I yawned a little as I walked into the bathroom. Vahni was downstairs already with the others and for once I was the last one to rise. 

In my defence, I had stayed up late last night thinking about how it had come to this. I had finally made peace with the fact that I was falling for Angad. It had started a while ago. I couldn't point to the exact moment I had lowered my walls and let him in. 

Maybe it started at the fresher's party or the unofficial one, or the time we made a truce, or as we practised together for hours on end, or maybe it was when he came to rescue me on the day of Melisma. It could be any of those moments or all. I was just too stubborn to let things take their natural cause. I was determined to 'remain untethered' and not fall for anyone and now I was caught in this weird limbo.

I couldn't blame Angad for his lack of trying. In fact, if anything was to happen between us it would have to be initiated by me. The ball was in my court now. 

Almost since the moment I saw Angad strut onstage on orientation day I knew I had to stay away from him. It was all futile though. I was pulled his way helplessly ever since the day we first conversed. 

It wasn't until I felt a real threat of losing him that I realized how much I really liked him. I thought about how ironic it was that Vahni was the one who was always thought we were more than friends while I always denied it and now her proximity to Angad was what had made me realize all of this. 

I just hoped Vahni would understand if it all panned out. 

***

I got downstairs just in time to grab a quick bite. 

I spotted Angad talking to Vahni. My heart fluttered a little. I know I had seen him just a few hours ago but this was different. I was finally letting my heart take lead on this. But first, the important business that needed to be taken care of. 

With my coffee in hand and armed with three packets of salts I walked up to where Vahni stood with Angad. As conspicuously as I could I poured them into Angads coffee that was left unattended and then quickly joined their conversation. 

They were talking about the watersports we were going to be doing today. 

"I am really excited for Parasailing most of all," I said.

"Me too!" Vahni piped up. 

"Hey, Angad have you tried the cookies they are serving? It is really good." I asked after a brief pause. 

Angad was a little surprised as I offered him the cookie but not suspicious thankfully. 

"No," he said taking it from me and biting down. 

His smile disappeared and a grimace replaced it. He stopped chewing and mumbled through the mouthful.

"Meera what did you put in there?" 

"Oh, I don't know. Just some toothpaste maybe." I giggled.

Angad grabbed a napkin and spit out the rest of the cookie before throwing it away. 

"Very mature," he grumbled grabbing his cup of coffee and taking a huge sip. He paused again swallowed and then turned me because I was laughing by this point. 

"Meera!" he groaned and rushed off to rinse off the taste of toothpaste cookie and salty coffee from his mouth. 

Vahni turned to me,

"That was mean. Why did you do that to him?" 

"Oh, it was harmless. That was revenge for dunking me the first day we got here. Just needed to wait until his guard was down and he wasn't expecting my revenge." I explained.

Vahni hummed and then headed off in the direction where Angad had gone. I shrugged and went to join the others who were sitting a little distance off. My eyes met with Siddharth's and I paused for a second. He looked away soon after.

***

We were all relaxing at the beach till it was time for us to start the watersports. Angad had vowed his revenge for the prank I had pulled on him. Yug had managed to convince Siddharth to join us today. I was glad he had come. I really wanted to talk to him and clear the air but I hadn't gotten a chance. 

The chance didn't present itself since we were occupied the whole morning with the various watersports Goa has to offer. 

It was even more fun than I could have thought. Parasailing, jet-skiing, banana boat ride. Arguably the funniest part was when the banana boat tipped over and we fell into the water. 

We then relaxed for a bit in the lounge area we had booked a table in. After food and a couple of drinks, Angad suggested we make use of the net in the lounge area and play some Beach Volleyball. Everyone was up for it so they went to borrow or rent a ball. 

I kneeled down where our stuff was kept to look for my cover-up.

"Has anyone seen my cover-up?" I yelled to no one in particular, rifling through my beach bag. 

This was the skimpiest bathing suit I owned so I had bought a beige cover-up to wear on the beach. I couldn't find it anywhere. I was pretty sure I had remembered to pack it in. 

"What are you looking for?" Vahni asked.

"My cover-up. The beige one. I think I put it in here." 

The boys had already started toying around with the volleyball. 

"If it isn't there then let it be," she offered.

"I would but I think I'd be more comfortable with something else on while playing." 

I gave up. It was nowhere to be found. I could sit out the game. The teams would be even then but the problem was that I actually wanted to participate. Maybe I should just suck it up and play. 

Angad walked over to where we stood and asked what the hold up was.

"Meera can't find her cover-up." Vahni supplied.

"What's that?" he asked.

"It's sort of like a shrug that goes over your swimsuit. It's not that important but I would be more comfortable playing if I had it," I said a little embarrassed.

Angad nodded and then dug around his own bag and handed me something. I realized it was his shirt. 

"Here," he said, "Not exactly a fashion statement but this would do the job yes?" 

I smiled at him gratefully, touched by his gesture. 

"Thank you. This is perfect." I said and unbuttoned it to put it on. 

I am pretty sure he gave me what could only be described as an appreciative once over. I registered, somewhat latently, that I was wearing his shirt. It felt strangely intimate. The shirt that he had worn at some point, the shirt that still smelled faintly of him. 

I ran up to the net trying not to blush at the thought. 

Siddharth and Angad volunteered to be team captains. Angad took first pick and the first name out of his mouth was mine. My heart flip-flopped inside my chest as I kept a neutral expression and took a place beside him. Siddharth picked Yug and then Angad picked Shreyas. Shreyas took a place beside us and so did Deepani. Nobody seemed fazed at the package deal but I suppose this had happened many times before today. Shreyas and Deepani were really inseparable. 

Siddharth picked Matt and then Angad picked Vahni who was smiling at him expectantly. Matt naturally went to the other team and we began.

***

I was exhausted after a half hour's worth of very competitive Volleyball. As in everything else, Siddharth and Angad were fiercely competitive. The rest of us had not signed up for this Siddharth's team was only two points behind and catching up fast. 

"C'mon guys. We cannot let them win. We just need the game point," Angad yelled.

Siddharth was similarly rallying his team's spirit. I was desperate for this to end so I grabbed the ball from Angad's hands and sent it flying towards the other team. Siddharth made the first contact and then passed it to Sarah who whacked it back onto our side. 

The ball went sailing towards Vahni who missed. 

"C'mon!" we all groaned collectively as Vahni apologized sheepishly. 

Siddharth high fived Sarah and Matt hugged her with a "Nice babe!"

It was now the last point. Whoever scored would win. Angad carefully served the ball which sailed across the net thrice before Siddharth whacked it my way. I made contact with the ball strategically throwing it Angad's way who tossed the ball at what seemed like the speed of lightning. The ball went flying and Yug was not prepared to counter this move. Siddharth tried to save the ball but it hit the ground and we won. 

All of us cheered in unison. Glad about the fact that we had won and that the game had ended. I squealed and ran up to Angad who promptly scooped me up and spun me around in the thrill of the moment. 

Conscious of all the stares I blushed as he put me back down. We hadn't been in such proximity for a while and all I could think about was those lips and how I wanted to kiss him. 

Instead, I took a step back and high fived all the other team members. We celebrated our win while Siddharth berated Yug for missing the last serve. 

Yug wasn't having any of it though. He snatched the ball from Siddharth and yelled,

"Everybody who wants to play for fun without these two jerks is welcome to join me," 

I laughed as the others joined him. I excused myself since I was tired but Yug insisted. I told him I would join back in a bit and he relented. I had something else I needed to do first.

Siddharth was walking a little ahead so I called his name out. He stopped and I caught up with him. 

"Can we talk?" I asked. 

"What do you want to talk about?" he said. 

I ran ahead and sat down at our table patting the seat next to mine. He sighed and sat down.

"Is this how it is going to be?" I said coming straight to the point. 

"What do you mean?" 

"You ignoring me? Look, I feel terrible about how it turned out but you have to believe me when I say this wasn't my intention. I didn't even think..." I trailed off a bit. 

"I know it wasn't. You don't have to keep explaining yourself. It is not your fault you don't return my feelings." he said. 

"Siddharth you have no idea how relieved I am," I began, placing a palm on his shoulder which I quickly withdrew when he looked at it like it burned.

This was nothing out of the ordinary, a friendly gesture, nothing I hadn't done before but the way he reacted made me feel guilty. 

"I am sorry," I mumbled.

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair, 

"Don't apologize," he said, "I know I just said that it's okay you don't feel the same way but I need some time before I can be okay with all of this." 

I nodded in understanding. 

Before I could say anything else Angad came up behind Siddharth with a glass in hand. He placed the fruity cocktail in front of me with relish and put on a fake accent before saying,

"For my star player."

I giggled and thanked him. 

"Hey man," he said and playfully nudged Siddharth, "Sorry for your loss but you need better technique and maybe better teammates."

Siddharth merely hummed. Angad did a double-take. 

"No retort?" he asked incredulously, "I guess we really did defeat Siddharth Kashyap." 

It was very rare for Siddharth to not engage in a verbal spar with Angad especially when provoked this way. 

"I guess you did," was all he said before giving me a look I didn't quite understand. 

Angad walked towards the net with a triumphant spring in his step. I looked at him skip his way to Yug, amused at how much the victory in this casual game of Volleyball game mattered to him. He rejoined the game and I turned back to Siddharth who was staring at me with the same expression as before. 

"What?" I asked. 

"It's him isn't it?" he said suddenly. 

I furrowed my brows. 

"Angad," he said softly. 

I stared at him, unable to answer. 

"It's okay. You don't need to say another word. Your face says it all," he said.

I opened my mouth to say something but then snapped it shut. What could I say at this moment that would make this situation any less awkward than it already was. 

I couldn't deny or confirm the claim. 

"Meera! Sub in!" Yug called from the net, "Enough rest for you."

I turned to look at Yug and then back at Siddharth.

"Go," he said managing a small smile. 

That smile wasn't compensation enough. It was a wistful smile that made me want to hug him, to comfort him somehow, but I couldn't. Anything I said would only make it worse. 

"Meera, get your ass here!" Yug yelled again. 

I hesitated for a second but then gaining courage squeezed his hand laying atop the table slightly. Siddharth was startled at the contact but didn't say anything. He also didn't recoil which was a step up. I managed a smile and then left. 

A/N

Where are all of you from? I am curious about what cities you live in. 

Totally not gonna stalk y'all.