𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬

VI

Edited

-

Dying to know.
Afraid to find out.

-

The faint hum of the air conditioning mingled with the occasional rustle of pages turning, as Aarna lay propped up against a mountain of pillows, a soft reading light casting a warm halo over her face. Vivaan was at the far end of the bed, hunched over his laptop, his face illuminated by the bluish glow of the screen. The only sounds were the quiet tapping of his keyboard and Aarna's light breaths as she read, her lips moving silently with each word.

Vivaan's fingers hesitated over the keyboard as he stole a glance at her. Her eyes were glued to the page, cheeks slightly flushed, lips curved in a small, private smile that he rarely saw on her face. A twinge of curiosity flickered within him-curiosity he didn't usually entertain. He shut his laptop with a decisive snap, breaking the fragile silence that had settled over them.

"Is it that good?"

Aarna's head jerked up, startled. His sudden interest threw her off guard, and she blinked at him as if unsure she had heard him correctly. It was rare for Vivaan to interrupt their comfortable silence, much less with a question.

"Sorry?" she asked, a frown of confusion forming on her forehead.

Vivaan's lips quirked slightly, a rare half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "The book," he said, nodding toward her paperback. "You've been smiling to yourself for the past five minutes."

Aarna's fingers fumbled with the corner of the page, folding it over before smoothing it out again-a nervous habit she'd had since her childhood. "Oh. Yeah," she said, clearing her throat. "It's... it's good."

Vivaan's gaze didn't waver. "What's it about?" he asked, the curiosity that had sparked his question deepening. Why did she look so content, so absorbed? What had pulled him out of their usual detached routine?

Aarna blinked, stunned. Her heart skipped a beat as his eyes stayed on hers, uncharacteristically focused. "Oh, um..." She hesitated, feeling the weight of the moment. No one had ever cared about her books before-certainly not him. "It's about this billionaire," she began, her voice growing a touch more animated, "who owns a security company. He's... obsessed with the girl who lives a floor below his."

Vivaan's eyebrows lifted in mild surprise. "Obsessed, huh?"

"Yeah." Aarna's lips curved into a dreamy smile, her words gaining confidence now that he hadn't dismissed her interest. "He's this grumpy, brooding guy. Doesn't talk to anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. But with her, he's different... softer." She gestured vaguely with her hands, struggling to convey the feeling of the story. "It's like he's got this wall up with everyone, but she's the one person he lets in."

Vivaan tilted his head slightly, his frown deepening.

Aarna's face brightened as if she'd just connected the dots. "He's kind of like you, actually," she said, her tone playful but laced with honesty. "Tech genius, doesn't talk much, a bit of a grump."

Vivaan's expression softened, and he felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest. It was the first time she had spoken to him like that, comparing him to a fictional hero. But before he could respond, she sighed dramatically and said, "In another world, I'd probably marry him."