The cafeteria was crowded.
Too crowded.
Students filled almost every corner, talking, laughing, and enjoying their break.
And somehow…
All eyes were on us.
"This is bad," I muttered under my breath as we walked in.
"Relax," Kiara said casually, walking beside me. "You're just popular."
"I don't want to be popular."
"Too late for that," she smirked.
Ahead of us, Meera looked slightly nervous. She wasn't used to this kind of attention.
Beside me, Luna walked silently, her expression completely calm.
As if none of this mattered.
Which somehow made it worse.
We finally found an empty table near the corner.
"Well, this works," I said, quickly sitting down.
Meera sat beside me.
I let out a small sigh of relief.
But that relief lasted exactly two seconds.
Because—
Luna sat on my other side.
"…Of course you did," I whispered.
"I prefer this seat," she replied calmly.
Of course she did.
Kiara sat right in front of me, resting her chin on her hand, clearly enjoying the situation.
"This is perfect," she said with a grin.
"No, it's not."
"It really is."
I looked around.
People were staring.
Some whispering.
Some even pointing.
"Why is everyone looking at us?" I asked.
Kiara leaned forward slightly.
"Because you're sitting with three of the most talked-about girls in the college."
I froze.
"…Wait, what?"
She pointed casually.
"Her," she nodded toward Luna, "top student. Untouchable."
Then at Meera.
"Her, the sweet girl everyone likes."
And then she pointed at herself.
"And me… well, I'm just interesting."
"That's one way to say it," I muttered.
Meera looked a bit embarrassed.
"You're exaggerating…"
"I'm not," Kiara smiled.
Luna said nothing.
She simply observed everything.
That silence again.
It was starting to feel heavy.
"So," Kiara suddenly spoke, breaking the tension, "who confessed first?"
I choked on air.
"WHAT?!"
Meera's face instantly turned red.
"N-No! It's not like that!"
Kiara laughed.
"I'm kidding… relax."
"You don't look like you're kidding," I said.
"That's because I'm not completely kidding."
I stared at her.
"…You're a problem."
"Thank you."
Meera tried to change the topic.
"Um… Ayaan, did you bring lunch?"
"Yeah," I said, opening my bag.
Before I could take it out—
"Here," Meera said softly, offering her lunch box. "You can try mine too."
"Oh… thanks," I smiled.
It felt normal.
For once.
But just as I was about to take it—
A hand stopped me.
I turned.
Luna.
"You shouldn't eat random things," she said calmly.
I blinked.
"It's not random. It's food."
"She could have added something," Luna replied.
Meera froze.
"What? No! I wouldn't—"
"I didn't say you did," Luna said.
"But you implied it," I pointed out.
Silence.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Meera looked hurt.
"I was just trying to help…"
"And I'm just being careful," Luna replied.
Kiara, meanwhile, was watching everything like it was a movie.
"Oh wow… this is getting interesting," she whispered.
"Can you not enjoy this?" I said.
"No."
Of course not.
I sighed and took my own lunch out instead.
"There. Problem solved."
Meera looked down slightly.
Luna looked away.
Great.
Now it was awkward.
Very awkward.
"…I ruined it, didn't I?" I muttered.
"Completely," Kiara said.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
A few seconds of silence passed.
Then—
Meera spoke again.
"…You can still try it later, if you want."
I looked at her.
She smiled softly.
Even after that.
"…Yeah," I nodded. "I will."
Luna didn't say anything.
But I noticed it.
A slight change in her expression.
Just for a second.
Then it was gone.
"See?" Kiara leaned forward again. "This is why I like this group."
"We are not a group."
"We are now."
"No, we're not."
She smiled.
"We'll see."
I sighed.
This wasn't just lunch anymore.
This was something else.
Something messy.
Something complicated.
And somehow…
I had a feeling this was only the beginning.
Of a very long story.