Him OR Her

6. Secrets Unveiled

Jeet

The kiss haunted me. The taste of Riya's lips lingered on mine long after the party, as if her very essence had seared itself into my memory. I couldn't stop thinking about it, about her–the way she'd looked at me, the way she'd kissed me with a desperation that matched my own.

It was like she'd unlocked something inside me, something dark and primal that I hadn't known was there. I wanted more of her, craved her in a way that scared me. But I couldn't let myself get too close, couldn't let her see how much she affected me.

Not yet.

The days that followed were a blur of lectures, assignments, and stolen glances across the classroom. Riya and I fell back into our usual routine–arguing, competing, pushing each other to the edge-but there was an undercurrent now, a tension that simmered just beneath the surface.

I found myself watching her more closely, studying her every move, every expression. It wasn't just her beauty that drew me in–though she was undeniably beautiful, with her sharp features and dark, expressive eyes. It was something else, something deeper. I wanted to understand her, to know what made her tick, what drove her to try so hard to beat me.

And the more I watched, the more I realized just how similar we were.

We were both driven, both obsessed with being the best, with proving ourselves. But where I thrived on the competition, Riya seemed to struggle with it, as if she was constantly fighting against something, or someone.

I wanted to know what that was. I wanted to know everything about her.

And so, I started digging.

It began innocently enough–a few casual conversations with our classmates, a question here and there. But the more I learned, the more intrigued I became. Riya wasn't just a competitor-she was a mystery, a puzzle that I was determined to solve.

One day, I overheard a conversation between Rahul and Kavya. They were sitting in the library, their voices low as they discussed something that caught my attention.

"... I feel bad for her," Kavya was saying, her voice tinged with sympathy. "She's under so much pressure, you know? Always trying to live up to her parents' expectations."

Rahul nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, I get that. But she's tough. She'll get through it."

I frowned, my curiosity piqued. I'd never really considered what might be going on in Riya's life outside of our rivalry. But now, hearing this, I couldn't help but wonder–what kind of pressure was she under? What was she dealing with that I didn't know about?

Determined to find out more, I decided to follow Riya after class that day. It wasn't something I was proud of, but I needed to understand her, needed to know what drove her to push herself so hard.

I kept my distance, making sure she didn't notice me as I trailed behind her. She didn't head to the dorms like I'd expected. Instead, she walked across campus, toward a secluded area near the old library.

There, she met with an older man-a professor, from the looks of it. I watched as they spoke in hushed tones, Riya's expression tense and frustrated. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was clear that whatever it was, it was important.

As they talked, I noticed something else–Riya's posture. She wasn't the confident, fiery girl I was used to seeing in class. She looked... vulnerable. Scared, even. It was a side of her I'd never seen before, and it shook me.

What was going on? Why was she meeting with this professor in secret? And why did she look so distressed?

When the conversation ended, the professor walked away, leaving Riya standing there alone. She stayed there for a moment, her head bowed, her shoulders slumped, before finally turning to leave.

I knew I should leave it alone, but I couldn't. I needed to know more. So, I approached her.

"Riya," I called out, stepping out from behind a tree.

She froze, her head snapping up in surprise. "Jeet? What are you doing here?"

I shrugged, trying to appear casual. "I could ask you the same thing."

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion clouding her expression. "Were you following me?"

I hesitated, then decided there was no point in lying. "Yes."

"Why?" Her voice was sharp, defensive.

"Because I wanted to know what's going on with you," I said, my tone more serious than I intended. "You've been acting different lately. And then I saw you with that professor..."

"That's none of your business, Jeet," she snapped, cutting me off. "You don't know anything about me."

"Maybe I want to," I shot back, stepping closer to her. "Maybe I want to understand why you're always so angry, why you're always trying so hard to beat me."

She flinched, her eyes flashing with something I couldn't quite place. "You don't understand," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

"Then help me understand," I urged, my gaze locked on hers.

For a moment, she looked like she might actually tell me. But then, just as quickly, she shut down, her expression hardening.

"No," she said, her voice cold. "You're just trying to get inside my head, Jeet. I won't let you."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, more confused than ever.

Riya

I couldn't believe he'd followed me. The nerve of him! How dare he try to invade my personal life like that? He didn't know anything about me, about what I was going through.

But the truth was, part of me had wanted to tell him. Part of me had wanted to let someone else in, to share the burden that was weighing me down. But I couldn't. I couldn't let him see how weak I really was.

I couldn't let anyone see.

As I walked away from him, my mind raced. I thought about the professor, about the conversation we'd just had. It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was supposed to be strong, to be the best. But no matter how hard I tried, I kept falling short.

And now Jeet knew something was wrong. He knew there was more to me than the angry, competitive girl he saw in class. And that terrified me.

I couldn't let him get too close. I couldn't let anyone get too close.

But the problem was, I couldn't stop thinking about him either. That kiss, the way he'd looked at me, the way he seemed to see right through me–it was all too much. I wanted to hate him, to push him away, but I couldn't. He was under my skin, and no matter what I did, I couldn't shake him.

I was falling for him. And I hated it.

As I reached my dorm, I tried to push all thoughts of Jeet out of my mind. I had more important things to worry about–like the assignment that was due in two days, or the fact that I still hadn't figured out how to meet my parents' expectations.

But even as I sat down at my desk, trying to focus on my work, my thoughts kept drifting back to Jeet. To the way he'd looked at me, the way he'd demanded answers.

And for the first time, I wondered if maybe-just maybe–letting him in wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.