Chapter 3
The rest of the day passed in a strange blur for Meera.
She tried to pay attention in class. She really did. But every time the teacher wrote something on the board, her mind drifted somewhere else entirely.
Messy hair falling over his forehead.
That easy smile.
The way he had casually pushed his shoes toward her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Meera rested her chin on her hand and sighed quietly.
Rohan.
Just thinking about his name made her cheeks feel warm.
Beside her, Kitty watched this entire transformation with growing suspicion.
After a few minutes, Kitty leaned closer and whispered, "Okay… what is going on in that brain of yours?"
Meera blinked. "Nothing."
Kitty raised an eyebrow. "You've been smiling at your notebook for the last five minutes."
"I have not."
"You literally just sighed."
Meera quickly looked down at her notebook again, pretending to write something.
Kitty squinted at her.
"Oh no."
"What?" Meera said.
"You like him."
Meera froze.
"Like who?"
Kitty stared at her like she had just said the most obvious thing in the world.
"Rohan."
Meera opened her mouth to deny it, but the words refused to come out.
Instead, she shrugged weakly.
"Maybe a little."
Kitty's reaction was immediate.
She sat up straight and whispered sharply, "Meera, no."
Meera frowned. "What do you mean no?"
"I mean no," Kitty repeated. "Not him."
Meera crossed her arms defensively.
"What's wrong with him? He seemed really nice."
Kitty gave a short laugh.
"That's exactly the problem."
"What problem?"
"Meera," Kitty said quietly, leaning closer so no one else could hear. "Rohan is the biggest playboy in this school."
Meera rolled her eyes immediately.
"Oh please. Just because someone is friendly doesn't mean they're a playboy."
"You don't understand," Kitty insisted. "He never actually dates anyone."
"Then how is he a playboy?" Meera asked.
"Because he talks to girls," Kitty said. "He's charming, he's funny, he makes them think he's interested… and then he just disappears."
Meera frowned slightly.
"That doesn't sound like him."
Kitty sighed.
"Look, he's a great person to talk to. Honestly, if you want a friend, he's perfect. But if you start liking him…" She paused. "You're just going to get hurt."
Meera stared at her.
"Wow," she said slowly. "You really think I'm that easy to break?"
"That's not what I said."
Meera tilted her head.
"Or do you think I'm not pretty enough for him?"
Kitty's eyes widened immediately.
"Meera!"
"What?" Meera said, shrugging. "You're acting like there's absolutely no way he could like me."
Kitty groaned softly.
"That's not what I mean. You're gorgeous, okay? Everyone knows that."
"Then what's the problem?"
Kitty leaned back in her chair and lowered her voice again.
"Do you remember that girl in our class… the one everyone says looks like a model?"
Meera nodded slowly.
"He rejected her."
Meera blinked.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Kitty continued, "And Sakshi. You know, the most popular girl in school? The one who literally has half the boys following her around?"
"Yeah?"
"He rejected her too."
Meera stared at Kitty in disbelief.
"That's impossible."
"I'm serious," Kitty said firmly. "And that's not even the worst part."
Meera felt a strange curiosity growing inside her.
"What do you mean?"
Kitty hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"One of my friends told me about this girl he used to text."
"What happened?"
"They talked for weeks," Kitty said. "Like, every day. He was super nice to her. Always listening, joking, making her feel special."
Meera listened carefully.
"And then?"
"And then nothing," Kitty said. "He just… stopped. Completely."
Meera's brows furrowed.
"That's awful."
"Exactly," Kitty said. "The girl was really upset. She thought he liked her."
For a moment, Meera didn't say anything.
Her fingers traced the edge of her notebook slowly.
"But he didn't seem like that," she said quietly.
Kitty sighed.
"That's the thing, Meera. Guys like him never seem like that."
Meera looked out the classroom window.
Students were walking across the school courtyard, laughing and talking, completely unaware of the storm of thoughts inside her head.
She remembered the way Rohan had laughed in the infirmary.
The way he had talked to her like they were already friends.
The way his eyes had softened when she spoke.
Could someone like that really be the kind of person Kitty described?
Meera wasn't sure.
But one thing was certain.
No matter what Kitty said…
She still couldn't stop thinking about him.