The week off was nearly over—just two days left. Maya sat on her bed, phone in hand, scrolling absentmindedly through memes, but her attention kept drifting to her friends' group chat.
Aveed had been unusually… cheerful today. Playful messages, little teasing remarks, emojis that lingered a second too long. And whenever he smiled at her, Maya could swear there was something different in his eyes. A hint, a flicker, a teasing glint that she couldn't quite place.
She shook her head, laughing softly at herself. Am I imagining it?
Later, she caught herself replaying moments from the past few days—Aveed's light touches on her shoulder when handing her coffee, his subtle teasing, the way he laughed at things she barely said. He wasn't exactly flirting… but somehow, she felt like he was.
Maya bit her lip, setting her phone aside. "Maybe I am imagining it," she whispered to herself, though the faint flutter in her chest refused to lie.
Meanwhile, across the city, Aryan was sprawled on his bed, laptop forgotten beside him. His mind kept replaying the last coffee meet with Maya.
The way she had laughed, so easily, filling the space around him. The little teasing glances, the exaggerated gestures when she mimicked him. The warmth of the sunlight hitting her hair as she reached for her cup.
He recalled the hypotheticals—the "friend likes a girl, best friend likes the same girl" game. The playful smiles, the gentle nudges, the small moments when he had dropped hints through words and gestures.
And yet… she had seemed completely oblivious. Laughing, teasing, smiling. Blissfully unaware.
Aryan closed his eyes, letting the memory linger. A pang of longing tugged at his chest. Two days left of this week off… two days where he could see her, tease her, maybe—just maybe—drop a few more hints and see if she noticed.
But he also knew the risk. Every small glance, every playful nudge, carried the weight of unspoken feelings he wasn't ready to share. And Aveed… he couldn't stop thinking about Aveed, too. The quiet intensity, the subtle teasing, the way his friend sometimes lingered in conversations just a little too long.
Aryan let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair. Two days left. Two days to survive the unspoken tension, the playful banter, and the tiny sparks that refused to die.
Meanwhile, Maya returned to her phone, smiling at a teasing message from Aveed, shaking her head. "He's definitely dropping hints," she murmured, cheeks warming. "Or maybe I just really want to see them."
And somewhere in the city, Aryan couldn't help but recall the last coffee meet again—the laughs, the teasing, the hypotheticals—and wonder if he'd get another chance before the week ended.
Two days. That was all.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through Maya's window as her phone buzzed. She smiled at the screen—Aveed.
"Hey," she said, voice light.
"Finally! I was starting to think you'd vanished into thin air," Aveed teased, leaning back in his chair, trying to sound casual.
"Ha-ha," Maya replied, rolling her eyes. "I've just been… busy."
"Busy, huh? Or avoiding someone?" he shot back smoothly, trying to keep his voice steady despite the sudden churn in his chest.
Maya laughed. "Oh, please. Like I could avoid anyone for long."
They slipped into easy chatter, joking about memes, classmates, and silly things that had happened during the week off. Aveed's tone stayed light, teasing, though every word felt like a tightrope walk.
"So… anything interesting happen today?" Aveed asked casually, though his pulse had suddenly sped up.
Maya hesitated, then grinned. "Well… Aryan told me this funny scenario. Totally hypothetical."
"Oh?" Aveed said softly, trying to keep his voice calm.
Maya launched into it. "Hypothetically… his friend likes a girl. But… her best friend likes the same girl. Now the friend's stuck. What should he do?" She laughed lightly, thinking it was just a silly puzzle.
Aveed felt his stomach tighten. His mind raced. Aryan… Maya… both… the same girl… Oh no. Oh no no no.
"Hmm," he said, forcing a casual tone. "Yeah… tricky."
Maya smiled. "Right? Pretty tangled. Hypothetical, of course."
Aveed nodded, hiding the panic coiling in his chest. "Uh-huh… hypothetical."
Inside, he was spiralling. The thought of Aryan liking Maya—possibly like really liking her—made his hands clammy and his heart hammer. He swallowed, taking a breath, repeating to himself: Stay calm. Don't freak out. Just… don't let her know.
"So…" Maya said, oblivious, "that's the dilemma. Hypothetical friend has it rough, huh?"
Aveed chuckled lightly, voice steady. "Yeah… sounds like he does."
Maya laughed and continued chatting, talking about something completely unrelated. But Aveed couldn't stop thinking about it. Aryan. Maya. That hypothetical scenario. Every word Maya had said, every tiny detail… it all clicked in his mind.
And he realized, with a sinking feeling, that Aryan liking Maya wasn't just a joke. It was real.
He stayed quiet, kept teasing lightly, laughed at her jokes, and made sure nothing on his face betrayed the storm raging inside. Maya didn't notice. She never did.
But inside, Aveed was terrified.
Aveed sank into his chair, staring at the floor, fingers drumming nervously on the edge of the table.
Do I… love her? he whispered to himself, heart hammering. He tried to push the thought away, to convince himself it was just fleeting, that it was confusion—but deep down, he knew the truth.
Yes. He loved her. He loved her in a way that went beyond simple liking or attraction. Every laugh she shared, every teasing glance, every casual touch made his chest tighten. He couldn't stop thinking about her, couldn't stop worrying about Aryan, and couldn't stop imagining her with anyone else.
And yet… he was terrified.
Terrified of what Aryan might feel, terrified of the weight of his own emotions, and terrified that Maya might never see him in the way he saw her.
He ran a hand through his hair, leaning back, trying to calm himself. I love her. I do. But… why does it feel so… overwhelming?
He replayed the memories of the coffee meet again—the way Aryan had leaned closer, the subtle hints he'd dropped, the way Maya had laughed so freely, completely oblivious to anything beneath the surface. And Aveed realized that, yes, he loved her, but he had no idea how to handle it.
I can't… I can't let her see how panicked I am. I can't. Not now.
He swallowed hard, fists clenching. The truth was terrifying—but undeniable. He loved Maya. Completely. Totally.
And that love, raw and unfiltered, was enough to make him both desperate and afraid at the same time.
Aveed exhaled slowly, forcing himself to relax, even though the panic still lingered. For now, all he could do was wait, watch, and hope that somehow, the right moment would come—before the confusion and fear consumed him entirely.
Aveed's mind spiralled, but he didn't dare tell Maya anything—not now, not ever. All he could do was sit there, heart pounding, trying to process the storm he had just witnessed—Aryan's fear, his love, and the effortless way Maya fit into both of their lives.
Aveed was pacing his room, phone lying forgotten on the table. He felt… lost. Torn between fear and longing, confusion and certainty, and the strange, overwhelming weight of seeing Aryan and Maya together.
Do I love her? he asked himself again, voice barely a whisper. The answer was clear—yes, he did. More than he wanted to admit. But… the question wasn't just about him anymore.
Does she… love me? Or Aryan? His stomach twisted. Does Aryan love her? Or is it just a passing thing? And what about me… what if she notices him first?
The room felt smaller with every thought, every heartbeat, every memory of the last coffee meet. He remembered Aryan that day—running toward Aveed's apartment, flushed, panicked, heartbeat almost visible in the quick rise and fall of his chest. The fear in Aryan's eyes had been unmistakable, raw and honest, as if he'd just realized something too big to handle.
Aveed ran a hand through his hair, his mind spinning. Aryan loves her. I know he does. And I… I love her. But what if… what if she loves him back? Or even worse… what if she doesn't notice me at all?
He exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the table until his knuckles whitened. The confusion was suffocating. I don't know what she feels. I don't know what he feels. I don't know what I feel… except that I love her and that scares the hell out of me.
Across the room, Maya let out a soft sigh, unaware of the storm her presence had caused. She smiled faintly, thinking about Aveed's subtle gestures, and the way he'd seemed… different, more attentive, somehow noticing the little things she didn't even think mattered.
Aveed, meanwhile, couldn't focus on anything but the spinning questions in his head. Every small memory of Aryan—the panicked run, the flushed face, the intensity in his eyes—pushed him further into his spiral.
I can't handle this. I can't figure it out. I don't even know what to do. All I know is… I love her. And I can't let her see how much I'm terrified.
The night stretched on, heavy and quiet. Maya's soft, contented smile contrasted sharply with Aveed's restless pacing. One thing was painfully clear: the more he thought, the more impossible it all seemed to untangle.
And yet, neither of them could stop thinking about it.
Maya, unaware of the storm brewing across the city, leaned back and smiled faintly at the memory of the day. A small, teasing thought floated through her mind: Why does everything feel… different lately?
The triangle of hearts, unspoken feelings, and quiet confessions had tightened like a coil, ready to snap at any moment. And the one thing everyone feared—but none could predict—was what would happen when it finally did.
Somewhere in the silence, a single question hung in the air, unanswered:
Who will make the first move… and what will it cost them?