The storm started with a blackout.
Well, not a literal one. The WiFi just crashed across campus — something that hadn't happened in over three years at Higher Value University. Students panicked like their limbs had been cut off.
In Dorm 7C, Preesha flopped on the couch with her med notes. "No WiFi. No Netflix. I'm losing the will to live."
"Overreaction of the year," Abhishek muttered from the armchair, flipping through a law textbook like he wasn't secretly texting Krisha again.
She hadn't replied to his message from the mall.
Shaurya, ever the instigator, grinned. "Well then, time for a classic."
He clapped his hands. "Truth or Dare."
"Nope," Krisha said instantly, walking in with a bowl of chips. "We are not twelve."
"Exactly," Shaurya said, snatching a chip. "We're worse. Which makes it more fun."
Preesha rolled her eyes but sat up. "I'm in."
Abhishek glanced up from his book. "I'm not doing anything stupid."
"No promises," Shaurya winked.
Ten minutes later, the circle was formed.
Krisha. Abhishek. Shaurya. Preesha.
And — as if fate wanted to spice things up — Anish, who'd dropped by to return Krisha's notebook and got roped in.
The mood was light at first.
Preesha dared Shaurya to do 15 squats while singing Tum Se Hi from Jab We Met.
Shaurya dared Krisha to prank call Lavanya and pretend she'd broken a drone in engineering class.
Everyone laughed.
But then Shaurya's eyes gleamed. "Krisha. Truth or dare?"
She sighed. "Truth."
He grinned. "Who do you like?"
Her eyes widened. "What kind of sixth-grade question is that?!"
"Answer or eat an entire spoonful of that expired green chutney."
Krisha groaned. Everyone leaned in.
She looked at the floor. "I... don't like anyone. Currently."
Abhishek looked away.
Anish looked... hopeful.
Preesha looked like she wanted to throw her slipper.
Shaurya raised a brow but let it slide.
A few more rounds passed.
Then came the moment.
Anish turned to Abhishek.
"Truth or Dare?"
Abhishek stared at him coolly. "Truth."
Anish's tone was quiet but sharp. "Do you like Krisha?"
The room went dead silent.
Krisha froze.
Shaurya gasped, way too dramatically.
Abhishek's jaw tensed. He looked directly at Krisha.
And for a second — just a second — the mask slipped.
"Yes," he said.
Then stood up, walked into his room, and shut the door behind him.
Krisha's heart thundered.
Preesha's mouth was open.
Shaurya was whisper-screaming, "I KNEW IT!"
Anish sat back, emotionless, but his knuckles were white from how hard he was clenching the edge of the table.
Krisha stood up slowly.
"I'm going to get water," she mumbled, but she didn't go to the kitchen.
She knocked softly on Abhishek's door.
No answer.
"Abhishek?"
Nothing.
She sighed. "Why would you say that if you didn't want to talk about it?"
The door creaked open.
He looked at her. Tired. Vulnerable. Real.
"Because I didn't want to lie."
Their eyes locked.
And just when she looked like she might finally say something back —
Shaurya sneezed loudly in the background, breaking the moment.
Krisha blinked. "We should go back."
Abhishek nodded. "Yeah."
But neither of them moved.
Later that night, Preesha texted Chaitanya:
"I'm starting to think Krisha and Abhishek are the slowest-burn ship in existence."
And Chaitanya replied:
"Want me to accidentally lock them in a lab room together?"
Preesha:
"Yes. But make it romantic."