Day 1: The Reunion
Aarav had always believed in moving forward. No dwelling on the past, no waiting for people who had left. So why was his heart hammering the moment he saw her?
Ananya.
The girl who used to be his best friend. The girl who had disappeared without a trace five years ago. And now, she stood in front of him, looking both familiar and like someone he didn’t quite know anymore.
"You?" His voice came out sharper than he intended.
She gave a small, nervous smile. "I know. Long time."
Too long.
Aarav had spent years wondering why she left—why the one person who had known him better than anyone had chosen to cut him off. But he wasn’t about to ask. He wasn’t about to show that it still mattered.
"Didn’t think I’d see you here," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "You never replied to my messages, so I figured you’d changed your name and moved to Mars."
Ananya winced. "I deserve that." She hesitated, then pulled out the chair across from him. "Look, I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but… can I?"
Aarav exhaled. "Depends."
She took a deep breath, as if preparing herself. "I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for seven days."
Of all the things she could’ve said, that was nowhere on his list. "Excuse me?"
She glanced around as if making sure no one else was listening. "I—uh—my cousin’s getting married, and my family’s on this mission to set me up with some ‘nice family guy.’ They think I'm single, which, technically, I am, but I just need them to think I’m not. If I show up with a boyfriend, they’ll drop it."
Aarav stared at her. "And out of all the people in the world, you thought of me?"
"You’re the only person who wouldn’t actually fall in love with me," she said, then paused. "No offense."
He let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Wow. That’s... flattering."
"Come on, Aarav," she pleaded. "We had something once. A friendship. I messed up, and I know that. Maybe this is my way of making it up to you."
That part caught him off guard. He had told himself he didn’t need an apology, but hearing her acknowledge it still made something shift inside him.
Seven days. That was all she was asking for. No real commitment, no expectations.
But could he really pretend that what they had—what they lost—didn’t still linger somewhere between them?
He sighed. "Fine. Seven days."
Ananya’s lips curled into a smile, the kind that used to make skipping school worth it. "Seven days," she echoed. "No strings attached."
But as they locked eyes, Aarav had a sinking feeling—this wasn’t going to be as simple as they thought.
Day 2: Old Habits, New Pretenses
Aarav had forgotten how exhausting weddings could be. Ananya's extended family was everywhere, constantly pulling them into conversations, making them participate in dances, and most annoyingly—gushing over their “love story.”
"Beta, how did you confess?" Ananya's aunt asked, eyes twinkling.
Before Aarav could respond, Ananya squeezed his hand and launched into an elaborate tale.
"Oh, he was so nervous," she teased, eyes glimmering with amusement. "He actually stuttered through the whole thing, and then he tripped while trying to give me flowers."
Aarav narrowed his eyes at her. "That never happened."
"But it could have," she whispered, winking.
It was dangerous—how easily they fell back into their old rhythm.
And as the night ended, Aarav couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn’t just acting anymore.
Day 3: The Almost Confession
By the third day, Aarav had lost count of how many times Ananya’s relatives had called him "the perfect guy."
"You two make such a cute couple," her aunt gushed, watching them from across the garden.
Ananya, ever the actress, looped her arm through Aarav’s and leaned into him. "Don’t we?" she teased.
Aarav played along, but every time their hands brushed or their laughter blended too easily, he felt something shift.
That night, under the glow of wedding lights, he finally asked her.
"Why did you leave?"
Ananya stiffened. The playful energy between them evaporated.
"I had to," she whispered.
"That’s not an answer."
She exhaled. "My parents were getting divorced. Everything was falling apart. I couldn’t deal with it, so I shut everyone out. Including you."
Aarav clenched his jaw. "You could have told me."
"I was scared," she admitted. "Scared you’d see how broken I was."
"You were never broken," he said quietly.
She looked at him, and for a second, neither of them said anything.
Then, she smiled—small, sad, but real. "I missed you, you know."
His heart stuttered. "Yeah," he murmured. "Me too."
Day 4: Dancing Too Close
Ananya’s cousin insisted they join a couple’s dance.
As Aarav’s hand slid around Ananya’s waist, she looked up at him, her eyes unreadable.
"You’re holding me like you actually mean it," she whispered.
"Maybe I do," he whispered back.
For the first time, the lines between pretending and reality blurred.
Day 5: The Jealousy Game
Aarav hadn’t planned on feeling jealous. But when one of Ananya’s relatives introduced her to a “nice family boy”, something inside him snapped.
"Let’s go," he said, grabbing her hand.
Ananya blinked. "What?"
"Just… come with me."
She didn’t question him. They slipped away from the party, heartbeats racing.
"You’re acting like you’re actually my boyfriend," she teased.
Aarav sighed. "Maybe I am."
Silence. Then, she whispered, "Maybe I don’t mind."
Day 6: The Realization
Aarav had spent the past five years missing her.
And now, with just one day left, he realized he didn’t want to lose her again.
But what if this was just a game for her? What if she still saw him as nothing more than an old friend?
Then, as if reading his mind, she asked, "Do we have to stop after tomorrow?"
His heart flipped.
"No," he admitted. "We don’t."
Day 7: The Goodbye That Wasn’t
"So," Ananya said, forcing a smile. "That’s it, huh?"
"Yeah." Aarav hesitated. "Unless…"
She waited.
"Unless we stop pretending."
Her breath hitched.
"Seven days were never enough," he admitted.
She looked at him for a long time. Then, finally—finally—she whispered, "No strings attached, right?"
Aarav let out a breathless laugh. "Screw that."
And before she could say anything else, he kissed her.
This time, she didn’t let go.
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