Him OR Her

5. The Unseen Web

Jeet

The next few days passed in a haze. I couldn't get Riya out of my mind, and it was driving me insane. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her-those fiery eyes, that defiant expression, the way her breath hitched when I touched her. It was like she was haunting me, always just out of reach.

I knew I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off her before I completely lost it. That's when I remembered Rahul and Kavya—our classmates and two people who had always been on the periphery of our little war.

Rahul was the laid—back, easygoing guy who didn't seem to care much about grades or rivalry. He was smart-smart enough to keep up with the rest of us without really trying—but he never seemed to push himself as hard as Riya or me. Maybe that's why he was the only person who seemed genuinely unaffected by the tension between us.

Kavya, on the other hand, was the social butterfly. She was popular, charming, and had a knack for making everyone feel at ease. But beneath that bubbly exterior was a sharp mind and a keen sense of observation. She saw things others didn't, and I'd caught her watching Riya and me more than once, her eyes narrowing as if she was trying to figure out the puzzle.

I decided to approach Rahul first. We'd always had a decent rapport—mostly because he was one of the few people who didn't seem intimidated by me. I found him in the cafeteria, lounging at a table with his laptop open, probably pretending to work on an assignment.

"Rahul," I said, sliding into the seat across from him.

He looked up, a lazy smile spreading across his face. "Jeet. What's up?"

"I need your help with something."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? What kind of help?"

I hesitated for a moment, trying to figure out how to phrase it. "I need to take my mind off something. Someone, actually."

Rahul's smile widened, and he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Let me guess. Riya Dash?"

I stiffened, my eyes narrowing. "What makes you think that?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on, man. It's obvious. The way you two go at each other... it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You can't look away."

I clenched my jaw, annoyed that he could see through me so easily. "It's not like that."

"Sure it isn't." Rahul leaned forward, his expression serious for once. "But if you really want to take your mind off her, I know just the thing."

"What's that?"

"A party."

I blinked, caught off guard. "A party?"

"Yeah. Kavya's throwing one this weekend. It's going to be huge—half the campus will be there. You should come. It'll be a good way to blow off some steam."

I frowned, considering it. A party wasn't exactly my scene, but maybe that was the point. Maybe stepping out of my comfort zone would help me forget about Riya, at least for a little while.

"All right," I said finally. "I'll think about it." 

Rahul grinned. "Good. I'll see you there."

Riya

I didn't expect the invitation. Kavya was the last person I thought would invite me to one of her parties. We weren't exactly friends—we barely even spoke outside of class. But when she approached me after our lecture, her eyes bright with excitement, I couldn't say no.