Chapter 7 : Busted!

Hazel unlocked the apartment door, still lost in the events of the evening. Her conversation with Arav replayed in her mind—his teasing, their walk, the unexpected depth in his questions. It was... different. And she hated to admit that she liked it.

As she stepped inside, she tossed her bag onto the couch and was about to head to her room when she heard a noise. A thump.

Hazel's eyebrows furrowed.

Another thump, followed by a hurried whisper.

What the—?

Her eyes darted toward Naina's room, where the door was slightly ajar. Hazel tiptoed closer, barely peeking in—

And immediately regretted it.

Naina was not alone.

A guy—tall, built, and very much not supposed to be there—stood frozen in place, staring at Hazel like a deer caught in headlights. Naina, on the other hand, was mid-sentence, holding a pillow like she was about to throw it.

For a second, there was pure silence.

Then—

"Naina?" Hazel blinked. "Who exactly is this?"

Naina groaned, dropping the pillow. "Okay, don't freak out—"

"Oh, I am freaking out," Hazel cut in, crossing her arms. "Because who is this random man in our apartment?!"

The guy raised his hands in surrender. "Not random. I'm Vihaan. Naina's boyfriend."

Hazel's jaw dropped. "Excuse me—boyfriend?!"

Naina sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah... surprise?"

Hazel blinked rapidly. "Surprise? Naina, I've known you for years! How did I not know you were dating someone?!"

"I was going to tell you," Naina defended, shooting a look at Vihaan. "But then somebody thought it would be fun to just show up at our place unannounced."

Vihaan shrugged. "I thought it'd be romantic."

Hazel stared at him. "Dude."

He held up a peace sign. "Dude."

Hazel exhaled dramatically. "I don't know whether to be mad or impressed."

Naina rolled her eyes. "Just be happy for me?"

Hazel let out a sigh before finally cracking a smirk. "Fine. But I demand all the details."

Naina grinned. "Deal."

Vihaan, looking relieved, relaxed a bit. "So... does this mean I'm safe?"

Hazel narrowed her eyes playfully. "For now."

Hazel leaned against the kitchen counter, watching as Naina handed Vihaan a cup of coffee. The ease between them was obvious—small glances, quiet smiles, a familiarity that Hazel had somehow missed noticing before.

Vihaan turned to Hazel with a small smile. "So, you're the Hazel I've heard so much about."

Hazel raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly have you heard?"

He chuckled. "That you're stubborn, sharp-tongued, and overly protective of Naina."

Naina grinned. "Sounds about right, doesn't it?"

Hazel sighed, shaking her head. "Great. My reputation precedes me."

Vihaan leaned back, his expression amused but sincere. "I mean it in a good way. It's nice knowing Naina has someone like you."

Hazel wasn't sure how to respond to that, so she simply nodded.

For a moment, the conversation settled into comfortable silence, the sound of mugs clinking against the counter filling the space. Then, Vihaan spoke again. "So, what about you, Hazel? Anyone special?"

Hazel blinked at him, caught off guard. "What?"

Naina immediately perked up. "Actually…"

Hazel shot her a sharp look, silently daring her to say another word.

But Naina just smirked. "She's been spending a lot of time with Arav."

Vihaan tilted his head slightly, as if the name surprised him. "Arav Malhotra?"

Hazel frowned. "You know him?"

Vihaan shrugged. "Yeah. He's in my year. Keeps to himself mostly, but he's a solid guy." Then, he smirked. "Didn't peg him as your type, though."

She exhaled, trying to keep her voice casual. "We just ran into each other a few times. Nothing worth talking about."

Vihaan studied her for a second before giving a small nod. "If you say so."

Hazel felt an odd weight in the air but chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she focused on the warmth of the coffee in her hands, the quiet hum of the apartment, and the fact that, for once, Naina seemed genuinely happy.

Maybe, for now, that was enough.

Naina nudged Hazel playfully. "You just ran into each other a few times? That's funny, because I remember you literally staring at your phone last night, waiting for his text."

Hazel groaned, rubbing her temples. "I was not waiting. I was just—"

"—overanalyzing his last message," Naina finished with a knowing grin.

Vihaan chuckled, watching their exchange. "You two are something else."

Hazel shot him a dry look. "Welcome to my life."

Naina beamed at Vihaan before turning back to Hazel. "Anyway, enough about you. What do you think about us?" She gestured dramatically between herself and Vihaan.

Hazel took a slow sip of her coffee, drawing out the moment. "Hmm... I think it explains why you've been disappearing so much lately."

Vihaan laughed. "Guilty as charged."

Naina rolled her eyes. "Okay, but be serious. Do we have your approval?"

Hazel pretended to consider. "Well, he does make good coffee." She glanced at Vihaan. "But if you ever make her cry, I hope you know I have connections."

Vihaan held up his hands in surrender. "Duly noted."

Naina sighed dramatically. "You're impossible, Roy."

Hazel smirked. "And yet, you still love me."

As the playful conversation settled into comfortable silence, Hazel found herself glancing at her phone. No message from Arav.

And yet, for some reason, she had a feeling this wasn't the last time she'd hear his name tonight.

Hazel leaned back on the couch, watching Naina and Vihaan steal glances at each other. It was strange, seeing her best friend like this—soft, slightly nervous, and completely smitten.

"You guys are disgustingly cute," Hazel muttered, crossing her arms.

Naina grinned. "I know right?" She turned to Vihaan. "She won't admit it, but she's happy for us."

Vihaan smirked at Hazel. "I mean, she didn't threaten to kick me out, so I'll take that as a win."

Hazel gave him a mock glare. "The night is still young."

They all laughed, and for a while, the conversation drifted into easy banter—Hazel teasing Naina, Naina defending Vihaan, and Vihaan proving he could hold his own against them both. It was nice. Comfortable.

But then, Hazel's phone buzzed.

Arav: Are you free tomorrow? Need to work on the project.

She stared at the screen for a second, debating whether to reply immediately or pretend to be busy. Before she could overthink it, another message followed.

Arav: Don't tell me you're one of those people who procrastinate until the last minute.

Hazel rolled her eyes, already typing back.

Hazel: I'm free. Where?

A few seconds passed before he replied.

Arav: Chapter & Brew. 4 PM.

A bookstore café? That wasn't what she expected.

Hazel: Didn't take you for a bookstore guy.

Arav: And I didn't take you for someone who'd rather judge from a distance than see for herself.

Hazel let out a small scoff but found herself smiling anyway.

Hazel: Fine. See you there.

She tossed her phone onto the couch and stretched her arms. What was it with him and always getting under her skin?