Minho hates Kavya, Kavya hates him more they both compete over everything and now they are stuck together for the whole year. Yet something starts drawing Minho closer and pushing Kavya away.
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As I walked beside Kavya down the sidewalk, my heart thumped so loudly that I was sure she could hear it. I had no idea how it ended up just the two of us walking to the bowling alley together, but I wasn't about to question it. This was my chance, right? She was just a few steps ahead, her long black hair swaying behind her, catching the orange glow of the setting sun. She didn't say much, but then again, Kavya rarely spoke to me unless she had something cutting to say. Not that I blamed her—I deserved some of it.
Well, maybe most of it.
"So... uh... you bowl a lot?" I asked, kicking a loose pebble on the sidewalk. I could've smacked myself for the lame question, but it was better than the awkward silence that stretched between us.
Kavya barely glanced at me. "Not really," she said, her tone cool. "But I'm sure I can beat you."
There it was—Kavya's trademark challenge. Even though she pretty much hated my guts, I couldn't help but admire the way she never backed down. I grinned despite myself. "You think? I might surprise you, you know."
She finally looked at me, her brown eyes narrowing. "Minho, the only thing surprising about you is how you manage to not fail at everything."
Ouch. But she did have a point. I'd never been the best at hiding my emotions, and when it came to her, I was especially bad at it. I wasn't sure when I started liking her—really liking her—but I knew she'd never look at me that way. Still, here I was, letting her drag me into whatever insults she had up her sleeve, just because it meant she was paying attention to me.
I could already see Thomas and Newt standing near the entrance, laughing about something. They looked comfortable, easy with each other, like they didn't have a care in the world. I envied that.
Kavya quickened her pace, probably eager to get away from me. I sighed and followed, mentally preparing myself for whatever insults she'd hurl at me during the game. Thomas waved as we approached, his face splitting into a wide grin.
"Minho, Kavya! You're late!" he called out, though he didn't sound all that concerned.
Newt smiled, though his gaze lingered on Thomas for a second too long. "Yeah, what took you so long? Minho, finally found a way to slow her down?"
I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the small laugh that escaped me. "More like she slowed me down. You know how she is."
Kavya huffed and crossed her arms, but there was a slight tilt to her lips. "I was doing him a favor. If I hadn't slowed down, he'd still be wandering the streets trying to figure out which way is north."
Thomas chuckled and shook his head, but I noticed how his hand brushed against Newt's. They were close, and I didn't mean just physically. There was a tension between them lately, one that I could almost name, but I didn't want to push it. Not yet.
Before I could dwell on it, Teresa showed up, a mischievous smirk on her face as she looked between all of us. "You guys ready to lose? I'm feeling pretty confident tonight."
