"From Rivals to Forever: A Journey of Love"

Chapter 22

Aditi's Perspective

It was the free period, and Raghav and I were huddled together over the RD Sharma book, trying to tackle a particularly tricky math problem. Raghav had that focused look on his face, the one he got when he was determined to solve something on his own but secretly hoped for a little help.

"Yaar, Aditi, this integration is driving me crazy. I swear, it's like it's written in code," Raghav grumbled, his pencil tapping restlessly against the desk.

I chuckled, leaning over to point out the mistake. "You missed a minus sign here, and that's why the whole equation is off. Just fix that, and it should work out."

Raghav nodded, his frustration easing as he corrected the error. "Got it. Thanks, you're a lifesaver."

Just as I was about to respond, the door swung open, and Jai walked in. He made his way over to us, his usual confident stride a little too purposeful. I could sense something off in the air as soon as he approached.

"Reena ma'am is calling Kabir and Aditi in XII C class," Jai announced, his voice carrying a weight that made me look up.

I exchanged a quick glance with Raghav, who shrugged, and then turned to Kabir, who was sitting a few desks away. He looked up, meeting Jai's gaze with an intensity that made me feel like there was more going on than just a simple message.

"Ma'am's calling us?" Kabir asked, his tone even, but there was something sharp underneath.

"Yeah," Jai replied, his eyes not leaving Kabir's. "Apparently, there's something important she needs to discuss. You two should probably go now."

The way Jai said "you two" made me pause. There was an odd emphasis, almost like he was trying to remind Kabir of something. Kabir stood up slowly, his eyes never breaking contact with Jai's, and I could feel the tension building between them.

"Alright," Kabir said, finally looking away to grab his things. "Let's go, Aditi."

As we walked out of the room, side by side, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was brewing between the two of them. The hallway was unusually quiet, and the air felt thick with unspoken words. I glanced at Kabir, trying to read his expression, but he was focused ahead, his jaw clenched slightly.

We hadn't gotten far when Jai caught up with us, walking on my other side. His presence added to the uneasy feeling that had settled in my stomach.

"So, Kabir," Jai started, his voice casual, but there was a hidden edge to it. "How are you finding the boxing practice? Heard you've been putting in a lot of extra hours."

Kabir gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable. "It's going well. Just trying to stay focused. Why do you ask?"

Jai shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. "Just curious. You know, it's important to stay dedicated to what you're good at. It's easy to get distracted by other things... or people."

I glanced between the two of them, feeling like I was missing something important. "What are you guys talking about?"

Kabir glanced at me, his expression softening slightly before he turned back to Jai. "I guess some people thrive on distractions. But when you know what you want, it's not hard to stay on track."

Jai's eyes narrowed slightly, his smile not quite reaching them. "True. But sometimes, what you think you want can change, especially when you realize there's more at stake."

I frowned, trying to piece together what they were hinting at. "Seriously, what's going on? You're both talking in riddles."

Kabir sighed, shaking his head with a small smile as if to brush off the tension. "Nothing important, Aditi. Just a difference of perspective."