The bustling energy of the event had started to settle after the latest performances, but for Riya and her friends, the search for Anaya was only getting more frustrating.
"Where did she run off to?" Riya muttered, scanning the crowd.
Pooja, walking beside her, sighed. "First, she disappears without a word, and now we're stuck playing detectives."
"Maybe she got nervous after making it to the next round?" Sneha suggested.
"Are you serious?" Riya scoffed. "Anaya, nervous? That girl looked way too calm before stepping on stage."
As they debated, an event organizer, a man in his mid-30s with glasses and a clipboard, approached them.
"Excuse me," he called out, stopping in front of them. "You're Anaya's friends, right?"
Riya hesitated before nodding. "Yeah, that's us. Why?"
The organizer smiled. "We've been trying to reach her. She's been selected for the quarter-finals, but we need her confirmation before moving forward."
Pooja's eyes widened. "She got in?! That's amazing!"
"Wait…" The realization hit Riya. Anaya had no clue she made it because she disappeared immediately after her performance.
"Uh, yeah, about that…" Pooja forced a nervous laugh, quickly thinking of an excuse. "Anaya isn't feeling too well. She… uh, needed some fresh air."
The organizer frowned. "Is she alright?"
"She'll be fine," Sneha chimed in. "We'll let her know as soon as we find her!"
The organizer nodded but didn't look entirely convinced. "Alright, but make sure she checks in soon. Otherwise, she might lose her spot."
As he walked away, Riya let out an exasperated sigh and turned to the group.
"Great. Now we really have to find her."
"Where do we even start?" Pooja groaned.
"Maybe she's outside?" Sneha suggested.
"Then let's go."
---
Meanwhile, Outside the Venue…
Dev stood outside the event gates, scanning the crowd.
"Where the hell did Ayaan go?" he muttered, standing on his toes to get a better look.
He had been thrown out thanks to that annoying security guard, but he wasn't about to give up.
"Maybe if I sneak back in—"
"You again?"
Dev flinched and turned around, already dreading what he'd see.
Sure enough, the same security guard from earlier stood before him, arms crossed and an unimpressed look on his face.
"Are you planning on sneaking in again?" the guard asked dryly.
"Of course not!" Dev quickly defended himself. "I'm just looking for someone!"
The guard raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. That's what they all say before causing trouble."
"I'M NOT—"
Before Dev could argue, he heard a familiar voice.
"Ugh, not you again."
Dev turned to see Riya and the others stepping out of the venue.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Riya asked, folding her arms.
Dev huffed. "None of your business."
Pooja raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're loitering outside a singing competition for no reason?"
"I'm looking for Ayaan, alright?"
"Well, we're looking for Anaya."
The two groups exchanged looks, realizing they were both in a similar situation.
"Wait," Sneha interrupted. "What if… they're together?"
Riya paused. "Anaya did leave right after performing… and Ayaan wasn't with Dev inside."
As they thought about it, a gasp from Pooja broke the moment.
"THERE THEY ARE!" she exclaimed, pointing ahead.
Everyone turned to see Anaya and Ayaan sitting at a juice shop nearby, deep in conversation.
The group immediately froze.
Riya blinked. "Wait… are they actually on a date?"
Dev narrowed his eyes. "No way. Ayaan would've told me if—"
They all fell silent, watching the two talk.
For the first time, Anaya looked completely at ease. And Ayaan… he looked different too.
Not nervous. Not uncomfortable.
Just… drawn to her.
----
As they sat at the juice shop, the noise of the venue faded. Ayaan felt more comfortable now, while Anaya seemed to enjoy the moment.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Ayaan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Anaya smirked. "What gave it away?"
"The way you've been grinning since Dev got thrown out," he replied.
Anaya chuckled. "Oh, come on. That was hilarious."
Ayaan shook his head. "I feel like you set that up."
"Maybe," she teased.
They sat in silence for a moment before Anaya asked, "So, how did you and Dev become friends?"
Ayaan exhaled. "No idea. One day, he just latched onto me like a stray dog and never left."
Anaya laughed. "Sounds about right. Riya's the same. If there's trouble, she's in the center of it."
Ayaan nodded. "Yeah… just like Dev."
Anaya grinned. "Two sides of the same coin."
Ayaan smirked. "Alright, what's the worst thing Riya has done?"
Anaya thought for a second. "She got us banned from a café once. She argued over an espresso charge she actually ordered."
Ayaan burst out laughing. "That sounds exactly like Dev. He once got banned from a bookstore because he fell asleep in the reading section."
Anaya blinked, then laughed so hard she almost spilled her juice. "That's worse than Riya!"
Ayaan grinned. "Finally, someone agrees with me."
Anaya shook her head. "You know… I don't talk like this with many people. But this feels different."
Ayaan hesitated for a moment. Because the truth was—he felt it too.
Finally, he replied, "Yeah… it does."
Anaya held his gaze for a second before grinning. "Alright, now tell me something stupid you've done."
Ayaan groaned. "Oh, come on."
"Nope! No escaping."
He sighed, then smirked. "Fine. But you can't laugh."
Anaya raised an eyebrow. "Oh, this is going to be good."
---
For a moment, it felt like only the two of them existed. Even though this was just their second meeting, the conversation flowed so effortlessly that time seemed to blur.
Anaya grinned. "Alright, now tell me something stupid you've done."
Ayaan sighed. "Oh, come on."
"Nope! No escaping."
He was about to reply when—
Thud!
A firm hand landed on his shoulder, another on Anaya's.
Both snapped out of their world as two very familiar voices rang in their ears.
"Oi, lover boy, what the hell are you doing here?" Dev's smirk was anything but friendly, his fist raised in mock warning.
"ANAYA! I swear, I'm going to kill you!" Riya shouted dramatically.
Anaya and Ayaan blinked, still half-dazed from their conversation.
Anaya let out an awkward chuckle. "Ah… I forgot about them."
Ayaan sighed. "Yeah… same."
And then the chaos began.
Riya pointed at Anaya. "finally you are here "
Dev crossed his arms. "And you! You ditched me, Ayaan!"
Anaya gave a sheepish smile. "Well…"
Riya huffed. "You bribed me to keep Dev distracted and then disappeared! And now I find you here, casually flirting?!"
Ayaan turned to Anaya. "You bribed her?"
Anaya smiled innocently. "Rent isn't cheap."
Riya groaned. "I hate you."
Dev narrowed his eyes at Ayaan. "You ditched me for a girl? The betrayal!"
Ayaan exhaled. "You were literally fighting security when I left."
Dev waved him off. "That's beside the point."
Riya crossed her arms. "Enough talk. I want an explanation, right now."
Ayaan and Anaya exchanged glances. Well… this was going to be a long conversation.
----
The playful banter continued between Riya, Dev, Ayaan, Anaya, and the rest of their friends. Riya and Dev, of course, couldn't resist throwing jabs at each other, their glares intensifying with every passing second.
As the evening settled in, Anaya glanced at the sky and sighed. "Time is running out."
Ayaan nodded. "Yeah."
A moment of silence passed before Anaya took out her phone. "Exchange numbers?"
Ayaan hesitated for a second but then nodded. They quickly exchanged numbers, and just as Ayaan was about to put his phone away, Anaya tilted her head.
"You forgot something."
Ayaan blinked. "What?"
Anaya smirked. "Your review on my song."
Ayaan paused, collecting his thoughts. "Well, your song is—"
Anaya held up her hand, cutting him off. "Save it.Give me your review at my finals."
Ayaan raised an eyebrow but eventually smiled. "Alright."
As the moment came to an end, fate once again pulled them apart.
They exchanged goodbyes, and Ayaan left with Dev, both riding off on a bike toward home.
Anaya stood still, watching as the distance between them grew larger and larger.
Just like before.
And just like before, a single tear slipped from her eye.
Yet, this time, she quickly wiped it away, replacing it with a soft smile.
Murmuring to herself, she whispered, "Until we meet again… I will definitely wait for you."