A week had passed since the exam, and the café had become my second home. It was just past six, and the usual evening rush was starting to filter in. I was working the counter, ringing up orders with practiced ease when I saw him.

Abhimanyu.

He was sitting in the far corner of the café with his usual smirk, sipping on a cold milkshake as if he had all the time in the world. Lately, he'd been coming here more often, not as a regular customer but as a fixture in my evening routine. He'd hang around until my shift ended, and we'd walk home together. It was odd. Ever since the exam, he'd been acting... different. Quieter. Or maybe I was imagining things. Either way, I tried to ignore the way his eyes flicked to mine every few minutes.

I rolled my eyes as he caught my glance and raised his cup in a mock toast. He looked entirely too comfortable, like he had every right to be there. It wasn't like him to hang around cafés or wait for me. His new habit felt... unsettlingly familiar.

"Miss? My receipt?" a customer's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Oh! Right, sorry!" I quickly handed over the receipt and flashed an apologetic smile. Focus, Avantika! But before I could move to the next order, I heard hurried footsteps approaching the counter. I glanced up to see Abhimanyu pushing through the line.

"Hey!" I protested, eyes wide. "What are you—"

He cut me off, urgency lacing his voice. "The results are out."

I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. "What?"

"The results," he repeated, louder this time. "Our exam results. They're out."

A rush of panic surged through me. "Wait, you mean the—"

"Yes, that exam," he said impatiently, waving his phone in front of my face.

I stared at the phone, my stomach twisting into anxious knots. "Oh no. Oh god. Are you sure?"

"Would I be running over here for no reason?" he muttered, exasperated. "Just open it."

Panic tightened its grip on my chest. I wasn't ready for this. "No, no, I can't," I stammered, already feeling shaky. "I need a second."

Abhimanyu rolled his eyes. "Seriously, Mickey? You're stalling."

"I am not stalling!" I snapped back, glancing around the café. "I'm working."

"You're avoiding it," he countered, his gaze steady.

Why does he have to call me out like that? I turned to my colleague, who was watching us with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "Can you cover for me for a bit? I... need a minute."

She grinned, clearly enjoying the drama. "Sure, take your time."

I shot her a grateful look and hurried around the counter to where Abhimanyu was sitting. He'd already reclaimed his seat, his phone open to the email from the academy.

"Okay, just open it," he said, pushing the phone toward me.

"No!" I protested, shaking my head as I stepped back. "You do it."

Abhimanyu raised an eyebrow. "You're scared?"

"I'm not scared," I huffed. "I just don't want to jinx it."

He snorted. "That's not how results work."

"Whatever," I muttered, folding my arms across my chest. "I'm not doing it."

We were about to get into a full-blown argument over who would open the results when, out of nowhere, Mr. Sood, the café manager, approached us with a warm smile. He was dressed in his usual pristine white and blue checkered shirt, perfectly pressed, paired with fitted black trousers.

"Why don't I help you two settle this?" he suggested, gesturing toward Abhimanyu's phone.

Abhimanyu sighed dramatically and handed him the phone. "Be my guest."

I stood there, holding my breath as Mr. Sood opened the email. Time seemed to stretch, each second feeling like an eternity. Abhimanyu leaned back, annoyingly calm, while I felt like my heart might leap out of my chest. What if I didn't do well? What if all my hard work was for nothing?

Finally, Mr. Sood's face lit up with pride. "Well, well, well," he said, grinning. "You two have done very well."

I leaned forward, trying to read his expression. "What does that mean?"

He looked directly at me, his eyes twinkling with genuine delight. "Avantika, congratulations. You topped the exam."

For a moment, I just stood there, my brain struggling to process what he'd said. Wait... what? I... I topped?

Mr. Sood nodded, beaming at me. "First place. And Abhimanyu, you've passed as well. Both of you are going to Blackthorn."

I turned to Abhimanyu, expecting him to say something. But instead, he just sat there, his expression neutral. "Great," he said quietly, nodding in Mr. Sood's direction.

That's it? That's his reaction?

"Well," Mr. Sood continued, clearly proud, "you both should celebrate! Avantika, you can leave early today if you like. And take some pastries with you—on me, of course."

I nodded, still feeling numb from the shock. "Uh, thanks."

Mr. Sood gave us one last smile before heading off to help another customer. I watched him leave, my mind still reeling from the news. I'd actually done it. I'd topped the exam.

Before I could fully process everything, Abhimanyu shifted in his seat, leaning a little closer. His voice was low and soft, just barely above a whisper. "Congratulations, Mickey. You beat me."

I felt my heart skip a beat. There was something almost... affectionate in his tone. Why does that make my stomach flutter?

I swallowed, my pulse quickening as I tried to shake off the weird feeling. "I told you I always win," I replied, managing to keep my voice steady.

He chuckled softly, his eyes flickering with amusement. "I guess you did."

I expected him to make a sarcastic comment, but instead, he just smiled that slow, lazy smile of his. Then he looked at me—really looked at me—and something about the way his gaze lingered made my stomach do a flip. What's happening? Why is this so intense?

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling awkward under his stare.

"Nothing," he said, his voice still soft. "You just look... cute when you're flustered."

I rolled my eyes, my cheeks flushing despite my efforts to stay composed. "Oh, shut up."

He laughed—a low, genuine sound—and for a moment, his gaze lingered on me with a mixture of admiration and something else I couldn't quite place. It was strange, and it made my stomach do a weird little flip. I quickly looked away, feeling the heat in my cheeks.

***

As we walked, we rounded the corner, and just then, a sleek black car pulled up beside us. Mrs. Sharma—Abhimanyu's mom—was in the driver's seat, still in her white coat from her clinic, looking slightly surprised to see us walking together.

"Vani! Manyu!" she greeted warmly through the window, her face lighting up with a genuine smile. "I'm heading home early from the clinic. Need a ride?"

Abhimanyu and I exchanged a quick glance, and I shrugged, feeling a bit awkward but mostly relieved. Thank goodness for a ride; my feet were starting to ache. "Sure, Auntie," I said politely.

Mrs. Sharma's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as she unlocked the car doors. We slid into the backseat, placing the box of pastries on the seat between us. After fastening her seatbelt, she turned to look at us through the rearview mirror, her curiosity evident. "So, how was your day?"

Abhimanyu leaned back slightly in his seat, casually crossing his arms. "It's been good. Oh, and the results came out today."

Mrs. Sharma's eyebrows shot up in excitement. "Really? That's wonderful! How did you both do?"

He hesitated just for a moment, then said in a flat tone, "Avantika came first."

There was a beat of silence as Mrs. Sharma processed the news, and then her face broke into the widest grin. "Vani, that's incredible! I knew you'd ace it," she gushed, her excitement palpable. "I'm so, so proud of you! First place!"

I blushed at the warmth of her reaction. Wow, I didn't expect her to be this enthusiastic. It feels amazing to hear that! "Thank you, Auntie," I mumbled, feeling the flush of pride and embarrassment blend together.

"And what about you, Manyu?" she asked, though her eyes twinkled with playful mischief. "Second, right?"

"Yeah, she beat me," Abhimanyu said, the smallest hint of a smile tugging at his lips, though his voice remained neutral. Is he really okay with this?

Mrs. Sharma laughed, clearly enjoying the moment. "Oh, Manyu, I already knew Vani would come out on top! You could've tried a little harder, you know," she teased, her tone full of affection.

Abhimanyu rolled his eyes dramatically. "Ha-ha, very funny, Mom," he replied, his voice deadpan.

Her laughter filled the car as she reached for her phone, quickly typing a message. "Well, I think this calls for a proper celebration," she said with finality. "How about dinner tonight with both families? I'll text your mom, Vani, and we'll all meet up. Sound good?"

"That sounds great, Auntie," I said, smiling at her enthusiasm.

"Perfect," she said, already sending the message. "Done. Now, we just need to get home and plan it out."

The ride continued in comfortable silence, with Mrs. Sharma softly humming to the radio. I gazed out the window, a small smile forming as I thought about how all the late nights and hard work had paid off. I had topped the exam. I can hardly believe it. The quiet pride settled in, and for the first time, everything felt worth it.

Just as we neared my house, I noticed Abhimanyu shifting slightly closer. His voice dropped to a low whisper, just enough for me to hear. "You know, Mickey," he teased softly, "if I'd known coming second would make you this happy, I'd have let you win sooner."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't stop the small smile that tugged at my lips. "You wish," I whispered back, feeling the warmth of the moment settle between us.

Before I could say anything more, the car pulled up to my house. I grabbed the box of pastries and hopped out, waving goodbye to Mrs. Sharma. Abhimanyu shot me a smug little smirk, and even though I tried not to, I couldn't help but smile back.

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A u t h o r's   N o t e

Hey there, my lovely blueberries,

I see you've made it this far—bravo! But don't get too cozy. Avantika's about to stumble into a whirlwind of twists and turns that'll make your head spin faster than you can say "mystery." Trust me, you'll want to stick around. Things are about to get... interesting.

So, stay tuned, buckle up, and maybe have some popcorn handy. And don't forget to Vomment (that's vote + comment for those not in the know). Your opinions matter, and hey, it's always fun to see what you think about the chaos unfolding, right?

Until next time, stay curious & have blueberries!

—Your Blueberry Queen