The next morning dawned clear and bright, but inside Kol's mind, a storm raged. Sleep had been scarce, filled with restless thoughts of Sara — her laugh, the way her eyes searched his when she thought he wasn't looking, and the tension that lingered like electricity between them. He told himself over and over that it was just friendship, just years of closeness. But the truth was impossible to ignore.
At breakfast, Nate was already on a rampage, teasing Kol mercilessly.
"Dude, you've been walking around like you just saw a ghost! What's up? Finally realizing Sara's not just your best friend but your secret girlfriend?" Nate winked, chewing on his toast.
Kol rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the small smile tugging at his lips.
Sara entered, carrying her usual oversized coffee mug, looking effortlessly beautiful in a loose sweater and jeans. Her hair was still slightly damp from the shower, curling gently at the ends. Kol's breath hitched for a moment — then he cursed himself silently.
Sara sat beside him, sipping her coffee with sleepy eyes.
"Morning," she murmured.
"Morning," Kol replied, voice lower than usual.
Their hands brushed as she reached for the sugar. A jolt shot through Kol's arm, but neither pulled away.
---
Classes dragged by in a blur. The semester's pressure mounted with exams looming, presentations due, and the ever-persistent group projects demanding attention.
Kol and Sara found themselves thrown together constantly — in study sessions, library corners, campus walks.
Each time, the air around them thickened with things left unsaid.
---
One afternoon, while working on their joint presentation, Sara leaned over Kol's shoulder to read a paragraph.
Their faces were inches apart. Kol could smell the faint scent of her shampoo, sweet and clean.
His heart hammered.
Sara blinked and quickly pulled back, cheeks flushed.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to invade your space."
Kol shook his head. "No. It's fine."
The silence stretched, full of tension neither dared to break.
---
Meanwhile, Lina and Aarav had their own challenges.
Aarav's father's health took a sudden turn for the worse, and the weight of responsibility settled heavy on him.
Lina tried to be his anchor, but she struggled with her own doubts.
One evening, after rehearsal, Aarav confided, "I don't want to let you down."
Lina squeezed his hand. "You're not alone. We're a team. Remember?"
Aarav smiled faintly, but the worry didn't leave his eyes.
---
Back at the dorm, chaos erupted as Nate declared a "mandatory fun day" — a break from the stress of exams.
Jess and Ria were roped in to help organize a scavenger hunt across campus, with ridiculous challenges and dares designed to make even the shyest students crack up.
Kol and Sara reluctantly agreed, thinking it would be a good distraction.
---
The scavenger hunt was madness — everyone running, laughing, scrambling to complete silly tasks.
At one point, Sara was dared to sing the college anthem at full volume in the cafeteria.
Kol watched, heart pounding as she belted out the tune with mock seriousness, the entire room cheering.
Later, Nate slipped a note into Kol's hand, smirking.
"Don't mess this up."
Kol glanced down. The note had a single sentence:
"Tell her how you feel."
He swallowed hard.
---
The day ended with everyone exhausted and happy, sprawled on the grass under a sky turning pink with sunset.
Sara lay with her head on Kol's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
Neither spoke, but the silence was comfortable, charged.
Kol's fingers traced slow patterns on her arm, daring to reach closer.
Sara's breath hitched.
---
That night, Kol stared at the ceiling, memories flooding.
Every moment with Sara was a thread pulling him closer to a truth he could no longer deny.
But fear held him back — fear of ruining what they had, fear of rejection.
He promised himself he'd find the courage soon.
---
Meanwhile, Lina and Aarav's bond deepened, strengthened by shared struggles and quiet support.
Their laughter was softer now, filled with hope amidst uncertainty.
They were learning, just like Kol and Sara — that love isn't just passion, but patience and trust.