Sharayu had never regretted sitting with these people more than she did right now.
The teasing was relentless.
Even when the professor entered, they weren't done.
Kunal leaned over and whispered, "By the way, should we start preparing for the wedding invitation, or are we waiting for Sir to officially propose?"
Sharayu didn't even dignify that with a response.
But the worst part?
It wasn't just her friends.
Satish was acting strange too.
The moment he entered the classroom, his eyes immediately found her.
And the way he looked at her-with that knowing smirk, as if he was remembering exactly how flustered she had been yesterday-
She looked away so fast she almost gave herself whiplash.
Sharayu tried her best to focus on the lecture, but it was impossible when:
1. Satish kept glancing at her, his smirk widening every time she got nervous.
2. Her friends were whispering comments under their breath.
3. Vrushal actually had the audacity to fake cough and say, "Sharayu ki shaadi kab hai?"
That was the final straw.
Sharayu kicked him under the table.
But of course, he had to be dramatic about it.
"OW! SHARAYU, WHY WOULD YOU KICK ME?!"
The entire class-including Satish-turned to look at them.
Satish raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong, Vrushal?"
Vrushal clutched his leg, pretending to be in pain.
"Sir, I was just trying to support my dear friend Sharayu in her-"
Sharayu slammed her hand over his mouth.
"In her studies!" she finished quickly.
Satish crossed his arms, looking way too entertained. "Oh? And you need to be kicked for that?"
"It's a... motivational kick?"
The whole class burst into laughter.
Satish only smirked.
"Interesting technique. I should try that in my lectures."
Sharayu wanted to crawl under the desk and disappear.
She glared at Vrushal, whispering, "I will end you."
Vrushal just grinned. "You love me too much for that."
She kicked him again.
After the Lecture...
Sharayu was packing her things as fast as possible so she could escape before Satish said anything.
But luck was not on her side.
As soon as she turned, he was standing right there.
"Going somewhere in a hurry?"
His voice was way too amused.
Sharayu cleared her throat. "Just... heading home, Sir."
Satish nodded. "Hmm. Alone?"
Sharayu froze.
Before she could respond, Hriday popped up behind her.
"Nope! I'm going with her."
A beat of silence.
Satish's jaw ticked.
Hriday, the clueless idiot, was smiling as if he hadn't just signed his death warrant.
Sharayu swore she saw the temperature in the room drop.
Satish's smile didn't fade, but there was something... dangerous in his expression.
"How thoughtful of you, Hriday."
Hriday nodded. "Of course! After all, Sharayu is-"
Before he could finish, Sharayu grabbed his wrist.
"Actually! Rutuja is coming with me. Right, Rutuja?"
Rutuja, who had zero idea what was happening, blinked. "Huh? I am?"
Sharayu shot her a look.
Rutuja, being the amazing best friend she was, immediately understood.
"I mean-yes! Obviously! Let's go, Sharayu!"
She dragged Sharayu away before Hriday could protest.
As they walked out, Rutuja whispered, "Okay, what was that?"
Sharayu groaned.
"I don't know! But Satish Sir was giving Hriday looks like he wanted to throw him off a cliff."
Rutuja smirked. "Someone's jealous."
"Don't start."
"Too late."
Rutuja grinned evilly.
"You do realize he was totally flirting with you, right?"
Sharayu froze.
The memory of his smirk, his teasing voice, the way he looked at her-
Her face went red.
Rutuja cackled.
"Oh my god, Sharayu! You like it, don't you?!"
Sharayu gasped. "I DO NOT!"
Rutuja folded her arms. "Then why is your face the same color as a stop sign?"
Sharayu covered her face.
Rutuja poked her. "Sharayu and Satish sitting in a tree-"
"I WILL SHOVE YOU IN FRONT OF A MOVING VEHICLE."
Rutuja laughed harder.
***
Sharayu had been carefully skipping his lectures for the past two days. It wasn't that she didn't want to see him-on the contrary, it was because every time their eyes met across the classroom, it felt as if he could read every thought she had. Her friends had already started teasing her for the way she would go quiet whenever his voice filled the room. So, her clever little solution? Avoid him.
But Satish Singh Rajvanshi was not the kind of man you could avoid for long.
That afternoon, she thought she was safe, leaning casually against the corridor wall, scrolling through her phone as her friends went ahead. But then a familiar shadow fell over her.
"Miss Sharayu," came that deep, amused voice that always made her heartbeat stumble.
Her head snapped up, eyes widening. He stood there, hands tucked neatly in his pockets, shirt sleeves rolled up, gaze locked on her with that half-smirk that carried equal parts annoyance and mischief.
"Done with your little game of hide-and-seek?" he drawled, taking a slow step closer.
Sharayu straightened, suddenly very aware of how close the corridor walls were and how empty this part of the building seemed. "Game? I-I was just busy," she muttered, her voice quieter than intended.
He arched an eyebrow, leaning just enough for her to catch the teasing sharpness in his eyes. "Busy skipping my lectures, you mean."
Her breath caught. His nearness wasn't inappropriate, not exactly-but it wasn't the safe, polite professor-student distance either. It was a deliberate push, the kind that made her pulse race.
"You seem to forget, I notice everything," he continued, lowering his tone so only she could hear. His words had a dangerous softness, the kind that lingered in the air like static before a storm.
"Since you keep missing my lectures... maybe we should have a private one. Just the two of us."
Her mouth went dry. There was no mistaking what he meant-on the surface, it was a reprimand. But the way his gaze swept her face, pausing just a moment too long on her parted lips, made the air heavy with an unspoken challenge.
Sharayu forced herself to look away, hugging her books tighter to her chest. "Sir... that sounds... improper," she whispered, though her own traitorous tone gave away how much she wasn't entirely against the idea.
His smirk deepened at her hesitation. He leaned closer, his breath brushing against the edge of her hair. "Improper?" His voice dropped, roughened. "Or tempting?"
The silence that followed was suffocating in the best possible way. She could feel her cheeks burning, her heartbeat a chaotic rhythm in her ears. She wanted to step back, to run-but her feet refused to move. And the worst (or best) part? He wasn't even touching her.
The tension was built entirely on words, proximity, and that intense, unyielding gaze that stripped her of every defense.
Finally, he straightened, adjusting his cuff as though nothing had happened. "Think about it, Miss Sharayu," he said, his tone back to professional smoothness, but his eyes still glinting with something darker. "You owe me a lecture. I always make sure my students catch up on what they've missed."
And with that, he walked away, leaving her pressed against the wall-breathless, her mind a mess of frustration, desire, and confusion.
***
December had arrived, and with it, the chilly air and the festive mood of the year-end.
But for Satish, December had brought something else-a newfound determination to drive Sharayu insane with his relentless flirting.
And oh, he was thriving.
Because now?
He had perfectly figured out how to make her flustered.
And that was his new favorite pastime.
Sharayu was packing up her things, minding her own business, when she heard it-
That deep, teasing voice that had been haunting her dreams lately.
"Not running away today, Miss Sharayu?"
Her hands froze.
Because of course.
Of course he was standing right behind her, arms crossed, leaning against the table like he had all the time in the world.
She swallowed.
"I-I wasn't running away, Sir."
Satish tilted his head, smirking. "Oh? Then why do you always leave the moment the lecture is over? It's almost like... you're avoiding me."
Sharayu stiffened.
She turned to deny it, but then she made a huge mistake.
She looked directly into his eyes.
Big. Mistake.
Because the way he was looking at her-like he was enjoying every bit of her discomfort-
She had to look away immediately.
"I am not avoiding you, Sir."
Satish chuckled. "Really? Then good. Sit down."
Sharayu blinked. "What?"
"Sit down, Miss Sharayu. Let's chat."
Chat?
Chat?!
Sharayu narrowed her eyes. "About what?"
Satish smirked. "Oh, just some casual talk. Maybe... about how adorable you look when you're flustered?"
Sharayu's brain short-circuited.
"I-I don't get flustered!"
"Mmm-hmm." He leaned closer. "Sure."
Sharayu immediately grabbed her bag. "Okay, I'm leaving."
Satish blocked her way. "Tch, tch. Always so impatient. It's like you don't enjoy my company."
Sharayu scowled. "Sir, I have places to be."
Satish sighed dramatically. "Ah, always so busy. But not even one second to talk to me?"
Sharayu gave him a look. "Sir, why are you like this?"
Satish grinned. "Like what?"
Sharayu groaned. "So-so..."
"Charming? Handsome? Irresistible?"
Sharayu stared at him. "I was going to say annoying."
Satish laughed. "Oh, but you still talk to me. Interesting, isn't it?"
Sharayu glared. "Goodbye, Sir."
And before he could stop her again, she rushed out.
Satish watched her go, chuckling.
"She's getting better at running away," he muttered. "But not for long."
It was past 8 PM, and Sharayu had just settled down with a book when-
Ping!
Her phone lit up.
Satish Sir: "Did you reach home safely?"
Sharayu stared.
She had ignored his texts before.
But now?
Now she knew that if she didn't respond, he'd just call her.
So, she sighed and replied.
Sharayu: "Yes, Sir."
Within seconds, another text popped up.
Satish Sir: "And you didn't even inform me? How heartbreaking."
Sharayu rolled her eyes.
Sharayu: "Sir, I'm sure you have better things to do than keep track of my whereabouts."
Satish Sir: "No, actually, I don't. I find this quite entertaining."
Sharayu sighed.
Sharayu: "Sir-"
Satish Sir: "Say my name."
Sharayu froze.
Oh no.
Not this again.
She could already imagine his smug face.
Sharayu: "Sir."
Satish Sir: "Not that one. Say my name, Sharayu."
Sharayu bit her lip.
She wasn't going to do it.
She refused.
Sharayu: "Goodnight, Sir."
And she muted the chat.
Her heart was racing.
Why was he like this?
Why was he so determined to make her react?
And why was she actually enjoying it?!
Little did she know-Satish, on the other hand, was grinning at his phone.
"She'll say it soon."
And oh, he was not stopping until she did.
While he was enjoying teasing her, he had no idea about the biggest event that was coming up.
Sharayu's birthday.
And the best part?
None of her friends had told him yet.
Which meant...
He had no idea that in just a few days, he was about to get the biggest surprise of his life.
Sharayu's birthday was just a few days away, and the entire college gang was buzzing with excitement.
Except for one person.
Satish.
The one person who had no clue.
And oh, her friends were enjoying every second of it.
Because Satish, the same man who claimed to be so observant, the same man who noticed even the tiniest changes in Sharayu's expressions, had absolutely no idea that her birthday was approaching.
And no one was planning to tell him.
Yet.
Because why waste such a golden opportunity to mess with him?
The day before her birthday, Satish had just finished a faculty meeting and was walking through the corridor when he noticed something... odd.
Everyone was acting weird.
Hriday and Kunal kept exchanging glances and laughing for no reason.
Gayatri was literally humming.
Rutuja kept whispering things to Sharayu, making her turn red.
And Aarohi?
Aarohi was just staring at him like he was some kind of experiment in progress.
And that was when Satish knew something was going on.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Alright," he said, crossing his arms. "What is happening?"
Silence.
Nobody spoke.
But Hriday?
Hriday, the traitor, couldn't hold back his laughter.
Satish turned to him.
"What are you laughing at?"
Kunal wiped his tears. "Nothing, Sir. Nothing at all."
Satish didn't believe him for a second.
He turned to Sharayu, expecting her to look away like she usually did when she was flustered.
But this time?
She simply smiled.
And that made his suspicion grow.
Something was definitely up.
But before he could push further, Sharayu suddenly said, "Sir, I'll see you tomorrow."
And just like that, she left.
Leaving Satish utterly confused.
Why did that feel suspicious?
That night, Satish was restless.
Something was going on, and he didn't like being left out of the joke.
So, naturally...
He did what he did best.
He texted her.
Satish Sir: "You seemed a little too happy today. What's the occasion?"
Sharayu: "Nothing special, Sir. Just a good day."
Satish frowned.
Satish Sir: "Hmm. Interesting. And everyone else? Also just having 'a good day'?"
Sharayu: "Maybe we're all just happy people, Sir."
Satish Sir: "Liar."
Sharayu bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
He was so close to figuring it out.
But not close enough.
Satish Sir: "I don't like secrets, Miss Sharayu."
Sharayu: "And I don't like stubborn people, Sir."
Satish smirked.
Satish Sir: "Then you must really hate me."
Sharayu: "Goodnight, Sir."
And before he could say anything else, she left him on read.
Satish stared at the screen, his smirk growing.
"Smart girl," he muttered. "But I'll figure it out."
***
The sun had barely risen when Sharayu stood before her mirror, adjusting the folds of her lavender-colored Anarkali dress.
The soft golden embroidery shimmered under the light, complementing the elegance of the outfit. The delicate dupatta was draped over one shoulder, and her long, wavy hair cascaded down her back in soft curls.
A small bindi adorned her forehead, and the subtle glow of her matching gold jhumkas made her features look even more radiant.
She looked like the epitome of grace.
And she knew it.
But...
She wasn't dressing up for everyone else.
She was waiting for someone to notice.
And by someone, she meant only one person.
Satish.
The moment Sharayu stepped into the classroom, the room erupted.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHARAYU!"
It was a chorus, loud enough to shake the walls.
She laughed, a little startled, but mostly touched.
"Thank you, guys!" she beamed.
Rutuja, Vrushal, Aarohi, Hriday, Gayatri, and Kunal all surrounded her.
"But more importantly-DAMN, GIRL!" Aarohi whistled, eyeing her from head to toe. "Who are you trying to impress today? Because whoever it is, they're about to faint."
Sharayu blushed instantly. "Shut up, Aarohi!"
"No, but seriously," Kunal said, crossing his arms. "You look like you just stepped out of a Bollywood movie. Are we even worthy of standing next to you?"
"Obviously not," Hriday smirked. "You're ruining the aesthetic, Kunal. Move aside."
Everyone laughed as Kunal shoved Hriday playfully.
But even amidst all the laughter, Sharayu's eyes subtly scanned the room.
Looking for someone.
Hoping.
Waiting.
Where is he?
Rutuja, being her best friend, noticed immediately.
She smirked.
"Someone seems to be waiting for a specific wish," she teased in a sing-song voice.
Sharayu's eyes widened. "What?! No! I'm just-I mean-I was just looking at-"
"You were looking for Satish Sir, weren't you?" Vrushal cut in, grinning.
Sharayu froze.
And that was all the confirmation they needed.
Gayatri gasped dramatically. "Oh my God. This is serious."
Kunal pretended to wipe a tear. "Our little Sharayu has grown up. She's waiting for a man's attention now."
"Shut up, all of you!" Sharayu hissed, face burning.
But they didn't stop.
"Sharayu, just admit it," Aarohi wiggled her eyebrows. "You want Satish Sir to see you like this today, don't you?"
"NO!" Sharayu lied, terribly.
Hriday chuckled. "Then why do you look disappointed right now?"
And at that moment...
Sharayu realized something.
She was disappointed.
She had been waiting for Satish to walk through that door, for his gaze to soften as he saw her in this attire, for him to lose himself for a moment before giving one of his usual indirect compliments that would make her heart race.
But...
He wasn't here.
And that realization?
It annoyed her more than it should have.
"Wait a second," Aarohi said suddenly. "Why isn't he here?"
Kunal checked his phone. "Oh. Apparently, he took the day off."
Silence.
The entire group turned to Sharayu at the same time.
And she...
looked beyond betrayed.
"HE TOOK THE DAY OFF?!"
She looked like she had just been personally offended by the universe itself.
Aarohi tried to contain her laughter. "Aww, she's mad."
"I AM NOT MAD!"
"You are SO mad," Kunal grinned. "Look at her face!"
"IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, AND HE-" she paused, realizing what she was about to say.
Her friends pounced.
"OH. MY. GOD," Rutuja gasped, clutching her chest. "You were waiting for him to wish you!"
Sharayu slapped a hand over her own mouth, horrified at herself.
Kunal collapsed onto a chair, laughing. "This is gold. This is peak entertainment. This is why I wake up in the morning."
Gayatri wiped an imaginary tear. "You know what's the best part? He has absolutely no idea."
And just like that, Sharayu's mood dropped further.
They were right.
He really had no idea.
Satish, the man who noticed when she changed the way she tied her hair, who could tell when she was tired just by her silence, who got jealous over the smallest things...
Didn't know her birthday.
And that?
Hurt.
More than she was willing to admit.
But she wasn't about to let them have more fun at her expense.
So, with a deep breath, she straightened her back and said, "Forget it. It doesn't matter."
Her friends exchanged looks.
Oh, it definitely mattered.
And Satish?
That poor, clueless man?
He had no idea what kind of trouble awaited him tomorrow.
Sharayu had waited the entire day.
Waited through every lecture, through every teasing comment from her friends, through every single second of her stupid, irritatingly long day...
For just one message.
One tiny, three-worded message.
"Happy Birthday, Sharayu."
But no.
What did she get instead?
At exactly 6:37 PM, as she was finally heading home, her phone dinged.
She immediately pulled it out, her heart doing a ridiculous flip.
It was from Satish.
Her pulse quickened.
Was this it? Was he finally going to wish her?
She unlocked her phone.
And the message read:
"Did you go to college today? Have you reached home safely?"
...
...
What. The. Actual. Hell.
Her eye twitched.
This man.
This absolute idiot.
After texting her every day, flirting with her whenever he could, and literally watching her like a hawk 24/7, he couldn't remember one simple thing?!
The rage. The betrayal. The insult.
And so, for the first time ever...
She ignored his message.
Flat out ignored it.
Didn't reply. Didn't react. Nothing.
And as if the universe wanted to test her patience even further, a minute later, her phone rang.
SATISH CALLING...
She stared at the screen.
Then...
She cut the call.
Yes.
She did it.
She, Sharayu, cut Satish's call.
Because if she picked up, she might have yelled at him.
Or worse-cried.
Meanwhile, at Satish's House...
Satish was confused.
No-scratch that-he was suspicious.
Because never had Sharayu ever ignored his texts or calls.
She wasn't the type to ignore him.
Avoid him? Sure. Argue with him? Definitely. Get all flustered and annoyed? Every day.
But ignore him?
Never.
Something was wrong.
And Satish hated not knowing what it was.
So, what did he do?
He called her again.
Call Declined.
...
He frowned.
Then he called her again.
Call Declined.
...
He blinked.
And then, like a desperate man losing his mind, he did what any panicked, confused, and slightly obsessive man would do.
He called Rutuja.
Rutuja was in the middle of a very serious conversation with Sharayu.
("I swear, Sharayu, you should at least slap him once for forgetting!")
When her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
And nearly cackled.
SATISH SIR CALLING...
She looked at Sharayu.
Sharayu looked at her.
They both knew.
Rutuja smirked and answered in her sweetest voice.
"Hello, Sir! What a pleasant surprise!"
"Rutuja, where is Sharayu?" Satish demanded immediately.
Rutuja grinned.
Oh, she was about to have some fun.
"Sharayu? Oh, she's fine, Sir. Why do you ask?"
"She's ignoring my calls."
"Hmm, weird. Maybe she's busy celebrating?"
"Celebrating what?"
Rutuja blinked.
And then, she gasped.
"Oh my God. Sir. You don't know?!"
Satish stiffened. "Know what?"
"TODAY IS SHARAYU'S BIRTHDAY!"
...
...
...
Dead silence.
Rutuja waited.
She expected a normal reaction.
Like-"Oh no, I forgot! I feel bad!"
Or-"Oh crap, I should have wished her!"
But no.
Instead, the line went completely dead for a full ten seconds.
And then-
"FUCK!"
Rutuja's soul left her body.
Because NEVER had she heard Satish Sir curse.
Ever.
And the way he said it?
So low. So intense. So murderous.
If guilt had a voice, it was Satish's right now.
"Sir...?" Rutuja ventured carefully.
Satish's voice came, deadly serious.
"You are telling me that today... is Sharayu's birthday?"
"Umm... yes?"
"And she didn't tell me?"
"Well, Sir, she kind of expected you to-"
"And you guys didn't tell me either?"
"Okay, okay, first of all, calm down-"
"Rutuja. Do you realize what I have done?"
Rutuja couldn't hold it anymore. She BURST OUT LAUGHING.
Because THIS?
THIS was comedy gold.
"Sir," she wheezed. "Are you okay?"
"NO, I AM NOT OKAY! I AM AN IDIOT."
Sharayu, who had been watching the conversation, narrowed her eyes.
"What is he saying?" she whispered.
Rutuja held up a hand, struggling to breathe.
"Sir, listen, you can still fix this. It's only 7 PM. You still have time to-"
But before she could even finish, she heard the sound of keys jangling.
And then, Satish's urgent voice.
"Where is she right now?"
Rutuja froze.
"Sir... are you... about to go see her?"
"WHERE. IS. SHE."
Rutuja's laughter died.
Oh.
Oh.
This man was serious.
And Sharayu, who had been listening, felt her stomach flip.
Because something told her...
Satish was about to do something ridiculous.
Satish was a man of many things.
Arrogant? Yes.
Possessive? Absolutely.
Flirty? More than necessary.
But forgetful? Never.
And yet, he had done the one unforgivable thing.
He had forgotten her birthday.
And if that wasn't enough, he had spent the whole day texting her useless things instead of the one thing that actually mattered.
No wonder she had ignored his texts. No wonder she hadn't picked up his calls.
She was hurt.
And that? That didn't sit well with him.
So, Satish did what any guilty, desperate man would do.
He planned.
Satish knew Sharayu.
He knew her more than she thought he did.
He knew she wasn't a girl who liked crowds and loud music.
She didn't care for grand birthday bashes or big surprises.
No.
She liked cozy spaces, soft lights, warm things.
She liked quiet, meaningful gestures over flashy displays.
And so, that's what he created.
The place was an outdoor rooftop garden of a small, private café-a place he had rented just for the night.
Fairy lights were strung across the space, casting a golden glow.
A small wooden table sat in the middle, covered with a soft white cloth, a simple yet beautiful cake placed in the center.
Around the table, he had placed comfy cushions instead of chairs-because he knew she loved sitting on the floor, cross-legged, feeling at ease.
And the best part?
The background music.
Not some loud DJ mix-but her favorite soft, instrumental tunes.
Everything about the place screamed Sharayu.
And now...
All he needed was her.
So, he sent her a message:
"Come to this place at 8 PM. Just come."
No 'please.' No 'if you want to.' Just a simple demand.
Because he knew.
He knew she would see it.
And he knew she would come.
Sharayu stared at the message on her phone for a full five minutes.
And then, she locked her screen.
Nope.
She wasn't going.
She wasn't even going to acknowledge the message.
Because what the hell was wrong with him?!
The audacity.
After forgetting her birthday, after being clueless the entire day, now, suddenly, he wanted to meet her?
And he didn't even apologize!
She huffed.
No.
She wasn't going.
Absolutely not.
...
But then, she unlocked her phone again.
And read the message again.
And again.
And again.
And dammit.
She wanted to go.
She really, really wanted to go.
But why?!
Why was she like this?!
Why did she always end up doing what he wanted?
Why did she feel like this was important?
Why was she...
Why was she still wearing the lavender dress?
...
Oh.
Oh, she was doomed.
Because deep down...
She wanted him to see her in this dress.
She wanted him to look at her and regret not wishing her sooner.
She wanted him to realize what he had missed out on.
She wanted him to make up for it.
And so...
She lied to her friends.
"I have another birthday party to go to," she said casually.
Her friends raised their eyebrows.
Rutuja smirked knowingly.
"Another party, huh?" Rutuja said, crossing her arms.
"Yes," Sharayu said stiffly.
"And where is this... party?"
Sharayu grabbed her bag and fled.
Her friends laughed behind her.
Satish wasn't just calling her here for an apology.
No.
This wasn't just about forgetting her birthday.
This was about her.
About them.
Because for too long, she had been running away from him.
She had been denying every feeling, avoiding every tension, dodging every moment between them.
But tonight...
Tonight, he was going to make her stay.
Tonight, he was going to make her realize what they both already knew.
Tonight...
She wouldn't be able to ignore him anymore.
And when he heard the soft sound of footsteps approaching...
A slow smirk stretched across his face.
She came.
Just as he knew she would.
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