Chapter 3: Unwanted Attention

The campus cafeteria buzzed with chatter and the clinking of cutlery, students gathering in their usual groups. Malang sat alone at a corner table, flipping through his notes. He had planned to enjoy a quiet lunch, but peace never lasted long around him.

A familiar voice interrupted his focus.

"Malang," a sweet, almost sultry tone called out.

He didn’t look up immediately—he already knew who it was.

Neha Sharma.

She slid into the seat across from him, resting her chin on her palm, her eyes scanning him with interest. Her long, manicured fingers played with the edge of her designer handbag as she smirked.

"You’re always so serious," she teased, tilting her head. "No fun at all."

Malang finally looked up, his expression unreadable. "What do you want, Neha?"

She feigned offense, pouting slightly. "Ouch. Is that how you greet a friend?"

"We’re not friends," Malang replied flatly.

Neha giggled, as if his words meant nothing. "Come on, don’t be so cold. I was just thinking… You spend so much time with Kahani. Don’t you get bored?"

Malang’s grip on his pen tightened slightly, but his expression didn’t change.

Neha leaned forward, lowering her voice. "I mean, let’s be real, Malang. You could do so much better." She flicked her hair back, her perfume lingering in the air. "You and I? We’d make such a powerful couple. People already say we look good together, you know?"

Malang’s patience was running thin. "People say a lot of things," he muttered, closing his notebook.

Neha didn’t give up. "You don’t have to act so noble," she whispered, reaching out to brush his hand. "I know you’re smart. Kahani and her little temper tantrums? That’s not what a man like you deserves."

Malang pulled his hand back before she could touch him. "Neha, I have no interest in this conversation."

Neha frowned but quickly covered it with another smirk. "You’ll change your mind eventually," she said, standing up. "When you realize what you're missing out on."

With that, she strutted away, her heels clicking against the floor, making sure every eye in the cafeteria was on her.

Meanwhile…

Kahani slammed her phone onto the table, her face red with frustration.

Veronica, sitting across from her in the lounge, merely sipped her coffee, her expression calm as always.

"That witch was at it again!" Kahani fumed, crossing her arms. "Again! Right in front of everyone, throwing herself at Malang like she owns him!"

Veronica hummed in acknowledgment, setting her cup down. "And what did Malang do?"

Kahani scowled. "What do you think he did? He sat there, stone-faced, acting like nothing was happening! Like he wasn’t the center of her disgusting little performance!"

Veronica raised an eyebrow. "So, he didn’t respond?"

Kahani scoffed. "That’s not the point! The point is, he just lets her do whatever she wants! He never shuts her down properly, never tells her off in front of everyone. He just… exists, and she takes that as an invitation!"

Veronica tilted her head slightly, an amused glint in her eyes. "You’re mad at him for not reacting?"

Kahani groaned, throwing her hands in the air. "I’m mad because she keeps getting away with it! She acts like I don’t exist! Like she’s the only one who deserves Malang! Like she’s—"

"Above you?" Veronica finished, her tone quiet but sharp.

Kahani froze for a second, then huffed. "She thinks she is. But she’s just a spoiled brat with too much makeup and an inflated ego."

Veronica smiled slightly, resting her chin on her palm. "Then why let her get to you?"

Kahani rolled her eyes. "Easy for you to say. If you were in my place, you’d never let her talk to Malang."

Veronica’s fingers tapped against the table. "Oh, I don’t think Neha would dare," she murmured, her voice soft—almost too soft.

Kahani didn’t notice the shift in her tone, still too caught up in her frustration. "Ugh, I swear, if I see her near him again, I might just—"

"Relax," Veronica said smoothly. "She won’t be a problem for much longer."

Kahani blinked, but before she could ask what Veronica meant, the latter simply smiled and sipped her coffee again.

And just like that… Veronica had made a silent decision.

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