—SOHINI—
Inside, Papa sat stiffly on the sofa, arms crossed, a hard look carved onto his face. If he had seen me and Vedant kiss earlier, I was finished. No, we were both dead meat.
"Papa?" I asked hesitantly, my voice small, almost trembling.
He didn't immediately answer. Instead, he fixed me with a look that pinned me to the floor.
"Do you want to continue your studies— or would you prefer getting married?" His voice was heavy, stern — enough to send a shiver down my spine.
Marriage? Panic flared in my chest. He had to have seen us.
I'm so dead.
"I-I want to study, Papa," I said quickly, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Sweat trickled down my back despite the cool breeze from the window.
Papa gave a slow nod, his jaw set."I've decided. I'll get you admitted to the same engineering college where Banerjee's son studied. It's a reputed place."
It wasn't a suggestion. It was a verdict.
Maa came over, sitting beside him, smoothing her sari nervously."Wouldn't it be too expensive?" she asked carefully.
Papa smiled — that rare, proud smile he reserved for moments he really meant. "We'll manage. Our Sohini has scored so well. She deserves the best."
At that moment, I realized — Papa hadn't seen the kiss. He was just serious about my education. I could breathe again.
But then another wave of anxiety hit me.
"Papa," I said as politely as I could, my hands fisting my dress tightly, "I don't want to do engineering."
Their faces froze.
"I want to study Literature," I continued, my voice trembling slightly. "English Literature."
"Why?" Maa gasped, almost scandalized.
"Because—I love it," I said firmly. "I want to be a writer someday."
Papa stood up slowly, the air crackling with tension. He stared at me for a long moment, so intensely that I almost looked away.
"A writer?" he repeated, almost scoffing. "Writing is a hobby, Sohini, not a career. You treat it like a pastime, not your future."
"But, Papa—" I tried, my throat dry.
"No!" His voice snapped across the room like a whip. "An engineering degree is your ticket to a stable life. You'll do engineering. That's final."
"But I hate maths!" I burst out, louder than I intended.
"You scored so well in your exams," Maa pointed out, trying to calm the situation.
"That was school!" I protested. "College is different! I don't understand higher-level maths. I'll struggle."
Papa's face hardened even more."If you're struggling, you can always get help," he said gruffly. "Khanna's son — Vedant — he's a good boy. He'll help you out."
I blinked, stunned, my heart doing a weird flip-flop. Was I hearing this right?
Yes, Papa. Send me Vedant Khanna. Please. I bit the inside of my cheek to hide a stupid grin from forming on my lips.
"I'll speak to him tomorrow," Papa declared. "And get your admission done."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and disappeared into his room. I stared at Maa helplessly.
"Do engineering," she said bluntly, "or your Papa will marry you off to some old bald man who's double your age."
Then she followed Papa, leaving me alone in the living room, stunned and boiling with frustration.
I stomped into my bedroom and threw myself onto my bed with a dramatic groan.
What a bloody day.
I buried my face into the pillow, but soon a smile crept onto my lips, uncontainable. I touched my lips lightly, still able to feel the ghost of Vedant's kiss. Warm, electric, unforgettable.
"Is he in love with me too?" I whispered into the darkness, giggling to myself.
There was no way I could sleep after that. My heart kept racing, my mind replaying every second over and over — the kiss, the thrill, the way he looked at me like I was the only girl in the universe.
Unable to contain my excitement, I put my headphones on, cranked up some cheesy love songs, and danced around my room like a total lunatic.Spinning on my toes, pretending the room was a grand ballroom. Imagining Vedant pulling me into his arms, our bodies moving perfectly together.
In my daydream, he leaned down slowly—his fingers brushing my waist, teasing the bare skin of my neck, my back, my thighs.
I shivered, a delicious ache pooling deep inside me. My hand slipped between my legs instinctively.I gasped, feeling the dampness already there.
"God damn it," I whispered, biting my bottom lip. "I'm wet as fuck."
Flushed and breathless, I stood in front of the mirror, peeling off my dress with a sinful slowness, standing there in nothing but my black lace bra and panties.
I cupped my breasts, squeezing hard, imagining his rough hands instead of mine. I could almost feel him everywhere — his mouth on my skin, his hands roaming boldly.
My knees buckled slightly at the thought.
Tonight, Vedant Khanna completely ruined me — and he didn't even know it.