**Winner 2024 Amby Awards**
Fiza has everything planned-medical school, a respectable future, and an engagement she never wanted. Determined to escape a loveless match, she creates a checklist to find the perfect husband her father will approve of.
...
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I saw Varsha standing a short distance away, her eyes wide with disbelief and then flashing with pure anger. The moment our eyes met, she spun around sharply, and strode away without a second glance.
Alan too stood up abruptly. "Let me get going," he mumbled, not meeting my eyes.
I just stood there, frozen, my gaze darting between his retreating form and Varsha's disappearing back.
I stood perfectly still watching Alan walk to his bike parked under a tree, mechanically secure his helmet, and ride away.
Finally, my body unlocked. I pretty much ran after Varsha, my lungs burning by the time I caught up to her. "It's not what it looked like," I blurted out, breathless.
Varsha didn't even break her stride. She just shrugged off my words. "I don't care."
"I'm sorry," I repeated.
She finally stopped and turned to face me, her expression hardened into something I'd never seen on her before. "Yeah?"
We'd reached the parking lot. She mounted her scooter without another word. "Move," she stated.
I stepped aside silently, watching her ride away until she was just a speck in the distance.
I walked back to the library and tried calling Alan. It went straight to voicemail. I picked up my Anatomy textbook, trying to lose myself in the pages, but the words were just a blur. I couldn't focus. With a heavy sigh, I gave up, packed my bag, and headed back to the hostel.
The moment I opened the door to my room, I was met with twin stares of pure incredulity from Shahana and Priya.
They exchanged a loaded glance before Shahana spoke up. "Were you making out with Alan at the library?"
"No!" I exclaimed, genuinely surprised by the accusation.
Shahana just arched an eyebrow and wordlessly held up her phone. There, on the screen, was a picture—taken from a distance—of me hugging Alan.
"I hugged him," I explained, my voice defensive. "He was upset about something. Why is this such a big deal?"
"Because he broke Varsha's heart," Shahana responded, her tone turning patronizing. "You're supposed to have Varsha's back."
"Alan is my friend too," I stated simply.
But then, looking at that grainy, distant photo, the sheer absurdity of someone secretly taking pictures of us hit me. A burst of laughter escaped me. "Seriously, are they that jobless?" I exclaimed between laughs. My laughter was apparently infectious because Shahana's stern expression cracked, and she started laughing too. Even Priya allowed a small smile to touch her lips.
"So," I asked, dropping onto my bed, "what have you guys been up to?"
"Oh, just the usual. Trying to survive Anatomy readings," Shahana replied, flopping onto her bed with a dramatic sigh. Then she perked up. "Hey, I was thinking maybe we could all go for a movie at Inox in the evening, just our group."
