Sameera's POV:
A soft murmur of voices tugged me back from the heavy darkness. My eyelids felt impossibly heavy, but I managed to open them to a blur of familiar faces.
Manjiri sat on the edge of the bed, her warm hand covering mine. Shreya and Kiara were beside her, Aryan leaning forward in a chair, Daksh and Shivam near the door. And then… my gaze found him.
Saharsh.
He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed tight, jaw set. His expression was unreadable—worry and anger simmering beneath the surface.
I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling. "Where… am I?"
"You're at Saharsh's place," Shreya said before anyone else could answer. "It's closest to college, so we brought you here."
My eyes flicked back to him, still silent, still watching me. The fact that I was here—his place—made something in my chest tighten.
I tried to push myself up, but Manjiri's hand kept me down. "Easy, Sam."
Fragments began to return—the deserted classroom… my voice echoing against locked walls… my chest tightening until every breath burned… the muffled sound of someone calling my name… and then, hazy but clear enough, Saharsh's face leaning over me before everything went black.
"What was that?" His voice finally broke the silence, low but laced with tension. His eyes swept the group, then landed on me. "How did she faint?"
Shreya glanced at me before answering. "Probably a panic attack… she's told us she's had them before. At home, but only two or three times."
Kiara's voice softened. "You've had them before?"
I nodded faintly. "Yeah… but never here in college. And it's been a year I have had them."
The questions came quickly.
"Are you okay now?"
"Do you know who locked you in?"
"Did you see anyone?"
I swallowed. "No… I didn't."
Manjiri brushed my hair back gently. "Rest here for a bit, then we'll head home."
They lingered for a while, reluctant to leave, before slowly filing out. Kiara shot me one last pointed look, as if to say don't push him away right now.
The door clicked shut, and suddenly it was just the two of us.
The quiet pressed in, thick and almost tangible. My pulse picked up, loud in my ears.
He stepped closer, his shadow falling over me until the bedframe touched the back of my legs. "Do you have any idea how scared you made me?"
I kept my eyes on my hands, twisting the bedsheet. "I didn't mean to—"
"You think I care if you meant it?" His voice was sharp, but when I finally looked up, his eyes betrayed him—worried, searching, almost frantic. "Don't ever disappear on me again."
My throat tightened. "It wasn't… it wasn't like that."
He crouched, knees brushing against mine. The faint scent of his cologne wrapped around me, warm and steady, like it was trying to anchor me in place. "Then tell me what it was like."
I swallowed, the words lodged somewhere between my chest and throat. "I just… I need to go home."
He didn't move back. Instead, his hand lifted—hesitant at first—before his fingers tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His knuckles grazed my cheek, warm against my skin, and for a moment, neither of us moved. His thumb lingered near my temple, as though he wasn't ready to let go.
I felt my breathing shift—slower, heavier. He must've noticed, because his eyes flickered down to my lips, then back up again.
"You're still pale," he murmured, his voice dropping low. "And your hands are cold."
Before I could respond, he caught one of them in his, his thumb brushing lightly over my knuckles. It was the smallest touch, but it left my skin tingling long after.
"I'll be fine," I whispered, though even I didn't sound convinced.
Something in his jaw tightened, but he finally let go and stood, the warmth of his hand replaced by cool air. "Fine. But you're not going alone."
"It's late. I can manage," I said, already sliding to my feet.
"You live two hours away from here, Sameera. I'm not letting you get on a bus after what just happened." His tone made it clear it wasn't a discussion.
I hated that my heart fluttered at his stubbornness. "You don't have to—"
"I'm not asking if I have to."
When we reached his car, I hovered awkwardly by the passenger side. He opened the door for me, waiting until I sat before leaning in.
This time, I didn't move—his face was inches from mine, his arm brushing against my shoulder as he reached across to pull the seatbelt. His scent surrounded me again, stronger this time, mixed with the faint warmth of his skin.
The belt clicked into place, but he didn't immediately step back. His hand rested briefly on the headrest behind me, his gaze locked on mine like he was trying to read something I wasn't ready to say.
"Relax," he said softly, almost under his breath.
Then he shut the door gently and walked around to his side, leaving my pulse still racing by the time the engine started.
The city lights blurred past as we pulled out of his building, and I kept my eyes on the streets—because I knew if I looked at him, I'd give myself away.
For a while, neither of us spoke. Only the low thrum of the engine and the occasional honk broke the silence.
Halfway through, a red light stopped us. I felt his gaze—steady, heavy—before I turned my head.
"You're too quiet," he said finally.
"I'm fine," I replied, too quickly.
"You're lying."
I glanced back at the road. "And you're being bossy."
His lips twitched, like he wanted to smile but wouldn't let himself. "If making sure you're okay is bossy, then yeah. I'm guilty."
The light turned green. He shifted gears, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift—close enough that if I moved mine just a little… I shook the thought away.
A few minutes later, he reached forward and turned the AC down. "You're shivering."
"I'm not," I muttered, even as goosebumps rose along my arms.
He didn't comment—just pushed his jacket toward me. I hesitated, then took it, wrapping it around myself. It was warm… and it smelled like him. That didn't help.
As the buildings of Thane started to appear, he broke the silence again. "If something—anything—feels wrong… call me. I don't care what time it is."
I swallowed. "Why?"
His eyes flicked to me, holding my gaze just long enough to make my heart stutter. "Because I would rather know than wonder."
It wasn't the answer I expected, but it was enough to make my chest feel too tight.
The words made my breath catch. I looked away before my thoughts could spiral. The car slowed in front of my building.
I quickly shrugged off his jacket and handed it back. "Take it. If my mom sees me walk in wearing this, she'll have a hundred questions."
He took it without argument, but his fingers brushed mine in the exchange, a spark rushing up my arm. "Fine. But that doesn't change what I said."
I didn't answer. Couldn't.