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Isha, who just stabbed Yuvraj with her heels, flew away from the stage like a butterfly, giggling to herself.

"Is ladki ko mere pero se kya preshani hai yaar" Yuvraj winced, cursing under breath, jaw clenched.

Ayaan was still holding Kiara, probably lost in his own world and unaware of the fact that the dance is over.

Kiara frowned and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes, bringing him back to reality.

Ayaan blinked twice before processing the surroundings. He released her and rubbed his nape of neck with an awkward smile.

Kiara shook her head with amusement and disbelief. "Bandar kahika" she muttered before walking away.

"Apka hi bandar hu, no worries" he replied to himself, voice barely audible. Smile blooming on his face, revealing the hidden dimples.

He walked towards Yuvraj who was still frowning and muttering something under his breath, soothing his foot.

"Ab kyu muh bana liya?" Ayaan asked, sitting beside Yuvraj and casually wrapping his arm around Yuvraj's shoulder.

" Me life ki ek hi to problem hai" Yuvraj replied with a clenched jaw, glaring at Isha, who was laughing and giggling with Kiara and Tanu on the other side of the garden.

"Pehle muje laga choti moti nok jok hai but now I think it's kinda serious" Avinash, who just approached, said while sitting beside them.

"Serious? Huh. Mene iski college life narak na bana di to dekhna" Yuvraj replied, seriousness visible on his face.

"Arey light le na kyu faltu ka matter and all" Ayaan said, trying to lighten the mood. "Abhi kuch dino se hi to tu thik se expressions batane laga hai. Nahi to pata nahi iceberg ki tarah ghoomta rehta hai, kyu sab bigadna" he added, a pinch of concern written on his face.

"Mene normal behave karne ka socha yahi sabse badi galti thi. I would have dismissed it all but she slapped me , Ayaan." His jaw tightened hard enough to ache as he spoke. "Aaj tak mujse kisi ne uchi aawaj me baat nahi ki, and she? She not only crossed that line but fucking slapped me" He continued, his stillness more threatening than shouting. "And she needs to repay for all this" he stated before disappearing in the crowd.

Ayaan and Avinash looked at his retreating figure then looked at each other. "Things are way more complicated than it looked" Avinash commented, the concern written all over his face.

"Muje laga he is finally going to be normal and his cold and icy mask is slipping away but.... Isha triggered it " Ayaan said , His voice held a knowing edge, as if the truth was obvious to him.

"Hmmm. But can't blame Isha too, though she shouldn't have slapped him but..." Avinash said, let the words hang in the air.

"She is fire and he is ice " Ayaan shrugged.

"Disaster is waiting ahead to guess so " Avinash added with a small knowing smile despite the tension.

The party had eased into that in-between phase,no longer fresh, not yet fading. The initial buzz had settled into a steady hum, music pulsing comfortably through the space. Conversations overlapped in warm clusters, laughter rising and falling without trying too hard. Empty glasses and half-finished plates told their own story of time passing.

People were beginning to drift, some toward the activity area, others lingering on the edges, watching, deciding. There was a subtle shift in energy: less chaos, more anticipation. The kind of moment where the night takes a breath, right before everyone moves again.

The host tapped the mic once, twice, the soft feedback cutting through the chatter. Conversations gradually thinned, heads turning in his direction as he cleared his throat,just enough to signal that the next part of the night was about to begin.

"You guys are enjoying it right? But something is missing isn't it?" The host raised a dramatic question, looking around from face to face, before leaning forward towards a student who raised and answered, "gamesssss" as the group broke into cheers.

"That's the right answer!" The host exclaimed, clapping along. "Soo....as we all know, the freshers party is incomplete without activities, so we planned some fun gamessss. And based on the all over performance of the students from dance to activities, we will announce the Miss & Mister freshers of the year!" The host announced, while a wave of Thunderous applause broke through the garden.

"Anddd.....the twist isss...you can't change partner. Yeah, you are going to perform all the activities with your dance partenersss!" He added excitedly.

All the students seemed excited, nervous but ready, except for one pair....Isha and Yuvraj.

They were glaring at each other. Isha gave him a deadpan look while Yuvraj clenched his jaw visibly.

" How I can expect things to be normal when I know i was born with Jethalal's luck" Isha muttered, already regretting her whole life.

"I the fuck I my fate has to play games when I'm in an absolute bad mood " Yuvraj pressed his fingers on temples.

"Dekho shanti se khelna. I don't wanna lose" Isha walked to him, folding her arms across her chest.

"Muje bhi harne ka koi shouk nahi hai. Just shut your mouth, that will be better for both of us" he replied, his voice stayed even, but there was a quiet edge to it.

"Ye kese baat kar rahe ho!?" She grumbled.

"Jese karni chahiye. Ab mera time waste mat karo, let's just complete the activities." He spoke in a low, controlled tone, the chill unmistakable.

Isha's brows drawn together, it was the some tone he used when they first met, calm but cold. No playfulness, no teasing tone, no smirks or sly smile, just ice.

'lagta hai akal aa gyi hai ki mujse behes karke nahi jeet payega' she thought, smirking to herself.

The activities started soon after and the atmosphere charged with excitement and laughter.

All the pairs stood side by side, ready for the task.

"Alright pretty ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna have three rounds of activities. And whoever passes all these will be winning. Anddd...our first round starts now."

The moment the host announced the first round of activities, the air in the hall shifted instantly.

Low chatter broke into excited murmurs, chairs scraped back, and a ripple of claps moved through the crowd. Some faces lit up with anticipation, others with playful nerves. Groups leaned closer, whispering guesses about what was coming, while a few confident ones straightened up like they'd been waiting for this all along.

The music softened into the background, replaced by a buzz of curiosity and adrenaline. Laughter popped up in pockets, phones came out, and the room felt awake now,no longer just a gathering, but a party officially in motion.

"So, our first activity is that each pair will have their own basket of balloons. They have to transfer those balloons from one side of the garden to another side. But.......no use of hands at all. And within a time limit. It's not going to be easy...so, all the best!" The host exclaimed, clapping and encouraging.

At the host's signal, multiple pairs lined up at one end of the floor, each pair clutching a balloon between them,pressed carefully at the waist or chest, hands held firmly behind their backs.

The moment the whistle blew, laughter erupted. Some pairs moved cautiously, shuffling in tiny synchronized steps, while others tried bold, hurried strides and immediately lost balance. Balloons slipped, bounced, and occasionally popped, drawing cheers and playful groans from the crowd.

A few pairs fell out early, their balloons tumbling to the floor, while others adapted quickly,leaning closer, matching pace, communicating through quick glances and hushed cues. The floor turned chaotic yet joyful, filled with clapping, whistling, and friendly teasing.

By the time the fastest pairs reached the finish line, the atmosphere was buzzing,equal parts competition and comedy,making the game one of the most entertaining moments of the party.

Ayaan and Kiara were doing great, trembling, trying,but enjoying the chaotic situation and their weird poses to balance the balloon. Their earlier nok - jok long forgotten replaced by joyful smiles.

While Tanu and Avinash were struggling to maintain the peace. Avinash's nervousness was making it slightly hard for them to balance the balloon. The moment their closeness increased, Avinash's nervousness surfaced, resulting in chaos but the playfulness of the moment was louder than anything else.

Every pair moved with laughter and ease, carrying the light of the moment between them,steps awkward but playful, smiles unguarded, the balloon barely an excuse to stay close. The floor echoed with cheers and teasing, the air warm with fun and harmless chaos.

Except one pair.

They played flawlessly,every step measured, every shift perfectly timed. Their movements were in complete sync, as if they'd practiced this a hundred times before. The balloon never wavered, steady between them, carried with effortless control.

The contrast, though, was striking.

Yuvraj was all restraint,expression unreadable, jaw set, focus sharp. He moved with calm precision, cold and unbothered, as if the noise around him didn't exist.

While Isha was the opposite,chaotic energy contained just enough to keep them together. Her reactions were quick, instinctive, a flicker of impatience here, a spark of amusement there, barely held in check.

It was fire moving beside ice.

Unpredictability matched with control.

And somehow, that imbalance was exactly what made them unstoppable.

After a few more minutes of chaos and laughter, the sound of the whistle rang through the ground, singling times up.

"Alright times up guys. We will count the number of balloons from the each basket. Till then, let's move to another round. So, the name of the activity is, 'eye contact ' " the host announced excitedly.

The pairs sighed in relief, hearing the easy game.

" Uhh huhh, tsk tsk! It's not that easy guys. Hear me out properly. Every pair is going to have eye contact for about 7 mins. In those seven minutes, I'll command a few expressions, which you guys need to follow and whoever laughs, moves, blinks will be eliminated" he explains the rule thoroughly, enjoying the change in expressions from relief to nervousness on students faces, joyful expressions on the audience.

A ripple of reactions spread through the crowd,soft gasps, amused groans, and sudden laughter. Some people clapped instinctively, others nudged their partners with mock warning looks. A few pairs exchanged that brief, charged glance that said oh... this is happening.

The chatter rose again, but different now,lower, teasing, edged with nervous excitement. Friends whistled from the sidelines, calling out names, already predicting who would lose first. Someone laughed a little too hard. Someone else suddenly looked very focused on the floor.

Pairs adjusted their positions, standing closer than before, then awkwardly correcting it. Smiles crept in,some confident, some unsure. The air felt lighter but tighter at the same time, buzzing with anticipation.

The whistle rang, singling the starting of the game. Pairs blinked before adjusting their positions, standing face to face with their partner, maintaining the contact.

Isha and Yuvraj were basically glaring at each other rather than maintaining eye contact. Yuvraj with a tight jaw and Isha with bored expressions.

Avinash was nervous while Tanu was confident and clearly enjoying their little cozy eye contact, finding it romantic.

While on the other hand, Ayaan was carrying his usual sly smile and Kiara was looking like she was regretting her life decisions already.

The host directed the pairs with occasional teasing tone, resulting in chaos like someone bursting into laughter, someone looking away shyly, someone breaking the contact abruptly. But the atmosphere was light and cozy enough for others to enjoy.

Yuvraj was staring at Isha, hands clenched, jaw set, expressions unreadable. His gaze was carrying the weight of his inner tornado. While was carefree, not bothering about his behaviour at all, but enjoying the effect she had on him. The way he was irritated by her mere presence. And decided to push it further.

The eye contact was brief, unreadable but constant. Which was only broken by the sound of whistle and wave of applause through the audience.

"Okay okay, seems like the couple, i mean the pair was lost in their own world but it's time to come back dear" the host jokes with a teasing tone, bringing them back to reality. A new ripple of reaction spread across the garden, some laughing, some just enjoying while a few rolling their eyes with a slight touch of jealousy.

"It seems like only 5 pairs made it through these two rounds out of 20. Great thing. Let's see who can clear this round and make it to the finals" the host said with a hint of joy and teasing.

" Okay so in this round, hope you all can see the roses arranged at sides. They are thorny roses. You guys have to pass these roses to your partner, and they have to collect them from you. But the twist is...no use of hands. You will be using your mouth." The speaker instructed with a mischievous smile while the audience broke into cheers.

The pairs exchanged glances, some excited, some nervous, some shy while some blank.

Yuvraj and Isha exchange glances, clearly regretting their idea of pairing up.

The voice of the whistle rang and the game started with full energy.

Kiara and Ayaan struggled to maintain coordination, resulting in their elimination.

Avinash's nervousness reached its peak, being close with Tanu. Resulted in, him giving up.

Isha and Yuvraj were basically looking like two constants of WWE, but were actually doing great despite their grumpy expressions.

As Yuvraj was about to pass the last rose, something snapped his patience and he jerk the rose towards her with quite force, resulting in a small cut on her lips.

She whipped visibly but completed the task before letting out a soft groan. While Yuvraj smirked, a cold smile playing on his lips.

"What is wrong with you!?" Isha snapped walking towards him.

"What? It wasn't intentional. Those were thorny roses" he replied with the same cold smile.

"Don't play dumb Yuvraj, I have been seeing your weird behaviour from the start of the game" she replied, frustration laced with irritation.

Others were too busy to pay attention.

"Tumhaari problem kya hai!?" She snapped, visibly done.

"Tum. Tum ho problem" he replied coldly, expressions unreadable.

"Tum- ahhh!" She touched her lower lip, which was now bleeding. "Bhad me jao!" She said before walking away, wiping the blood of her lips.

Yuvraj stared at her retreating figure with a clenched jaw. His expressions are a mixture of ice, hate and something else, which he couldn't name himself. He stood there for a minute before walking away as if nothing happened.

Isha was walking towards the washroom, away from the crowd, still muttered under breath about his jerk behaviour, when she suddenly felt the presence behind her.

She turned around, but before she could react, something sharp glide across her forearm. The sharp contrast made her cry out in pain.

"Owwwwwww!"

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