Page 14 of Obsession

“—we may have told him that the way to your heart is through a lot of cheesy romance.”

“What?” Ananya glared at them. “Did you both tell him that we were coming here?”

“Umm, actually—” her friend began, but paused when a waitress appeared with their donuts.

“Yes, we did,” the pixie-haired girl said after the waitress left.

Ananya sipped her coffee. “No wonder he’s sitting in a corner, doing ridiculous things to get my attention instead of approaching us like a normal person and sitting at our table. It’s not like he doesn’t hang around us all the time. Let’s ignore him. Maybe he will go away.”

One of them changed the topic, and they began talking about some TV drama.

Mihir returned to rereading his assignment. He had to submit it next week, but he’d already completed it. Several minutes later, his phone buzzed with a text. It was Armaan.

Reaching in ten, brother. We want two espressos and one lime soda.

Mihir smiled. They were finally coming. Their flight had been delayed, and Mihir had been passing his time reviewing his assignment, so he’d be absolutely free to be with them the next few days.

His concentration was broken again when the guy, Surya, approached Ananya’s table with a plate in hand. He dropped the plate with chocolate pastry in front of Ananya.

“For the girl who has stolen my heart,” he proclaimed.

Ananya looked at the man and then at the cake in disgust. Her friends giggled.

Ananya stood up. “Surya, come with me.”

Mihir packed his laptop and flung his bag across his chest as he went to the counter to place the order for his brothers.

He looked to the side as he waited in the queue and found Ananya sitting at Surya’s table. They were seated right beside where he stood in the queue. Something pricked at his heart to see her with him.

“Look, Surya,” he heard her say. “You and I, it’s never going to work. Trust me, I’m not the one for you.”

Mihir felt his lips curve. He’d been eavesdropping on her whole conversation this evening, forcibly, of course.

“Don’t say that, Ananya,” Surya begged. “You haven’t even given me a chance.”

“Listen—” Her gaze moved past Surya and latched on Mihir. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted.

Something unfurled in Mihir’s chest as his gaze clashed with hers. It was like the world stilled. Sounds disappeared, people vanished, and it was just him and her. That feeling in his chest deepened.

“Ananya…. Ananya,” a voice said.

She blinked and looked away from him. Mihir exhaled and moved ahead in the queue, his eyes and ears still focused on the conversation happening right next to him.

“You’re a nice guy, Surya,” Ananya continued. Her eyes strayed to Mihir. “And I’m anything but nice. I’m bossy, temperamental, hard to please, and very high-maintenance.”

Mihir’s lips curved, hearing her berate herself. And seeing the other man’s face fall, he understood exactly what she was doing. Ananya’s dark gaze clashed with Mihir’s again. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. She knew he was listening in and that he had figured out her intent.

She looked at Surya again. “If you truly want to fall in love, then go be with Mira Kanak from our Finance class. She’s crazy about you.”

“She is?” Surya sounded excited. “Oh, thank you, Ananya, and sorry for today.”

Mihir’s jaw dropped. This Surya guy was just too much. He was such an attention whore. Clearly, any woman who paid him the slightest notice would catch his eye. Mihir couldn’t believe how quickly he’d dismissed Ananya and was moving on to another woman. Fuck. Such an idiot.

“Don’t worry about that, Surya,” Ananya said. “My friends were wrong to lead you on the way they did. I apologize for that. Anyway, go on. Mira must have finished class by now. She usually hangs out by the college fountain at this time.”

Surya rushed like he couldn’t wait. Ananya stood and her eyes met Mihir’s gaze once again.

“Did you hear everything?” she asked him.

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