EPISODE 5: “Coffee, Clashes & Chemistry”

Last night when all the three was sleeping Tanuja's was getting so many notifications and shouted looking at phone who the fuck is Aarav now?

Did you just say Aarav? Said diya

Tanuja, Yes

He's our senior by the way what happened..

Tanuja.. What kind of man he is? He just liked all my post man..

Avni... Bro let's just turn of data and sleep we have college tomorrow.

...----------------...

The day after the freshers’ party was the real beginning of college life.

Tanuja, Avni, and Diya had already attended the first three lectures. The buzz of a new start still lingered in the air — pens scribbled, eyes sparkled, and laughter floated in whispers between friends.

But Tanuja’s mind was somewhere else.

Aarav.

That arrogant senior with the charming eyes and annoyingly calm smile.

He’d stayed in her head far too long since last night.

“Ugh. Thinks he’s so cool. As if I care.” — she mumbled to herself, brushing off the memory.

After the third lecture, the group decided to head to the canteen.

Avni groaned, “Let’s eat something before my brain crashes before the next class.”

Everyone laughed — Shivam, Karan, Rohan, Diya and Tanuja walked together to the canteen, which was already buzzing with voices, trays, and the smell of fries and coffee.

As they searched for a table, a familiar voice rang out —

“Well, well… the freshers again. You guys pop up everywhere!”

They turned —

Aarav.

White shirt, rolled-up sleeves, hair messy in just the right way.

And right beside him — Shobhit and Kunal, both second-years like him.

Tanuja rolled her eyes and muttered,

“Great. Mr. Overconfident again.”

Aarav, who definitely heard that, smirked and said smoothly,

“Thanks for the inspiration, Miss Junior. You bring out the hero in me.”

Avni and Diya exchanged glances.

Okay, there’s something going on here for sure…

They all sat together around one big table — juniors on one side, seniors on the other.

Friendly or not, the tension between Aarav and Tanuja lit up the air like electricity before a storm.

Shobhit: “So… which clubs did you guys join?”

Karan: “Sports. Diya too.”

Avni: “Literature and Research Team.”

Shivam: “Drama club.”

Tanuja: “Dance.”

Kunal (teasing): “Ohhh, so you’re the one who took over the stage at the freshers’… overconfident much?”

Aarav (mock serious): “Also dropped a glass. Unforgettable performance.”

Tanuja shot him a glare.

“If your sense of humor is this poor, maybe you should join the comedy club and practice.”

The table erupted in laughter. Aarav just raised his eyebrows playfully.

“I’ll consider it. Only if you join sarcasm club as the president.”

Shobhit jumped in to shift the mood:

“By the way, we’re planning a weekend trip — a mix of all club members. Seniors and juniors. Just to break the ice.”

Diya: “That sounds fun! Where?”

Kunal: “A farmhouse just outside the city. It’s got a pool, greenery, pretty views.”

Avni: “Omg yes! Tanu, you have to come.”

Tanuja: “Let’s see... depends on my mood.”

Aarav, smirking: “And I’m guessing the weather adjusts itself based on your mood too, right?”

Tanuja turned to him, her voice cool,

“I’m not the kind of girl who gets impressed by cool seniors with too much attitude.”

The table went silent for a second.

Aarav leaned in just slightly and whispered,

“Good. I don’t like girls who get impressed too easily anyway.”

Pause.

Tanuja said nothing.

But her heart skipped a beat.

The air had gotten awkward, sharp like the edge of a knife.

Before the teasing could turn into a full-on verbal war, Diya jumped in, her tone neutral but firm,

“Alright, enough. Let’s not make this lunch into a battlefield.”

She smiled lightly and added, “We have class, remember? Let’s move.”

Tanuja huffed softly and looked away while Aarav leaned back in his chair, looking far too relaxed for someone who just got roasted.

Avni, Diya, Shivam, Karan and Rohan stood up.

Tanuja picked her bag, eyes forward, not sparing Aarav another glance.

Before they left, Diya looked at the seniors, “Thanks for the canteen drama. We’ll think about the trip after we survive today’s schedule.”

With that, the juniors walked off, and the seniors chuckled amongst themselves.

---

After lectures, all students headed to their respective clubs.

The buzz about the weekend trip had already reached every corner of the college. Each club was holding a quick meeting — decisions had to be made about who’s going, what roles they'd have, and how they'd coordinate.

Tanuja's dance club gathered in a practice room. The president was talking enthusiastically about how this trip would include performances, games, and talent showcases.

“Everyone has to participate,” she said, “No excuses.”

Tanuja agreed silently, nodding with half her mind still stuck on lunch... and someone's face.

---

Time passed quickly.

The meeting went long — longer than she expected.

Her phone buzzed.

A message from Diya:

> “Hey! Me & Avni already reached the hostel. Come soon babe. It's getting dark.”

Tanuja looked around — almost everyone had left.

“Damn. I’m late.”

She grabbed her water bottle, slipped her phone in her tote bag, and rushed down the silent corridor. The college was almost empty now, shadows stretching under the fading golden light.

She took a turn towards the hostel path... but suddenly froze.

There he was.

Aarav.

Leaning against his black bike near the parking area, scrolling casually on his phone. His earphones hung loose around his neck, and his face looked peaceful… until his eyes lifted and locked with hers.

A smirk crept onto his lips.

“Lost your way, Miss Sarcasm?”

Tanuja narrowed her eyes. “No. Just got late.”

Aarav looked around, pretending to be surprised,

“All alone? No gang of girls to walk you home today?”

Tanuja crossed her arms. “I don’t need a gang. Or an escort.”

He walked slowly toward her, stopping just a few steps away. His voice dropped a little — softer, teasing, but with a strange sincerity underneath.

“Good. Because I wasn’t offering. But if you ask nicely…”

She cut him off, “Dream on.”

Aarav chuckled — that low, effortless laugh that was becoming dangerously familiar.

He tilted his head, “You’ve got a sharp tongue, Tanuja.”

She looked straight into his eyes.

“And you’ve got a habit of showing up at the wrong time.”

There was a beat of silence between them.

Long enough to notice how close they were standing.

Long enough to feel the weight of every word that hadn’t been said.

Suddenly — a gust of wind blew Tanuja’s dupatta across his shoulder.

They both looked down at it, then back at each other.

Aarav didn’t move.

Neither did she.

Finally, she snatched it back quickly, breaking eye contact.

“Whatever this is,” she muttered, “It’s not going to work on me.”

Aarav smirked again, stepping back just slightly,

“We’ll see.”

With that, he slid on his helmet, kicked the bike into life, and rode off into the sunset — leaving behind nothing but engine smoke… and a racing heartbeat.

By the time Tanuja reached the hostel, the sun had almost set, casting a soft orange glow across the windows.

She walked up the stairs, still a little flushed — maybe from rushing… maybe not.

As soon as she unlocked the door to her room, she was ambushed.

“Where were you, madam?”

Diya threw a cushion at her.

“We messaged you fifteen minutes ago!”

Avni grinned from her bed, “Hmm… someone’s glowing. Dance club meeting, huh? Or was it something… or someone else?”

Tanuja dropped her bag with a sigh. “You both are impossible.”

Diya sat up, legs crossed, eyebrows raised.

“Okay, spill. You look like you saw a ghost... or kissed one.”

“Gross!” Tanuja blurted, “It was just Aarav.”

Both girls screamed.

Avni: “JUST Aarav!?”

Diya: “What do you mean ‘just’? Details. Right now.”

Tanuja sat down on her bed, rubbing her forehead.

“He was just standing near the bike area. I was walking alone and bumped into him. That’s it.”

Avni squinted suspiciously.

“Okay. And… did he say something flirty?”

“Obviously,” Diya added, “He breathes flirt.”

Tanuja looked away, playing with her dupatta,

“Not flirty. Just… irritating. As usual.”

Diya leaned forward, whispering dramatically,

“Did he look… hot?”

Tanuja blinked. “…I mean, he always looks decent.”

“DECENT?!?” both shouted together.

Avni fell back laughing. “Baby girl is falling.”

“I am NOT!” Tanuja tossed a pillow at her, cheeks now fully pink.

Diya smirked, “Don’t worry, we support this enemies-to-lovers plot. Full fanclub here.”

Tanuja buried her face in the pillow, muffling her voice.

“You guys are worse than the seniors.”

They all burst out laughing.

But even through the teasing and fun, a part of Tanuja couldn’t stop replaying that moment —

The wind,

The way his eyes had lingered on hers,

The subtle “We’ll see.”

She shook her head, pushing the thought away.

Avni (suddenly serious):

“By the way, about the trip… do you think we should go?”

Diya: “I’m down if you both are. It’ll be fun. New people, maybe some dancing, bonfire...”

Tanuja nodded slowly.

“Let’s go. But I swear, if Aarav tries to act smart again—”

Diya interrupted, “—You’ll fall harder?”

Another pillow fight began.

---

That night, Tanuja had finally thrown a pillow at Diya and said firmly,

“You two continue your nonsense, I’m going to sleep. Today’s club meeting drained my soul. Good night!”

And just like that, she pulled the blanket over her and turned her back to the teasing duo, who still giggled under their breath.

---

Next Morning…

Lectures started on time. The usual buzz filled the corridors.

In the first break, while most students rushed to the canteen, Tanuja quietly slipped away towards the academic wing.

She had doubts in the physics lecture and didn’t want to carry confusion into the weekend.

While others munched on sandwiches and samosas, she stood in front of the professor's office, discussing vectors and graphs — completely unaware that someone had noticed her absence.

---

Back in the canteen…

Shobhit looked around casually, “Hmm, what’s going on? Looks like Miss Junior isn’t around today.”

Shivam laughed, “No bro, she’s here. But she went to the professor’s office.”

Kunal smirked, “What? Day 2 of college and she’s already being summoned by teachers?”

Everyone chuckled.

Avni, rolling her eyes, explained,

“She had some doubts and wanted to clear them. That’s all.”

Aarav, who had been quietly sipping his cold coffee, finally spoke.

“Ah. I was wondering why the college feels less... dramatic today.”

Diya leaned forward, grinning mischievously,

“Aww... someone’s missing Miss Junior, huh?”

Aarav, caught off-guard, tried to brush it off.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re misunderstanding.”

Everyone burst out laughing — teasing, mocking, while Aarav simply shook his head with a slight smile.

---

Bell rang. Break ended.

Students rushed back to class.

Tanuja was already inside when Avni returned and whispered,

“By the way, seniors were asking about you.”

Tanuja, not even looking up from her notebook, replied flatly,

“They seriously have no better work?”

---

After the last lecture…

All students made their way to their club zones. But instead of usual practice, there was excitement everywhere.

Today was the final meeting about the weekend Shimla trip.

The auditorium buzzed with announcements —

Train tickets were distributed, Friday to Sunday trip confirmed, all permissions sorted.

Tanuja held her envelope with the ticket, still unsure how she felt.

---

Outside the auditorium…

Tanuja, Diya, and Avni were walking back toward the hostel when the familiar voices of the senior trio reached them.

Shobhit called out, “Yo! Got your tickets?”

Everyone nodded.

Kunal added, “We’re planning to go shopping tomorrow — snacks, essentials, maybe jackets too. It gets chilly in Shimla.”

Diya and Avni lit up immediately.

“Omg yes! I need a new hoodie,” said Diya.

Aarav looked at Tanuja, eyes scanning her quiet expression.

He pointed subtly and asked,

“What’s with her? Why does she look like she just failed an exam?”

Before Tanuja could answer, Diya spoke up teasingly,

“She’s just moody. Doesn’t feel like going on the trip. And she hasn’t eaten anything all day either.”

Avni added, “We thought we’d go to the canteen after class, but it was closed.”

Aarav frowned slightly, then said casually,

“Come on then. Let’s go eat something. There’s a momo cart just outside campus.”

Tanuja instantly refused, “No thanks. I’m not going anywhere with seniors.”

Avni nudged her, whispering,

“When a senior offers you food, you say yes. That’s basic college manners.”

Diya grinned, “Exactly. Let’s go. I’m starving.”

Reluctantly — and maybe secretly glad — Tanuja followed.

---

At the momo cart…

Steam rose from the big steel pots, and the smell of garlic and spices filled the evening air.

They sat around a small bench while the vendor served plates piled with hot, stuffed momos.

Kunal: “Red chutney or mayo?”

Tanuja: “None.”

Aarav (teasing): “Of course. No spice, no fun.”

Tanuja rolled her eyes, “Not everyone’s taste buds are broken like yours.”

Aarav leaned closer, playful,

“So you do remember my taste?”

Tanuja blinked. “Excuse me?”

He smiled, biting into his momo like he didn’t just drop a flirt bomb.

Shobhit and Kunal exchanged glances, while Diya and Avni were dying to scream from the cuteness overload.

Suddenly, a dog came running towards their bench.

Startled, Tanuja jumped —

Her hand accidentally brushed against Aarav’s.

They both froze.

The world paused for a second.

She quickly pulled her hand back.

He didn’t say anything — just smiled quietly to himself.

---

Later, as they walked back…

Aarav walked a little behind the group, beside Tanuja.

“You still don’t want to go on the trip?” he asked softly.

She didn’t look at him.

“Still deciding.”

He looked ahead and said with a smirk,

“Well, just so you know... the view from the hills is amazing. But it might be you who steals all the attention.”

Tanuja turned to him, deadpan.

“Do you flirt with every girl like this?”

Aarav grinned.

“No. Just the difficult ones.”

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