“So, what’s your next plan, Piya?” Misha asked, stretching her arms.
“Meaning?” Piya asked, confused.
“Meaning, what else is there to do now? Classes are over,” Misha explained with a mischievous grin.
“I think we should go mountain climbing. Why not?”
Before Piya could answer, a familiar voice popped up right behind them.
“That is such a good plan!”
‘”Here comes the idiot,”‘ Misha muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes as Kabir stepped into view.
“What did you just say to me?” Kabir asked, crossing his arms.
“I called you a loser,” Misha shot back instantly.
“And this is a girls-only plan.”
“Oho, please! Mountain climbing is not about gender,” Kabir argued playfully.
“Yes, Kabir is right,” a new, sharp voice echoed from behind them.
They all turned to see a girl walking toward them.
Piya recognized her immediately—it was the same girl who had dared Misha to slap her at the gate earlier that morning.
“And if Kabir is going, then “T” is coming too,” the girl announced smoothly.
“T?” Piya asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes. Tina,” she replied, flipping her hair.
“T is short for my name.”
Misha threw her hands up in frustration.
“No way! Absolutely not. This was supposed to be just my and Piya’s plan!”
But before Misha could start a fight, Piya gently put a hand on her friend’s arm to stop her.
“Misha, it’s okay. Let them come with us. It’s actually good to have more company for mountain climbing. It’s always more fun with a bigger group.”
Misha stared at Piya, then rolled her eyes in absolute disgust.
“Whatever you want.””
“Oh, this is going to be so much fun!” Kabir shouted in excitement, completely ignoring Misha’s deadly glare.
While Misha and T walked off toward the equipment area to secure their climbing harnesses, Kabir and Piya were left standing alone together in the quiet chill of the mountain.
Kabir stepped a little closer, flashing his signature, effortlessly charming smile.
He ran a hand through his hair, leaning in with a playful, flirting glint in his eyes.
“You know, Piya…” Kabir began, his voice lowering just enough to sound intimate.
“I happen to be the most handsome guy in this entire college. Every girl on campus is practically falling over themselves for me. But…”
He paused, looking straight into her eyes with a surprisingly serious expression.
“…my heart beats for only one person in my entire life.”
Piya caught her breath, taken off guard by his sudden change in tone.
Piya instantly caught on to Kabir’s playful, flirting nature.
She gave him a knowing smile.
“Oh, really? And who exactly is this lucky person?”
Kabir opened his mouth, just about to answer, when Misha suddenly marched over and interrupted them.
“Piya, do not listen to a word this loser says,” Misha warned, glaring at Kabir.
“It is his full-time job to hit on every single girl that walks past him. Come on, the rest of us are ready. Go get your gear on.”
Soon, Piya and Kabir were strapped into their harnesses and safety ropes, and the group began their steep climb up the mountain.
Kabir made sure to climb right next to Piya.
“You know, I have never seen a girl as beautiful as you in my entire life,” Kabir murmured smoothly, trying his luck again.
“Oh, please, Kabir,” Piya replied, rolling her eyes with a smile.
“You probably use that exact same line on every girl you meet.”
A little further away on the rock face, T glanced over at them and asked Misha, “What is Kabir talking to her about?”
Misha smirked maliciously.
“Actually, he is talking about you.”
“Oh, absolutely,” Misha said, keeping a completely straight face.
“He spends all day talking about you… specifically, about how to finally get rid of you!”
“What do you mean?” T demanded, her face flushing red.
“I mean—” Misha started to laugh, but she was abruptly cut off.
“SNAP!”
A terrifying, sharp sound echoed against the mountain.
Piya’s harness rope had suddenly snapped in half.
“Aaaaaah! Kabir!” Piya screamed as gravity pulled her backward off the cliff.
Kabir lunged forward with lightning speed and grabbed her hand just in time.
Piya dangled over the terrifying, empty drop, the wind whipping around her.
“Piya, do not let go of my hand!” Kabir yelled, his muscles shaking as he desperately tried to hold onto her.
“Kabir, I’m so scared!” Piya cried, panic taking over as she felt her fingers sliding against his.
“My hand… my grip is slipping!”
“Hold on!” Misha and T screamed in absolute panic, scrambling to get to them.
But it was too late.
Despite Kabir’s desperate grip, Piya’s hand slipped entirely from his grasp… and she plummeted down into the deep, snowy abyss below.
As Piya plummeted through the air, she squeezed her eyes shut in sheer terror, bracing for a fatal impact.
But suddenly, moving at an impossible, lightning-fast speed, a man appeared out of nowhere and caught her securely in his arms.
The harsh impact never came.
Slowly, her trembling eyelashes fluttered open.
She looked up and instantly found herself completely lost in his piercing ‘”blue eyes”‘.
He was staring right back into hers, his intense gaze freezing time around them.
After a long, breathless moment, he gently set her down on her feet.
Without saying a single word, he turned his back and started walking away.