Part 4 -
It was a Friday evening, and the campus had a special energy to it - students rushing out to enjoy their weekend, the scent of fresh popcorn from the campus theater wafting in the air, and the sun setting in a warm orange glow. And in the middle of it all was Maan Singh Khurana, standing outside the cafe on campus, looking every bit the epitome of calm... except for one little detail.
He was nervously adjusting his shirt.
Now, Maan Singh Khurana, the Maan Singh Khurana, was many things. Confident, calculated, intelligent, successful - and he was never, ever nervous. But tonight... tonight, he was supposed to be going out with Geet.
A date.
He hadn’t even meant it to be a date, honestly. Geet had dropped the suggestion casually, in her typical 'I have no filter' way. “You know, Maan, you should finally take me out. I’m tired of you sitting in that library all day being all serious and perfect. You need a break. We need to have some fun.”
Maan had been caught off guard. “We? And why exactly do you need a break?”
Geet had grinned mischievously. “You’ve officially been a part of my world for weeks. And it’s time you stop pretending you’re immune to fun. Plus, someone has to help you rediscover your sense of humor.”
Maan, being Maan, had been unsure about the whole idea but found himself saying yes anyway. Because, well, he’d already found himself agreeing to way too many of her crazy schemes. He could only blame himself for letting Geet worm her way into his life - and, apparently, his social calendar.
And now here he was. Waiting. His stomach doing flip-flops, feeling entirely too much like a nervous teenager.
---
"Hey, Maan!"
Maan snapped out of his thoughts and turned to see Geet walking toward him, her usual cheerful energy radiating from her. She was wearing a cute, casual outfit - jeans, a loose T-shirt with an incredibly bold print of a cat wearing sunglasses, and her signature brightly-colored sneakers. She looked... carefree, as usual, and Maan couldn’t help but feel his nerves ease a little just from seeing her smile.
"You're... late," he said, trying to keep his tone casual, though his eyes betrayed him as they briefly swept over her. You’re late, but you look... incredible, he thought. He quickly turned away to hide the small blush on his cheeks.
Geet rolled her eyes, giving him a look. “I’m not late, I’m fashionably late. It’s called building suspense. If I’d shown up on time, you would’ve been bored by now, and where’s the fun in that?”
Maan raised an eyebrow. “Suspense?” He glanced at his watch. “We’re meeting for coffee, Geet. Not for a thriller.”
“Oh, please! Everything is a thriller if you try hard enough. You should try it sometime,” she winked.
“Right,” Maan muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “So... coffee?”
“Yep! Coffee, the perfect date beverage,” Geet chirped, tossing her hair over her shoulder like she was walking into a five-star restaurant. “But I’m feeling fancy, so we’re getting it from the good cafe adjacent tp the street. No basic coffee for me!”
Maan stared at her. “You’re seriously turning this into a big event, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely. When I go on a date, I go big or go home.” Geet beamed, her eyes shining with excitement.
Maan just shook his head, laughing to himself. “You’re impossible.”
“Well, someone has to keep you on your toes, right?” Geet grinned, nudging him playfully as they walked toward the cafe.
---
The cafe, as promised, was not the regular campus spot. It was a quirky, cozy little place tucked away on a side street, with fairy lights twinkling around the windows, mismatched furniture, and a chalkboard menu full of creative concoctions. As they entered, the smell of fresh coffee and baked goods greeted them, and Maan immediately felt more at ease.
“Ah, now we’re talking,” Geet said dramatically as they stood in line to order. “Look at this place! It’s got character.”
Maan, looking around, nodded in agreement. “Okay, I’ll admit, it’s a good choice.”
Geet raised an eyebrow. “You admit it? Wow, I must be really rubbing off on you.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Maan replied dryly, though his lips twitched upward in an uncharacteristic smile.
Geet grinned, clearly pleased with herself. She leaned toward him, lowering her voice in a mock-serious tone. “Okay, so. We’re here for coffee. But what’s the deal with us, Maan? Like, are we - are we on an actual date? Because if so, I should’ve worn something fancier. This T-shirt was kind of a last-minute decision.”
Maan blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in tone. He hadn’t expected this conversation, especially not here, in front of the barista who was casually smiling at them like it was just another Friday night for her. “I ... uh ... what?”
Geet crossed her arms and leaned in closer. “Don’t look at me like that. You know what I’m talking about. Are we, like, 'officially' on a date? Or is this just, like... 'hanging out' but with coffee? Because, if we’re doing this, I should be mentally prepared to be all charming.”
Maan blinked again, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. “I -- uh ... I’m not sure what you mean,” he said, trying to regain his composure. “We’re just getting coffee, Geet.”
She smirked at him knowingly. “Uh-huh. Okay. But seriously ... what if I’m secretly expecting a full-on romantic evening? You’re not gonna disappoint me, are you, Maan?”
Maan froze. For a moment, his heart skipped a beat, and he stared at her, confused. Did she mean that? Was she actually interested in something more than their... usual banter? He didn’t know what to say.
Geet, however, didn’t wait for his response. She just burst into laughter, seeing the panic on his face. “Relax, Maan! I’m kidding. Well, kind of. But seriously, relax. I’m not about to make this the most awkward date of your life.” She winked at him. “But maybe I’ll surprise you by being the best date you’ve ever had. I am pretty amazing, after all.”
Maan let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I know, right?” she said with a smirk, clearly proud of herself.
---
As they finally sat down with their coffee - Geet with a ridiculously fancy caramel macchiato that was basically a dessert in a cup, and Maan with his usual black coffee - the tension finally broke. Geet had her feet propped up on the chair across from her, talking animatedly about her day, recounting how she accidentally locked herself out of her dorm room and had to climb through her window to get in.
Maan, despite his best efforts, couldn’t stop laughing at her dramatic retelling of the incident. “You climbed through a window? How did you even - "
"Easy!" she interrupted, flapping her hand in the air. "It was totally a stealth operation. You should’ve seen me - I was like Spiderwoman... but with zero grace."
"That sounds... dangerous," Maan said, still chuckling.
"Ah, you worry too much," Geet grinned, leaning back in her seat. "It was worth it. Anyway, we need to come up with a real date plan soon. Not today, though. Let’s just enjoy the coffee. No pressure, okay?"
Maan nodded, his heart settling into a comfortable rhythm. “Agreed. No pressure.”
And for the first time, as they sat together - Geet rambling, Maan listening - he realized that maybe, just maybe, this was exactly what he needed. Not a perfect date, but something real. No expectations. No pretenses. Just them.
And that, he decided, was more than enough.
Edited by nushhkiee - 5 days ago
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