To ease the tension in the air—and, more importantly, to stop her heart from hammering out of her chest—Paavna quickly gave him the antifungal and anti-infection gel. It was the kind that wouldn't burn like a thousand tiny fire ants crawling on the skin, but at least it would cover the wound properly. She didn't want to stick around and get into some awkward conversation. The longer she stayed, the more it felt like her heartbeat was auditioning for a spot in a marathon.
She muttered a quick "bye" and dashed away faster than she'd ever run before, as if a bear was chasing her, but somehow, she could still feel her heart thudding like crazy in her chest. Seriously, why did she have to react like this? What was so special about Aadav anyway? Her brain was screaming for a logical explanation, but her heart was too busy turning into a drum.
She turned toward the primary building, trying to pretend like she wasn't feeling completely awkward. She had to look casual, like nothing had happened. But the reality? She felt like she had just done an impromptu performance in front of an audience of one—who, as luck would have it, was Aadav. Great.
Meanwhile, what Paavna didn't know was that Aadav was so stunned by her sudden exit that he literally forgot to breathe. For a moment, he felt like his lungs were on strike. After what felt like an eternity of gasping for air, he finally sobered up, realizing he'd been holding his breath for the past minute. Oops. "Breathe, Aadav, breathe," he reminded himself, like some kind of self-help mantra.
Then, as the oxygen kicked back in and his head cleared, he let out a quiet laugh. The way she'd run away—it was like watching a startled deer dart off in the middle of a forest. It was so awkward, yet so cute. How did she manage to look like she was running for her life and still be adorable? He couldn't decide whether he was impressed or worried about how fast she could actually run.
"If I had known that a little injury would make her notice me, I would've tripped over a rock weeks ago," he thought with a smug grin. There was a part of him that was just so ridiculously happy to finally get her attention, even if it was because of his dramatic, over-the-top clumsiness.
As Aadav was still caught in his thoughts, Kavi entered the class with her usual swagger. She spotted him instantly and, without missing a beat, walked over to his desk. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and that familiar mischievous grin spread across her face.
She stood there for a moment, not saying anything, just looking at him like she was waiting for him to notice her. Aadav, still trying to recover from his awkward moment with Paavna, finally looked up and met her gaze.
"So, where's my reward?" Kavi said, leaning over his desk with a smug look.
Aadav blinked, still a little lost from his earlier conversation with Paavna. "What reward?" he asked, trying to act like he didn't know exactly what she was talking about.
Kavi put her hands on her hips and gave him a "seriously?" look. "The reward for me helping you with Paavna, of course. Don't tell me you forgot?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.
Aadav, still processing the whole situation, opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. "Wait, you... helped me?" he said, looking bewildered.
Kavi rolled her eyes dramatically, her grin growing wider. "Are you really that clueless? Of course, I helped you. You think I didn't notice how you were practically dying of embarrassment just because Paavna spoke to you? Come on, I'm not blind, you know."
Aadav tried to play it cool, but Kavi wasn't letting up. "And don't think I didn't see the way you were acting around her. You're not as good at hiding your feelings as you think, you know," she added with a teasing smirk. "I helped you out, so I expect something in return."
"Helped me out how?" Aadav asked, genuinely confused.
"Well, for starters, I made sure Paavna spoke to you today. She wouldn't have even noticed you if I hadn't... given her a little push," Kavi said, looking proud of herself.
Aadav's eyes widened in realization. "You did that?" he asked, his voice full of surprise.
Kavi nodded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yes, yes, I did. You're welcome. Now, where's my reward?"
Aadav frowned, a little thrown off. "Reward for what? I never asked for any of this."
Kavi crossed her arms and gave him a look that said, seriously, are you really going to make me spell it out for you? "Aadav, come on. You think I would help you out of the goodness of my heart? No, no, I expect something. And that something is KFC." She said it so matter-of-factly that Aadav wasn't sure whether to laugh or just give in.
"KFC?" Aadav repeated, half-laughing. "Is that what you want as a reward?"
Kavi shot him a playful wink. "Exactly. You get me KFC, and I'll forget about your little crush on Paavna for a while." She grinned wider, clearly enjoying herself.
Aadav chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. Saturday, your place. KFC it is," he said, giving in with a defeated smile.
"Saturday. Don't forget. I'm counting on you," Kavi said with a serious nod, as if it was a matter of national importance.
Aadav raised an eyebrow at her and teased, "And what happens if I don't show up?"
Kavi shot him a deadly serious look. "Then you'll have to live with the guilt of knowing that I helped you get close to Paavna and all you had to do was show up with some fried chicken." She grinned again. "Trust me, it'll haunt you forever."
Aadav laughed. "Alright, alright. You win. KFC, Saturday. No backing out."
Kavi started to turn around but then paused and looked back at him with a softer expression. "Just remember, Aadav, I'm doing this for Paavna. She deserves someone who treats her right, and if you ever mess that up, I'll make sure she knows you're just another guy who couldn't figure it out."
Aadav looked at her, a bit taken aback by her sudden seriousness. "I know, Kavi. I'll be careful," he said, feeling the weight of her words.
"Good," Kavi said, her expression softening. Then she flashed him one more playful grin before walking away. "Now, you better start planning the KFC order, mister."
Aadav watched her leave, still processing everything. His mind wandered back to Paavna, and the thought of her made his heart race again. But this time, he wasn't running away from it. At least, not for now.