Jia's POV

"Jia di!" Ishani burst into my room, startling me.

I looked up at her, slightly annoyed. "What is it, Ishani?"

"I want to show you something," she said, grinning.

"What?" I asked, already exasperated.

"Just wait, naa!" she said excitedly, ignoring my tone. She grabbed my tablet and made herself comfortable beside me.

"So, Vihaan's first commercial is out! I saw it, and it was amazing. You have to watch it!" she chirped.

Vihaan again. I had no interest in anything related to him. "Ishani, I don't want to see anything," I said firmly.

"Di, at least look at it!" she pleaded, reaching for my hand.

Irritation bubbled up inside me. "Ishani, no!" I snapped, raising my voice.

She pouted and dropped the tablet. "You know, Di, I'll never talk to you again," she muttered, clearly upset, and walked out.

Her sadness lingered in the room even after she left, and guilt weighed heavily on my chest. I knew I'd hurt her, and I'd have to apologize. But I couldn't bring myself to see anything related to him. He was already a big enough distraction in my mind.

I decided to head downstairs for a smoke, needing to clear my thoughts. Ishani was in the living room, still sulking.

"Mom, look! Vihaan's first commercial!" Ishani exclaimed as if trying to taunt me.

I rolled my eyes and headed for the door, but just as I stepped outside, I heard his voice.

"What do you want, Jia?"

I froze mid-step, my breath catching. What? That was Vihaan's voice.

I turned back toward the living room. The commercial was playing on TV, and there he was, asking the actress to go on a date. But he was calling her Jia.

"Is this a coincidence?" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Mom and Ishani looked at me, surprised. I avoided their gazes, grabbed my bag, and walked out the door.

I got into my car, trying to focus on the road, but his voice echoed in my mind. As I drove, a giant banner caught my eye. It was Vihaan.

I pulled over and stared at the banner, my thoughts swirling. Where did he come from? How did he end up in my life? Out of nowhere, he'd entered my world, and I couldn't ignore his presence.

He was always there—encouraging me, trying to make me smile, initiating conversations even when I pushed him away. That day we'd skipped class together, I knew I'd hurt him. My words had pierced him like needles. And yet, here he was, occupying my thoughts even now.

I clicked a picture of the banner and stared at it silently. Somehow, looking at his face gave me a strange sense of peace.

Later that night

I returned to my room and went to close the curtains. As I glanced outside, I saw Vihaan step onto his balcony.

Our eyes met briefly before he turned away.

It didn't bother me anymore. Or at least, that's what I told myself.

I closed the curtains and sat on my bed, opening my laptop. Curiosity got the better of me, and I typed "Cornetto recent commercial" into the YouTube search bar.

The first video popped up. I clicked it.

The commercial began, and there he was. Vihaan looked... nice. But as soon as I heard my name on his lips, something stirred inside me.

For the first time in two years, I felt my heart beat—slowly, hesitantly.

"It wasn't a coincidence," I heard Ishani's voice behind me.

I turned to her, confused. "What do you mean?"

She came into the room, her expression serious. "That girl in the commercial—her name is Nisha. Vihaan was supposed to call her Nisha, but he kept accidentally calling her Jia. The casting director suggested they keep it because it sounded natural."

I stared at the screen, the weight of her words sinking in.

"Jia di, I know he matters to you," Ishani said softly. "His presence affects you. You can't deny it."

I looked at her, speechless. For the first time in a long while, I nodded.

"Also, I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier," I said, pulling her into a hug.

"You don't have to apologize for anything, Di," she whispered, smiling as she left the room.

I turned back to the video. Vihaan's voice echoed in my mind again: What do you want, Jia?

Without thinking, I grabbed my keys and drove back to the place with his banner.

I stood in front of it, staring at his face, replaying every moment we'd shared.

Vihaan's POV

I miss her.

Every interaction we've had—every brief conversation, every glance—I miss it all.

A knock on my door pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Rohan," I said, opening the door to let him in.

He stepped inside as I flopped onto my bed.

"Alright, Bhaiya. What's wrong with you?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Nothing," I muttered, avoiding his gaze.

"C'mon, I can tell something's up," he pressed.

Not in the mood for a heart-to-heart, I grabbed my car keys and left the house.

Driving aimlessly, I passed by one of my banners. At least I've started somewhere, I thought.

Suddenly, a figure caught my eye. A girl was crossing the road, and I swerved to avoid her.

I stopped the car and jumped out, only to realize it was Jia.

"Seriously? Now I'm hallucinating," I muttered, shaking my head.

I got back in the car and drove home, my thoughts racing. Back in my room, I stepped onto the balcony, trying to clear my mind.

"Come on, Vihaan. Stop thinking about her," I told myself, running my hands through my hair.

"It's not a coincidence," a soft voice interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up, startled. Jia was standing there.  She stepped closer, resting her hand on my hair. "It's not a coincidence. I was on the road," she said softly. I stood up, searching her face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, holding her face in my hands. She nodded, and before I could stop myself, I hugged her tightly." I missed you," I whispered into her ear.

"I'm sorry," she murmured."For what?" I asked, pulling back to look at her.

"For that day. For the things I said," she admitted.

"Are you crazy? You don't need to apologize," I said earnestly.

"Then why weren't you talking to me?" she asked, her eyes searching mine.

"Hmm, so many questions," I teased, smirking.

She gave me a playful tap on the head, and we both looked at each other.

As she turned to leave, I caught her wrist, pulling her closer.

Holding her face in my hands, I looked straight into her eyes.

"You've made a place for yourself in my heart," I said.

Her eyes widened, and a soft smile spread across her face.

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Erica <3