When Hearts Collide

|•Chapter 12•|

**Naina’s POV**

I stood frozen in the doorway, watching as Ekansh’s back disappeared around the corner. The silence he left behind felt heavier than the words we’d exchanged earlier. My heart raced, and I couldn’t help but replay our conversation in my mind, trying to make sense of it all.

He had come over after the dinner party last night, and while I had expected things to be awkward, I hadn’t anticipated the tension that now buzzed between us. There was something in the way he looked at me, like he was searching for something—maybe an answer neither of us had. But I had pushed it aside. At least, that’s what I had tried to do.

His words from last night still lingered in my mind: *“We need to stop pretending like nothing is happening between us, Naina.”*

I sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. Ever since he’d come back into my life, nothing had felt simple. Every time we were in the same room, it was like a current passed between us—one I couldn’t quite ignore anymore. I had convinced myself that I could keep things platonic, that we could go back to being friends. But deep down, I knew that was a lie.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me.

*Ding-dong.*

The doorbell pulled me from my thoughts, and I blinked, startled. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see Ekansh standing there again, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity that sent a jolt through me.

“Can I come in?” His voice was calm, but there was a vulnerability in his gaze that wasn’t there before.

I stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter. “Of course.”

He walked in, glancing around briefly before turning back to me. “Naina, we can’t keep doing this.”

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. “Doing what?”

“This,” he said, gesturing between us. “We can’t keep dancing around what’s really going on. Every time we talk, it’s like there’s something we’re both avoiding.”

My throat tightened as I realized where this was headed. “Ekansh, I—”

“I know you’re scared,” he interrupted gently, his voice soft but firm. “I know you’ve been hurt before, but Naina... we can’t keep pretending like there’s nothing between us. Because there is.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. He was right. I had been avoiding it, avoiding *him*. But I didn’t know how to admit to myself, let alone to him, that what I felt went beyond friendship.

“I just... I don’t know how to do this,” I finally whispered, my voice shaking slightly. “I don’t know how to trust this.”

Ekansh stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “You don’t have to know everything right now. But I need you to be honest with me—and with yourself. Can you do that?”

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Okay.”

His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he let out a small sigh of relief. “I’m not asking for everything, Naina. Just... let’s stop pretending. Let’s see where this goes, without overthinking it.”

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, there was a loud knock at the door. The sound startled both of us, and we exchanged a confused look.

“Expecting someone?” Ekansh asked.

I shook my head. “No, not really.”

Frowning, I made my way to the door and opened it, revealing Riya standing on the other side, her expression a mixture of surprise and frustration.

“Naina, we need to talk,” she said, her tone more serious than usual. She glanced over my shoulder and noticed Ekansh standing in the middle of the living room. “Oh... am I interrupting something?”

I quickly shook my head. “No, it’s fine. Come in.”

Riya stepped inside, her eyes flicking between me and Ekansh as if she was piecing something together. She raised an eyebrow, but thankfully, she didn’t comment on it. Instead, she turned to face me, her expression softening slightly.

“I’m sorry to barge in like this,” she began, “but I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said the other night. About your fears. And I think I might have been a bit harsh.”

I blinked, surprised by her sudden apology. “Riya, you don’t need to—”

“No, I do,” she interrupted, her tone firm. “I didn’t realize how much you’ve been holding back because of everything that’s happened between you and Ekansh. I should have been more understanding.”

Ekansh remained silent, his eyes flicking between us as he listened to the exchange.

I swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in my throat. “Riya, it’s not your fault. I’ve just... I’ve been trying to figure out how I feel. About everything.”

Riya gave me a sympathetic look before glancing at Ekansh again. “I know. And I just want you to know that whatever you decide, I’m here for you.”

I offered her a small smile, grateful for her support. “Thank you.”

Riya nodded before turning to Ekansh. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Just... be honest with each other, okay?”

Ekansh gave her a nod, and with that, Riya left, closing the door quietly behind her.

The silence that followed her exit was heavy, but this time, it didn’t feel suffocating. Instead, it felt like a new beginning—a chance for us to finally confront what had been brewing between us for so long.

Ekansh stepped closer to me, his voice soft but filled with determination. “Naina, I know things haven’t been easy between us. But I don’t want to keep waiting. I want to see where this goes.”

I looked up at him, my heart racing in my chest. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, and it made my walls crumble just a little bit more.

“I want that too,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ekansh smiled, a genuine, relieved smile that made my heart skip a beat. He reached out, gently taking my hand in his. “Then let’s stop holding back.”

In that moment, standing there with him, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was ready. Ready to take a chance, to face my fears, and to see where this would lead us.

For the first time in a long time, I felt a spark of hope. And as Ekansh gently squeezed my hand, I knew that whatever happened next, we were in this together.

---

**Ekansh’s POV**

As Naina finally let her guard down, something shifted between us. I could see the uncertainty in her eyes, but I could also see the flicker of hope, the possibility that maybe—just maybe—she was ready to let me back in.

I knew this wouldn’t be easy. We had years of misunderstandings and unspoken feelings between us. But standing there, holding her hand, I felt like we were on the verge of something new.

“Hum theek rahenge,” I said softly, my thumb gently brushing over her knuckles. “We’ll figure this out together.”

Naina gave me a small, hesitant smile, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like we were on the same page.

There was a lot left to say, a lot left to sort out, but for now, this was enough. This quiet moment of understanding between us was enough.

As we stood there, the soft glow of the evening settling over us, I knew that whatever happened next, we were ready to face it together.