By evening, I was still fuming. Well—half fuming, half replaying his smug text in my head.
"Archaeological digging, my foot," I muttered while scrolling through reels. "As if he doesn't stalk people. Please. He looks like the kind who zooms into pictures of dogs and then judges their breed."
But my brain wouldn't shut up. What if he actually was going to tease me forever- "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Aradhya, professional stalker of 2022." I'd have to move cities. Maybe countries.
Before I knew it, my fingers had already opened our chat.
Me: Just to clarify—I wasn't stalking. I was scrolling randomly.
I stared at the screen. Aradhya- what even is this?
His reply came in less than a minute.
Dhruv: Randomly? 3 years back?
Dhruv: Relax, Doctor. I don't mind being your guilty pleasure from 2022😜
I wanted to fling my phone across the room.
Me: You're impossible. I'm blocking you.
Dhruv: 😂😂 Go ahead. But blocking me won't erase 2022. It'll haunt you.
Me: Are you always this irritating, or is it your special talent reserved for me?
Dhruv: Special talent. Just for you.
I groaned so loudly Mihika shouted from the other room, "Stop being dramatic and just admit you like talking to him!"
I rolled my eyes, typing furiously.
Me: Don't flatter yourself. This conversation never happened.
Dhruv: Of course. Totally imaginary. Just like your random scrolling. 😉
I slapped a hand over my face, half dying of irritation, half smiling like an idiot.
Me: 🙄 I hate you.
Dhruv: No, you hate that I caught you.
Me: Congratulations. Are you proud?
Dhruv: Very. Screenshot worthy, actually.
Me: Touch that screenshot button and I'll commit murder.
Dhruv: Relax. Your secret obsession with my fresher's party look is safe with me.
Me: I. WAS. SCROLLING. RANDOMLY.
Dhruv: Sure, Doctor. And I only drink coffee randomly five times a day.
Me: Remind me never to talk to you again.
I told myself I wouldn't check his chat again. Not tonight. Dignity, Aradhya. Just log out, drink water, read a book.
Except two minutes later, I was unlocking Instagram again.
No new message.
I sighed in relief... and disappointment. Ugh.
Just as I was about to toss the phone away, it buzzed.
Dhruv: So... did the excavation site collapse or are you still digging through 2020?
Me: Shut up.
Dhruv: 😂 That's not very Doctor-like. Where's the professionalism?
Me: Oh please. There's nothing professional about accidentally liking a picture. Instagram is glitchy. It probably tapped itself.It happened with Virat Kohli so it can happen with anybody.
Dhruv: Right. Insta glitched and scrolled you 3 years back, zoomed in, and double tapped for you. Sounds legit.
Me: Exactly. Finally, you get it.
Dhruv: 😂😂 Dramatic as ever. You know, you could've just unliked it.
Me: I DID. But the damage was done. Don't you have surgeries or something to be busy with instead of bullying me?
Dhruv: Nope. I've cleared my entire schedule just to enjoy this moment and Don't worry, I won't expose you. Your 2022 secret is safe with me 🤐
I narrowed my eyes at the screen.
Me: Safe? You literally texted me about it. That's the opposite of safe.
Dhruv: True. But it's more fun this way.
Me: Fun for you maybe. For me, it's pure social suicide.
Dhruv: Then consider me your partner in crime.
I stared at that message for way too long. Partner in crime. Why did that sound.......nice?☺️
I shook my head, throwing the phone on the bed. Nope. Absolutely not. He is a menace. A smug, irritating, impossible menace.
I was "again"determined not to reply again. Really. But then my phone pinged.
Dhruv: By the way... you've set a new record.
I frowned.
Me: Record?
Dhruv: Yeah. Most dedication shown by anyone to my profile. People usually stop at 2023. You? Straight to vintage Dhruv.
My face heated.
Me: Stop calling it that. It was an ACCIDENT.
Dhruv: Hmm. Some accidents are kind of flattering, you know 😉
I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt.
Me: You're impossible.
Dhruv: And yet, you keep replying. Interesting.
I bit my lip, staring at the screen.
Me: Only because I don't want you spreading nonsense about me.
Dhruv: Relax, Doctor. If I talk about you, it won't be nonsense.
Dhruv: "Also you just enjoy arguing with me more than you admit 😉"
I squinted at my phone. Enjoy? The audacity.
Me: You call this enjoyment? This is me suffering in real-time.
Dhruv: Funny... I don't see you walking away.
I chewed on my lip, glaring at the screen. He had a point. A very irritating, smug point.
Me: I stay only to make sure you don't get the last word.
Dhruv: Good. I like opponents who keep the game interesting.
Opponent. Game. I should have been offended. Instead, my stupid heart was busy doing somersaults like it was auditioning for the Olympics.
Me: You're too confident for someone whose old selfies just got exposed.
Dhruv: Exposed? Please. You clearly liked what you saw 😉
I slapped a hand over my face. Oh no. Nope. Not going there.
Me: Goodnight, Dhruv.
Dhruv: Sweet dreams, Doctor. Try not to dream about 2022.
I tossed the phone away, groaning into my pillow.
Why, oh why, did he have to be this good at annoying me?
And why, oh why, did I secretly not hate it?
-1k words
-End of chapter.
-How was it.
-What do you think about Dhruv.
-Did you like Dhruv and Aradhya's conversation.
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