Abhi leaned back in his chair, watching Ruhi's retreating figure with a smirk playing on his lips. He had seen it-the flicker of jealousy, the brief moment where she'd lost control of her carefully crafted indifference. It was subtle, but it was there.
And that meant one thing: she wasn't as unaffected as she pretended to be.
"Dude, are you coming or not?" Tanya's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She was still clinging to his arm, her perfectly manicured nails brushing against his sleeve.
Abhi gave her an easy grin. "Of course. Wouldn't miss it."
He stood, but his mind was elsewhere. He had expected Ruhi to be different, but he hadn't expected her to be this interesting. She was a puzzle, one he was determined to solve.
---
Later that evening, the lounge was packed. Music thumped through the speakers, and the warm glow of the neon lights gave everything an electric feel. Abhi walked in with his usual confidence, immediately drawing attention. People greeted him, girls tried to catch his eye, but his thoughts lingered on someone who wasn't here.
Ruhi.
He had barely taken a sip of his drink when Arjun nudged him. "Guess who just walked in?"
Abhi turned, and there she was. Ruhi.
She wasn't dressed extravagantly, yet somehow, she stood out more than any girl in the room. A simple black dress, loose waves in her hair, and that same air of effortless confidence that made her impossible to ignore.
Abhi's smirk widened. "Interesting."
Arjun chuckled. "I thought she didn't do parties?"
Neither had an answer, but Abhi already knew. She had come because of him.
---
Ruhi scanned the lounge, pretending not to be looking for someone. But her eyes betrayed her as they landed on him.
Abhi Rathod.
He was leaning casually against the bar, Tanya beside him, too close, laughing at something he said.
Something sharp twisted in Ruhi's chest. It was irrational, really. She knew what kind of guy Abhi was. A flirt. A golden boy who was used to attention. But still, seeing him with Tanya... it irritated her.
She had told herself she didn't care. That this was just another game. But if that were true, why did she feel the sudden urge to walk over there and wipe that smug grin off Tanya's face?
"Jealous?" A voice cut through her thoughts.
She turned to see Meera, one of her friends, raising a knowing brow.
Ruhi scoffed. "Of him? Please."
Meera smirked. "Right. That's why you're gripping your drink like it personally offended you."
Ruhi immediately loosened her grip, forcing a calm expression. "I just find it funny. Girls throw themselves at him, and he enjoys every second of it."
Meera tilted her head. "And yet, here you are, at a party you said you'd never attend, staring at him like he's the only thing that matters."
Ruhi rolled her eyes. "I'm here to have fun. Not because of him."
"Of course," Meera said, amused. "Then go have fun."
Ruhi didn't respond. Instead, she turned back toward Abhi just as he finally noticed her.
Their eyes met.
And in that moment, something unspoken passed between them. A challenge. A dare.
Ruhi lifted her chin slightly and smiled, deliberately looking away as if he were just another face in the crowd.
Abhi chuckled to himself.
The game was far from over.
.....to be continued...
She said she wouldn't come.
He thought she wouldn't care.
But here they are—locked in a silent war of glances, jealousy, and unspoken challenges.
Ruhi walked into his world, but Abhi just realized… she might be the one holding all the cards.
Was her entrance a power move? Or is she slipping too deep into the game?
Hit that star, leave a comment, and add this story to your library if you're loving the tension!
Let's see who falls first.
—Your author,
always rooting for chaos with a side of slow-burn