ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀʟʟᴡᴀʏꜱ

.The Bet༊˚

AUTHOR'S POV:

As the car rolled to a stop in front of the school gates, Avni felt a flutter in her chest. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed this place—her friends, the bustling hallways, the familiar classrooms. It was strange how comforting the sight of the school grounds felt now, after being away for just a few days.

"See you later, Dad," Avni said, stepping out of the car and waving goodbye.

Her father waved back. "I'll pick you up after school. Don't take the bus and wait for me, alright?"

She nodded, watching the car pull away before turning back to face the school. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Avni took a deep breath and began walking toward the building. The grounds were alive with students rushing in, but her mind was focused on finding two particular people.

Just as she reached the entrance, she heard someone shout her name.

"Avni!"

She turned around just in time to see Nidhi running toward her, eyes wide, with Aaron trailing behind.

"Where have you been?!" Nidhi exclaimed, her voice a mix of relief and frustration. "You disappeared without a word! Do you even know how worried we've all been?"

Avni quickly thought, Looks like Ishan didn't tell them anything about the fight, trying to keep her expression neutral.

She smiled apologetically at Nidhi. "I know, I'm sorry! My parents decided to take a sudden trip, and I didn't have my phone with me. I couldn't contact anyone."

Nidhi's expression softened, but her tone remained stern. "You could've left a note or something! Ishan was practically losing his mind!"

Avni's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Ishan. "I… I really didn't mean to make you all worry," she said, glancing briefly at Aaron.

He nodded. "It's alright. You're back now, that's what matters."

Nidhi's face softened into a grin. "Yeah, but if you ever do that again, I swear I'll kill you," she said dramatically.

Avni chuckled, stepping forward to hug her friend. "I won't, I promise."

They broke apart, and Aaron smiled, crossing his arms. "You really scared us, Avni. Especially Ishan. He wouldn't stop asking if any of us had heard from you."

Avni bit her lip, her heart pounding faster. "I should find him…"

Nidhi nudged her playfully. "You should. He's been waiting."

Aaron chimed in, "He's probably practicing basketball for the match."

As they entered the hallway together, Avni's eyes scanned the crowd. Nidhi was talking non-stop about everything Avni had missed—gossip, school events, the upcoming basketball match—but Avni wasn't listening. Her mind was focused on Ishan.

Finally, they rounded a corner, and there he was. Ishan stood facing the back, drinking water after his practice.

"Ishan!" Avni called out.

Ishan, hearing her voice, shifted his gaze and locked onto hers. The moment their eyes met, everything else around them seemed to blur into the background. The tension in the air was thick, and Avni could feel her heart beating in her throat.

She hadn't realized how much she'd missed seeing him—missed him.

"Go talk to him," Nidhi whispered, giving her a small nudge.

Avni hesitated. What would she even say? Should she apologize for leaving without telling him? Should she bring up the fight, or wait for him to say something first?