He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he simply let them rest awkwardly at his sides. He stared at the ceiling, counting the seconds, unsure of when or how this would end. Every muscle in his body was tense, his mind a swirl of conflicting thoughts. He had never been in such a situation before—he didn't even know how to breathe properly, let alone offer comfort.
Yet, as the minutes passed, Mahnoor's grip slowly loosened. Her breathing became steadier, more even, and eventually, the tension in her body began to fade. She had fallen asleep, her face still pressed into his chest, her arms relaxed around him. Rajveer, still lying there, glanced down at her, the realization slowly dawning on him. She had reached her limit, and in that moment of vulnerability, she had turned to him—not as an enemy, not as a rival, but simply as someone who could offer her a moment of comfort.
It felt strange, almost surreal. The animosity between them seemed to fade, if only for that brief moment. Rajveer carefully, almost painstakingly, extracted himself from her embrace. He moved slowly, trying not to disturb her as he shifted off the bed. Once free, he stood for a moment, watching her as she slept, her expression finally peaceful.
Still unable to fully grasp what had just happened, he returned to his spot on the floor. He sat there in the dim light of the dorm room, staring at the bed where Mahnoor now slept soundly. His mind was still reeling, trying to make sense of the sudden intimacy that had transpired between them.
Rajveer lay back on the floor, staring at the ceiling, trying to process the confusion and emotions swirling inside him. Nothing about this situation made sense, and yet, somehow, it was as if a new, tentative line had been drawn between them—a line that neither could fully understand but one that would change the dynamic between them moving forward.
The next day, Mahnoor woke up to the dull ache of her period cramps, but they were more manageable now, not as sharp and debilitating as they had been the day before. She stretched out on her bed, still groggy, and glanced at the floor where Rajveer was already up, quietly packing his things. His expression was focused, as if the events of the previous night hadn't even happened. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or frustrated by that. It was as though he had compartmentalized the intimacy they had shared, filing it away as some fleeting, irrelevant moment.
The awkwardness lingered in the air between them, though neither of them acknowledged it. Mahnoor kept herself busy, scrolling through her phone, pretending not to notice him. But as she watched him pack, folding his clothes with the same calm detachment he'd shown throughout their time together, she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that something had shifted.
Her phone buzzed, pulling her attention back to the WhatsApp group.
Dorm Update: The renovations are complete. All students affected can now return to their assigned dorms. Please move your belongings as soon as possible.
Mahnoor stared at the message for a moment, feeling an unexpected wave of mixed emotions wash over her. This was what she had wanted, wasn't it? Her space back. No more Rajveer in her room, no more awkward, stifling proximity. She could finally be alone again, retreat into the comfort of her own space. And yet, a part of her felt something different—something she couldn't quite name. She felt… a sense of loss. A dull pang of disappointment settled in her chest, as if this sudden end to their forced cohabitation had come too soon.
Rajveer, unaware of her inner conflict, glanced at his phone and saw the same update. He sighed quietly, straightening up as he picked up the last of his belongings. "Looks like it's time to head back," he said, his voice neutral, as if this were just another task on his list.
Mahnoor looked over at him, her fingers gripping her phone a little tighter. She forced a smile. "Yeah, finally. I'll have my space back." The words came out more detached than she intended, her tone hollow.
Rajveer nodded, not picking up on the subtle shift in her mood. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and bent down to gather his essentials, neatly stacking them in his arms. He moved with the same calm efficiency he had shown since the day he arrived. If he felt any hesitation about leaving, he didn't show it.
The silence between them stretched, and Mahnoor couldn't stand it. Her mind raced with thoughts she didn't want to admit to herself, emotions she didn't know how to process. The previous night, the way she had clung to him during her cramps, had stirred something inside her—a connection, however brief, that she hadn't expected. And now, watching him leave without so much as a backward glance, she felt that connection slipping away, dissolving into the space between them.
Rajveer made his way to the door, his hands full of his belongings. "Alright," he said, his voice still casual, almost indifferent. "Thanks for letting me stay. I'll see you around."
Something snapped inside Mahnoor. The polite distance between them, the cool indifference, it grated on her nerves. Without thinking, she stood up from her bed, her body moving on instinct rather than thought. She closed the distance between them in two quick strides, her heart racing in her chest. Before Rajveer could react, she grabbed him by the collar and spun him around to face her.
His eyes widened in surprise, the bundle of clothes he had been holding falling from his hands and scattering across the floor. "Mahnoor—" he began, but his words were cut off as she yanked him down to her level, her fingers gripping his collar tightly.
She didn't give him time to think, to question. With her face inches from his, her breath warm against his skin, she leaned in and pressed her lips against his.
The kiss was unexpected, urgent, and desperate in a way that shocked even Mahnoor. Her heart hammered in her chest, the rush of emotions she had been suppressing for days finally breaking free. She wasn't thinking about the past, about their rivalry, or about the fact that they came from two worlds that were destined to clash. In that moment, none of it mattered. All she knew was that she didn't want him to leave—not like this.
Rajveer froze, caught completely off guard by the suddenness of her actions. For a moment, he didn't know what to do. The room around them seemed to blur, his mind struggling to catch up to the reality of the situation. This was Mahnoor, the same girl who had spent weeks making his life a living hell, the same girl who had resented him for every petty inconvenience he had caused her. And now, here she was, kissing him with a fervor that left him utterly speechless.