The sun had barely risen, yet the resort was already filled with a faint hum of life. Waves crashed gently against the shore, and a cool breeze drifted through the open balcony doors of the girls' suite. Inside, however, was pure chaos.
"Shumaila, Sneha, wake up! We need to get ready!" Akansha called out, shaking them both by the shoulders.
"Mmm... five more minutes," Sneha groaned, burying her face into her pillow.
Shumaila blindly reached for her blanket, pulling it over her head. "Tell the sun to go back down."
Komal stood at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, smirking. "You guys asked for this." Without another word, she grabbed a bottle of ice-cold water from the mini-fridge and splashed it directly on them.
"WHAT THE—!" Shumaila bolted upright, eyes wide.
Sneha screeched. "YOU MANIAC!"
Komal grinned victoriously. "Now you're awake."
Akansha stifled a laugh. "Come on, we'll have breakfast soon."
Muttering curses under their breath, Sneha and Shumaila finally dragged themselves out of bed, shivering as they got ready for the last morning of their beach trip.
...
Meanwhile, in the Boys' Room
Rudra scrolled through his phone, staring at a missed call from Sneha. He hesitated, thumb hovering over the call button before locking his screen instead.
Siddarth, still half-asleep, cracked open an eye. "Why do you look like you're debating whether to jump off a cliff?"
Hamza, who was adjusting his watch, commented, "I'd say he's already jumped. He's just realising there's no going back."
Rudra groaned. "I have no idea what you idiots are talking about."
Aarav, tying his shoelaces, raised an eyebrow. "You do realise that avoiding her isn't going to help?"
"I'm not avoiding her," Rudra replied defiantly.
Siddarth snorted. "Sure, buddy."
Hamza let out a chuckle, clapping a hand on Rudra's shoulder. "Well, whatever you're doing, you should know she's not the type to let things slide. She's going to corner you sooner or later."
Rudra rubbed his temples. "Yeah… I have a feeling it'll be sooner."
...
The group gathered in the resort's dining area, their plates filled with a delicious breakfast spread. Everything seemed peaceful—until Sneha smirked at Shumaila.
"So," Sneha began, stabbing her fork into her pancake. "How was your private little moment last night?"
Shumaila choked on her juice, mid-sip. "What?" she exclaimed.
Komal grinned. "Oh, don't act innocent. We saw you and Hamza sneak away."
Siddarth whistled. "Ah, young love."
Hamza, sitting beside Shumaila, leaned back in his chair with a gentle smile. "Yes, Shumaila," he mused. "How did you feel about our moment last night?"
Shumaila shot him a glare before hissing at her friends. "You guys are ridiculous."
Sneha raised a brow. "I mean… your lips do looked a little—"
Shumaila kicked her under the table. "Shut up."
The group burst into laughter, while Hamza simply watched her struggle with amusement. He found it adorable how easily flustered she got.
...
After breakfast, the group decided to go back to their rooms to start packing, but before Rudra could escape, Sneha grabbed his wrist.
"You're avoiding me," she stated bluntly.
Rudra sighed, knowing there was no point in denying it. "I just…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I thought you needed space."
Sneha folded her arms. "I never asked for space."
He looked at her, hesitating. "I—what if I mess this up? What if you don't feel the same?"
Sneha let out a breath. "I don't know what I feel. But I know that I don't want to pretend you didn't say anything."
Silence stretched between them before she added, "So… let's just see where this goes?"
Rudra's eyes softened. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
A slow grin spread across his face. "Okay."
...
Aarav sat outside on one of the lounge chairs, staring at his phone. The name on the screen read Akansha.
For months, everything had been going perfectly between them. Their dynamic was effortless, and their chemistry was undeniable. However, there was still one thing missing: she wasn't officially his. (Bro, you are hopeless.)
Was she still not ready to take that step, or was she simply waiting for him to say something?
Lost in thought, he didn't notice his phone ringing until it buzzed in his hand. The caller ID showed it was Komal.
He picked up. "Yeah?"
"Get your sentimental ass over here," she said. "We're taking pictures before we leave."
Aarav chuckled, shaking his head. "On my way."
As he got up, a decision settled in his heart.
It was time to finally ask Akansha to be his girlfriend.
And if she wasn't ready? He would wait. As long as it took.