Shumaila burst into the dorm, closing the door behind her with more force than necessary. Her heart was still pounding—not just from the sprint but from him. The way Hamza had trapped her, whispered in that husky voice, the way he had looked at her like—
"Where the hell were you?"
She snapped her head up to find three pairs of eyes staring at her. Komal and Akansha were standing in the kitchen, their hands frozen mid-air as they prepared tea, while Sneha was on the couch, laptop open, but her gaze now locked onto Shumaila.
Their expressions quickly morphed into something wicked.
"Why are you panting?" Akansha smirked, crossing her arms. "And why do you look like you just saw a ghost? Wait—" She squinted. "Are you blushing?!"
Shumaila stiffened. "I— No— Shut up."
Sneha shut her laptop dramatically and leaned forward. "It's him, isn't it?"
Komal gasped, putting a hand over her heart. "Oh my God, what did Hamza do to you?"
Shumaila groaned. "Can you all stop being delusional for one second?"
Sneha's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Then explain why you came back red as a tomato and breathing like you just ran for your life."
Akansha tilted her head. "Wait. Did you run for your life?"
Shumaila opened her mouth, then closed it. Technically, she had. But explaining why would be the death of her.
The girls exchanged glances, then simultaneously closed in on her.
"I SWEAR TO GOD—"
After ten minutes of relentless teasing, Shumaila somehow managed to escape to freshen up, only to be dragged into their four-person dining setup where the interrogation resumed.
"So." Sneha leaned on the table, smirking. "Spill."
Shumaila sighed, knowing they wouldn't let it go. "It was Karan. He tried to talk to me alone. Said some bullshit about Hamza and then—"
"He did what?!" Komal's spoon clattered against her plate.
Shumaila exhaled. "It's fine. He tried grabbing me, but I kicked him off before Hamza got there."
Akansha's eyes narrowed. "That guy doesn't know when to quit."
Sneha tapped her fingers against her chin. "And?"
Shumaila hesitated. "And...Hamza may or may not have punched him."
"Oh, love that." Komal nodded approvingly. "Very on-brand."
Akansha smirked. "Wait— you kicked Karan, and then Hamza punched him? Now that's a power couple move."
Shumaila choked on her food. "We are not like tha—"
"Oh please." Sneha rolled her eyes. "Continue."
Shumaila hesitated again. "...Hamza warned him not to touch his woman."
Silence.
Then, all hell broke loose.
"NO WAY." Komal nearly flipped the table.
"HIS WOMAN?" Akansha squealed.
Sneha dramatically wiped an imaginary tear. "This is straight out of a dark romance novel."
Shumaila groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "You guys are insane."
Komal leaned forward. "Okay, but— that's not why you came back looking like that. What are you hiding?"
Shumaila stiffened.
She hated how well they knew her.
"I— I don't know what you're talking about."
Sneha squinted. "You're picturing something in your head right now, aren't you?"
Shumaila's face burned.
Because she was. Because the image of Hamza caging her against the wall, whispering in her ear, teasing her, telling her she was his woman—
"OH MY GOD." Akansha pointed at her. "LOOK AT HER FACE."
Komal gasped. "You're blushing again."
Sneha leaned in. "What exactly did Hamza do after calling you his woman?"
Shumaila scowled. "I hate all of you."
Komal wiggled her eyebrows. "No, you don't."
Shumaila groaned and stuffed her mouth with food to avoid answering.
The girls just laughed, enjoying her misery.
...
After dinner, Sneha decided to take a walk, enjoying the cool night breeze. The day had been eventful, to say the least.
Just as she turned the corner, she nearly bumped into someone.
"Woah, wifey. You really can't stay away from me, huh?"
Sneha sighed. "Rudra. Why are you like this?"
Rudra grinned, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he walked beside her. "Married once, bonded for life. That's the rule."
Sneha rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "It was a game."
"Tell that to our marriage certificate."
"There was no marriage certificate."
Rudra placed a hand over his heart. "Wow. So you're just going to erase our sacred bond?"
Sneha shoved his shoulder playfully. "I'll erase you if you keep this up."
They both laughed, the atmosphere easy and warm.
A comfortable silence settled between them before Rudra spoke again, his voice softer.
"You know... I don't say this often, but I'm glad we met."
Sneha glanced at him, raising a brow. "That's surprisingly sentimental for you."
He chuckled. "I have my moments."
She hummed. "Well, I'm glad too."
They continued walking, the air between them filled with something unspoken.
Eventually, Rudra smirked again. "So, should I book a honeymoon for us or...?"
Sneha groaned. "And the moment ruined."
Rudra burst out laughing, while Sneha shook her head, fighting the smile tugging at her lips.