INVISIBLE STRINGS // SARAJ

tentative and tents

She brushed her thumb gently over the image, a sad smile tugging at her lips. I promise I'll make you proud, she thought. This leadership camp was a big deal, especially for someone with IAS aspirations. It was a chance to prove herself, to gain skills and experience that could set her apart. Savi whispered a silent vow to her parents, No matter what life throws at me, I'll achieve this. I'll make it happen for you both.

Savi tucked the photo back into her wallet, forcing herself to think positively about the trip. It wasn't about Rajat or whatever unresolved tension there was between them. It was about her future.

***

The bus rumbled to a halt at a small gas station, the driver announcing a quick break for snacks and bathroom trips. Savi stepped out, feeling a wave of relief as the cool breeze hit her. It was nice to stretch her legs and get away from the stuffy air inside the bus. She made her way toward a small stall selling snacks and eyed a packet of chips, her fingers reaching out for it at the same time as someone else's.

She didn't need to look up to know who it was.

Rajat.

They both paused, neither willing to pull back first. It was as if the tension from the past week had condensed into this small moment, with neither of them wanting to be the one to give in.

Savi rolled her eyes but was still adamant on not talking to him so instead of addressing Rajat directly, she spoke to the vendor, her tone clipped. "Give it to him."

The vendor looked confused, glancing between them. "Uh, are you sure?"

Rajat's jaw clenched. "No, give it to her," he said firmly, still not looking at Savi. "She was here first."

Savi rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Tell him I don't want it," she said, her voice dripping with irritation.

The vendor awkwardly held out the packet, shifting it from one hand to the other, unsure of whom to give it to.

"Just keep it then," Rajat snapped, finally looking at Savi with a frustrated glare. "I'm not going to stand here and argue about chips."

"Neither am I," she retorted, turning on her heel and walking away.

She could feel Rajat's eyes burning into her back as she left, but she didn't turn around. It was like this every time they crossed paths—sharp words and clipped sentences, each of them too stubborn to admit they were hurt. And it was getting exhausting.

Arjun came up behind Rajat and watched her go, then turned back to Rajat with a sigh. "You two seriously need to figure this out. How long is this going to go on for?"

"I don't know and it doesn't seem like she cares much" Rajat said, "Not like we had much of a friendship I guess"

With that, he walks forward towards the bus giving Arjun no room for any other comments. 

***

By the time they reached the campgrounds, the sun was starting to dip below the horizon. They were greeted by the instructors, who explained that tonight they would be sleeping in tents before moving to the cabins tomorrow. The students split into groups, gathering supplies to start building their tents.

Savi grabbed her own bag of supplies, struggling to figure out which pole went where. She cursed under her breath, feeling the frustration bubble up.

Across the clearing, Rajat and Arjun were already helping a couple of confused students, making quick work of their tents. Rajat glanced over and saw Savi frowning at her tangled mess of poles and ropes. He ignored the impulse to go help her—if she didn't want his help, he wasn't going to offer it.

But the instructor had other plans. "Rajat, can you help her out?" he called over.

Rajat's mentally groaned,  but he nodded curtly. He made his way over to Savi, who looked up and immediately scowled. "I don't need your help," she muttered, yanking on one of the poles.

"I wasn't dying to offer it either," Rajat snapped back. "But the instructor asked."

"Then tell him I can handle it myself," Savi retorted, turning her back to him.

"I can't, this is my job to assist the students" He retorted, and pulled the instructions off the ground to read them. 

The two of them worked in silence for a few minutes, both too stubborn to ask the other for directions. The large tent was more complicated than either of them anticipated, and at one point, they both ducked under the canvas to adjust the inner supports.

"Watch it!" Savi hissed as Rajat nearly elbowed her.

"You're the one standing in the way," he shot back, tugging the rope harder than necessary.

Suddenly, the entire structure gave way, and the canvas collapsed around them. They fell to the ground with a thud, Savi landing on top of Rajat, her hands braced on either side of his head, just enough to brush his neck.

Savi found herself inches away from Rajat's face, his deep brown eyes staring right into hers. His breath hitched as he looked at her, one hand coming up to rest on the small of her back, the other brushing lightly against her cheek.

For a moment, they just stared at each other, both breathless. The closeness was overwhelming; she could feel his breath against her cheek, and he could feel the rise of her chest chest rising and falling with every inhale. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, and she couldn't tell if it was from the fall or something else entirely.

"Savi..." he breathed out, his voice low and rough.

Her own breath caught in her throat as she felt his fingers gently tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. The touch was soft, tender even, and it sent a shiver through her body. She couldn't look away, her eyes locked onto his.

But before he could say anything more, they heard the sound of chatter outside the tent.

"Everyone, we're heading into the forest to collect firewood in five minutes" the instructor's voice called out.

The spell broke, and they both scrambled apart, standing up and dusting themselves off. Rajat avoided her gaze, his jaw clenched tightly as he picked up the supplies.

"Let's just get this done," he muttered.

"Yeah," Savi agreed, her voice a little unsteady. She turned away quickly, focusing on anything but the way her pulse was still racing.

They finished setting up the tent in silence, the tension still hanging between them, heavier now. It felt like they had just crossed an invisible line, one neither of them was ready to acknowledge.

The voices outside grew louder, calling for everyone to head into the forest to collect firewood. Savi stepped out first, brushing off her jeans as she went.

Whatever this was between them—it was getting harder and harder to ignore.

***

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