We spent the rest of the evening eating and talking. I did notice his gaze lingering on me every now and then, and I won't lie—it made my heart flutter in ways I didn't want to admit.
"It's already midnight, I should leave," Vyom said, glancing at his wristwatch. He picked up his keys and stood up.
Suddenly, Ish interrupted, "Why don't you just stay tonight?" She said it with a little smirk, her eyes flicking from him to me. "Besides, it's raining outside."
I looked at her in disbelief. Really, Ish? He has a car. A perfectly good car. It's not like he's going to melt in the rain. I shot her a glare that was practically screaming, What are you trying to do?
"I think I should," Vyom said, his eyes drifting to the window where raindrops streamed down the glass.
My heart skipped a beat. "N-no. Why? I mean… you have a car," I stammered, panic rising in my chest. The thought of a sleepover with him—under the same roof, at my friend's house, no less—was just too much to take in.
"Rose, are you shy?" he teased, tilting his head at me. His laughter filled the room, and my cheeks grew warmer by the second.
"Hell no," I shot back, turning my face away to avoid his gaze. If I looked at him any longer, I'd give myself away completely.
Ish grinned knowingly. "Great! It's settled then. You're staying, Vyom." She clapped her hands together like she'd just solved some huge world crisis.
I groaned internally. "Ish, seriously—"
But she ignored me, already walking away to grab extra blankets.
Vyom put his keys back on the table and gave me a smile that made my stomach do a somersault. "Looks like I'm not going anywhere tonight."
I swallowed hard. The thought of him being here, under the same roof, sleeping just a few feet away… it was overwhelming. Part of me wanted to run, and another part wanted to stay right there and not miss a single second.
The rain outside grew heavier, the sound echoing through the house like a soft drum. Ish returned with blankets and tossed them onto the couch. "There you go. Make yourself comfortable," she said cheerfully.
He stretched a little, then sat back down, his eyes finding me once again. "Guess it's going to be a long night," he said softly.
And for the first time, I wasn't sure whether that thought terrified me or thrilled me.
Vyom, do you know Nandini sleepwalks?" Ishani suddenly blurted, sitting up on the couch with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
I froze. Oh no. Not this story. Anything but this.
"Shut up and sleep, Ishani, if you don't want to die so soon," I hissed, glaring at her. At that moment, I truly wished I could strangle her. God, why was she like this?
"Too late, baby," she teased, grinning like the devil. "So, Vyom, do you want to hear a story about Nandini?"
"Why not?" Vyom said, lips curving into the faintest smile.
My heart thudded against my ribcage so loudly, I was sure both of them could hear it. "You don't want to know. Trust me," I warned.
"I do, Rose," he countered, his voice calm but amused.
I sighed in defeat, plopped down on my side, and decided silence was the only weapon I had left. Meanwhile, Ishani rubbed her hands together as if she was about to narrate the greatest epic ever told.
"So," she began dramatically, "when we were in the hostel, one night in the middle of my late-night phone call with my first boyfriend—ugh, don't even get me started on him—Nandini suddenly got up from bed and started walking."
I rolled my eyes, pulling the blanket over my face. Here we go.
"I swear, Vyom, she looked possessed. Like, full-on ghost-from-the-haunted-tree vibes. I panicked. I didn't even know I knew mantras, but that night I was chanting everything that came to my head. I was calling her name—no response. She just kept walking. Finally, in total desperation, I grabbed a jug of water and splashed it on her."
Vyom leaned forward, clearly enjoying this more than he should. "And then?"
Ishani burst out laughing. "And then she looked at me—dripping wet, half asleep—and said, 'Goddamn Ishani, is it Holi already?'"
Vyom threw his head back and laughed, a genuine, deep laugh that sent warmth flooding through me. I peeked at him from under the blanket, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe. He looked so impossibly handsome when he laughed. His smile lit up the whole room, and I hated to admit it, but I loved seeing him like this.
Even I couldn't hold back a chuckle. "Her boyfriend thought I was possessed too, so the next morning he actually came with a priest," I added, laughing at the memory.
All three of us were in stitches, and though I wanted to stay mad at Ishani for exposing me, I couldn't. The memory was ridiculous—and hilarious.
A while later, as the laughter faded, a soft snoring filled the room. I turned and found Ishani already knocked out, her mouth slightly open. Typical. She always had this talent of sleeping mid-conversation, like her body just decided enough socializing for today.
The room fell quiet again, the rain still pattering against the windows. It was just me and Vyom now, the air thick with something I couldn't quite name.
"I think you should sleep," I whispered, trying to sound casual, though my voice betrayed me a little.
He hummed softly, leaning back against the couch. "Good night, Rose." His tone was gentle, almost tender.
"Yup. Good night," I replied, barely above a whisper.
But sleep didn't come to me as easily as it did for Ishani. I turned to the side, staring at the dim outline of Vyom across the room. His eyes were still open, glinting faintly in the light.
For a moment, I wondered if he was thinking the same thing I was—that this night, in the middle of rain and laughter, something between us had shifted.
I shut my eyes quickly, as if escaping my own thoughts. But the warmth in my chest betrayed me. Sleep could wait. My heart was too busy memorizing the sound of his laugh, the way his smile reached his eyes, and the softness in his voice when he said good night.