In the past 10 days, Aryan bhai was my subject without him knowing. My exam is today and I really don't have confidence in myself because of all the emotions triggered by him.

I'm such a dimwit!

I can't do anything but just sit here and overthink about my situation with my brother's best friend.

In these past few days, I've noticed how he's always kept me on the pedestal, always treated me different than others- like I'm special or he doesn't want to be around me. It's the former or the latter, there's no in-between.

Have I had mixed feelings about this? Yes. Why? Because he's nothing but my family friend, a person I've grown up calling 'bhai'. It's all a huge coincidence. Nothing but a co-occurrence. A placebo even.

"Aarzoo, chal!" I heard my brother's voice right before he decided to smack my head.

(Come on!)

"Bhai, yaar!" A whine escaped my mouth as I rubbed my head.

"Kaha kho gayi thu? Exam hein tera aaj,"

(Where are you lost? You have an exam today,)

"Pata hein mujhe. Mera exam hein, aapka nahi," I rolled my eyes at him and walked towards the main door.

(I know. It's my exam, not yours,)

"The driver is not here," my mom's words made me stop in my tracks. Fuck. Ab vo ayeinge kya?

I mentally cursed and turned around with a forced smile.

"I'll drive, meri pyaari mummy," I tried to convince her but luck wasn't on my side.

(My lovely mom,)

"Siddharth, drop her,"

"Haan, maa," He smirked and I stuck out my tongue stomping my way out.

(Yes, mom)

"Car mein baith chup chap, nautanki,"

(Shut up and sit in the car, dramatic girl,)

He sat in the driving seat as I fastened my seat belt in the passenger seat. "I still have 2 hours free, bhai. Can we get lunch outside," I beamed at him with my brightest smile which I'm sure melted him.

He sighed and nodded his head starting the car.

"Vaise, does Aryan bhai have a girlfriend? A girl in my university is crushing on him real hard." I asked my brother generally to assure myself that all the incidents with Aryan bhai were nothing but coincidences.

(By the way,)

"Uss bandar pe crush? Chi! No one has taste in your college, clearly. Vo bandar to gay hein mere liye," These two bromance a little too much. I acted as if I was going to vomit to show my disgust and rolled my eyes.

(A crush on that monkey? Ew) (That monkey is gay for me,)

Seedha javad tho de nahi sakte aur inhe acchi girlfriend chahiye. I sighed mentally and tried to concentrate on my exam.

(He can't even give a straight answer and he wants a girlfriend.)

I took out my book to revise a little as my brother sang along the songs he played through the bluetooth.

"Two hours, right?"

"Hmm," I hummed as a positive response, not paying attention to the path he was taking me in as I was busy revising.

"Mein abhi aaya," He stopped the car and got down.

(I'll be back,)

What the hell?

"Huh?" I said and looked up only to see that we were in front of The Shekhawat house.

What the fuck? God ji, do you hate me?

I saw him and my brother talking to each other animatedly while getting down the stairs near the main entrance.

Fuck my luck! Oh that rhymes! Vah vah, Aarzoo. Tu poet ban ja. I was lost in my own thoughts and I failed to notice the two men who reached the car.

(Wow, Aarzoo. You should become a poet.)

"Aryan, you drive," my brother tossed the keys to him to turned around to seat in the back seat.

All the best to me, I guess. How do I concentrate on my revision now?

"You know the route to her university, right?" my brother asked while I could feel his gaze linger on me for a second.

"Mujhe kyu pata hoga?" Point. Why is my brother so dumb?

(Why would I know?)

"I'll tell you, it's okay," I broke my maun vrath and looked up at him and immediately looked down.

What is this behavior, Aarzoo? I scolded myself and mentally slapped my inner self.

He nodded his head and wore his seat belt, adjusting the seat.

He started the car and we were thirty minutes away from college.

My brother was busy vibing to the songs playing and I was busy overthinking the situation as he drove the car smoothly.

I finally decided to break the silence, "Sunne mein aaya hein ki aap gay ho," I suppressed a laugh and tried to look at him dead in the eye.

(I've heard that you're gay,)

"K-kya?" He hit a sudden break making my heart stop for a second.

(W-what?)

"Mein mar var jatha tho, Aryan?!"

(What if I died, Aryan?)

Aryan bhai aggressively sighed and looked back at my brother. He shoved his middle finger in bhai's face and turned to the road again.

He looked at me for a second with a different expression before diverting his attention.

He again took a control of the steering wheel and started driving making me huff out a breath.

"Aapko gadi chalana nahi aata, right?" the sarcasm was clear in my voice making him roll his eyes.

(Do you not know how to drive?)

"Khud drive karlo phir,"

(Drive the car yourself then,)

"I was going to do that until maa decided to send me with this gadheda, chi," I looked to the back only to see my brother concentrating on his phone.

(donkey, ew)

"Chup chap revision kar," he pointed at my book, still focusing on his driving. Impressive.

(Shut up and revise)

I nodded my head and started reading again.

I had made notes for this subject based on Aryan bhai's actions and words towards me and they were pretty helpful. Kuch toh kaam ayein.

I started revising everything with a racing heart because of the nervousness making my hands tremble.

"We're here," his words bought me back from my sudden axienty.

"Hey," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. "Do you think... do you think I'll be okay?"

He glanced at me, his expression softening before he held my shaking hand. "You're gonna do so well, trust yourself Aarzoo," he caressed my hand and kept it on the gear and pulled my knuckles to relieve some tension.

"You're shivering, Aarzoo. Tune kuch khaya nahi?" His voice concerned as he reached back to take out his lunch he had his mom pack for him to eat in his office.

(Did you not eat anything?)

"Khao," he pulled out a spoon before handing me the box.

(Eat,)

I was hesitant at first but I knew this was the only right thing. "Kya hua?" My brother's late realization hit as he shifted a little forward caressing my head.

(What happened?)

"Cold feet before the exam. Don't worry," Aryan bhai assured him as my brother acknowledged.

My brother got down the car to get me some snacks from the grocery store opposite my university, leaving me alone in the car alone with Aryan bhai.

"Thoda dar sa lag raha hein," and those words escaped my mouth instantly.

(I'm a little scared,)

"You'll be fine," he said with that calm confidence of his, the kind that always made him seem like he had everything figured out. "You've always done well, right? Just relax. You've got this."

I wanted to believe him, but his reassurance felt so... simple. Like he didn't understand how much pressure I was under. Maybe it was because he didn't have the same kind of stress in his life that I did. Or maybe it was just that he was Aryan—always confident, always steady. His calmness was both comforting and a little frustrating.

His phone suddenly rang and he answered it instantly. The silence between us stretched on. He seemed busy, his hands gripping the phone, his eyes focused ahead. I kept stealing glances at him, wondering if he could tell how restless I felt. Maybe it was just my nerves, but there was something different about the way he was.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Was I imagining this? Was I reading too much into a few glances and the tone of his voice? I had no idea, but it was unsettling.

"Do you want me to park in the parking lot? We'll wait for your brother there?" he cut the call and looked up at me as I nodded my head.

We pulled into the university parking lot, and I could already see the sea of students walking toward the exam halls. My stomach flipped at the sight of them. I hated exams. I hated the way they made me second-guess everything I thought I knew.

As he parked the car, I hesitated for a moment before turning to him and poking his bicep with an instant disappointed pout.

"Yeah?" He glanced at me, his face softening.

"I'll do well, right? With the exam, I mean."

He looked at me for a long moment, his gaze intense. There was something in his eyes, something that made my chest tighten a little. But he quickly looked away, clearing his throat. "You'll be fine, Aarzoo. You've got this. I know you do. Don't doubt yourself so much."

I nodded, trying to force a smile. He was so calm, so sure of me. I didn't deserve it.

"Thanks," I said quietly, more to myself than to him.

"I'll make a move,"

"Huh?" confusion was etched on his face.

I opened the door and stepped out of the car, the cool morning air hitting my face, making me feel a little more awake.

"I don't want to sit in the car and overthink. Tell that monkey I'm sorry for leaving without telling him," I leaned in through the window as Aryan bhai looked a little hesitant to let me go just then.

He sighed and shook his head in a defeat and gestured me to start moving.

As I walked towards the gate, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us. I didn't know what it was, but I was beginning to realize that Aryan wasn't just my brother's best friend at the moment.

"Aarzoo!" I turned around and saw Aryan bhai running towards.

God ji, are you leaking my inner thoughts to him?

He finally reached me making me suck my breath in. He caught up with his breath because of the running making me look at him.

"Ab kya hogaya?"

(What happened now?)

He held his palm up, asking me to wait as he pulled out something from his pocket.

"Keep this chocolate with you," he handed over a huge bar of my favourite dairy milk silk making my eyes twinkle in admiration for the chocolate.

"You always eat chocolate when you're anxious," he licked his lips wet and looked down at his feet as if he was guilty for giving me this chocolate.

"Awwww, thank you so much, aryan bha-"

"Bas," he cut me off just as I was about to side hug him making me frown.

(Enough,)

"You're going to get late," he pushed me towards my gate and waved a goodbye making me smile bright and wave back at him.

He gave me a chocolate. I smiled to myself while I walked while hopping happily.

Attentional Reciprocity. His actions right now were the last topic of my subject.

My heart dropped to my stomach and then I realized that my exam is long gone from my mind.