INSEPARABLE HEARTS 2

CHAPTER 104

Happy Reading

Marve stands near the snack counter, eyes fixed on Angad from across the room. Her best friend nudges her.

Friend:
“You keep staring at him like he’s your next meal.”

Marve (smirking):
“Maybe he is.”

Friend:
“Girl, he’s taken. Keerthi and him are practically back together.”

Marve:
“Yeah, but she wanted to be just friends last week. They’re still figuring it out. One push… and I might slide in.”

_________________

In the Football Court — After Practice

The floodlights dimmed low. The energy of the cultural practice lingered faintly in the air — a hum of laughter, footprints on the grass, echoes of songs still floating in the wind.

Everyone had left.

Everyone except Angad and Keerthi.

They stood under the goalpost, quiet… their breathing soft from the dancing and running earlier.

“You stayed back?” she asked, leaning on the net.

He shrugged, tossing a small ball in his hand. “Didn’t feel like going yet.”

A beat.

“I miss this,” he said.

“What?”

“You and me. Talking like this. After school. When it’s just us and the field.”

Keerthi’s heart did a familiar skip. She smiled but said, “We’re doing fine as friends. Right?”

Angad looked at her. “Sure. As friends.”

But the way they held eye contact for a moment longer than necessary… said something else entirely.

________________

In Dharshi’s Room , She's in Video Call with Nick

The screen blinked to life, Nick’s face blurry but smiling.

“So? What’s new?”

Dharshi hesitated. “Abeer talked to me today.”

Nick raised his eyebrows. “Did he screw up again?”

“No,” she said softly. “He said… he’d wait for me. That he’s trying. For real this time.”

Nick smiled, watching her closely. “And?”

She bit her lip. “And I guess… it felt good to hear. I don’t trust him yet. But it meant something.”

“Sounds like he’s finally getting it.”