Chapter 1: The First Bloom
The evening was heavy with music and murmurs, but Ishani Kapoor felt only the weight of irritation. Aarav Sen stood across the hall, his presence like a shadow she couldn't escape. Every glance he threw her way felt like a challenge, every smirk a reminder of why she despised him.
She hated the arrogance in his stride, the way he seemed to own the room without trying. To Ishani, Aarav was everything she couldn't stand—too confident, too careless, too much.
And yet, Aarav's eyes lingered on her longer than they should have. Beneath his sharp words and mocking tone, there was something softer—something he refused to admit even to himself. He didn't love her, not fully. But he couldn't deny the pull, the strange warmth that flickered whenever she was near.
It was a dangerous contradiction: a little love tangled with a little hate.
"I see you still look at me like I'm the villain," Aarav said, his voice low, edged with amusement.
Ishani's reply was cold, her gaze unwavering. "That's because you are."
The words cut, but Aarav only smiled. He hated her stubbornness, her sharp tongue, her refusal to bend. And yet, that very fire was what drew him closer.
The first bloom of their story wasn't sweet—it was thorned, tangled, and already bleeding. Love and hate had taken root together, and neither knew which would grow stronger.