Chapter 2: Forced Collaboration

The next few days were a whirlwind. The school festival planning committee was in full swing, and Vidushi was still trying to ignore the nagging feeling that something was off. She'd successfully avoided most of the preliminary meetings, telling herself she wasn’t needed and that the event could function just fine without her. After all, it always did.

But today, when she walked into the school courtyard, she saw the unavoidable—Kunal was there, chatting animatedly with the committee members, his usual entourage of followers hanging on to his every word. Vidushi felt the stirrings of annoyance creeping in. Why was he always so... perfect? Always in control, always so damn likable. It was sickening.

"Hey, Vidushi!" A voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned around to see her best friend, Meenakshi, waving her down.

"I thought you were going to skip the meeting today?" Meenakshi said, her voice laced with amusement as she fell in step beside Vidushi. "You really do hate these things, don’t you?"

"I don’t hate them," Vidushi muttered, though it was clear she wasn’t in the mood. "I just... I don’t need to babysit people who think they’re in charge of everything."

“Speaking of, have you seen Kunal yet?” Meenakshi asked, clearly teasing her. “Isn’t it funny how every time he’s in the same room as you, you can practically feel the tension?”

Vidushi rolled her eyes. “It’s not funny. It’s annoying. And no, I haven’t seen him.”

But as soon as the words left her mouth, Kunal’s voice rang out, cutting through the chatter of the courtyard.

“Vidushi!” He called, his eyes glinting as they met hers.

Vidushi froze. Damn it. She had been hoping for just a few more minutes of peace before this inevitable encounter.

Kunal was leaning against one of the tables, looking effortlessly casual in his school uniform. The other students surrounding him had already dispersed, clearly aware that whatever conversation was about to happen would be between them.

"I thought I told you I wasn’t joining," Vidushi said coldly, crossing her arms.

“Oh, I’m not here to beg you,” Kunal said with a lazy smirk. "You’ll be joining. I’m just here to... officially drag you in." His tone was playful but with an edge that made it clear he wasn’t asking for her permission.

Vidushi narrowed her eyes. “I’m not a puppet, Kunal. No one drags me into anything.”

He shrugged, looking completely unfazed. "Look, I don’t care if you want to help or not. But here's the deal—you're the best at making things happen in a way no one else can. Everyone else might be playing it safe, but we need someone who’s willing to step out of line." His smile turned almost conspiratorial. “And let’s face it, you love chaos.”

Vidushi was taken aback for a moment. No one had ever called her out quite like that. Sure, she loved stirring things up, but he had a point. The idea of staying out of the festival planning was appealing, but a small part of her knew she could make a bigger impact if she got involved. She was a force when she put her mind to it.

But the last thing she wanted was to admit that Kunal had anything to do with her decision.

“Fine,” she snapped, feigning indifference. “But I’m not doing it because of you. I’m doing it because it’s the only thing worth doing around here.”

Kunal’s grin widened, and he extended his hand toward her. “I like your attitude, Vidushi. Welcome aboard.”

Reluctantly, Vidushi shook his hand, but she felt a jolt run through her at the brief contact. She quickly withdrew her hand and turned away, pretending it didn’t matter.

“Now, where’s the real work?” Vidushi asked, trying to regain control of the situation.

“Well, if you want to jump in headfirst, the first step is organizing the dance event,” Kunal replied, his tone light. “And yes, I know you don’t like dancing, but that’s where your chaos expertise comes in.”

Vidushi snorted. “Just because I don’t dance doesn’t mean I’m the best choice for this. But fine, let’s get this over with.”

“You’re not as immune to fun as you think,” Kunal shot back with a laugh. “We’ll see how long it takes for you to change your mind.”

Vidushi shot him a glare. “Don’t hold your breath.”

As they walked toward the planning area, Vidushi’s mind was racing. Being in close proximity to Kunal was something she wasn’t prepared for. Every time they exchanged words, it felt like a battle, but one that left her both frustrated and oddly intrigued. Kunal’s confidence wasn’t like anyone else’s—it was almost disarming. It made her want to prove him wrong at every turn, but at the same time, she couldn’t deny that there was a spark, something that made her feel both alive and angry in ways she didn’t understand.

The committee room was buzzing with activity when they arrived. There were a few other students already gathered, looking to make suggestions for the festival. Vidushi couldn’t help but notice how quickly Kunal took charge, rallying the group with a few well-timed words.

“You’re going to need to take charge of the dance preparations,” Kunal said, turning to Vidushi. “I’m trusting you to get things done—your way.”

Vidushi didn’t trust herself to speak at first. She was tempted to turn down the responsibility again, to find another excuse to back out. But deep down, a part of her was tired of being on the sidelines. Maybe it was time to stop pretending she didn’t care.

She nodded, her voice surprisingly steady. “Alright. But don’t expect me to play by anyone else’s rules.”

Kunal raised an eyebrow, his smirk never fading. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And just like that, the first seeds of something deeper—something dangerous—were planted between them.

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