The semester had rolled into its steady rhythm. New routines, new deadlines, and yet, some things never changed. Maya slid into her usual seat, her notebook open, pen poised, expression cool and unreadable.
Aveed plopped down beside her, leaning slightly closer than necessary.
"Good morning, Maya," he said, voice carrying a touch too much brightness.
She didn't look up from her notes. "Morning," she replied, clipped, polite, like she was speaking to a professor.
Aveed tilted his head, pretending to peer at her notes. "So, still drawing those tragic stick figures?" he teased, lips quirking into a smirk.
Maya's eyes flickered up, and for a second, her composure cracked. "They're not tragic," she said dryly. "They're… minimalist."
From the other side, Aryan leaned across the desk, grinning. "Minimalist? Maya, the last one you showed me looked like a potato with legs."
Maya swatted his arm with her pen cap, unable to stop her laugh. "Shut up! You wouldn't recognize art if it danced in front of you."
Aryan gasped dramatically, hand over his chest. "Excuse you! I am a connoisseur of fine doodles. In fact, I'll have you know, I once drew a masterpiece called 'Smiley Face With Sunglasses.'"
Maya rolled her eyes, but her lips curved into a smile. "Wow, museum-worthy, I'm sure."
Aveed, watching the exchange, forced a chuckle, though his gaze lingered on Maya's laughter longer than it should. "If you want real help with your sketches," he said, tone quieter now, "you know I'm good at it."
Maya shrugged, keeping her voice light. "I'll manage." Her words were casual, but her fingers tightened slightly on the pen.
Aryan jumped in, wiggling his eyebrows. "Don't worry, Aveed, I've got her covered. By the end of this semester, Maya's going to be sketching me like one of those fancy portrait models."
Maya laughed, shaking her head. "Yeah, keep dreaming, Aryan."
The lecturer walked in, cutting their banter short, but not before Aveed leaned back in his chair, watching the two of them with a faint heaviness in his chest. He told himself he didn't care. He told himself it was fine. But the scratch of Maya's pen on her notebook and the way she smiled at Aryan said otherwise
The afternoon sun spilled lazily across the college lawn, painting the grass gold. Students were scattered in small groups, books open, laughter drifting through the air. Maya, Aryan, Aveed, and Tara claimed a quiet spot beneath a tree.
Maya plopped her sketchbook onto her lap with a sigh. "Okay, Aryan. Show me this 'art talent' you keep bragging about."
Aryan leaned over, squinting. "Hmm… interesting. Is this supposed to be a cat or…?"
Maya snapped her head toward him. "It's a chair!"
Tara burst out laughing. "Oh my god, it really does look like a cat."
Aveed chuckled too, though his voice had that teasing edge. "A chair with four uneven legs. Nice."
Maya lifted her chin dramatically. "Modern art. You wouldn't get it."
Aryan grabbed her pencil with a grin. "Here, watch a real artist at work." He bent over the page, tongue sticking out in exaggerated concentration. Within minutes, he'd sketched a surprisingly neat chair with proper shading.
Maya blinked. "Wait… that's actually… good."
Tara clapped her hands. "Aryan! Look at you. Hidden talents."
Aryan puffed out his chest. "Told you. Soon I'll be famous. Maya can say she was my first student."
Maya rolled her eyes, laughing. "Don't push it."
Aveed, sitting cross-legged beside Tara, leaned closer to glance at the sketch. "Not bad. Though the backrest's too short."
Tara elbowed him playfully. "You and your details. Just admit it's good!"
Aveed smirked, but his eyes flickered toward Maya for a beat too long. "Fine. It's good."
Aryan leaned toward Maya, dropping his voice just enough for her to catch. "Don't worry, Maya. I'll tutor you personally. Soon you'll be sketching me."
Maya arched an eyebrow. "Only if you promise to sit still for once."
He winked. "For you? Always."
Tara giggled at their banter, but Aveed's smile faltered. He looked down at the grass, trying to mask the tightening in his chest.
The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching across the lawn. The four of them sat together—jokes flying, laughter shared—but underneath, unspoken tensions tangled quietly, weaving into the fabric of their fragile new balance.
As the sun dipped lower, Tara stretched and dusted off her jeans. "Guys, I should get going. My mom's gonna start a search party if I don't show up soon."
Maya smiled warmly. "See you tomorrow."
"Bye, Tara," Aryan said with a playful salute. "Don't forget to dream about my masterpiece."
Tara laughed, waving at all three before walking off. The lawn felt quieter instantly—like her absence left space for something heavier.
Aryan, never missing a beat, glanced at Maya. "So… when I become famous for my sketches, will you be my muse?"
Maya shot him a sideways look, smirking. "Depends. Do muses get paid?"
"Of course," Aryan grinned. "Unlimited coffee and bad jokes. Best deal in town."
Maya laughed, shaking her head. "Tempting."
Aryan suddenly stopped. "Shit—I almost forgot. I have to submit my assignment before the office closes. If I don't, my professor will roast me alive."
He turned to Maya with a grin. "Don't miss me too much, okay?"
Maya rolled her eyes but smiled. "Go, before you get roasted."
Aryan winked and jogged off, leaving Aveed and Maya alone.
For a moment, neither said much. Aveed walked beside her, his steps quieter, steadier. The contrast from Aryan's energy was sharp—almost grounding.
When they reached Maya's street, Aveed finally spoke, his voice low. "Come over for coffee."
Maya blinked. "Now? It's late."
"Just for a little while," he insisted, eyes meeting hers. "We haven't… talked properly in a long time."
Maya hesitated. Every part of her mind screamed say no, but something in his tone made it hard to refuse. She folded her arms, exhaling. "Aveed, I don't think—"
"Please," he cut in gently.
Her lips parted, and for a second, she thought about refusing again. But instead, almost against her own will, she heard herself say: "Fine. Just one cup."
A small, fleeting smile touched his face, the kind she hadn't seen in a while. And together, they turned toward his house.
The streetlights cast long shadows as Aveed and Maya walked side by side. The silence was thick, but not uncomfortable—just heavy. Maya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying to convince herself this wasn't a mistake.
Finally, she broke it. "You know, most people ask for coffee during the day, not at night."
Aveed glanced at her, the corner of his lips twitching. "Most people don't say yes when they mean no either."
Maya's brows arched. "What makes you think I meant no?"
"Because you hesitated," he said simply. "And you only said yes after I insisted."
She blinked, caught off guard by his bluntness. "Well… maybe I was just being polite."
Aveed smirked, shaking his head. "You've never been polite with me. Honest, yes. Polite? Rarely."
Maya laughed softly, and for a moment, the heaviness lifted.
When they reached his house, Aveed unlocked the door and gestured her in. The place smelled faintly of coffee beans and old books, warm in a way that made her chest tighten.
"Nice place," she said, dropping her bag on the couch.
"You've been here before," he replied, heading straight to the kitchen.
"Yeah, but not in ages. You've upgraded—look at you, coffee machine and all."
He shot her a look over his shoulder. "Some of us evolved past instant packets."
She chuckled, wandering around the living room, her fingers grazing the spines of the neatly stacked books on his shelf. A couple of sketch pads lay on the table—some finished, some half-drawn. Her heart skipped when she noticed one that looked eerily similar to her.
No way.
Before she could peek properly, Aveed returned with two mugs. "Caught snooping?" he teased.
"Just… browsing," she said quickly, moving back to the couch.
He handed her a mug and sat across from her. The steam curled between them, and for a moment, the only sound was the quiet clink of ceramic as she set her cup down.
"So," Maya said, leaning back, "this is the big plan? Coffee at night?"
Aveed tilted his head. "It worked, didn't it? You're here."
She rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "You make it sound like I didn't have a choice."
"You always have a choice," he said softly, his gaze steady on her.
Something in the way he said it made her throat tighten. She quickly took a sip of coffee, letting the warmth distract her.
To lighten the mood, she quipped, "Well, for your information, Aryan makes better coffee."
Aveed raised a brow. "You've tried his?"
"He bought me one earlier," she said casually, though she didn't miss the flicker in his expression.
"Of course he did," Aveed muttered under his breath.
Maya smirked, enjoying the reaction. "Jealous?"
He met her eyes, unflinching. "Should I be?"
The question lingered in the air longer than she expected. Her playful smirk faltered, replaced by an uneasy flutter in her chest. She didn't answer right away, instead fiddling with the edge of her mug.
Aveed leaned back, studying her. "You laugh with him a lot."
"He's funny," she shrugged, trying to sound indifferent.
"And I'm not?"
She finally looked up, biting back a grin. "Not on purpose."
That made him chuckle, low and genuine, and for a moment, the tension cracked open into something easier.
They talked a little more—about classes, about Tara, about nothing in particular—but the unspoken words kept circling the room like shadows. Every time Maya looked at him, she felt that same confusing pull she had been trying to bury since the afternoon.
Eventually, she set her empty cup down. "I should go. It's late."
Aveed nodded, though something in his eyes told her he wasn't ready for the night to end. "I'll walk you back."
"You don't have to."
"I want to," he said simply.
Maya sighed but didn't argue. As they stepped outside again, she couldn't help but wonder why she always said yes to him, even when she swore she wouldn't.
The night air was cool, the streets quiet except for the faint hum of crickets. Aveed walked beside Maya, hands shoved casually into his pockets, while she hugged her bag close to her chest.
"You know," Aveed began, glancing sideways at her, "you didn't have to say yes to coffee. You could've just admitted you wanted to spend more time with me."
Maya rolled her eyes. "Oh please. I said yes because you wouldn't stop insisting. You practically begged."
"Begged?" He laughed. "I invited. Very charmingly, might I add."
"Pushy," she corrected.
"Persistent," he shot back, smirking.
Maya shook her head, but a small smile betrayed her. "You really don't give up, do you?"
"Nope," Aveed said easily. "Especially not on people who look this good when they're pretending to hate me."
Maya froze for half a second before recovering. "Wow. Smooth. Did you practice that in front of a mirror?"
Aveed chuckled. "Only in case you walked by. Worth the rehearsal."
Maya bit her lip, caught off guard, the corners of her mouth twitching despite herself. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're smiling," he pointed out, tilting his head. "I'll take that as a win."
They walked in silence for a few steps before Aveed added, softer this time, "You know, I don't mind the sarcasm. It's… you. But every now and then, it's nice to see the real smile slip through."
Maya glanced at him quickly, then away, trying to hide the warmth creeping up her neck. "Don't get used to it."
"Too late," he said, grinning.
At her gate, Maya turned to face him. "Thanks for walking me back."
"Anytime," Aveed replied, leaning slightly closer than necessary. "But next time, maybe don't act like you're doing me a favor by hanging out."
Maya smirked, lifting her chin. "Maybe next time I won't."
Aveed held her gaze, eyes glinting with amusement. "We'll see."
At her gate, Maya adjusted her bag nervously, trying to appear calm. Aveed leaned against the railing with that lazy confidence of his, watching her struggle to form words.
"So… I'll see you around," she said finally, her voice a little too casual.
"Not just 'around,'" Aveed corrected smoothly, leaning closer. "Promise me I'll see you next week. Coffee's waiting."
Maya blinked, caught off guard again. "You're making me promise now?"
"Absolutely. Verbal confirmation," he said, smirking. "You can't escape."
She rolled her eyes, but her lips curved despite herself. "Fine. Next week. Happy?"
"More than happy," Aveed replied, the smile tugging at his face more genuine this time. "Don't break it."
"Yeah, yeah." She turned quickly before he could read the warmth in her expression, but the small laugh that escaped her gave her away.
As she slipped inside, Maya leaned against the closed door, cheeks flushed, the sound of her own giggle surprising her. "DAMNN," she muttered under her breath, but she couldn't stop smiling.
Meanwhile, Aveed walked down the street, hands in pockets, replaying the exchange in his mind. A quiet laugh slipped from him, shaking his head. She actually promised.
Two different places, two different hearts—but both carried the same blush and quiet laughter into the night.
And the promise of next week lingered, soft and undeniable.