??????? ?????? [?????????]

The fire crackled in front of them, casting a warm, flickering glow against the darkening night. The sounds of nature had quieted down around the group as they sat around the bonfire, each person lost in their thoughts or in the cozy silence that filled the space. The air was cool, and the warmth from the fire was a welcome contrast.

Naina sat closest to the fire, her eyes reflecting the soft orange light, while Ayaan lounged nearby, his gaze never straying too far from her. He couldn't help it—there was something magnetic about the way Naina seemed so at ease tonight, the usual walls she put up were nowhere to be found. It was like she was a different person entirely, and Ayaan couldn't get enough of this version of her.

"Do you ever just sit in silence like this?" Naina asked, her voice breaking the quiet, her fingers absently tracing the rim of her cup.

Ayaan smiled softly. "I do, but not with many people." He paused, then added, "It's nice. Just sitting here, not having to say anything."

Naina's gaze flickered to him for a moment, before she looked back at the fire. "Yeah," she said, her voice quieter now. "I like it here. Feels peaceful."

"Good." Ayaan shifted slightly, leaning back on his hands as he watched the flames dance. "Maybe we should come here more often."

Naina raised an eyebrow at him, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "You're saying that, but you don't strike me as the type who enjoys the whole 'nature' vibe."

"I'm not," Ayaan admitted with a chuckle. "But it's nice with the right company."

Naina felt her heart skip a beat, and for a moment, her thoughts scrambled. She tried to play it off with a nonchalant smile. "Well, it's just one weekend," she replied. "Next time, we'll all stick to the city, maybe some more action."

"I like the sound of that," Ayaan said, his voice lowering, though the smile never left his face.

The group chatted for a little while longer, the conversation growing less intense as the evening wore on. As the night deepened, the others decided it was time to pack up. Everyone started moving toward the cars, ready for the drive back, but Ayaan and Naina remained near the fire, both a little reluctant to leave.

"So..." Ayaan began, glancing over at her, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ready for the drive back?"

Naina nodded, standing up slowly. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Rohan and Meera will be in the other car. Arjun and Ananya, too," Ayaan said, as he moved to collect his things. "We'll be the last car, I think."

Naina simply nodded, unsure of what else to say. There was a sense of tension in the air now, one that hadn't been there earlier. Ayaan noticed, but he didn't push it. They made their way to the cars in comfortable silence, the others already climbing into their respective vehicles.

The drive back home was uneventful. The winding roads of Lonavala stretched out before them, lit only by the headlights of the car. The sound of the engine hummed in the background, but the quiet between them remained. Ayaan glanced over at Naina, who had her gaze fixed outside the window. He wanted to say something, to break the silence, but he couldn't find the words.

"How was the trip for you?" Ayaan asked finally, his voice cutting through the quiet.

Naina shifted slightly, glancing at him. "It was... different. Fun. But also, kind of nice to be away from everything for a bit."

Ayaan nodded, his fingers drumming lightly on the steering wheel. "I agree. It was a nice change of pace. I'm glad we did this."

"Me too," Naina replied softly, her voice almost lost in the hum of the car.

Another long stretch of silence followed, neither of them speaking, but both feeling the subtle shift in the atmosphere. Ayaan's mind kept returning to the way Naina looked tonight—so beautiful, so different from the girl he usually knew. It was hard to understand, but something in him had shifted.

He stole another glance at her, just as she seemed to shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"Naina..." he started, but his voice faltered as he realized she was already dozing off, her eyes half-closed, the weight of the day catching up with her.

Ayaan smiled softly. He'd never been good with silence, but for some reason, it felt right tonight. As they drove back to the city, he couldn't help but think about how comfortable he felt around her, how easy it was to just be with her, even when neither of them said a word.

~•~

The next morning, Naina woke up earlier than usual, feeling strangely light. The events of yesterday lingered in her mind, and she couldn't help but smile as she remembered the warmth of the bonfire, the conversations, the quiet moments she had shared with Ayaan. It had been such a simple day, yet it felt so meaningful.

After getting ready for the day, she found herself eager to see Ayaan again. They'd barely talked during the drive home, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something unspoken between them. Something that had shifted, something that felt more real than anything that had happened before.

Her heart skipped a little as she thought about it. She hadn't felt this way in a long time—conflicted, unsure, but excited all at once.

She smiled at her reflection, taking one last glance in the mirror before heading out the door. The walk to university felt shorter than usual, her thoughts consumed by the idea of running into Ayaan. She couldn't wait to see him.

As she entered the campus, her eyes immediately scanned the area for him. And then, there he was—standing near the entrance of the college building, talking to someone. Naina's heart raced, and she made her way toward him.

But as she got closer, she stopped short.

A girl stood beside him, her hand on his arm, and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. Naina froze in place, her breath catching in her throat as she watched them. The way his hand rested on the girl's shoulder, the way they laughed together—it all felt like a punch to her gut.

Without thinking, Naina turned around, her heart aching, and hurried away. She couldn't do this. She couldn't face him now, not after seeing that. It was like everything she had been feeling—the closeness, the way her heart had started to open up to him—meant nothing.

Why had she allowed herself to think it was something? She wasn't sure. Maybe she was just fooling herself.

As she made her way back to the parking lot, her mind raced. She tried to push the image of Ayaan with the girl from her mind, but it was impossible. She had seen it, and now it was lodged in her brain, taking root in a way that she couldn't shake.

Why had she let herself feel this way? She didn't know. But it hurt more than she was willing to admit.

🩵