The Right Kind of Wrong

25. Savi's Realization

Savi sat by the window in her room, her fingers tracing the edge of the page of her IAS prep book, but her mind was far from the words on the paper. The quiet hum of campus life drifted through the open window, mingling with the rustle of the trees and the faint laughter of students below. She had always been good at focusing and zoning in on her studies no matter what was happening around her. But tonight, something was different.

Rajat's words from the previous evening echoed in her mind, over and over, pulling her focus away from the exam preparation. "You don't have to do it alone... It's admiration... You inspire me." He hadn't said it directly, but she could feel the weight of his confession. The sincerity in his voice, the way he looked at her—everything had felt so real, so different from their usual playful banter.

She closed the book, frustrated. Why was this so hard? She had worked so hard to keep her focus on her goals, to shut out distractions. Rajat was supposed to be just another distraction. And yet, now, every time she thought about him, her chest tightened, and a small flutter of warmth spread through her.

She groaned and buried her face in her hands. I can't let this happen. I can't afford to get distracted. But even as she told herself that, she couldn't shake the image of Rajat sitting beside her under the stars, opening up to her in a way she hadn't expected.

The next morning, Savi tried to shake off the strange feeling that had settled in her chest. She had always been good at compartmentalizing, putting her emotions aside for the sake of her goals. But Rajat had disrupted that balance.

As she walked across the campus, heading toward the library for another day of intense IAS preparation, her mind drifted to him again. It was irritating. Why now? Why did he have to confess those feelings, even if he didn't say them directly? They had been fine as rivals, as friends who bickered but worked well together.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, pulling her out of her thoughts. A message from her friend Shivani lit up the screen.

Shivani: "Hey! Are you coming to the study group later?"

Savi sighed. She was supposed to join them, but her mind was too scattered to focus on group discussions. She needed space to figure this out.

Savi: "Not today. I need some time to think. I'll catch up later."

She slipped the phone back into her bag, her steps slowing as she neared the library. Rajat had always been part of her college experience, from their bickering to their unexpected moments of vulnerability. And now, there was something more between them—something she wasn't sure how to deal with.

By the afternoon, Savi found herself sitting in the library with an open book in front of her, though she hadn't turned a page in over an hour. Her mind kept wandering to Rajat, replaying every moment they'd spent together, every argument, every smile.

What if I feel the same? The thought hit her suddenly, catching her off guard. She had always pushed away any romantic notions, telling herself that her studies were more important, that her IAS dream was her priority. But now, sitting here, she couldn't deny it any longer.

She liked Rajat.

The realization settled over her like a weight, both exhilarating and terrifying. She wasn't sure when it had happened—maybe it was when he had defended her at the college party, or when they had worked together on their project, or when he had quietly started supporting her in ways she hadn't asked for.

But now that she knew, it scared her. Love, or even the possibility of it, felt like a distraction she couldn't afford. She had spent so long working toward this dream, this goal of becoming an IAS officer, that she had no room in her life for anything else. Relationships, feelings—they would only get in the way, wouldn't they?

Later that evening, Savi sat with her friends Shivani and Anika at the campus café, nursing a cup of coffee as they chatted about their day. She hadn't told them about her internal struggle, about Rajat's confession. A part of her didn't want to admit that her carefully laid-out plans were in danger of unraveling.

"Are you okay, Savi? You seem off today," Shivani asked, her eyes narrowing with concern.

Savi blinked, startled by the question. "I'm fine. Just... a lot on my mind."

Anika, who had been scrolling through her phone, chimed in. "You sure? You've been spacing out a lot lately. Something you wanna talk about?"

Savi hesitated. She had never been one to open up easily, especially about something like this. But her friends had known her long enough to see through her defenses.

"It's nothing, really," she said, forcing a smile. "Just stress from all the IAS prep."

Shivani exchanged a glance with Anika before leaning in. "Or is it something... or someone else?"

Savi froze, her heart skipping a beat. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what we mean," Anika said, smirking. "Rajat."

Savi's eyes widened in surprise. "What? No, it's not—"

"Come on, Savi," Shivani interrupted, rolling her eyes. "We've seen the way you two have been acting around each other lately. There's something going on, isn't there?"

Savi bit her lip, unsure of how to respond. Her friends had always been good at reading her, and now, there was no way to hide it. She let out a long sigh, leaning back in her chair. "It's complicated."

Shivani and Anika exchanged another look before turning their full attention to Savi. "Tell us," Shivani urged. "We're your friends. We won't judge."

Savi hesitated, but the weight of everything she had been feeling suddenly became too much to keep inside. "I think... I think I like him," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I don't know what to do about it."

Anika's smirk softened into a sympathetic smile. "Why don't you want to do anything about it?"

"Because..." Savi hesitated, her thoughts jumbled. "I've spent my whole life working for this dream, this goal of becoming an IAS officer. It's everything to me. And I'm afraid... I'm afraid that if I let myself fall for him, I'll lose focus. I can't afford to get distracted."

Shivani leaned forward, her expression serious. "Savi, you've always been one of the most focused and determined people I know. You're not the kind of person to let something, or someone, derail your goals. But you're also allowed to feel things, to have a life outside of your studies."

Savi shook her head. "I don't know if I can handle both."

Anika sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Look, it's okay to be scared. But if you really care about him, then maybe it's worth figuring out a way to balance both. Life isn't just about one goal, Savi. You deserve to be happy, too."

Savi stared down at her cup, her mind racing. She had never thought of it that way before. Her entire life had been centered around her IAS dream, around proving to herself and to her family that she could do it. But now, for the first time, she was starting to realize that maybe there was more to life than just that one goal.

That night, as Savi lay in bed, her thoughts kept circling back to Rajat. She had tried to convince herself that her feelings for him weren't real, that they were just a product of their constant proximity and the stress of college. But now, she couldn't deny it any longer.

She liked him.

But could she afford to let herself feel this way? Could she let herself fall for Rajat without losing sight of her dream? Or was she setting herself up for failure by letting her emotions get in the way?

As sleep began to overtake her, one thing became clear: She couldn't keep running from this. She would have to face her feelings head-on, whether she liked it or not.

The real question was, what would she do once she acknowledged them?

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The 25th Chapter guys!!

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