DIYA'S POV
The night ended in chaos—split bills, blurry group photos, half-hearted protests about who owed whom three hundred rupees. Laughter echoed as we spilled onto the sidewalk, the city lights painting everyone in streaks of gold and neon.
But I felt… empty.
One by one, our group fractured—hugs goodbye, promises to text, the usual "we should do this again soon" that everyone says but no one means.
And then it was just me.
Alone on the curb, arms wrapped around myself like I could hold the pieces of tonight together if I just squeezed hard enough.
Then—
Maddy.
Still there. Hands shoved deep in his hoodie pockets, shoulders hunched against the night air. His gaze flickered to mine, and for a heartbeat, the world narrowed to the space between us.
He took a step forward.
My pulse stuttered.
Was he going to—
"Bro! Your ride's here!"
Rishi's voice shattered the moment. A cab pulled up, brakes squeaking. Maddy blinked, startled, like he'd forgotten where he was.
I turned away before he could see my face fall.
But then—
"Diya."
His voice, low and rough, sent a shiver down my spine. He was closer now, his eyes dark with something unreadable. "You've booked your cab, right?"
"Yeah," I managed. "It's on the way."
His jaw tightened. "Send me the number. And text me when you get home." A pause. "Please.**"
That please wrecked me.
I nodded, throat too tight to speak.
He opened his mouth—to say what?—but my cab rolled up, headlights cutting between us like fate's cruel interruption.
The ride home was a blur of streetlights and silence.
Then—
The tears came.
Hot, silent, unstoppable.
Not because of the goodbye.
But because tonight, with his head in my lap, his breath warm against my skin, I'd realized something terrifying.
I was in love with Maddy.
Not the "oh, he's cute" kind. The "I memorize the way he laughs" kind. The "I'd let him ruin me if he asked" kind.
And I couldn't breathe with it.
My phone burned in my hand.
What if I waited too long?
What if he never looked at me the way I looked at him?
What if tonight was all we'd ever have?
No.
I couldn't let it end like this.
With shaking fingers, I called him.
One ring.
Two.
Then—"Hey." His voice was warm, surprised. "You okay? Did you reach?"
"I'm still on the way," I whispered. "But I need to tell you something. Now."
A beat of silence. "Okay…"
I closed my eyes.
"Maddy, I think I like you. A lot. And I didn't plan it, and I didn't expect it, but tonight—I just… I can't pretend anymore."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Then—
He laughed.
Soft. Disbelieving. "You always do this."
"Do what?"
"Steal the moment. Right before I was going to say it."
My heart stopped.
"Also," he added, voice dripping with amusement, "I think I left my earphones in your bag."
My hand flew to my scarf—there they were. Tangled in the fabric like a promise.
"I'll come by tomorrow to pick them up," he said. "And when I do… I'll tell you my answer. In person."
The line went dead.
I stared at my reflection in the window—lips parted, cheeks wet, hope cracking my chest wide open.
He hadn't said yes.
He hadn't said no.
But he was coming.
And that—
That meant everything.
MADDY'S POV
I stared at my phone long after the call ended.
She'd said it first.
Of course she had.
Diya, who overthought everything except the way she set my world on fire with a single glance.
I slumped against my bedroom wall, pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes.
Idiot.
I'd planned to tell her tomorrow. When I could see her. When I could trace her reaction with my fingers instead of just my imagination.
But she'd stolen it.
Just like she'd stolen my breath tonight, her fingers in my hair, her voice soft in the dark—"Just rest."