The Right Kind of Wrong

29. Savi Avoids Rajat

Savi walked briskly through the college corridors, her heart thudding in her chest. She couldn't let herself look back, not even for a second. Every time she thought of Rajat—his smirk, his laugh, the way his eyes softened when he was being genuine—her stomach twisted with confusion. She had convinced herself it was for the best. She had seen him with another girl, her arm brushing against his, the casual way they seemed to talk. It was obvious.

Her chest tightened at the thought, and she pushed the feeling down, focusing on the weight of her books in her arms as she hurried to class.

"Focus, Savi," she muttered under her breath, adjusting her grip on the textbooks. "You've got more important things to think about. IAS is the priority."

But no matter how much she tried, the image of Rajat and that girl kept replaying in her mind. Savi couldn't shake the jealousy that bubbled up inside her, even though she didn't want to admit it. And now, Rajat's texts and calls were piling up. She ignored them all. It was easier this way—avoiding him, keeping herself focused on her studies. The closer her exams loomed, the more she convinced herself that she didn't have time for distractions like Rajat.

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Rajat slammed his phone down onto his desk, irritation coursing through him. Savi hadn't answered his calls in days. Not a single response to his texts, no acknowledgment when he waved at her across the courtyard. She was avoiding him, and it was driving him crazy.

"What the hell is going on with her?" Rajat muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to focus on the project papers scattered in front of him. Their joint project, which had once been a source of their playful banter, now sat neglected. Savi had barely contributed in their last meeting, showing up late and rushing off with flimsy excuses about needing to study.

"Maybe she's just stressed about her exams," Aman said, leaning back in his chair. "The IAS prep is no joke. She probably doesn't have time to hang out."

"That's not it," Rajat replied, his jaw tightening. "There's something else. She's not just stressed—she's avoiding me. I didn't do anything to deserve this."

Aman gave him a sympathetic look. "Maybe she needs space, man. You're not the only one she has to deal with. And didn't you say she's super serious about her IAS dreams?"

Rajat leaned forward, frustration boiling over. "I know that, but that's not all. Something changed. She's colder, distant. She was fine a week ago, and now she won't even look at me."

Aman shrugged, trying to diffuse the situation. "Maybe she's got a lot on her mind. You should give her time."

Rajat shook his head. "I've given her time. And I've tried to talk to her, but she just keeps making excuses."

He stared at his phone, the unanswered messages glaring back at him, each one a reminder of how disconnected they had become.

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Savi sat at the library, drowning in a sea of notes and books, trying to keep her mind off Rajat. She buried herself in her IAS preparations, determined to block out any thoughts that didn't involve the civil services exam. Every time her phone buzzed, her heart leaped, knowing it was probably another message from Rajat. But she refused to look. She couldn't let herself be pulled back into that confusing emotional whirlpool. She needed distance, needed to focus on her goals.

"Are you okay, Savi?" Shivani asked, noticing how Savi had been zoning out.

"I'm fine," Savi replied quickly, shaking her head as if trying to shake away the lingering thoughts of Rajat. "Just trying to get through all this material."