Chapter 1
"Move."
"No."
"Ayaan, move your giant body before I kick you off the bed."
Ayaan barely opened one eye before pulling the blanket higher over his shoulder. "You broke into my room at two in the morning. You don't get to complain."
Rhea glared at him while standing beside his bed in oversized pajamas and bunny slippers, holding her pillow under one arm like she owned the place.
Which, honestly, she practically did.
"Your window was unlocked," she said defensively.
"That sounds exactly like something a criminal would say."
"Shut up and move."
He sighed dramatically before shifting toward the wall, making just enough space for her. Rhea immediately climbed onto the bed and threw herself beside him like this was routine.
Because it was.
Ayaan stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before muttering, "One day your future husband is going to hear these stories and leave you."
Rhea snorted. "Please. My future husband should be grateful you trained me to tolerate annoying men."
"Wow. I open my room for you every time you're scared of thunderstorms, and this is how you repay me?"
"I said thank you last time."
"You threw a pillow at my face."
"It was affectionate."
A small laugh escaped him despite himself.
Outside, rain tapped softly against the windows while distant thunder echoed across the dark sky. Rhea pulled the blanket around herself before getting comfortable beside him without a second thought.
That was the dangerous thing about them.
Everything felt natural.
Too natural.
Sharing food, stealing hoodies, sleeping beside each other during storms, holding hands unconsciously while crossing roads—none of it felt strange anymore.
Sometimes Ayaan wondered if they had crossed the line between friendship years ago and were simply too scared to acknowledge it.
"You're staring again," Rhea mumbled sleepily.
"I'm literally looking at the ceiling."
"You look suspicious."
"You accuse me of crimes daily."
"Because you commit them daily."
Ayaan shook his head quietly, but the corner of his lips lifted anyway.
She always did this to him.
No matter how exhausted, irritated, or stressed he felt, Rhea somehow made everything softer.
Unfortunately, she also made everything harder.
Because after seven years of being hopelessly in love with his best friend, Ayaan had learned one important thing:
Rhea Sharma had absolutely no idea what she did to him.
"Hey," she suddenly whispered.
"What?"
"The thunder's getting louder."
Her voice had become smaller.
More careful.
Ayaan finally turned toward her properly. The confidence from earlier had disappeared from her face, replaced with the nervous expression she always wore during storms.
And there it was again.
That stupid ache in his chest.
"Come here," he said quietly.
Rhea immediately moved closer without hesitation until her head rested against his shoulder.
Like she trusted him there automatically.
Ayaan closed his eyes for a second.
This girl was actually going to ruin his life someday.
"You smell nice," she mumbled.
His eyes snapped open. "Rhea."
"What?"
"Stop saying things like that so casually."
She tilted her head up innocently. "Like what?"
"You know exactly what."
"I really don't."
Liar.
He could tell from the tiny smile she was trying to hide.
Before he could reply, her phone suddenly buzzed against the mattress.
Rhea reached for it quickly.
Ayaan wasn't trying to look.
He really wasn't.
But his eyes still landed on the screen.
Aryan ❤️
His expression changed instantly.
Rhea froze for half a second before slowly looking up at him.
"…Don't."
Ayaan let out a short laugh that sounded dangerously calm. "Don't what?"
"Don't give me that look."
"What look?"
"That jealous look."
"I'm not jealous."
"You literally look like you want to kill someone."
"I just think the heart emoji is unnecessary."
Rhea tried—and failed—not to smile.
Which only annoyed him more.
"He's just my class partner," she said.
"Then why is there a heart beside his name?"
"Because pink looked cute."
Ayaan stared at her blankly.
"Rhea."
"Yes?"
"You have five seconds to block him."
She burst out laughing so suddenly that she almost dropped her phone onto the bed.
"Oh my God," she wheezed. "You're unbelievable."
"And you're annoying."
"You're definitely jealous."
"I'm definitely considering murder."
That only made her laugh harder.
Ayaan watched her for a moment before looking away, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through his chest from hearing that sound.
This was bad.
Hopelessly, unbelievably bad.
Because no matter how much she teased him, no matter how many times she accidentally drove him insane—
he still couldn't imagine loving anyone else.
Rhea slowly calmed down before nudging his arm gently.
"You know you're my favorite person, right?"
And there she goes again.
Destroying him without even trying.
Ayaan swallowed carefully before replying, "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Her voice had softened completely now.
Honest.
Sleepy.
Dangerously sincere.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
The rain continued outside while the room filled with the kind of silence only comfortable people could share.
Then Rhea looked up at him again.
"…You'd tell me if you ever liked someone, right?"
Ayaan's heart nearly stopped.
He stared at her.
Rhea blinked innocently back at him, completely unaware of the chaos she had just created inside his head.
Because of course she was.
Because this was Rhea.
The same girl who held his hand absentmindedly.
The same girl who stole his clothes.
The same girl currently curled against his chest while asking him about other girls.
Ayaan smiled slowly.
Painfully.
"Yeah," he lied.
Rhea kept staring at him.
Ayaan immediately regretted opening his mouth.
The problem with late-night conversations was that they always became too honest.
Too quiet.
Too dangerous.
"…What?" she asked slowly.
Ayaan looked away toward the rain-covered window instead of her face. "Nothing."
"No, you said that weirdly."
"I didn't."
"You did."
He sighed softly.
"You ask too many questions."
"And you avoid too many answers."
Rhea shifted slightly beside him until she could properly see his expression. Her hair was messy from sleep, and her cheek was still pressed against his shoulder like she belonged there.
Ayaan's heartbeat became annoyingly uneven.
"Fine," he muttered. "What if I say I do have someone I like?"
The room went quiet.
Not awkward.
Just… still.
Rhea blinked once.
Then twice.
"Oh."
That single word did something strange to him.
He didn't know why.
Maybe because she suddenly looked less relaxed.
Maybe because her fingers tightened slightly around the blanket.
Or maybe because, for one second, she almost looked bothered.
Ayaan watched her carefully.
"You seem surprised."
"I'm not surprised," she said quickly.
"You look surprised."
"I just…" She paused awkwardly. "I didn't think you actually liked someone."
He raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"I don't know."
"Great answer."
Rhea frowned before lightly hitting his arm. "You know what I mean."
"No, actually. Explain."
She groaned dramatically. "You're so annoying."
"And yet you keep showing up in my room."
"That's because thunderstorms are scary."
"Mm."
"And because your room is comfortable."
"Sure."
"And because—"
"You talk too much."
She narrowed her eyes at him before crossing her arms stubbornly. Ayaan tried not to smile.
Tried and failed.
The rain outside became heavier, filling the silence between them again.
Rhea looked down at her phone for a second before locking it and tossing it onto the bedside table.
"So…" she said carefully. "Who is she?"
Ayaan almost laughed.
If only she knew.
"She's cute," he answered casually.
Rhea instantly looked offended.
"Cute?"
"Yeah."
"That's your description?"
"What's wrong with cute?"
"You can't just say cute." She sat up straighter now, suddenly invested. "That's so vague."
"Okay." Ayaan pretended to think. "She's annoying too."
"Wow. Romantic."
"She steals my food."
"That sounds serious."
"She also breaks into my room."
Rhea rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."
"And she acts innocent even when she's obviously guilty."
"Hm. Sounds terrible."
"She is terrible."
A small smile appeared on Rhea's face before she realized something.
Wait.
Slowly, suspiciously, her eyes narrowed.
"…Are you talking about me?"
Ayaan looked at her calmly.
"What if I am?"
For a second, Rhea forgot how to breathe.
The teasing expression on his face made it impossible to tell whether he was joking or not.
And somehow that was worse.
"Ayaan."
"Hm?"
"Be serious."
"I am serious."
"No, like—actually serious."
He stared at her for a moment.
Then he smiled lazily and looked away again.
"Relax, Rhea. I'm messing with you."
Something unreadable flashed across her face.
Too quick for him to understand.
"Idiot," she muttered quietly.
But she didn't sound annoyed.
She sounded relieved.
That shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did.
Ayaan leaned his head back against the wall, trying to ignore the heaviness suddenly settling in his chest.
Of course she was relieved.
Why wouldn't she be?
To Rhea, he was safe.
Permanent.
Her best friend.
The one person who would always stay.
And maybe that was the problem.
Because Ayaan didn't know how much longer he could pretend this was enough.
A loud crack of thunder suddenly exploded outside.
Rhea flinched violently.
Before Ayaan could even react, she buried herself against him completely, arms wrapping tightly around his waist while her face pressed into his chest.
"A-ah—"
Another thunderclap interrupted her.
Ayaan froze for half a second before immediately holding her closer.
"It's okay," he murmured softly.
Rhea shook slightly against him.
Thunderstorms had terrified her since childhood. Even back then, she used to run to him whenever lightning scared her.
Nothing had changed.
Except now she fit against him too perfectly.
Ayaan swallowed carefully before resting one hand against the back of her head.
"You're okay," he repeated quietly.
Rhea nodded weakly against his chest but didn't let go.
Not even slightly.
Another flash of lightning brightened the room for a second, followed by distant thunder.
She tightened her grip instantly.
A small laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
"This bad, huh?"
"Don't laugh at me," she mumbled.
"I'm not laughing."
"You are."
"Maybe a little."
Rhea grumbled something unintelligible before hiding her face further into his hoodie.
Ayaan looked down at her.
And there it was again.
That terrifying softness he only had for her.
Slowly, carefully, he started petting her hair.
Gentle.
Comforting.
The same way he had done since they were kids.
Rhea relaxed little by little under his touch.
"There," he whispered. "Better?"
"…A little."
"You're clingier during storms."
"You complain too much."
"I'm literally comforting you right now."
"And you should feel honored."
Ayaan smiled faintly.
God, he was doomed.
Her fingers were still clutching his shirt tightly while her legs tangled carelessly with his under the blanket. Anyone seeing them right now would assume they were dating.
Honestly, sometimes even he forgot they weren't.
Rhea suddenly spoke again, voice quieter this time.
"You really scared me earlier."
"With the thunder?"
"No." She hesitated. "The liking someone thing."
Ayaan's chest tightened.
"Oh."
She stayed silent for a few seconds before whispering, "I didn't like imagining you with someone else."
His heart nearly betrayed him on the spot.
Ayaan stared down at her in disbelief.
Rhea, meanwhile, looked completely unaware of what she had just admitted.
Or maybe she was aware.
That was the dangerous part.
Sometimes she said things that sounded almost like feelings before casually acting normal again.
And every single time, she left him overthinking for days.
"…Rhea."
"Hm?"
"You can't say things like that."
She looked up slightly. "Why?"
Because you're making it impossible for me to stay just your best friend.
But he couldn't say that.
Not yet.
So instead, Ayaan gently flicked her forehead.
"Ow!"
"You're overthinking."
"That hurt!"
"You'll survive."
Rhea glared at him before huffing dramatically and burying herself back into his chest again.
Ayaan chuckled softly before pulling the blanket around her properly.
Outside, the storm continued.
But inside his room, with Rhea curled against him while sleep slowly pulled at her eyes, everything felt strangely warm.
Dangerously warm.
And somewhere deep down, Ayaan already knew this friendship was heading toward something neither of them would be able to escape forever
