Eshaal called me early in the morning, her voice brimming with excitement. "Zoey! Get dressed; we’re going shopping today. No excuses!"

I already halfway through my morning coffee, smiled. "I wasn’t going to give any excuses. I’ve been waiting for a good shopping day. What’s the plan?"

"Meet me at the mall in an hour. We’re going all out today—clothes, shoes, accessories. Everything!"

"Sounds perfect. See you soon," i replied, excitedly for a shopping day out.

A little while later, we met at our favorite mall, our energy buzzing with excitement.

"Zoey, look at this dress!" Eshaal exclaimed, holding up a vibrant red cocktail dress. "You’d look stunning in it."

I chuckled, holding a soft pastel cardigan in my hands. "Only if you try on those killer heels we saw earlier."

The next few hours flew by as we hopped from one store to another, trying on outfits and laughing at each other’s quirky fashion picks. Eshaal twirled in a sequined skirt while i posed in front of the mirror with a stylish handbag.

"I swear," Eshaal said, carrying multiple bags as we walked out of yet another store, "we could do this every day, and it would never get boring."

I nodded, grinning. "Agreed. But let’s take a break. All this shopping has me craving something sweet."

As we approached the food court, Eshaal’s eyes caught a glimpse of a neon-lit arcade just ahead.

"Wait, Zoey, look! An arcade! Let’s go check it out. It’ll be fun," Eshaal said, tugging on my arm.

I raised an eyebrow. "No, Esh I'm already tired."

"No excuse it's fun and we are going." She said ignoring my pleas.

"Eshaal, we already have enough bags to carry," i protested.

"So? The arcade isn’t going anywhere. Come on, Zoey, let’s have some fun!" Eshaal grabbed my arm, dragging me toward the glowing neon signs of the arcade.

I shook my head but followed, knowing there was no stopping Eshaal once she got an idea in her head.

I and Zoey walked into the bustling arcade, the bright lights and loud music filling the space. My eyes sparkled with excitement as i tugged Zoey’s arm.

"Come on, Zo! You can’t just watch. Let’s play something!" I said, practically dragging her towards the dartboard area.

"Esh, this isn’t my thing," Zoey said softly, glancing around nervously.

"It’s our thing now. Relax!" I winked, picking up a dart.

Zoey sighed but stayed quiet, watching as I aimed my dart. The dart flew—completely missing the board—and struck a man in the arm nearby.

"Ohh shit." I said face paming from hand.

"What the—?" A deep voice broke through the noise, and I froze. Zoey gasped, clutching my arm.

"Esh. What have you done?" Zoey said nervously.

The man turned around, rubbing his arm. He was tall, with sharp features and a calm demeanor. Despite the situation, his expression remained composed, though his piercing gaze made me uncomfortable.

"He is handsome, didn't he" I said looking at him.

"Seriously." Zoey looked at me horrified.

"I'm just stating the fact." I said nonchalantly.

"They are coming here." Zoey nudged at me, as I straightened myself.

I stood near the entrance of the arcade, arms crossed, observing the chaos around me. The flashing neon lights, the clattering of coins, and the excited chatter of people.

"I can’t believe you dragged me here," i muttered, watching as Evaan scanned the area with a sharp, calculating gaze.

"You’ll survive," Evaan replied, his tone curt and dismissive. He turned back to me. his signature smirk creeped up. "Not everyone has to live like a monk, you know. Try enjoying yourself for once."

I sighed, used to his brash nature. "There are better ways to enjoy oneself than being in this noisy circus."

Evaan ignored the remark, his eyes landing on a nearby shooting game. Without another word, he strode toward it. I had no choice but to follow.

Evaan grabbed the toy gun, aiming it at the virtual targets with precise focus. "Watch and learn," he said arrogantly, taking down one target after another.

I stood beside him, unimpressed. "You’re really proud of winning a kids’ game?"

Evaan smirked without looking at me. "Winning is winning. Whether it’s this or something bigger, it’s all about proving you’re better than the rest."

As i was about to respond, something whizzed through the air and struck lightly on my arm. I flinched and turned, spotting a stray dart lying at my feet.

"What the—" I started, as i rubbed my arm, I looked up to see from where the dart came.

I spotted two girls near the dart game booth, one of them looking horrified and the other stifling a laugh.

"Seriously?" Evaan muttered, stepping forward. His expression turned colder, the playful arrogance replaced with a sharp edge.

I touched my arm, finding no real harm done. "It’s fine," I  said quietly, but Evaan was already approaching the girls, his tone clipped. "Do you not know how to aim? Or do you think hitting random strangers is fun?"

My sharp eyes scanned the two girls as i approached, my tone clipped and cold. "Do you not know how to aim? Or do you think hitting random strangers is fun?"

One of the girl's, still holding the remaining darts, raised an eyebrow. "Relax, it was an accident. No one told him to stand so close." She didn’t even flinch, casually brushing off my words.

My jaw tightened. "An accident? You could’ve seriously hurt someone. Do you even know how to handle these?"

She smirked, unfazed. "Oh, I handle everything just fine. Maybe your friend needs to watch where he stands."

Before I could fire back, the quiet one, who had been quietly standing to the side, finally stepped in. Her voice was soft but firm. "That’s enough, Eshaal. Don’t make it worse."

She turned to me, her expression calm. "Look, we’re sorry. It was a mistake, and it won’t happen again."

But instead of diffusing the situation. I scoffed, crossing my arms. "Great. The quiet one speaks. Took you long enough."

Her cheeks flushed at my dismissive tone, but she held her ground. "Excuse me? What’s that supposed to mean?"

I leaned slightly forward, my voice laced with sarcasm. "Exactly what it sounds like. Letting your friend do all the talking while you stand there, trying not to be noticed. Typical."

She suddenly stepped forward, her shyness melting away. "Maybe I don’t like talking to rude people. Ever thought of that?"

I tilted my head, a smug smirk forming on my face. "Rude, huh? At least I’m honest. You should try it sometime instead of hiding behind others."

Her eyes narrowed. "Hiding? I wasn’t hiding. And for the record, honesty doesn’t give you a free pass to act like a jerk."

The other one grinned, clearly enjoying the unexpected showdown. "Well, this is new. Zoey’s on fire today."

Arzel, standing quietly to the side, gave me a nudge. "Let it go. You’re causing a scene."

But i ignored him, my smirk turning into a challenge. "Alright, Miss Not-So-Quiet. Since you’re so confident, how about proving it? A game. If you win, I’ll drop it. If I win, you admit you were wrong."

She crossed her arms, her eyes blazing. "Fine. What’s the game?"

The other girl gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure about this? This guy looks like he cheats."

I chuckled, my eyes flickering with amusement. "I don’t need to cheat to win. Let’s go."

She rolled her eyes but followed me toward the nearest arcade machine.

As we walked toward the arcade machine I turned my attention to whom I threw the dart."Your friend has no idea what he’s in for."

He sighed, rubbing his temple. "I’m just here to make sure no one starts throwing darts again."

I forward my hand to shake. "Hey, by the way I'm Eshaal raza mir." I said nodding towards Zoey. "And she's my friend Zoey Siddiqui."

He shook his hand with me hesitatily. "Arzel khan and he is my cousin Syed Evaan Shah." He said immediately and started moving towards the arcade machine.

I followed him, a mischievous glint in my eyes. "Your cousin’s really something, isn’t he? Always this charming, or is today special?"

He glanced at me, his expression calm. "Charming isn’t the word I’d use. He’s... persistent."

I laughed, leaning slightly toward him. "Persistent? That’s a polite way of saying he’s a pain, isn’t it?"

Arzel’s lips twitched into a faint smile. "I try to avoid arguments, unlike him."

I playfully nudged him. "Well, you’re not off the hook either, mister. Standing there all quiet while your cousin picks fights? How diplomatic of you."

He shook his head, his tone light. "Diplomatic? Or maybe I just know when to pick my battles."

I chuckled, my gaze shifting to Zoey and Evaan. "Well, Zoey’s definitely picking hers. I’ve never seen her like this, though. She’s usually so... reserved. Guess your cousin knows how to push her buttons."

He watched them for a moment, then replied softly, "Sometimes people surprise you. Even the quiet ones."

I grinned, nudging him again. "Look at you, all wise and mysterious. Careful, I might start thinking you’re interesting."

He raised an eyebrow. "Only start thinking?"

I laughed loudly at that, and we both turned our attention back to the game.

I stood at the controls of a racing arcade game, my hands on the wheel. He leaned against the console next to me, his smirk unwavering.

“Ready to lose?” he taunted.

I shot him a confident look, surprising myself with how bold i felt. “You wish. I’ve been driving in these games since I was a kid. Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Eshaal called out from behind, "Show him what you’ve got, Zoey! Don’t let Mr. Overconfidence gets away with this!"

He smirked at Eshaal’s comment. "She’s got a cheering squad. How adorable."

I rolled my eyes. "Focus on the game, not the crowd."

The game began, the bright lights and sounds filling the air. My hands moved skillfully, navigating the course with precision. He though smug, clearly wasn’t going easy on me, keeping pace with every turn.

Eshaal leaned closer to his friend. "Think she can win?"

His friend tilted his head slightly, observing the screen. "She’s holding her own. Evaan’s good at these games, though."

Eshaal smirked. "Well, Zoey’s better at proving people wrong. Watch and learn."

As the race neared its end, He made a sharp move to overtake me. But at the last second, I executed a perfect drift, crossing the finish line first.

Eshaal jumped up, cheering. "Yes! That’s my girl! Who’s the quiet one now, huh?"

I turned to him, a triumphant smile on my face. "Guess you’ll have to find another way to stroke your ego. Better luck next time."

He, though clearly annoyed, let out a dry chuckle. "Beginner’s luck."

I raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe you’re just not as good as you think."

Eshaal laughed, giving me a high five. "I love this version of you. Let’s keep it around, okay?"

His friend, meanwhile, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Told you to let it go. Now you’ve lost both the argument and the game."

He shrugged him off, his smirk returning. "It’s not over yet. I like a challenge."

I crossed my arms, meeting his gaze. "Good. Then bring it on, but maybe next time, be ready to lose again."

Eshaal clapped her hands together, grinning. "This day just got a whole lot more interesting."

His friend looked at Eshaal, his tone dry but amused. "You enjoy the chaos, don’t you?"

Eshaal winked. "Of course. Life’s too short to be boring."

As I look at him his gaze is piercing through my soul, which makes me uncomfortable.

I and Eshaal turned to leave from there.

As we stepped out of the arcade, the cool evening breeze greeted us. I adjusted the strap of my handbag, my expression calm but my cheeks still slightly flushed from the heated game earlier. Eshaal, however, couldn’t contain her excitement.

"Zoey, I cannot believe what just happened there!" Eshaal exclaimed, looping her arm through me.

I gave her a sideways glance, a small smile tugging at her lips. "What are you talking about now?"

She turned to face me dramatically. "Don’t play innocent. You—you were on fire! I’ve never seen you talk back to someone like that, let alone accept a challenge and win. Who are you, and what have you done with my shy little Zoey?"

I chuckled softly, shrugging. "I don’t know. He just... irritated me, the way he was so smug and rude. I couldn’t help it."

She smirked, nudging me. "Well, you put him in his place, and it was glorious! I’m proud of you, Zoey." She paused for a moment, her expression shifting. "But let’s not ignore the real highlight of the night."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what’s that supposed to mean?"

She placed a hand over her heart dramatically. "Arzel. Oh, my God, Zoey. Did you see how handsome he is? So calm, so composed. And that voice... I could listen to him all day."

I frowned slightly. "Wait, who’s Arzel?"

She sighed, clearly enjoying the moment. "The handsome one, of course. His name is Arzel Khan. And the jerk who thought he could intimidate you? His name is Syed Evaan Shah. Cousins, apparently. Total opposites, if you ask me."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "I was too busy winning the game to notice."

Eshaal sighed dreamily. *"Exactly! He’s so... mysterious. And polite! Unlike Evaan, who’s—" she gestured wildly, searching for the right words, "a certified jerk with a side of attitude."

I laughed. "You’re not wrong about that."

She continued, leaning closer to me. "Honestly, though, Zoey... I think this whole night has been unforgettable. First shopping, then meeting those two, and now seeing this confident, feisty side of you. I love it."

My cheeks turned pink at the praise. "Let’s just focus on getting home now. It’s been a long day."

She swung her arm around my shoulders. "Fine, fine. But you know we’re going to talk about this again. And I need to tell Hazel and Zaira too about your banter and of course your new side, You can’t avoid it forever."

We two exited the mall, laughing and chatting as we headed toward the parking lot.

Evaan stormed out of the arcade, his jaw tight and his hands stuffed into his pockets. His usual confident swagger was replaced with irritation, and his sharp eyes scanned the parking lot as if looking for something to kick.

I walked beside him, hands casually tucked into my hoodie, a small amused smile playing on my lips. He glanced sideways at me, savoring the rare sight of Evaan’s ruffled composure.

"You okay there, champ?" I asked, my voice calm but dripping with amusement.

He shot me a glare. "Don’t start, Arzel."

But i wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away. "I’m just trying to process what I saw back there. You, the great Syed Evaan Shah, who’s always boasting about never losing... got beaten. By a girl."

I stopped abruptly, turning to face me. "I didn’t lose. I let her win," he snapped, his tone defensive. "I didn’t want her to cry or something. That’s all."

I raised an eyebrow, my grin widening. "Oh, really? You ‘let her win’? That’s the story you’re going with?"

He crossed his arms, scowling. "What? You think I couldn’t beat her if I wanted to? I was just being... considerate."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Sure, Evaan. Whatever helps you sleep at night. But you know what? I think our cousins would love to hear about how you ‘let’ someone beat you. A girl, no less."

He groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Arzel, don’t you dare."

I smirked, stepping a little ahead. "Oh, I absolutely will. I mean, this is history. Syed Evaan Shah—defeated."

He caught up to me, pointing a finger. "You say one word, and I swear—"

I cut him off, my tone teasing. "Relax, Evaan. I’m just saying... it’s nice to see you’re human after all."

He rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Whatever. I didn’t even care about the stupid game. Let her have her little moment."

I laughed softly. "Right. Keep telling yourself that. But don’t think for a second I’m letting you forget this."

He didn’t respond, instead heading straight for his car with a huff. I followed behind, clearly enjoying every moment of his rare defeat.

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