The next morning, Vinna woke up earlier than usual. Her alarm hadn't even gone off yet, and still, her eyes fluttered open like they were expecting something.

She stared at the ceiling fan for a while, trying to calm the strange flutter in her stomach. It wasn't nerves—not exactly. More like... a soft buzzing. The kind that comes from something unexpected happening. Like solving a tough question without checking the answer key. Or like sipping chai with a guy who made rotational motion sound easy.

Rishi Samtani.

She rolled over and groaned into her pillow.

It wasn't a crush. No, no way. She didn't have time for that. Her prep schedule was too tight. Besides, she'd known Rishi for years—even if vaguely. He was just the kid from 3B who once broke her toy kitchen set when they were toddlers.

And yet... he wasn't just "the guy upstairs" anymore.

Meanwhile, in flat 3B, Rishi sat at his desk, solving a JEE physics question, his pen tapping in rhythm with the background lofi. But his thoughts weren't entirely on the question. Every once in a while, his eyes drifted to the pencil sitting on the corner of his desk.

Vinna's pencil.

He should've returned it yesterday. But something about it sitting there... felt strangely grounding. He remembered the way she had smiled when she finally understood the concept. The genuine kind of smile—the rare kind that made him want to explain more things just to see it again.

He shook his head, amused with himself.

By late afternoon, Vinna's mother entered her room with a mischievous grin.
"Mrs. Samtani invited us for evening tea. Just a friendly visit. You'll come too."

Vinna looked up from her notes, suspicious.
"Is this about yesterday?"

"No," her mom said way too innocently. "Just catching up. And maybe thanking Rishi for helping."

Of course it was about yesterday.

At 5:30 PM sharp, Vinna stood awkwardly in the Samtanis' living room, clutching a plate of homemade biscuits her mom insisted on bringing. Rishi appeared from his room in a casual grey tee and sweatpants, a physics textbook still in his hand.

"Physics Warrior," he greeted with a small grin.

She flushed instantly.
"You still remember that?"

"I coined it. Trademarked it. Too late to back out now."

She let out a breathy laugh, relieved by his easy tone. They sat on opposite ends of the sofa while their moms chatted endlessly about kitchen hacks, new neighbours, and old school gossip.

Rishi leaned in slightly. "You finish the torque chapter?"

She nodded. "I actually got two questions right in a mock test today."

"That's progress. Want me to quiz you later?"

Her eyes widened. "Like... now?"

"No pressure. Just if you want. I owe you a test in exchange for that excellent biscuit."

She tried to hide her smile. "Fine. But I'm not good under pressure."

"I'm not the pressure kind," he said simply.

An hour later, they were back at his desk with a notebook between them. This time, it didn't feel awkward. The silence wasn't heavy. In fact, it felt weirdly comfortable.

She even asked him about his own prep for JEE, and for the first time, he admitted something:

"Math's been kicking my butt lately. I keep messing up steps in 3D geometry."

Vinna blinked. "You? But you're like... Zen-level smart."

He grinned. "Zen guys mess up too."

She smiled at that. Maybe they weren't so different after all—just two aspirants stuck in their own whirlpool of expectations.

When it was time to leave, she lingered for a second too long near the door.

"You know... you're easy to talk to," she said quietly.

Rishi's face softened. "Same. You're not as quiet as I thought you were."

She blushed. "I am. Just not with people who get rotational motion."

They both laughed.

This wasn't a love story yet. Not really.

But something was starting to shift—like two atoms drifting closer, unsure whether it was attraction or just good chemistry.

And sometimes, that's enough for now.