Two hours later.
The auditorium was nearly empty.
The lights were off. Only the dim glow from the hall peeked in through the side doors.
Everyone had gone home.
Except for them.
Jaanvi was sitting on the edge of the stage, swinging her legs over the side, still pink in the cheeks. Aditya stood below her, arms crossed, eyes on her.
"Well," she mumbled. "That was... something."
He tilted his head. "You mean the deeply symbolic satire kiss?"
She rolled her eyes. "Stop."
"I'm just saying. You had your hand in my hair."
"You pulled me closer."
"You didn't stop me."
"...You smelled good."
He blinked. "What?"
"I mean YOU— smelled. I mean— not like I was paying attention."
A smirk spread on his lips. "So you liked it."
"No. No. I hated it."
"Right. Totally despised it. Couldn't even breathe through how much you hated it."
"Exactly."
"Cool."
"Cool."
Silence.
Their eyes locked.
His hand slid to her knee.
She leaned forward a little.
And then—
They kissed again.
Slower this time.
More certain.
Still shaky, still blushing, still pretending it didn't mean anything.
But not stopping.
Not pulling away.
Not even when the backstage door creaked open.
"Okay, seriously, WHO LEFT THEIR SCRIPT HERE—" Saachi's voice echoed into the darkness.
Jaanvi froze mid-kiss.
Aditya's eyes went wide.
They both dropped like they were in a military mission, ducking behind the thick black curtain.
Footsteps shuffled in. The stage lights stayed off.
More voices.
"Wait— Rey, you said you left your hoodie."
"No, I left my AirPods."
"YOU LEFT YOUR AIRPODS?" Meera whisper-screamed. "Those things are like tiny ghosts. You're never finding them."
"GUYS," Siya hissed. "THIS PLACE IS HAUNTED. Why are we here."
"To support Rey's inability to keep track of expensive tech," Ron added helpfully.
Backstage — hidden behind velvet curtains — Jaanvi was pressed against Aditya's chest, eyes wild.
He looked down at her.
They both heard the entire friend group clattering around the auditorium, their phone flashlights scanning the floor.
"WHAT IF A MOUSE BITES ME?" Aryan whispered.
"WHAT IF YOU DESERVE IT?" Kiara replied sweetly.
Meanwhile.
Jaanvi and Aditya were standing so close she could count the freckles on his neck.
"You kissed me again," she whispered.
"You kissed me first."
"Shut up."
"You shut up."
"They're right there."
"So stay quiet."
"Then stop breathing like that."
"Breathing like what?!"
"Like your chest is right in my—"
"You're literally pressed up against me!"
"Shhh!" they both hissed at each other.
Back in the auditorium:
"Hey..." Saachi suddenly said. "Did you guys hear that?"
"It was probably the wind," Aryan said confidently.
"We're inside a school," Meera replied.
"Could still be wind."
"Your brain's the wind."
Eventually, after what felt like a century, the group gave up.
"Forget it," Rey groaned. "I'll just buy new AirPods."
And one by one, they left — none of them ever noticing the two debate rivals hidden behind the curtain... cheeks flushed, hearts racing, still not quite pulling apart.
Aditya finally exhaled.
"You still hate me?" he asked softly.
Jaanvi nodded, face an inch from his.
"Absolutely," she whispered. "So much."
"Same here," he murmured.
And then he kissed her again — this time, with no one watching.
Except maybe the ghosts. And honestly, even they were invested.
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