And then, just like that, he turned.
Like nothing had happened.
Like he hadn't just cornered me in the middle of the library.
Like he hadn't looked at me like I was still the same girl from years ago.
Something inside me snapped.
I grabbed the nearest book—a thick, hardcover monstrosity.
And I threw it.
THWACK!
The book smacked the back of his head.
The entire library gasped.
Someone dropped their pen. A girl choked on her coffee.
Aditya stilled.
For three seconds, he didn't move.
Then—slowly—he turned, rubbing the back of his head.
His expression?
Priceless.
"You—" he began.
I cut him off.
"You jerk! Freaking asshole! If you ever touch me again, I'll kill you!"
Silence.
Pin-drop silence.
Even the librarian, the one person who had no mercy when it came to noise, was staring at me in shock.
Aditya blinked, clearly processing.
"You just…" he exhaled, almost impressed. "You just threw a book at my head."
I crossed my arms. "You're lucky it wasn't the entire shelf."
His jaw clenched—for a second.
Then, to my absolute horror, he grinned.
A real, genuine, infuriatingly amused grin.
"God, I missed this," he muttered under his breath.
"You—"
"Careful," he cut in smoothly. "We're still in the library. You wouldn't want to get kicked out, right?"
I narrowed my eyes.
I had never wanted to commit a crime more in my life.
Aditya took one last glance at me, that smug smirk still on his face.
And then—he walked away.
Like he had won.
Like this was just another game.
But if Aditya thought he could just walk back into my life and mess with me like before…
He had no idea who he was dealing with.
This wasn't over.
Not even close.