Unmatched

✨The EX!✨

And I was about to walk into it with a girl who wouldn't even look at me.

I killed the engine.

Shanaya opened the door before I could even reach for mine. She stepped out, holding the edge of her lehenga to avoid the dust, and didn't wait for me.

Of course.

I caught up quickly.

"You don't have to hold my hand or anything," she said as we walked toward the gate. "This isn't a movie."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I muttered.

The moment we entered, heads turned. Someone from her side of the family noticed us first and squealed, "Shanaya aur Rishi ek saath!"

Shanaya smiled—falsely—and I mirrored it. We were both wearing masks tonight.

People rushed toward us. Aunties I didn't recognize. Uncles who clapped my back. Cousins who whispered behind henna-stained hands. A blur of faces, camera flashes, and sugared greetings.

And through it all, Shanaya stood beside me, radiant and cold.

Until someone said, "Pose together!"

We froze.

Before either of us could protest, a phone was shoved in our direction.

She forced a smile. I did too.

And just as the camera clicked, her elbow jabbed softly into my side.

I blinked. "What was that for?"

"For making it look like we get along."

I exhaled a laugh. "You're welcome, by the way."

She looked at me, eyes narrow. "Let's just get through this night. One dance. One laugh. One fake compliment at a time."

I leaned in just slightly, lowering my voice. "Sounds like you've done this before."

She tilted her head. "I haven't. But I've watched enough K-dramas and Bollywood to fake it better than you."

And just like that, for a split second, the tension cracked—and something like a smirk flickered between us.

But it didn't last.

Because right after that, her ex walked in.

And everything changed.

I didn't know who he was at first.

Just another overconfident guy in a designer kurta, swaggering in like the sangeet was hosted for him. But I knew something was off when Shanaya went still beside me.

She wasn't looking at me anymore.

Her gaze locked on him, sharp and unreadable.

He saw her too. Of course he did. With that stupid smirk that told me all I needed to know — this wasn't just some friend from school. This was him.

Her someone before.

And suddenly, I hated the guy.

I watched as he walked straight up to her, completely ignoring me, and said, "Wow. Didn't expect to see you here, Shanaya."

"You didn't?" she asked, voice calm. "My cousin's getting married."

"Well, yeah," he chuckled. "But... I thought you'd be in Paris or something. Doing that whole freedom thing."

Shanaya laughed, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Guess I took a detour."

And then he turned to me. Finally.