Chapter 10 Chapter: A Change of Pace

The next morning, Hazel woke up feeling oddly refreshed. Maybe it was the slight victory of making Arav laugh last night, or maybe it was the fact that their project was finally ready for presentation. Either way, she was in a good mood.

She got dressed in a simple yet comfortable outfit—an oversized sweater tucked into high-waisted jeans, paired with boots to fight off the cold. With her hair loosely tied up, she grabbed her bag and headed out.

The campus was buzzing with activity, as it always was in the mornings. As Hazel made her way to class, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a message from Arav.

Arav: Reached?

Hazel raised an eyebrow. That was unexpected.

Hazel: On my way. Why?

No response.

Shaking her head, she slipped the phone back into her pocket and walked into the building. As she reached the lecture hall, she spotted Arav leaning against the wall outside, his hands in his pockets, lost in thought.

“Are you always this early?” Hazel teased as she walked up to him.

He looked up, his gaze settling on her. "Not really. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t ditch the presentation."

Hazel scoffed. "As if I’d let you take all the credit."

A small smirk played on his lips, but there was something else in his expression. A flicker of hesitation, like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure how.

Before Hazel could ask, their professor walked by, signaling them to enter.

"Guess we’re up," Arav muttered, straightening up.

Hazel gave him a playful nudge. "Try not to look too serious. It’s just a presentation."

He let out a short breath, almost a laugh, and they walked in together.

—

The presentation went smoother than Hazel expected. Arav, despite his usual quiet nature, spoke with a kind of calm confidence that made people listen. And Hazel? She made sure to balance it out, adding just the right amount of energy to keep things engaging.

When they wrapped up, the professor nodded in approval, giving them a quick compliment before moving on to the next group.

Hazel turned to Arav with a satisfied grin. "Told you we’d kill it."

Arav gave a small nod. "Yeah, we did."

It was a simple response, but there was a certain weight in the way he said it—like he wasn’t just talking about the project.

Before Hazel could dwell on it, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Impressive," Meera said, walking up to them with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "You two make a good team."

Hazel glanced at Arav, but his expression was unreadable. Meera’s presence always seemed to change something in him.

"You were watching?" Hazel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Meera tilted her head. "Of course. I always keep an eye on things that interest me."

Hazel didn’t miss the way her gaze flickered toward Arav when she said that.

Something about Meera’s tone made Hazel’s good mood waver just slightly. But she pushed the thought aside.

"Anyway," Meera continued, her voice light, "I’ll see you both around."

With that, she walked away, leaving behind a strange air of tension.

Hazel exhaled, shaking her head. "She has a habit of appearing at the most random moments."

Arav didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he ran a hand through his hair before finally saying, "Let’s get out of here."

Hazel studied him for a second. He wasn’t irritated, but he also wasn’t entirely fine.

"Where to?" she asked.

Arav glanced at her, his expression finally easing. "Anywhere but here."

And for some reason, Hazel didn’t mind that idea at all.

As they stepped out of the lecture hall, the afternoon air carried a crisp chill, hinting at the approaching winter. Hazel adjusted her coat, glancing at Arav, who walked beside her, unusually quiet.

She raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been weirdly quiet for the past five minutes. Something on your mind?”

Arav kept his gaze ahead, his hands stuffed into his pockets. He hesitated for a moment before finally asking, “How do you know Meera?”

Hazel blinked, caught off guard. She hadn’t expected that. “We’re in the same major,” she answered slowly. “We met in the first week of college. Why?”

Arav’s jaw clenched slightly, and he exhaled through his nose. “She’s been acting different lately. With you, with me… I don’t know. It just feels off.”

Hazel thought back to Meera’s cryptic words and the way she always seemed to hint at something about Arav without ever saying it outright. She’d brushed it off before, but now, hearing this from him, it gnawed at her thoughts.

“She’s never said anything weird to you before?” Hazel asked.

Arav let out a quiet scoff. “Meera always has something to say. But usually, she’s more direct. Lately, it feels… different.”

“Different how?” Hazel pressed.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair before shaking his head. “It’s like she’s playing at something, but I can’t figure out what.”

Hazel hummed in thought. “Maybe she’s just going through something.”

“Maybe,” Arav said, but he didn’t sound convinced.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Hazel, never one to let tension linger too long, smirked and nudged him with her shoulder. “Are you worried about me, Arav?” she teased.

He let out a quiet chuckle. “I don’t think you need anyone worrying about you, Roy.”

She grinned. “Exactly. I can handle myself.”

But despite her playful words, a small unease settled in her stomach. Because if there was one thing she had learned, it was that things left unsaid often held the most weight.

As Hazel and Arav walked down the campus pathway, their conversation still lingering in the air, a familiar voice cut through the quiet.

“There you two are!”

Hazel turned to see Naina striding toward them, Vivhan right beside her, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie.

Naina’s eyes flickered between Hazel and Arav, curiosity clear on her face. “And who is this?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Hazel opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Vivhan grinned. “That, my dear Naina, is Arav.”

Naina raised an eyebrow. “Ah, so this is the Arav?” She turned to Hazel with a teasing smirk. “You never mentioned he was this tall.”

Hazel groaned. “Naina—”

Arav, surprisingly, looked amused. “I take it you’ve heard about me?”

“Bits and pieces,” Naina said, eyeing him with interest. “She’s been oddly quiet about you, though. Suspicious, if you ask me.”

Arav shot Hazel a glance, his lips twitching as if he was holding back a smirk. “Interesting.”

“Anyway,” Vivhan cut in before Hazel could protest, “we were just about to call you guys. We’re throwing a small house party tonight. You both should come.”

Hazel raised an eyebrow. “A house party? Since when do you throw house parties?”

Vivhan chuckled. “Since Naina decided she was bored and convinced me it was a great idea.”

Naina grinned. “Don’t act like you weren’t on board. Besides, it’s been all books and lectures lately. We need a break.”

Hazel glanced at Arav, who had his usual unreadable expression. “You in?” she asked.

Arav shrugged, his lips quirking slightly. “Depends. How terrible is the music going to be?”

Naina gasped dramatically. “Excuse me? I have great taste in music.”

Vivhan laughed. “That’s debatable. But don’t worry, Arav. I’ll make sure you survive.”

Hazel rolled her eyes but smiled. “Alright, fine. We’ll come.”

“Great,” Vivhan said. “Starts at nine. Don’t be late.”

As Naina and Vivhan walked ahead, chatting about party plans, Hazel stole a glance at Arav. His expression was still neutral, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—something unreadable.

“A party, huh?” she mused.

Arav exhaled. “Yeah. Let’s see how that goes.”

And for some reason, Hazel had a feeling that tonight was going to be anything but ordinary.

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