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Chapter 8

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After a conversation with him, she felt the need to get something to get through the night. So, after weaving through the crowd aimlessly, Naina found herself back at the bar. She hadn't drunk much, but it was enough to make her feel a little less self-conscious. She tapped her fingers against the countertop, staring at the half-empty glass in front of her. 

"Enjoying yourself?" 

The voice was deep, smooth, and undeniably familiar. 

She looked up to see Ayaan standing beside her, his eyes studying her intently. He was even closer than she'd realized, his presence commanding and impossible to ignore. 

"I...uh..." Naina's throat went dry. 

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Is that a yes or a no?" 

"It's...not as bad as I thought it would be," she managed, feeling her cheeks heat up. 

His smirk widened. "I'll take that as a compliment." 

Naina's fingers tightened around her glass as she tried to focus on something—anything—other than how close he was. "Why are you here?" she asked, surprising herself with the question. 

"I could ask you the same thing." His voice was low, teasing. 

"My friends, I told you," she replied quickly. 

"Same here," he said, taking a sip from his drink and leaning slightly closer. "Though right now, I'm glad they dragged me here." 

Her stomach flipped at his words. 

She looked up at him, her nerves making it hard to hold his gaze for too long. "You...don't usually come to the bar?" 

"Not usually." He set his drink down and tilted his head, watching her with an intensity that made her feel like the only person in the room. "But tonight seems different." 

Naina opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. The alcohol was making her bolder, but not bold enough to match the way he was looking at her. 

He leaned closer, his voice dropping just enough to send shivers down her spine. "You know, I've noticed something about you, Naina." 

She blinked, surprised by the sound of her name on his lips. "What?" 

Naina's heart pounded as she looked at Ayaan, standing so close that the space between them felt like a fragile thread. His gaze was unrelenting, his eyes locked onto hers with a mixture of curiosity and something deeper—something she couldn't name but felt pull her in.

She tried to look away, but the weight of his presence made it impossible. Her fingers tightened around her glass, the coolness of it doing little to calm the warmth spreading through her body.

"You're not like everyone else here," he murmured, his voice low and intimate, as if he wasn't speaking to her but to her soul.

The intensity in his tone sent a shiver down her spine, leaving her rooted to the spot. Every rational thought told her to step away, to put some distance between them, but instead, she took a shaky breath and looked up at him.

Something shifted in the air between them.

His eyes flicked to her lips, and the heat in his gaze was undeniable.

She didn't know what was getting into her. The alcohol was giving her a sense of courage and boldness which she knew she didn't have. Her eyes flickered minutely to his lips, quick enough that he didn't notice it. She felt like all the emotions from bottling her crush on him first year was now surfacing openly.

Her heart thudded wildly, and before she could stop herself, before the moment could slip away, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Her lips brushed against his softly at first, tentative and unsure yet quick enough for her to quickly kiss and leave; it was enough to set her nerves alight.

Ayaan froze for a fraction of a second, as if caught off guard, but the surprise melted away almost instantly. Before she could pull away as planned, his hand found her waist, firm and possessive, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them.

And then he kissed her back.

It was slow at first, deliberate, like he wanted to savor the moment, but the heat between them was impossible to ignore. His other hand slid up to cradle her jaw, tilting her head just enough for him to deepen the kiss.

Naina felt like the ground beneath her had vanished. His lips were warm and demanding, moving against hers with a confidence that left her breathless. The world around them faded away—no music, no crowd, no noise. Just him.

Her hands, unsure at first, found their way to his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her palms. He pressed closer, his thumb brushing lightly against her waist, igniting sparks wherever he touched.

The kiss grew more heated, more consuming, as if they were both losing themselves in it. His teeth grazed her lower lip, gentle yet teasing, and it sent a thrill through her that she didn't know she could feel.

When she finally pulled back, gasping for air, her eyes fluttered open to find his already staring at her. His expression was a mix of awe and something possessive, something that made her pulse race.

"Naina," he breathed, his voice rough and low, like her name was the only thing that mattered in the world. His hand was still on her jaw whilst the other had held her waist.

Her heart hammered against her ribs as reality crashed down around her. Panic surged, and before he could say anything else, she shook her head and stepped back.

"I... I have to go," she whispered, turning away and disappearing into the crowd, leaving him standing there, eyes still on her, and the taste of her kiss lingering on his lips.

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