Author's POV

Inside the room, Arjun slammed the door behind him and tossed the parcel onto his bed like it had burned his fingers. His chest rose and fell with a mix of shock and rage. Grabbing his phone, he quickly dialed Raj's number, his closest friend and the only one he could rant to.

The phone rang a few times before Raj picked up.
"Brooo, someone fucking sent a bra and panties to my house!!" Arjun whisper-yelled into the phone, still pacing in disbelief.

There was a beat of silence, then Raj burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Lingerie, huh?" he snorted, "Damn bro, that's a gift."

"I'll fucking kill you, Raj! Shut the fuck up!" Arjun hissed, rubbing his temple.

Raj wasn't done. "Wait, wait—how do I know you didn't order it? Maybe you're just into that freaky shit and now pretending like someone else sent it."

"RAJ!!! I swear to god, tomorrow, your obituary is gonna say death by best friend's hands!"

"Okay okay! Shit—sorry!" Raj said, still laughing, "So? Any idea who sent it?"

Arjun opened his mouth to say no, but just then a notification popped up on his phone.

His blood turned to ice.
His jaw clenched.
"Swati," he growled under his breath.

"Huh?" Raj asked, confused.

"Swati just messaged. She said, 'Want a photo in that?'"
Arjun nearly crushed his phone in his hand.

There was another explosion of laughter on Raj's end. "Dude! This girl's wild. Just say yes already—"

"RAJ THAKUR!!" Arjun bellowed, voice deadly.

"Okay okay okay! Sorry!" Raj backed off, his voice still holding that teasing edge. "But bro, you do know she's the daughter of a politician, right? She's used to getting what she wants. She's had a thing for you for months—we all know that. She'll go to any fucking extent to get you. This is just the beginning if you don't act."

Arjun sat heavily on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face with both hands. "What the hell do I do now?!"

Raj didn't even hesitate.
"Be in a relationship. Public. Loud. Make her back the fuck off."

"No," Arjun muttered instantly. "Not doing that."

"Then good luck dealing with more panties, bro. Next time it might be handcuffs or a damn vibrator with your name engraved on it."

"Fuck. Off." Arjun groaned.

"Then take the damn advice! You need to show her you're taken. That there's someone in your life."

There was silence on the line for a moment.

Arjun's eyes fell on the door.
Beyond it, he knew she was sitting on the sofa, quietly watching a match she didn't even understand.

His wife.
The girl no one even knew belonged to him.

His voice dropped. " no... not going to happen ".

..........
Author's POV

The hallway was buzzing with the usual college chaos, but it all seemed to come to a halt as Arjun and Raj stood facing Swati near the lockers. Her hands were folded, her eyes hopeful, while Arjun looked calm... too calm.

"I already said I don't like you," Arjun said quietly, voice even and firm, making sure not to cause a scene. But it was too late, people were already watching.

Swati didn't flinch. "But I'm interested in you. And once you start spending time with me, you'll fall for me, too."

"No," Arjun said again, shaking his head slightly.

She stepped closer. "Come on, just try. You said yourself, you don't love anyone. Then why can't you give me a chance? I like you so much, Arjun. Please... be mine."

Arjun's jaw clenched. His patience was thinning, but before he could respond, his eyes caught something in the distance.

Avantika.

She stood a little further down the hallway, Isha's arm around her shoulder protectively, her friends hovering behind like curious shadows. The way her gaze dropped, the silent hurt in her eyes—it hit him harder than he expected.

"I..." he started to say, then paused.

Swati blinked. "You...?"

Without another word, Arjun turned and walked straight toward the girls. Isha's heartbeat spiked—was he coming toward her?

But her breath caught when he stopped right in front of Avantika.

Before she could say a word, his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her flush against him. Her eyes widened, frozen in shock. Gasps erupted around them.

He looked at Swati—and then back down at Avantika.

Then, with no hesitation, Arjun leaned in and placed a kiss on the corner of her lips.

It was subtle. Soft. But to everyone watching, it screamed one thing: she's mine.

Avantika was frozen in place.

Isha's smile died on her lips. Swati's face fell, her expression crumbling into disbelief before she smiled a broken, bitter smile and turned away, walking off without another word.

Raj stood there with his mouth hanging open. "What the actual fuck just happened?" he whispered under his breath.

And Arjun?

He simply looked down at the stunned Avantika, his grip on her waist tightening just slightly...possessive, certain, and absolutely unapologetic.

---

They sat on the sofa again, just like every evening.

The TV played the usual cricket match, the soft glow lighting their silent figures. Arjun leaned back, legs stretched out, one arm resting along the back of the sofa. Avantika sat quietly, a decent gap between them, her eyes fixed on the screen though she didn't understand a single thing.

Suddenly, he cleared his throat.

"Sorry for today," Arjun said, voice low but clear. "It's just... I wanted to get rid of Swati."

Avantika blinked, surprised. It was the first time in so long that he spoke to her properly, and he apologized. Her heart did a small flip, even if his words were casual.

She slowly nodded. "It's okay..."

Arjun didn't say anything after that. The match finished a few minutes later, and without a word, he stood up, switched off the TV, and headed to his room.

The silence returned.

Avantika remained on the sofa, staring at the blank screen. Her mind was torn...half of it panicking about what tomorrow would bring. Isha had been quiet today, but she wouldn't stay that way. She saw the kiss. She saw him choose Avantika. And that meant war.

But the other half of Avantika... was quietly happy.

He could've kissed anyone. Could've lied, or walked away. But no, he picked her. He held her in front of everyone. Maybe it didn't mean anything to him... but to her?

It meant she wasn't invisible.

And tonight, for the first time in years, she smiled, even if just a little.