prologue

The café was buzzing with warmth and energy, as if it

had been waiting for this reunion just as much as we had.
After so many months apart, all six of us—Anamika,
Vaishnavi, Manshi, Anisha, Riya, and I—were finally
back together, sitting around a small table scattered with
coffee mugs and half-eaten pastries. Our laughter filled
the room, and it felt like the years of school hadn’t
slipped away at all.

“So, Jayashree,” Anamika nudged me, a knowing smile

on her face. “Now that we’re all finally here, aren’t you
going to tell everyone your big news?”

I raised an eyebrow, a grin spreading across my face.

“Big news?”

Anamika rolled her eyes. “Don’t play coy. You know

what I’m talking about!”

The others exchanged curious glances. “Wait, what big

news?” Riya asked, looking between us.

I took a deep breath, letting the excitement bubble up.

“Well… Do you remember Rasmalai?”
They all burst out laughing, their eyes lighting up with
recognition. “Oh my God,” Manshi said, shaking her
head. “How could we forget? You used to drive us
insane, talking about him all through school!”

Anisha grinned. “Yeah, you’d work his name into every

conversation. We thought he’d never leave your mind!”

I laughed, shrugging. “I mean, maybe you were right.

Because guess what? He’s in my college.”

The table fell silent for a second as the news settled in,
then erupted in excited chatter.

“Are you serious?” Vaishnavi asked, looking both

shocked and thrilled.

I nodded. “Yep. I ran into him during my first week

there.”

Anamika smirked. “I heard a few things already, but I

need details.”

“Wait, wait!” Riya cut in. “Some of us don’t know

anything! Jayashree, you better start from the beginning.
We want the full story.”
I settled back into my chair, a wave of memories
flooding over me. I had a feeling this was going to take a
while, but as I began to tell them everything—from that
first encounter to all the unexpected twists along the way
—I couldn’t help but feel that this was only the start of a
story none of us would forget.
Chapter 1
The streets and crowd felt something different and
mesmerizing that day as I peeped out the window,
wearing my happiest smile ever, with sad unrequited
love songs playing on loop in the background. I know
this could be considered my toxic trait, as I always enjoy
playing unrequited love songs and imagining that one
person, whether I am going through break down or
feeling the happiest person on the planet.

The car stops, and our bodies jerk.

"We have reached, beta," Baba said.

Me, while removing the old neckband I used throughout

my NEET prep.

"Could you please repeat, Baba? I couldn't hear; I was

wearing headphones."

"We can now alight from the car; we have arrived."

I, along with Maa, Baba, and Bhai, dismounted the car

and moved towards the college campus.

"I am manifesting the dream that I saw when I didn't

even know A, B, C, D," I said with tears in my eyes.
"Still, you couldn’t make it to AIIMS Delhi. Huh!" Bhai
said light-heartedly.

"Just shut up!!" I warned him with a smile.

They left me at the hostel, and now it was time for them
to leave. Out of the blue, I started crying. They consoled
me, reminding me that this is what I always wanted. I
wiped off the tear and tried bidding adieu with cheer on
my face. As they left, I sat down on my single bed,
covered with a floral-printed bedsheet that Maa had just
made. I was about to unfold the blanket and have a
sound sleep when someone opened the door. A girl with
a fair round face, slim, wearing a Red coloured kurti
with white prints on it, a high ponytail, light pink lip
gloss, and huge round jhumkas.

As she saw me, I felt like she gave me her most

appealing smile. She was already cute, and her dimples
when she smiled were like a cherry on the cake.

"Hello!" she exclaimed with excitement. Her enthusiasm

filled a pessimistic person like me with positive vibes.

"Hi!" I said, trying to match her tone.

"Okay, so this cute and beautiful lady with her cute specs
is my roommate, Haan!?"
"Cute?" I said, confused.

"Yes, girl!"

"I guess it's better to address you as cute and beautiful." I

said, trying to show wisdom.

"But I guess we both should be addressed like that," she

answered in her sparkling affirmative tone.

I just smiled.

"Anyways, what's your name, dearest roommate?" she

questioned while setting her luggage aside and making
her bed.

"I am Jayashree... Jayashree Mukherjee." Before I could

ask her name,
she said, "Oh, wow, such a tender name!"

"Ahhh, you never miss a chance to flatter the person in

front of you!"

"I don't even find a single reason to miss such an

opportunity."

We both giggled.
"What's your name, by the way?"

"I am Ananya... Ananya Sharma," she said, replicating

my tone.

We both started chatting and exchanging information.

She said she is from Rajasthan and her family has a
textile business.

"This friendship of East and West would be exemplary.

What do you say, Miss Bengal?"

"Oh, yeah, of course, it would be!" I continued my smile.

We chatted the whole night. It didn’t feel like we were

meeting for the first time. I shared everything possible,
and she did the same.

------------------------------------------

Chapter 2
"Broo, are you ready?"
"No, yaar, still confused about what to wear!" I said,
standing in front of the mirror, trying on all the kurtis
one by one and checking which one to wear.

"Wear this one, fast," Ananya said, picking up one of my

favorite chikankari kurtis.

"Okay, as you say!"

I wore that and sat down in front of the single mirror in

our room.

"Close your eyes steadily!" Ananya instructed me as she

was applying the eyeliner.

"Why are you making me so ready? It is just a Junior-

Senior Meet, nothing else!" I asked curiously.

"Yes, it is a Junior-Senior Meet, and that is why I am

making you ready, dear. I guess you have forgotten that
your Rasmalai is also our senior, and you haven’t met
him here yet!"

"Rasmalai..." I whispered with my eyes closed,

immersed in the imagination of that person. Yes, I call
him Rasmalai. I remembered my school days when I was
in 10th and he was in 12th. He never liked me back, but I
am still mad for him. That one name I whispered flooded
back all his memories. I could see him playing
volleyball, moving into the bio-lab, sitting on his seat,
and whatnot.

"Get up. We are all set to go now," Ananya said.

I opened my eyes, and I was really impressed by myself.

That kurti Ananya chose perfectly matched with me.

"Madam, if you are now out of your imagination, then

may we please move ahead?!" Ananya said in a
humorous tone.

"Sure, dear!" I maintained the tone she brought.

We both moved for the Meet-cum-party. It was a large

auditorium. Music played, lights were sparkling, and
there were seats facing the stage. We were late as most
of the people were already present. We both took our
seats.

"Just be here, let me come back in a while," I said to

Ananya.

It was just my excuse to go to the washroom. All I

wanted was to meet Rasmalai. I saw two seniors
(probably) as I had never seen them in my classroom. I
asked the one facing my direction, "Sir, could you please
tell me where the girls' washroom is?"

The other one, with whom he was talking, turned around.

I glanced at his face, and our eyes locked like before. My
heart started pulsating so fast. I hesitated there.

"Jayashree?"

"Rasmalai?"

We both said synchronously.

"You got into this college?" he asked.

"Yes, actually I was quite busy these days. I didn’t

realize you were also here," I lied in a peaceful tone.

"Anyways, it’s nice to see you here."

"Same here."

"The music is too loud here. Let’s move to a quiet place.

It will be easier to talk there."

I nodded.
He walked ahead, and I followed him. He was wearing a
golden-yellowish kurta with a silvery watch. His smile
was just the way it was two years [Link] were flipping
like always.

"Let’s sit. What would you like, tea or coffee?" he asked.

Before I could say anything, one of his batchmates

arrived.

"Hey, Akshat, what are you doing here?"

"I met my junior from school."

"So, you both will not attend the party?"

"We will. We will come in a while."

"Okay!"

He left. Akshat bha.., I mean Rasmalai, ordered 2 cups

of coffee and sat in the chair in front of me.

"I never thought we would be having coffee together.." I

said with a relaxed smile.

"I never imagined we could be in the same college," he

replied.
"But I did so!" I said with a laugh.

"You mean, you imagined yourself in my college,

Haan?"

"Umm... Yes." I replied taking a sip of coffee

"So, you still have a crush on me?"

"Huh... No comments!" I said, feeling embarrassed.

He smiled too.

"We have finished the coffee; I think we should attend

the program now," I said to get out of the moment I
didn’t want to linger on.

"Hmm, as you wish. Let’s meet tomorrow if you are

free?" he questioned.

"Okay, I will text you," I said with an appealing smile.

We both entered the auditorium. I found Ananya gazing

at her phone. I sat by her on my seat. She turned towards
me, sensing my presence.

"Where were you for so long?" Ananya exclaimed.

"I was..."

"Ugh... I called you so many times and sent 15

messages."

"My phone was on silent."

"Are you crazy, bro? A senior named Akshat sang a

song. It could be your Rasmalai, but you missed it, fool!
Where the hell were you?!" she said furiously.

"I was at the cafeteria, having coffee with Rasmalai," I

said in a delighted tone.

"So you... WHAT?!?" she exclaimed.

"Yes."

"You were with Rasmalai?"

"Yes, I will explain everything in detail, but first, let’s

enjoy the program."

We both turned and sat facing the stage again, eagerly

waiting for the program to end so that I could narrate
what happened and she could enjoy my story.
---

"Ugh, I feel exhausted," I said, laying down on the bed.

"Yes, I'm also tired... but will you please tell me what
exactly happened?" Ananya asked, locking the door to
our room.

"Ahh... I'll tell you everything, but can you please put
my phone on charge first?"

She snatched the phone from my hand and took it to plug

it in. Suddenly, my phone rang.

"Someone named 'Kala Mahadevi' with a red heart emoji

is calling. Should I hang up?" Ananya asked gently.

"No! Don’t cut it, it’s urgent. Give me the phone!" I

jumped up and sat straight on the bed.

"Hello," the voice on the call said.

"Hi, Didiii!" I exclaimed with joy.

"Leave your 'Hi' in hell! How the hell did you not tell me
that you met Rasmalai?"
Kala Mahadevi was none other than my most adorable
senior, after Rasmalai. She’s like an elder sibling I met
in my early teens.

"Are you even paying attention to me, pagal?" she

screamed through the phone.

"Ugh, sorry. I was about to call you, believe me," I said

in the cutest way I could manage, but like always, it was
hard to melt her.

"I don’t believe you, huh!"

"Why are you trying to alert the whole Girls' Hostel?" I

asked as her voice raised so much.

"Oh, please, shut up!" she snapped and hung up.

"Who was that?" Ananya inquired.

"Ankita di, I told you about her that day."

"Yes, yes, I remember... but what happened?"

"Nothing much, she found out I met Rasmalai and didn’t

text her about it. That’s why she’s a bit upset, but she’ll
cool down soon."
"Oh, I hope so!"

"Hmmm."

"Anyway, now can you please tell me what happened?"

I started narrating everything that had happened, with

every little detail.

"And I said I would text him about tomorrow..." I trailed

off.

"Why did you stop? Continue, please," Ananya said,

maintaining an excited tone.

"Oh no! I forgot to text him!"

"Ugh, then do it now!" she said, as if it were the simplest

thing in the world.

I picked up my phone, opened the chat with Rasmalai,

and started pondering what to say.

"Just send a 'Hi.' Don’t make it so complicated!" Ananya

said, gulping water from my bottle.

"Okay."
I sent 'Hi,' and, as always, thoughts of being ignored by
Rasmalai started to haunt me.

"Don’t overthink it. He won’t ignore you," Ananya’s

voice came from the washroom.

"How do you always know what I’m thinking?" I asked,

irritated.

"It’s simple, bro. You’ve given me all the details about

how you feel after texting or meeting Rasmalai."

"Just forget them..."

"How can I forget the info I stayed up listening to for 24

straight hours!"

"Then just simply shut up!"

I went to the washroom, imagining various scenarios of

how Rasmalai might reply.

"I think I should sleep now," I said, lying down

lethargically on the bed.

"Won’t you wait for his reply?"

"No, waiting is just haunting me."

"Do whatever feels best to you."

"Hmm."

Ananya turned off the lights and continued scrolling

through her phone as I dozed off to sleep.

Chapter 3
"Broo... Wake up!" I poked Ananya, stirring her from
sleep.
"You were supposed to be asleep, right? What
happened?" Ananya mumbled, her voice thick with
exhaustion.

"I was supposed to, but I couldn't."

"Now please, do me the favor of telling me why you had

to disturb my sleep," she said, clearly irritated.

"Rasmalai..."

"What Rasmalai? What do you mean?" Ananya asked,

her curiosity piqued.

"I just finished chatting with him and..."

"And what!?"

"We decided to have coffee together tomorrow," I said,

delighted.

"Coffee again? I think you're getting addicted to it—or

maybe just to him," Ananya teased, a sleepy smile
playing on her lips.

"Maybe both," I admitted with a grin.

"Anyways after that, we're going to a concert too," I
added, grinning.

"You and Rasmalai are going to a concert?"

"Umm... You too."

"Wait, what? Clarify that, please."

"Actually, Rasmalai and his friends are going to a

concert, and they had two extra tickets, so I agreed that
we’d go."

"Ugh... bro, your Ankita di isn’t totally wrong—you are

pagal!"

"But why?!"

"We don’t even know Rasmalai’s friends."

"So what? We know Rasmalai, right?"

"Only you know him."

"Don’t worry, you’ll get to know them too," I said,

patting her shoulder before heading back to sleep.
"If she was going to make the decision on her own, why
did she even wake me up?" Ananya muttered angrily.

---

"Sorry for the delay, we actually fell asleep," I said

apologetically as we reached the only café near our
college.

"No problem, we can still enjoy our beverages and then

move ahead," Rasmalai said, instantly gathering all my
attention.

We all took our seats. I ended up sitting between Ananya

and one of Rasmalai’s female friends, while Rasmalai
was at the other table with a few of his male friends.

"You're just physically sitting next to me; your gaze and

heart are both on the next table," Ananya whispered in
my ear.

I ignored her teasing, my eyes still fixated on Rasmalai.

"Hello, I’m Khushi," the senior sitting next to me said,

breaking the ice.
"Hi, I’m Jayashree, and this is Ananya, my roommate," I
replied, pointing towards Ananya.

"Hi, Ananya," Khushi said.

"Hi," Ananya replied, her tone lacking interest.

"How do you know Akshat?" Khushi asked, shifting her

attention back to me.

"He was my senior at school."

"So, in your school, juniors are this friendly with seniors,

huh?" Khushi continued with her questions.

Khushi kept asking a stream of seemingly irrelevant

questions. Each time she asked, my brain processed it,
and an answer came out of my mouth, but my eyes
remained glued to Rasmalai. Watching him eat, laugh,
and chat with his friends brought back memories of
school, when he used to have lunch with Rudra Bhaiya
and his other companions outside 11th Science.

"Are you busy imagining something?" Ananya

mockingly whispered.

"Um... not really," I replied, slightly distracted.

"Then take a glance outside the window," Ananya said,
pointing toward it.

The sky outside was a breathtaking blend of pink and

blue. I couldn’t resist the urge to approach Rasmalai. I
went over to his table.

"Could you please give me a moment?" I asked, standing

in front of him.

"Sure," he replied

As we moved a bit away from our tables.. I grasped his

hand tight and led him to the terrace...Each step that I
took having him just behind me made my heart beat a bit
faster..
As we reached the terrace, I paused for some time, took a
deep breath..
I turned to look at him, and in that brief exchange of
glances, everything I wanted to say seemed to pass
between us.

"Why did you bring me here?" he asked, puzzled.

"To recreate the scene from my first memorable poem!"

"What do you even mean?"

"Look around you," I said, gesturing to the sky.

"Pink and blue sky!" he exclaimed, astonished.

---

"What happened then? Tell me, please!" Ananya

exclaimed.

"I won’t tell you..!!" I said, taking the first bite of my ice
cream.

"You said you showed him the pink and blue hues of the
sky and that he liked it, but what happened next?"

"Bro, Rasmalai brought ice cream for both of us. Isn’t

that enough? Now, stop letting your ice cream melt and
just enjoy it!" I replied, trying to change the subject.

"But...You are not even smiling girl!"

"No more questions," I ended the discussion and focused

on my phone.

---
Chapter 4
"Do you remember that poem of mine, ‘Pink and Blue’?"
I texted Ankita Di, just to start the chat
"Hmm, so what?" she replied

"Nothing"

"Why don't you say anything clearly?"

I couldn’t hold back any longer, so I called her and told

her everything.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Yes, I’m fine… why wouldn’t I be? I always knew he

wouldn’t like me back."

"But..."

"Leave it!" A tear slid down my cheek.

"Don’t overthink. Call me if you feel overwhelmed."

"Hmm," I mumbled.

"Believe me, I didn’t know about that girl, Khushi..."

Ankita Di’s voice was filled with regret.

"I know...I guess you should study rather than focusing

on me"
"But I can't let you alone like this..."

"ugh, just leave it. I don’t care!" I hung up, throwing my

phone aside. I buried my face in my pillow and let the
tears flow.

"You do care," Ananya's voice cut through the silence.

I turned to her, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

"Don’t hide, please... Tell me what happened. Maybe I

can help," Ananya said, her tone a mix of empathy and
determination.

"Nothing happened that you can help with," I snapped,

trying to brush her off.

"These petty attempts to ignore me won’t work. Please,

just tell me what happened after you both enjoyed the
terrace."

I couldn’t hold it in any longer, and the tears started

again.

"Did Rasmalai say anything offensive?" Ananya asked

gently.
"No, he doesn't even know what happened," I said, still
sobbing.

"What happened?"

"After Rasmalai went downstairs to join his friends, I

stayed on the terrace, felt the flow of breeze and replayed
the moment we shared in my mind."

"And then?"

"Suddenly, someone placed a hand on my shoulder. I

turned around, and it was Khushi."

"What did she do?"

"She told me the truth."

"What truth?"

"She’s dating Rasmalai."

"And you believed her?"

"Why wouldn’t I?"

"Did you ask Rasmalai about it?"

"I’m already hurt, Ananya. Why would I want to make it
worse by confronting him?" I replied, my irritation
flaring.

"But what if she’s lying?"

"Why would she lie to me, especially when we’d just

met?"

"I don’t know, but it’s possible," Ananya insisted.

"It doesn’t matter anymore. Just drop it… I need to

study." I said, trying to change the subject.

"As you wish… At least someone remembers she has to

study too!" Ananya teased, trying to lighten the mood.

I sat down at my table, opening my physiology textbook.

My eyes were on the page, but my thoughts were still
tangled up in memories of Rasmalai. I tried to focus,
forcing myself to study for an hour, but it was a struggle.
Eventually, I gave up and went to bed, hoping sleep
would offer some relief.

Days passed like this—my mind never fully free of

Rasmalai, but I managed to stop talking about him with
anyone.
One afternoon, while I was studying, a message
notification flashed on my screen. It was from Rasmalai.

"Hey, are you free?"

I read the message from the notification bar, debating

whether to reply immediately. I decided to respond later
in the evening, but his message gnawed at my focus.
After 39 minutes of futile attempts to concentrate, I gave
in and replied.

"Do you need any help?" I typed, trying to sound casual

and indifferent.

The message was seen almost instantly.

"Actually, yes," he replied.

"How can I help you?" I asked, my heart beating a little

faster.

"The college fest is coming up, and I wanted to sing a

duet this time. All my female friends who sing are either
doing solos or have already chosen partners."

"So?" I prompted, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"I thought you might not have a partner yet, so I wanted
to ask if you'd sing with me?"

I hesitated, feeling a mix of emotions. "Umm... I’m a bit

busy. I’ll text you in a while," I replied, stalling for time.

As soon as I sent the message, I called Ankita Di, even

though I knew she was probably taking her afternoon
nap.

"Hello?" her sleepy voice answered.

"Rasmalai texted," I blurted out.

"What did he say?" Her voice became instantly alert and

enthusiastic.

“He asked me if I could sing a duet with him at the

college fest…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing yet…”

“Then say yes!”

“But…”
“What better opportunity to get closer to him than this?
I'm tired of hearing you both sing solo. I want to hear
both of you sing together!”

“Okay, I’ll sing with him just for you… not that I’m
interested or anything.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know exactly how ‘uninterested’ you

are!”

We exchanged a few pleasantries, and she told me about

one of her professor's multiple affairs. We talked for two
hours, and then I texted Rasmalai.

“Yeah, let’s do it!”

“How about we start practicing tomorrow?” Rasmalai

replied

“Okay.” I said with a victory hand emoji

I set my phone aside, engrossed in thoughts of him,

smiling like an idiot. I almost forgot about Khushi and
what she had said that day. Suddenly, I realized that
Ananya had been gone from the room for a long time. I
called her, but she didn’t pick up.
Chapter 5
“She must be busy somewhere…” I muttered.

I put down the phone and slipped back into my

daydreams. The door opened, and Ananya entered.
“Where were you?” I asked, sitting up.

“In the park, chatting with…”

“Chatting with whom?” I asked, intrigued.

She just smiled.

I jumped onto her bed, wrapping my arms around her

from behind.

“Who is this guy?” I teased.

“Who are you talking about?” She tried to brush it off.

“Ugh, don’t you dare hide anything from me!” I warned

her with a mischievous grin.

“Oh, leave it! It’s not what you think… we were just…
Anyway, didn’t you call me? What were you going to
share?” She cleverly changed the subject.

“Oh, right! Actually, Rasmalai texted me about the

college fest…” I replied with a happy smile.

"Oh that's great!" She faked excitement like something

else was wandering in her mind.
I just smiled.

The next day, after classes and postings ended, Rasmalai

and I met up at the cafeteria. He ordered two cups of
coffee, his cutest smile lighting up his face.

"Did Ananya accept Keshav's proposal?" he asked with a

laugh, kicking off the conversation.

"What proposal?" I asked, puzzled.

"Oh, Keshav likes Ananya, and she might like him too.
Yesterday, Keshav approached her in the park... but she
didn't give him an answer right then."

"Ohhh, so that's what it's about. Now I get it!" I nodded,

finally understanding what was going on.

Our coffees were ready, and we started selecting songs

while taking sips. It all felt like a dream—sitting across
from Rasmalai, planning to sing together on stage. By
the time we had everything decided, it was already late.
He suggested we start the prep tomorrow, and I simply
agreed.
He left me outside my hostel wing, reminding me to
meet at the practice room tomorrow.

_________________________________
I was lying on my bed, scrolling through my phone.
Ananya was beside me, staring at the ceiling, lost in her
own thoughts.

"Hey, do you have any chocolate? I’m craving some,"

she suddenly asked.

"Why would I have chocolate for you, huh? You should

have your own!" I replied sarcastically.

"What do you mean?" she questioned.

"Didn’t Keshav give you a chocolate when he

approached you?"

"I already ate that yester..." She paused.

"Ohhh, so my gluttonous roommate got a proposal from

a bright senior, but didn’t even think to share this with
her roommate... I wouldn’t have eaten your chocolate!"

"I was just figuring out how to tell you..."

"Better figure out how to shift rooms, then!"

"Why would I move out, huh!?"

"To find a more confidante roommate, indeed!"

She hugged me, trying to soften the situation. "Oh, so

now my roommate is angry with me!"

"Angry? Who’s angry? I’m not angry! Why would I be

upset over someone who doesn’t even care about me?"

"I do care, girl!"

"Go show your cheesiness to Keshav bhaiyaa," I said in

a playful, mocking tone.

"Oh, so now that Rasmalai meets you daily, you’ve

decided to throw me away!" she teased, trying to turn the
tables on me.

"Excuse me! I didn’t throw you away. At least I didn’t

hide anything!" I said, leaving the room for a walk.

The park was unusually quiet, unlike the bustling

mornings and evenings. Maybe because there weren’t
many people who’d sit in a park at 1 AM like me. I
found a bench beneath a mango tree, sat down, and
placed my phone beside me, feeling the cold breeze
wash over me.
"Amidst this chaotic life, sitting peacefully in the park at
midnight is really soulful," I muttered to myself, eyes
closed, trying to soak in the moment.

"Yeah, it’s truly love!" A voice whispered behind me.

I opened my eyes in shock; my heart pounded harder

than it did when Rasmalai was around. My body
trembled, and I struggled to turn around, then failed to
pick up my phone which was just an inch apart from my
left palm. Mustering up some courage I stood up.

"Wh... wh... who is it?!" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Don’t worry, it’s me, Keshav!"

"Ohhh... you scared me!" I said, feeling as if I had just

returned from the brink of panic.

"May I sit?" he asked.

"Certainly!"

He sat down on the bench, maintaining a respectful

distance, just like in a school assembly line.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something," Keshav said,

hesitating.
"Sure."

"What does Ananya think about me?" he asked, a hint of

desperation in his voice.

It would be better to ask Ananya herself, I thought, but

my conscience stopped me, and I ended up saying, "It’s
all positive. She’s just an introvert and hesitates to
overshare."

I couldn’t believe I had just called the most extroverted

person I knew an introvert. Ugh, I thought.

"Thank you! You’ve given me some relief."

"Relief that I don’t even have myself," I muttered under

my breath.

"Did you say something?"

"No, nothing!"

"Hmm."

"If you don’t mind, may I ask you something too?" I

asked.
"Please, I’d be happy to answer!"

"What’s the bond between Rasmalai and Khushi?"

"Why are you asking about them?"

"Please, don’t ask me anything else..."

"Nothing special... she’s just clingy, trying to latch onto

everyone!"

"I don’t get it..."

"Let me explain exactly what happened."

"Hmm."

"So, last year at the college fest, she had a breakup with
her ex. She needed someone and thought Akshat, who
was single, would be the best match, so she tried
approaching him."

"If that’s the case, why didn’t she approach you?"

"I’ve hated that clingy girl from the start!"

"So, Rasmalai doesn’t hate her?"

"Your so-called sweet Rasmalai would never let anyone
question his sweetness... so how could he be rude to
her?"

"He could simply ignore her like he does me!" I

mumbled.

"Could you speak up? I didn’t hear you," Keshav said.

"So, they aren’t dating?"

"Ew, how could you even think that?"

"Ahhh... just forget it! And don’t you dare tell Rasmalai
anything I asked you, or I’ll make sure my roommate
knows how to deal with you!"

"I would never do that, dear junior!"

"That’s best for you, senior!"

"I guess it’s quite late now. We should head back to our
rooms."

"Yes, bye."

"Bye, Junior!"
We waved goodbye and headed back to our rooms. I felt
somewhat relieved, knowing I could still gaze at
Rasmalai without any hesitation. But once again, I failed
to understand the complexities of Rasmalai’s thoughts.

__________________

"Is my roommate back?" Ananya asked as I entered the

room.

"No, she’s still sitting on the park bench, chatting with

Keshav," I responded.

"Ughhh! It’s nothing like that; stop bringing up his name

all the time!" Ananya said, clearly annoyed.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, in fact, I..." She began to argue, but I cut her off.

"I’m not interested. Please let me sleep—it’s too late!"

"Ahh... I always listen to you, but now you’re refusing to

listen to me?"

I stayed quiet, lying down on my bed. I plugged in my

phone to charge, wrapped myself in the warm blanket,
and quickly dozed off.
Chapter 6
"See, we’re already late for the lecture!" I said to
Ananya, who had stayed up late and woke up just ten
minutes before we left for college.

"Umm... being late by two minutes doesn’t matter, girl!"

"I don’t know why, but believe me, you’re changing
because of that Keshav," I said irritably.

"I guess I’m improving."

"Very bad guess. You’re deteriorating!"

We sat together as usual, but my mind was preoccupied

with thoughts of what could happen at practice. I barely
paid attention to the lecture.

"It was a hectic day," Ananya said, exhausted from

whatever was taught.

"I didn’t feel so."

"How would you know? You were probably lost in

thoughts of Rasmalai, weren’t you?"

I gave her a weird smile, knowing she wasn’t entirely

wrong.

"Okay, bye! Have a wonderful practice. I’ll be waiting

for you."

"Bye!" I waved back.

---

The practice room was large, filled with various musical

instruments and other equipment. I found Rasmalai
sitting in a corner, talking to someone on the phone. Not
wanting to disturb him, I picked up a guitar and started
tuning it.

"Okay, enjoy his company. We’ll talk later," Rasmalai

said before hanging up the call.

He turned towards me with a grin. "Sorry, that was

Ankita. You know how she would’ve reacted if I had
abruptly cut her off."

"Hmm, I know!" I said, laughing.

"Yeah, that’s why I decided to chat for another five

minutes until Darsh arrives."

"Darsh, that one from our school, didi's Ex-bestfriend?" I

asked, puzzled.

"Yes. They randomly decided to go to a café 8

kilometers away from their college. She was waiting for
Darsh to show up and called me to pass the time,"
Rasmalai explained.
"How could she hide all this from me?!" I exclaimed,
clearly frustrated.

"She didn’t tell you?" Rasmalai asked, sounding

surprised.

I didn’t answer directly and just told him to start the

practice. My mood was already messed up after hearing
about Darsh. At that moment, I could have seriously
throttled Ankita Di for keeping me in dark.

"Practice is almost done for today. Just one more time,

and then we can get back to our rooms," Rasmalai said,
trying to be encouraging. But my mind was elsewhere.

Why didn’t she tell me about this? I knew Darsh was at

her college, but she had said that everything between
them was too awkward and owing to that they hardly
talked after their fallout. She told me all this last year.
And now, more than a year later, I’m hearing that they’re
spending time together at a café—and she didn’t even
tell me herself.

"Do you think Ankita Di is back now?" I asked, unable

to shake the uneasy feeling.

"She should be," Rasmalai replied.

"Okay." I grabbed my phone and dialed Kalamahadevi’s
number. She picked up almost instantly.

"Hello?" she said cheerfully.

"Leave your 'hello' in hell!" I snapped, using the same

sarcastic tone she had once used on me.

"What happened?"

"Nothing’s wrong with me! And even if something were,

why would you care?" I shot back.

"You’re my chocolate waffle with butterscotch mousse

and hazelnut sundae ice cream wali behnaa, of course I
care!" she replied, trying to lighten the mood.

"Just like you cared enough to tell me about your little

reunion?"

"Reunion?" she asked, sounding confused.

"Oh, so now you’re going to pretend you didn’t meet up

with Darsh Bhaiya?"

"Ohooo… so Bhaiya let that slip, huh?"

"Yeah, how else would I find out that my so-called
confidante is keeping secrets from me?"

"Please, don’t take it the wrong way—"

"Then how am I supposed to take it?"

"I was going to tell you, but I knew you were already
stressed about that Khushi thing, so I thought I’d wait
until you were feeling better," she explained.

I sighed, realizing that I hadn’t told her what Keshav

mentioned to me last night either.

"It’s fine now," I said, trying to keep my tone calm.

"So, you’re okay with it?" she asked, still unsure.

"It’s not about being okay or not. Nothing major has

even happened for me to react to."

"Really?"

"Yes. She was just being her usual dramatic self."

"I knew it! My Bhaiya would never hide anything from

his behna," she said, sounding relieved.
"But it seems like my Didi has started keeping secrets
from her behna!" I teased, reminding her that I wasn’t
entirely over it.

"Okay, okay, stop now. Go back to your room. I’ll tell

you everything in detail tonight," she said, trying to
manage the situation.

"Alright, as you wish. I won’t pry anymore. If you want

to tell me, fine. If not, no problem," I said, pretending
not to care.

"Ughh… Bye!" She hung up, and I noticed Rasmalai

standing right behind me. He had probably heard the
whole conversation.

_________

"So, what didn’t I hide from her?" he asked, looking

curious.

"Umm... Did you hear that?"

"Very clearly."

I sighed, realizing there was no point in keeping it

hidden any longer. " Khushi implied that you two had
something going on, and I didn’t know what to think. So,
I didn't ask you about it because... well, I didn't want to
pry into your personal life."

Rasmalai looked thoughtful for a moment. "You should

have just asked me. There's nothing between Khushi and
me. But it would have been better to hear it from me
directly."

I nodded, feeling a bit foolish for letting my assumptions

get the best of me. "I guess I just didn’t want to risk
hearing something I didn’t want to know."

"Hmmm," he murmured, his expression unreadable.

The mood between us shifted, and the energy to practice

faded away. It was clear neither of us was in the right
frame of mind anymore, so we decided to head back to
our rooms. As I entered my room, I found it empty.

"Ananya, are you in the washroom?" I called out, but no

reply came. The silence felt heavy, and I figured she
must have gone out with Keshav. I washed my face,
trying to shake off the strange tension, and drank some
water to quench my thirst.

"Without Ananya, everything seems so quiet," I muttered

to myself, feeling a pang of loneliness.
Just then, my phone rang, and for a second, I thought
Ananya had somehow heard me.

"Hey, where are you?" I asked as I picked up the call.

"Come downstairs, we’re waiting for you," Ananya said,

her voice sounding unusually upbeat.

When I got downstairs, I found Ananya, Rasmalai, and a

few others waiting for me.

"Let’s move ahead now," Ananya said with a mysterious

smile.

"Where are we going?" I asked, still feeling out of the

loop.

"It’s Keshav’s birthday tomorrow," Rasmalai explained.

"Your roommate here decided to surprise him, and she’s
roped us all in to help."

"Oh, a surprise party for Keshav... But do you even

remember your roommate’s birthday, hmm?" I teased
Ananya.

"Umm... yes, of course, I do! It's on the 6th of..." Ananya

trailed off, clearly forgetting.
"6th of what?"

"Ugh, it’s not important right now! Focus on the party,

will you?" Ananya said, quickly changing the subject.

"Hmm, I’ll remember that," I said, raising an eyebrow.

We headed to the market, and Ananya bought a three-tier

red velvet cake for Keshav. For someone like me who
has never cut a cake on my birthday, this seemed both
extravagant and fascinating. Ananya also bought a few
gifts for him, and I ended up buying one too—after all,
he was my roommate’s... whatever he was.

As we passed by a restaurant, Ananya suddenly

suggested, "We should have our dinner here since it’s
already so late."

"I didn’t bring enough money to pay the bill, and my

bank account is empty too," I whispered to her, feeling a
bit embarrassed.

"No problem, I’ll cover it for you," she replied without

hesitation.

"Okay then."
Ananya announced to the group that dinner was her treat,
without giving any reason, which only added to the
mystery. We had our dinner, and afterward, we decided
to decorate the park for Keshav’s celebration. It seemed
like the perfect place—quiet, secluded, and special.

As we began setting up, I couldn’t help but notice how

much effort Ananya was putting into making this night
perfect. It was almost like she was trying to prove
something, or maybe make up for something she felt she
owed. And as much as I wanted to focus on the task at
hand, a small part of me couldn’t shake the feeling that
this night would reveal more than just a birthday
surprise.

All of a sudden, I saw Rasmalai entering the park with

Keshav. I was so enthralled by him that I almost forgot
why I was standing there. A balloon burst out of the
blue, snapping me out of my trance. I noticed that it
wasn’t just me who had momentarily lost focus—
Ananya and Keshav also had their eyes locked on each
other, so deeply engrossed that even the bursting balloon
couldn’t distract them. I silently wished I could do what
the balloon couldn’t.

“Hmmm… Someone seems busy looking into someone

else’s eyes,” I teased.
“Oh, please shut up!” Ananya snapped, but her blushing
cheeks gave her away.

Keshav and Rasmalai approached us, and although I

initially decided to give Ananya and Keshav their space,
Rasmalai’s smile quickly made me reconsider. His grin
was infectious, and it took all my willpower to shift my
focus back to Ananya.

Ananya picked up a small cake from the table in the

center of the park and handed it to Keshav. There was
something peculiar about the cake, something I knew but
had promised to keep secret.

“Is there something inside this cake, huh?” Keshav

asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Why don’t you find out for yourself?” Ananya replied,

her eyes twinkling with mischief.

I was the only one who knew what was hidden inside
that cake. I knew exactly what was coming.

Keshav began to cut the cake, but his knife stopped

midway, hitting something solid. He carefully extracted
a red, beautifully decorated box from within the cake. It
was captivating, and though I usually scold Ananya for
spending too much on such things, I had to admit it was
perfect for this moment.

“Are you going to open that box, or just keep it as a

showpiece on your study table?” I teased, breaking the
spell between Keshav and Ananya.

“Oh… yeah, I’m opening it,” Keshav said, distracted by

my comment.

He opened the box to reveal a small folded chit inside.

When he unfolded it, the word “YES” was written in
bold letters.

“Is this for real, or am I dreaming?” Keshav asked, his

voice filled with disbelief and excitement.

This time, I was genuinely happy. The smiles on

Ananya’s, Keshav’s, and even Rasmalai’s faces were
contagious.

Ananya then brought out the real Red Velvet cake.

Keshav cut it with even more enthusiasm, offering the
first bite to Ananya, then to Rasmalai. When he turned to
me, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of bittersweetness,
knowing that I wasn’t the priority here. I couldn’t help
but wonder if, on Ananya’s birthday, it would be Keshav
she fed first.
“What pessimistic thought are you chewing on now?”
came a voice from behind me.

I spun around in shock, my heart skipping a beat. There

she was, a surprise I hadn’t expected. "AHHHH, you're
here!" I exclaimed, my excitement reaching a new level
as I hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go.

"How is this surprise?" she asked, her smile radiating

joy.

"Is it really just for me?" I said, tears welling up in my

eyes.

"For you both," she replied softly.

"Both?" I turned around, and there stood Rasmalai,

smiling warmly.

Ankita di’s focus shifted to him, and she embraced

Rasmalai just as she had embraced me. She was the only
one who could make me feel envious of him.

"Tell me, didi, whom would you have fed the cake first
on your birthday—me or Rasmalai?" I asked, my tone
serious, though a hint of vulnerability seeped through.
Both of them burst into laughter, the sound echoing
through the park, but I couldn’t help but wonder if they
realized just how much that question mattered to me.

Chapter 7
"Where am I supposed to sleep here, yaar?" Didi asked
as she entered our room.

"We’ll join our beds together. That way, we’ll get a

double bed out of two single beds," Ananya suggested as
if she’d just come up with the most innovative idea.

"Oh wow, what a groundbreaking idea!" I exclaimed

sarcastically.
"It’s actually not a bad idea. Why are you being so
snarky with her?" Didi said, siding with Ananya.

"Ughh… Will you ever be on my side?"

"I will think about it!" she teased.

We pushed the beds together, changed into our night

suits, and then sat on the newly formed double bed.

"Oh Di, you’re so cute!" Ananya said, clearly trying to

flex her flattering skills.

"Yes, yes, she’s absolutely adorable! Cuteness

overload!" I added with a laugh.

"Just shut up!" Didi snapped playfully, grinning.

"Anyway, what brings you here?" I asked, curious.

"Our exams ended, so we got a month off. I thought,

since it’s Raksha Bandhan and your college fest is
coming up, why not come here?"

"Raksha Bandhan? Oh, so you came here just for him,

huh?" I said, feigning jealousy.
"Ufff," Didi sighed.

"Leave her, Di. She’s practically a textbook case of

morbid jealousy—a disorder where the person is always
paranoid about being replaced by their partner. She’s
even worse, though. At least those patients are only
worried about their spouse!" Ananya quipped, laughing
at her own joke.

They both burst out laughing at Ananya's unnecessary

psychoanalysis.

"WTH!! I’m not talking to either of you anymore. You

both can just get out of my room… go to your Keshav
and you to your dearest bhaiya, huhhh!" I said,
pretending to be angry.

"I guess you’ve forgotten that this room isn’t just yours!"

"Why are you both ganging up on me? I’m going to cry,

I swear!" I said, trying to sound annoyed.

"Oho, don’t cry, baby… don’t cry," they both said in

sync, laughing.

I couldn’t help but crack a smile and join in.

We ended up staying up the whole night, chatting and
sharing all the musings and happenings that we’d missed
while talking on the phone.
____________

The next day was Raksha Bandhan, the very day for
which Kalamahadevii made her grand appearance...

"Wake up and get fresh! We have to go!" Didi shook me

out of my sleep.

I sat up, still wrapped in my blanket, and adjusted my

spectacles. My eyes widened as I saw Didi dressed in a
cream-colored suit with pink and blue floral prints that
made her look stunning. Before I could fully process her
beauty, I noticed Ananya in a teal-colored suit, equally
dazzling. Both of them had completely stolen my sleep
away.

"Why are you both dressed up so nicely?" I asked, still

half-asleep.

"It’s Raksha Bandhan, bro!" Ananya exclaimed, as if

that explained everything.

"And whom are you supposed to tie Rakhi to, haan?" I

asked Ananya, a bit confused.
"Rasmalai!" she replied with a mischievous grin.

"Oh, nice. You guys can go ahead. I’m planning to sleep

in today... let me enjoy some good rest."

"You’re coming with us. Get up from the bed now!" Didi
snapped, leaving no room for argument.

"Ughh, what am I supposed to do there, huh?" I

grumbled, clearly frustrated.

"You can tie Rakhi to Keshav," Ananya suggested with a

sly smile.

I gave her a side-eye.

"That’s actually not a bad idea," Didi chimed in,

supporting her.

"But..." I started, still annoyed.

"No buts! Just go and get ready!" Didi ordered with a

tone that meant business.

"Okay, okay..." I mumbled, dragging myself out of bed,

making sure they could see how unenthusiastic I was. I
headed to the washroom, deliberately taking my time—
1.5 hours, to be precise—hoping that by the time I was
done, they’d have given up and left without me. But I
was wrong. They cursed me for the delay, but they didn’t
leave without me.

Once I was finally ready, we left the room together. But

wait a minute—how were we going to get into the boys'
hostel to tie Rakhi? That thought suddenly crossed my
mind.

"The venue for today is something that would never

come into anyone’s mind!" Ananya said with a weird
grin on her face.

Ankita Di laughed along with her.

"And may I ask what this mysterious venue is?" I asked,

intrigued.

"The nearest OYO," Ankita Di said so casually, as if it

was the most normal thing in the world to go there to tie
Rakhi.

"WHAT?!" I blurted out, utterly shocked.

"Who came up with this crazy idea, haan?" I asked, still

in disbelief.

"Of course, it was me," Ankita said proudly.

I was floored by her decision, unable to wrap my head
around it. Ufff...

We reached the nearest OYO, where Rasmalai and

Keshav were already waiting outside. Together, we all
entered the hotel, collected the key to our room, and
settled in.

As we sat down, I couldn’t help but notice Rasmalai’s

outfit—a cream-colored kurta with blue floral prints that
matched Ankita Di’s perfectly.

"Did you two plan to twin today, huh?" I asked, glancing

between Rasmalai and Ankita Di.

"Yes," they replied in perfect synchronization.

"I think you failed to notice us," Ananya chimed in,

pointing to herself and Keshav. They were both dressed
in matching teal-colored outfits, looking just as perfect.

"Oh, you guys are twinning too! Albeit you both look
perfect but I guess it's not an occasion for you two to
twin" I cracked a good joke but not consciously as l was
not in a good mood due to not getting a true but
compelled participation in todays hectic event.
"Why are you being envious of them. Don’t worry,
maybe in some days you’ll have someone too to twin
with," Rasmalai added sweetly, trying to be comforting.

If you can’t twin with me, don’t offer me any

consolation about finding someone else, I wanted to say.
But instead, I simply muttered, "We should move in
now."

The five of us entered the room, and Ankita Di tied the

Rakhi to Rasmalai first. They looked so adorable
together, Ananya followed, tying her Rakhi to Rasmalai.

As they shared their sweet moments, I started feeling

like the fifth wheel, intruding on Keshav and Ananya's
budding romance and being envious of the playful bond
between Ankita Di and Rasmalai. All four of them were
so engrossed in their pairs that they almost forgot about
me. For the first time in 3-4 months, I found myself
intensely missing home and Bhai.

"Hey, stop those negative thoughts and just tie the Rakhi
to Keshav," Ankita Di said, snapping me out of my
reverie.
"Yes, I’ve always wanted a sweet younger sister like
you!" Keshav added, his tone so endearing that it melted
my heart.

Those few loving words were enough to chase away my

thoughts. I tied the Rakhi to him, and he fed me a piece
of Rasmalai from a plate filled with sweets. We all
laughed and enjoyed our time together at the OYO—it
didn’t feel at all like the place we Indians typically
imagine.

"Let’s check out now; I’ve planned so many more things

for today," Ankita Di said, full of enthusiasm.

With that, we got up from our spot and headed out of the
room, ready to continue our day.

______________________

"You lost all the games to me!" Ananya said excitedly.

"I didn't expect spending time at the game zone could be

so much fun," I replied.

"Then what else did you expect, hnn? Games and game
zones are meant for fun, aren’t they?" Ankita di added.

"Hmm…"
"Where are we going now, by the way?" Rasmalai asked.

"To a restaurant. We’ll head back to the hostel after

dinner," Didi replied.

All five of us arrived at the restaurant. Ankita di was

clearly irritated by how Ananya and Keshav were so into
each other that they almost forgot we were there. She
moved ahead and sat at a round table with three chairs.
She gestured to me and Rasmalai to take the other two
seats.

"We're five people. Why did you pick a table with only
three chairs?" Ananya asked Ankita di.

"I thought I’d give you both some privacy. You can sit
over there," Ankita di replied, pointing to a table about
ten steps away.

Ananya and Keshav walked over and sat down.

"Finally!" Didi sighed in relief.

The waiter arrived, and for starters, I ordered a veg

spring roll, Ankita di asked for veg kebabs, and
Rasmalai went with paneer pakoda.
We were just having a casual conversation. Ankita di
asked about our preparation for the fest happening in two
days. We discussed what we planned to wear and
everything. Suddenly, the topic shifted to who would get
the first bite of the cake.

"Umm... whom would you have fed the cake to first, me

or her?" Rasmalai asked playfully.

Ankita di pondered for a moment, took a deep breath,

and then said, "I would feed bhaiya first."

I wasn’t sure why she said that, but she did.

"I knew it! No one else can take priority over me!"
Rasmalai said, teasingly.

I felt hurt by those words, even though they were said in

jest.

"If you already knew, then why did you even ask?" I
said, trying to hold back tears.

"I just wanted to show you that your efforts won’t count
if I’m the opponent," Rasmalai replied with a grin.
"Okay, then perform alone the day after tomorrow. I’m
not interested in singing with someone who sees their
partner as an opponent!" I snapped, clearly frustrated.

"Hey, why are you linking this with our performance? It

was just a joke!"

"Oh, if it was a joke, then please don’t ever crack one

again," I said, standing up.

"Don’t be so serious, everything was just playful!"

Ankita di tried to calm me down.

"I don't care," I replied, walking away.

"Hey, you can’t just leave like this!" Ankita Di called

after me.

"There’s no point in staying where I’m not the

PRIORITY!" I snapped, putting extra emphasis on the
word 'priority' so Rasmalai could realize his mistake.

"No one can be the priority all the time," Rasmalai

replied calmly, only making my mood worse.

"Ugh, I don’t want to listen to you. Bye!"

I stormed out of the restaurant and headed back to the
hostel, fuming with anger at Rasmalai.
I was scrolling my phone sitting peacefully on my bed,
the door opened, revealing Ankita Di and Ananya.

"Come on, take that sadness off your face and eat
something," Ankita Di said, gesturing to the food she
had brought back. It was everything I had planned to eat
there with Rasmalai and her, but fate had other ideas.

"I don’t feel like eating," I mumbled.

"Get up and eat peacefully," Di insisted, her tone firm

yet gentle.

"Ugh, I told you, I don’t feel like eating!"

"Fine! Then go to hell and don’t eat!" she snapped, her

patience wearing thin.

"I don’t even want to," I shot back.

Frustrated, I buried my face in the pillow, trying to

escape into sleep, but thoughts of Rasmalai wouldn’t let
me. Just when I thought I might drift off, my phone
buzzed with a message notification. I hesitantly picked it
up, hoping for some kind of apology, but instead, it was
a message from Rasmalai: "Day after tomorrow we have
to perform, so kindly reach the practice room a bit earlier
tomorrow, probably around 4 PM."

I stared at the screen, my anger bubbling up again.

Without replying, I left the message on seen and tossed
my phone aside, feeling even more upset than before.

Chapter 8
Ananya was out of the room for some reason, leaving
just Ankita Di and me. It was 4:30 PM, and knowing that
Rasmalai might call, I had deliberately kept my phone on
silent. We were chatting when suddenly, Ankita Di's
phone rang.

"Who is it?" I asked, though I already had a good idea.

"Akshat Bhaiya," she replied.

"Oh, go ahead, pick it up. He’s always your priority!" I

shot back sarcastically.

"Ugh, fine, I won’t pick up. But what if it’s something

urgent?" she responded, a bit exasperated.

"When did I ever stop you from picking up his call?" I

replied, rolling my eyes.

Ignoring my sarcasm, she answered the call.

"What happened to Jayashree? Where is she? I messaged

her yesterday that we have to start the practice early, but
she’s not even picking up my calls!" I could hear
Rasmalai's voice clearly, even though I was pretending
to be engrossed in my phone with earphones on.

Ankita Di listened to him and quickly grasped why I was

acting the way I was.

"Did you apologize?" she asked calmly.

"Apologize? For what and to whom?" Rasmalai
responded, clearly confused.

"To the girl who’s been doing her best to ignore you,"
Ankita Di replied, her tone a mix of amusement and
seriousness.

"You mean Jayashree is ignoring me because of that

whole priority thing?" Rasmalai asked, finally starting to
understand.

"Exactly, Bhaiya. Sometimes, it’s easier to just say sorry

rather than let things escalate. You could have simply
apologized."

"But how was I supposed to know she was upset and

trying to ignore me?" he sounded genuinely puzzled.

"Just forget it," she sighed.

"So, what should I do now?" he asked, sounding a bit

helpless.

"Well, I doubt she’ll want to practice today. Your best

bet is to send her an apologetic message and give her a
call to explain everything for tomorrow," Ankita Di
suggested confidently.
"Are you sure she won’t stay mad at me tomorrow?"

"I’m super sure—if you do what I said," Ankita Di

replied with certainty.

"Okay, I’ll do it."

As soon as they ended the call, my phone rang—it was

Rasmalai.

"Why weren't you picking up my calls?" he asked, his

tone slightly frustrated.

"Because I was talking to Ankita di. Not everyone can be

the priority all the time, you know. In this case, Ankita
Di was my priority, and I didn’t want to make her feel
less important," I replied, deliberately using the word
'priority' as many times as I could, knowing it would get
under his skin.

"Listen, it was just a joke. I never meant to hurt anyone."

"Did I say I’m hurt?"

"No, but your words suggest otherwise."

"Don’t overthink it. Why are you even prioritizing me?
You should focus on your solo performance for
tomorrow."

"Solo?" he asked, confused.

"Yes, solo. No more questions. Your duet partner no

longer exists to take your calls. So, do yourself a favor
and stop dialing this number," I said, feeling a twisted
sense of pride in my rudeness.

After hanging up, I kept my phone aside, I tried to

distract myself with anything else, but my mind kept
wandering back to Rasmalai. Just as I was about to give
up and attempt to sleep, my phone buzzed again—
another call from him.

I stared at the screen, hesitating. I knew he wouldn’t stop

until I answered, so I reluctantly picked up.

"Yes?" I said, keeping my voice cold.

"Please, Jayashree. Don’t do this. I need you for

tomorrow’s performance. We’ve worked so hard
together, and it won’t be the same without you,"
His voice was softer, more sincere. It was hard to stay
mad when he sounded like that, but I tried to hold my
ground.

"Why should I help you? You didn’t care earlier," I

replied, though my resolve was starting to weaken.

"I’m sorry, okay? I really am. I didn’t realize how much

it would hurt you. I messed up, and I’ll make it up to you
—just please, don’t let this come between us and ruin the
performance."

There was a long pause as I considered his words. I

remembered all the time we spent rehearsing, the laughs
we shared, and how much this performance meant to
both of us. I didn’t really want to throw all that away.

"Fine," I finally said, a bit reluctantly. "I’ll be there. But

that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you. You still owe me."

"I’ll take that. Thank you, Jayashree. You won’t regret

it."

I hung up, still a little annoyed but also relieved. I knew

the performance would be better with the two of us, and
maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t ready to let go of our
partnership either.
The next day, before our performance, the practice room
was filled with melody. Our voices blended effortlessly
with the guitar strings, flowing together in perfect
harmony. The song was about how we only understand
someone’s worth once they’re gone. This time, as we
practiced, it felt different—raw and unfiltered, no longer
just an act. There was something real in the air.

I caught Rasmalai’s gaze, and for the first time, it felt

like he was truly seeing me, the way I had always looked
at him. My heart thudded in my chest, pounding so hard
I thought he might hear it. When we finished, a smile
flared at his lips. I couldn’t help but smile back, but the
room quickly fell into silence.

“Jayashree…” he broke the quiet, his voice softer than

usual.

I half-expected another casual compliment, like all the

times before. But then, he continued, surprising me.

“This felt different. I mean, we’ve practiced so many

times before, but this… it hit harder.”

“Yeah, I felt it too,” I admitted, trying to play it cool. I

turned away, ready to head backstage, my heart still
racing.
“Wait…” he called after me, his voice pulling me to a
halt. I turned to face him, and he stepped closer. My
pulse became faster as the space between us shrank, but
then he stopped, leaving the gap—a distance that felt
both respectful and maddening.

“I know I can be annoying,” he began, his tone unusually

gentle, “but… are you still hurt by what I said?”

His question caught me off guard, and in that moment,

all the anger I’d been holding onto started to collapse.
His voice, so sincere, mixed with the way he was
looking at me, swept away any anger I had left.

“I’m not,” I said softly. “Maybe I was, a little… but it’s

hard for me to stay mad at you.”

He stepped just a fraction closer, “Actually,

Jayashree…” His words trailed off, and for milisecond,
it felt like he was about to say something more—
something I hadn’t let myself hope for.

But before he could speak, someone burst through the

door.

“What are you both doing here? You’re up next! You

should be backstage,” Ankita di called out, interrupting
charged moment between us.
“Yes, we were just heading there,” Rasmalai responded
quickly, breaking the spell.

I followed him backstage, but my mind was still tethered

to the practice room. What was he about to say? My
heart ached with curiosity, but fear held me back from
asking.

We were both lost in our thoughts when we heard our

names being announced on stage. As we stepped out into
the spotlight, I glanced at Rasmalai. He gave me a
reassuring smile, one that seemed to say, “Don’t be
nervous, we’ve got this.” I smiled back, my nerves
easing a little. We took our positions, and as we began to
perform, the presence of the large crowd faded into the
background. All I could focus on was Rasmalai, standing
right beside me, singing in harmony with me. The
performance didn’t feel like just another act—it felt like
an outpouring of emotions.

When we finished, the roar of applause snapped me out

of the trance. People were cheering, their faces bright
with excitement. It was clear they had loved every
moment of it.
“We nailed it!” Rasmalai exclaimed, his eyes shining
with pride.

“Yeah, I think so too,” I agreed, still absorbing the

warmth in the energy of the crowd.

My gaze drifted toward keshav, Ananya and Ankita

Didi, sitting in the front row. As we stepped off the
stage, Ankita di rushed forward, wrapping both of us in a
warm hug. It felt special—though I had hugged her
plenty of times before, this was the first time I had ever
hugged Rasmalai, even if indirectly. The moment felt...
different.

“It was effortless! You both looked like you were really
enjoying it,” Keshav chimed in, his voice breaking the
moment.

“Haan, we were,” Rasmalai and I responded in perfect

sync, with a grin at our lips.

We all took our seats and enjoyed the rest of the

program, but in the back of my mind, the curiosity about
what Rasmalai had been about to say tugged persistently.
When the event ended and the night grew quiet, we
headed for dinner. Ananya was chatting with Ankita di
as we walked toward the dining hall, but I slowed down,
letting them go ahead so I could catch up with Rasmalai.
"You were saying something earlier?" I asked, breaking
the silence as Rasmalai pretended to be engrossed in his
phone.

"Hmm? When?"

"In the practice room, just before Ankita di came in..."

"Oh, that. Yeah, but it’s nothing. Forget it."

"Alright, if you say so." I shrugged, trying to appear

indifferent, though the curiosity gnawed at me.

We continued walking in silence for a moment.

"But seriously, tell me—I really want to know," I said

again, unable to hold back any longer.

He paused, smirked slightly, and glanced at me. "Fine,

but you have to answer me first."

"Okay, I will! Ask away."

"Do you still have a crush? And swear on your Ankita di,
no lying!"
I hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Yes, I still have
one."

"And who is it?"

"What difference does that make?"

"If you really want to know what I was going to say,

then tell me. Otherwise, no problem, it’s fine. Don’t tell
me," he said, with that same challenging smirk.

I inwardly cursed myself for nicknaming him Rasmalai.

He wasn’t soft like Rasmalai—more like harder than a
diamond, I thought, feeling increasingly irritated.

"But how is my crush even related to what you were

saying?" I asked, clearly frustrated.

"It is. So, are you going to tell me or are we just wasting
our time?"

"Ugh, why are you like this!" I groaned.

"Name of your crush, please!" he demanded, his voice

firm.

Silence fell between us as we lagged further behind the

others. Rasmalai must have assumed I wasn't going to
reveal anything because he quickened his pace, starting
to leave me behind.

"My crush hasn’t changed since 9th grade!" I blurted

out, my voice louder than usual as he walked ahead.

He stopped instantly and turned to face me.

"You mean... it's me, right?" he asked gently.

I sighed and dropped my eyes towards the ground.

Chapter 9
The next morning, Ankita di left my room in a rush, the
whole scenario still chaotic in my mind. She had booked
a ticket for the first train leaving the station at 7 AM and
a cab to take her there.

"You had a fight with Jayashree?" Darsh asked, his voice

coming through the phone, as Ankita di looked out the
cab window, lost in thought.

"And with Akshat bhaiya too. We fought over the phone

before I left their college," she replied, her tone sharp.

"Ankita, you're too short-tempered sometimes. You

shouldn't react like this," Darsh said, trying to sound
reasonable.

"Short-tempered? Seriously, Darsh? After everything

that happened last night, how can you even say that?"
Ankita di snapped.

"But..."

"What 'but'? I don’t see anything wrong with fighting

with Akshat bhaiya after what he did."

"Okay, but why did you react like that with Jayashree?"
Darsh pressed, his tone calmer.

"Because of the way she behaved!" Ankita di said,

clearly frustrated.
"But was there really a reason to fight with both of
them?" Darsh asked carefully.

"I think there was. I can’t just act like everything’s okay
with Akshat bhaiya after what he pulled. He needs to
understand that this isn’t right..." Ankita di started, her
words cut off by the cab driver.

"Madam, we've reached the station," the cab driver said.

"Darsh, I’ll call you after I board the train," Ankita di

said, her voice now softer.

"Okay, take care," Darsh replied.

She hung up, grabbed her things, and stepped out of the
cab, still fuming but trying to hold herself together.

"There was no point in behaving like that with Ankita

di," Ananya said to me softly.

"I know... and I’m sorry about it. I’ll express my guilt to
her today after college," I replied, feeling the weight of
regret.
"Hmm, you definitely should!" Ananya nodded in
agreement.

We were walking ahead when Keshav approached to

hand something over to Ananya. Rasmalai was with him,
and for the first time, seeing him didn’t fill me with the
excitement and delight. The whole situation was
becoming sophisticated. Rasmalai stood just a few feet
away, and I was about to ask Ananya if I could move
ahead when something unexpected happened, changing
the flow of my story with Rasmalai, a story that never
even began.

"Are you Jayashree?" a voice asked.

I turned around to face the speaker.

He was wearing a beige coloured t-shirt with collars and

buttons upto his chest tucked perfectly with a dark
brown textured pant with the most syncing sneakers and
a brown belt watch. His dressing sense was just like a
boy that any other girl would manifest of. His deep
brown eyes with dreamy long lashes complimented his
bushy aligned eyebrows. His fair (but not too fair) skin
could reflect the characteristics of a gentlemen and his
soft pink lips could utter every single attractive word
without even [Link] had an extremely appealing
smile that could make a person sign their property papers
on his name. The loveliness of his face was enough to
leave an incorrigible mark on the heart. l could not
imagine any boy looking that dashing with the height of
his. His messy wavy hair could literally create waves in
the heart of girls. His deep sinking voice could resonate
melodies in the air. He was a boy with the perfect
proportions of cuteness and handsomeness.

"Yes," I replied, though I wasn’t particularly affected by

his appearance.

"You have such a lovely voice. I really wanted to talk to

you since last night, but I couldn't find you at the dinner
hall," he said, his tone friendly.

"Thank you," I responded with a forced smile, still

emotionally drained.

"You must be heading to the lecture. Let’s go together,"

he offered casually.

In that moment, it felt like God himself had sent him. I

desperately needed a way to escape Rasmalai, and this
boy’s presence seemed like the perfect opportunity.

"Why not? Let’s go!" I replied, this time with a genuine

smile.
I quickly told Ananya to come after her work with
Keshav was done. She understood that I wanted to avoid
Rasmalai and didn’t hold me back from going with the
boy.

"You’re in the first year, right?" he asked, his tone

friendly.

"Yes, and you?" I inquired, trying to keep the

conversation going.

"I’m also in the same batch. I guess you haven’t noticed

me before," he said with a playful smile.

"Actually, yes," I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"So, how did you end up collaborating with that senior?"

he asked.

"Ugh... What do you mean?" I responded, my thoughts

momentarily distracted by his question.

"Akshat. I mean, we’ve only been in college for about

four months, and getting close enough to a senior to
perform together at a college fest is pretty unusual," he
explained.
"Well, he was a senior in school, so we knew each other
from before. That’s why," I clarified.

"Oh, I see," he said.

After a few moments of silence, I realized I hadn’t asked

for his name.

"What’s your name, by the way?" I asked.

"Ishaan. Ishaan Malviya," he introduced himself.

We reached the lecture hall, still chatting. Ananya also

joined after some time. I found him to be quite
easygoing and friendly. As we settled in, I ended up
sitting between Ananya and Ishaan, feeling relieved to
have some light conversation to distract me from the
earlier events.

Chapter 10
After the lecture, the three of us headed to the cafeteria
to relax.

"I have to go for dinner with Keshav. Are you coming?"

Ananya asked me.

"I'm not interested," I replied.

"Rasmalai won’t be there," she said, trying to convince
me.

"I still don’t want to go," I said firmly.

"As you wish!" Ananya sighed.

"Who is Rasmalai? Is it a name?" Ishaan asked, looking

curious.

"I don’t think you would have had to ask that if you had
met us 2-3 days ago. She would have introduced you to
Rasmalai herself," Ananya replied.

"Is he your boyfriend or something?" Ishaan inquired.

"Ugh... No!" I replied, a bit flustered.

"Then?" Ishaan pressed.

Ananya gestured for me to explain, nudging Ishaan to

ask me directly.

"If you don’t want to tell, I can find out on my own,"

Ishaan said with a teasing tone.
"Then please go ahead," I replied, trying to hide my
frustration.

"Ugh, never mind. The day you’re ready to share, let me

know," he said gently.

"Hmm..." I murmured, lost in thoughts of the moments I

had shared with Rasmalai in that very cafeteria and
reflecting on how quickly things could change.

"Let’s move now," Ananya said as we finished our

coffees. We stood up and went our separate ways—
Ananya and I heading back to the hostel, while Ishaan
went his own way.

______

"Finally, I found a friend other than you," Ananya said

mockingly.

"You already had one," I reminded her about Keshav.

"Oh, I need to get ready for dinner," she exclaimed.

"Yes, please do!" I replied.

"What will you do while I’m at dinner?" Ananya asked.

"I'll call Ankita di. I’m sure she’ll forgive me, and I’ll
talk to her until you get back. I have a lot to tell her," I
said.

"Okay!" Ananya agreed, heading off to prepare.

After Ananya left, I called Ankita di, but for the first
time, she didn’t pick up my call after almost 15 hours of
our fight. I sent her an apology text and started scrolling
through my phone, waiting for a reply.

Suddenly, a new message notification popped up.

“Heyy!”

It was from an unknown number. Before I could process

it, another message followed. “It’s me, Ishaan.”

“Oh, hi Ishaan!” I replied.

“I met Ananya a few minutes ago when she was leaving

with her boyfriend. I asked for your number from her.”

“Oh!”

“Are you busy?” he asked.

“No, I’m not particularly occupied with anything,” I

replied.
“Then come downstairs. Let’s go for a walk together,”
he suggested.

I was feeling bored lying on my bed, and a change of

scenery sounded like a good idea to escape my
pessimistic thoughts.

“Okay, I’ll be down in 5 minutes. You wait in the park,”

I replied.

He responded with a thumbs-up emoji. I quickly

changed into a simple T-shirt and trousers, washed my
face, applied moisturizer, and tied my hair into a
ponytail.

“Hi,” I said as I reached the park.

“You took more than 5 minutes—13 minutes, to be

precise,” Ishaan teased.

“Ugh, you were literally counting!”

We both laughed and then headed out of the college

campus.

“Don’t you have any friends here other than us?” I

asked.
“Not really,” he replied.

“Your roommate?” I inquired.

“I don’t have one. I mean, I didn’t get a roommate,” he

said.

“Oh,” I said.

“You and Ananya seem to be very good friends,” he

noted with a genuine smile.

“Actually, yes. Our vibes matched really well,” I said,

smiling back.

“Haha, I could see that,” he chuckled.

Our conversation was flowing effortlessly, and soon we

came across a golgappa vendor.

“You like golgappa?” he asked.

“They’re not my favorite, but I do enjoy them,” I replied.

“Then let’s have some!” he said enthusiastically.

We approached the stall like two excited kids.

“Umm, they’re not that bad!” I said, enjoying my first
golgappa.

“They can never be bad!” he replied.

I agreed, savoring the treat he had suggested on our very

first day of friendship. When it was time to head back, it
didn’t feel like we had only just met that day. Ishaan felt
like a friend who had come into my life to lift my spirits.

We waved each other goodbye and headed back to our

rooms. Once inside mine, I remembered I hadn’t
checked Ankita di’s reply in my excitement with Ishaan.
I pulled out my phone and saw that she had forgiven me.
She hadn’t picked up my call because she was out for a
movie with Darsh.

Normally, I might have reacted badly to her not

answering me because of Darsh, but Ishaan's company
had kept me from dwelling on it.

So, I sat at my study desk and started studying.

Chapter 11
Days passed, and I became quite close with Ishaan. We
had our evening walks daily and went to college
together. He was the perfect friend I had been looking
for—he loved my poetry, enjoyed my off-key singing,
and, most eminently, listened to my problems and
offered thoughtful solutions.

“Do you still like Rasmalai?” he asked one day.

“Unfortunately, yes!” I replied.

“Hm, I could sense that,” he said.

He asked me this same question every couple of weeks,

and my answer was always the same. He encouraged me
to move on from Rasmalai. In fact, he had been
persistent about it.

It was after a month of our friendship when Ishaan had

asked, “Why do you want to move on from Rasmalai?
You’ve liked him for such a long time!”

That day I started explaining what had happened after

our performance, narrating how Rasmalai’s reaction had
deeply affected me. Ishaan listened with excitement.

“What happened after you said you still have a crush on

him?” Ishaan asked.

FLASHBACK OF THE NIGHT OF FEST:

”“Okay, so that night, when I told him my crush hadn’t
changed since 9th grade, he stopped instantly and turned
to face me.

‘You mean... it’s me, right?’ he asked gently.

I sighed, and dropped my eyes towards the ground.

‘Listen, Jayashree,’ he paused, his voice soft but firm, ‘I
don’t want to hurt you, and that’s why... I think we
shouldn’t talk anymore.’

My heart sank. ‘How are our conversations even

connected to my crush on you?’ I asked, feeling a mix of
confusion and frustration.

‘You might not express it, but if we keep talking, your

expectations will grow, even if you don’t realize it. It’s
better to keep distance now... I just don’t want you to
end up hurt because of me.’

Before he could say another word, I turned and walked

away. Tears pricked my eyes as I made my way back to
my room. That night, I skipped dinner and lay in bed,
crying quietly until Ananya and Ankita di came in. My
mind kept replaying his words, over and over.

I never asked for anything more. I was fine just being his
friendly junior. I loved our conversations, spending time
together... but that didn’t mean I was expecting anything
more. If this was how it was going to end, then why did
he even reach out to me in the first place? Why bother
with that amazing duet performance, only to push me
away?
‘Why does this always happen to me?’ I whispered
through my tears.

“What happened?” Ankita di's voice cut through the

silence as they entered the room.

Quickly wiping my tears, I pulled her into a tight hug,

not wanting to let go.

“Has God decided to give me all the pain in this world?”

I asked, still clinging to her, my cheeks wet with fresh
tears.

“Aree, what happened? You both performed so well

tonight. Everyone was praising your chemistry on stage.
You seemed so happy... then why didn’t you come for
dinner? And now you’re crying like this... Haan?”
Ankita di asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Yeah, we were looking for you and Rasmalai at

dinner,” Ananya chimed in. “You were supposed to
come together, weren’t you?”

I tried to answer, but all that came out was a choked sob.
“Didi...”

“Ananya, bring some water,” Ankita di instructed.

Ananya quickly returned with a glass of water, and
Ankita di gently made me sip it.

“Now, calm down,” she said softly. “Tell me what’s

causing all this pain.”

I sniffled, trying to gather my voice. “Rasmalai...”

She sighed heavily. “Uff... him again? What did he do

this time?”

Still sobbing, I whispered, “He said we shouldn’t talk

anymore, in case I start expecting something more.”

Ankita di’s face immediately darkened with frustration.

“What the hell! Why does he always do this?”

Tears streamed down my face as I continued crying.

“Hey, stop crying. This isn’t your fault,” Ankita di said,

her tone softening. “He’s the one who should regret this,
not you!”

“Why would he regret anything?” I muttered.

“Why not? You’re such an amazing person, Jayashree.

He’s the one missing out... he couldn’t even keep you as
a friend.”
“Ugh... It’s my fault,” I said, frustrated, wiping my eyes
angrily. “I’m the fool who keeps falling for him over and
over again, even though I know how this ends every
time.”

“Aree... it’s not your fault, trust me—” she began, trying
to reassure me.

But my frustration boiled over. “You know what? I don’t

need your consolation. Just leave me alone!”

In Hindi, I spat out the words more harshly: “Please,

dafa ho jao aap yahan se!”

The words stung her. Ankita di’s expression hardened,

hurt evident in her eyes. “Fine then. Keep crying over
someone who’ll never care for you,” she said sharply.
“And yes, I’m leaving right now.”

She started gathering her scattered things, stuffing them

into her bag. Ananya, standing by helplessly, tried to
stop her, but Ankita di wouldn’t listen. I didn’t even try
to stop her, watching numbly as she stormed out of the
room.""
----------------- END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
I narrated everything in detail to Ishaan about that day.
After listening, he advised me not to waste my time on
someone who really didn't care.

“I am out with Ananya today, so I can’t join you for the

walk,” I said over the phone.

“Okay, have fun!” Ishaan replied.

Suddenly, a voice from behind interrupted Ishaan. “You

are Ishaan, right?”

Ishaan turned around to see Rasmalai standing there.

“Yes, I am Ishaan,” he replied.

Ishaan looked at him with mild interest, unsure of what

to make of the encounter.

"You are Jayashree's friend, aren't you?" Rasmalai

asked.

"Yes, I am!" Ishaan replied proudly.

"Let's sit and talk," Rasmalai suggested.

Both of them sat on a bench beneath the mango tree, the
air thick with an unspoken tension.

"I’ve heard a lot about you from Jayashree," Ishaan

started, looking at Rasmalai.

"That’s great to hear!" Rasmalai responded, his voice

neutral.

"Hmm, but it was quite hard for her to start

recovering…" Ishaan said, his tone shifting.

"Recover? Was she suffering from something?"

Rasmalai asked, now confused.

"She liked you—more than you probably deserved,"

Ishaan replied sharply.

"I don’t understand, could you clarify?" Rasmalai asked,

now genuinely curious.

"She adored you for four and a half years, without

expecting anything in return. She cherished your time
together, but you spent time with her until you no longer
needed her for your performances. And then, you
decided not to talk anymore," Ishaan snapped, his
frustration evident.
"I didn’t want to hurt her further," Rasmalai said
defensively.

"But you did," Ishaan said, his voice firm.

"I feel bad about it… maybe I should apologize,"

Rasmalai admitted, guilt creeping into his voice.

Before Ishaan could respond, I walked in.

"What are you both doing together?" I asked, my gaze

shifting between the two.

"We just met randomly," Ishaan replied.

"Oh… I came here to give you this, by the way," I said,

handing Ishaan a bag, avoiding Rasmalai’s eyes.

I tried to ignore his presence, but as our eyes met, a flood

of emotions rushed back. I wanted to tell him everything
—the pain, the sleepless nights, the endless thoughts.
Tears threatened to fall, but Ishaan interrupted the
silence.

"What's in the bag?" Ishaan asked, breaking the tension.

"Uhh... yeah..." I said, momentarily flustered. "There’s a

shirt in there. Wear it tomorrow for your birthday. I
wasn’t planning to buy it, but it was so captivating that I
couldn’t resist."

"Oh, okay. I’ll wear it!" Ishaan smiled.

"Now I have to study, so I need to leave. Bye," I said,

smiling at Ishaan, still pretending Rasmalai wasn’t there.
But my heart wouldn’t let go of his presence.

Back in my room, I sat at my desk, frustration written all

over my face. After a couple of hours of studying, I lay
down on my bed, and Ananya, who had been watching
me, finally spoke up.

"Why are you so frustrated, huh?" she asked.

Tears welled up instantly.

"Bro, you only act like this when it’s about Rasmalai. I
don’t think it’s about Ishaan. What’s wrong?" Ananya
asked gently.

"I saw Rasmalai. He was there in the park when I gave

Ishaan that shirt."

"So, did anything happen?"

"No, nothing happened. But my thoughts… they killed
me. Why did I love him? Why can’t I forget him, even
after all these failed attempts? I really liked him, but…" I
trailed off, tears spilling over.

"It’s toxic for you, ugh… please, don’t do this to

yourself," Ananya said, trying to console me.
I wiped my tears, but the weight of the emotions still
lingered heavily on my heart.
"We should prepare for tomorrow, it's your best friend's
birthday!" Ananya tried to divert my mind.

"Yes.." I said, my thoughts still tethered to Rasmalai.

I turned the lights off, not in the mood to do anything

further. As I lay on the bed and grabbed my phone, a
vibration startled me. It was a message from Rasmalai.

It was a long, apologetic paragraph that went like this:

"That night, I didn’t really want to say those things, but

you insisted so much that I had to. My intention was
never to hurt you. I truly enjoyed performing with you,
and I asked for distance because I didn’t want you to get
too attached. I never imagined it could have the opposite
effect on you. Since that day, I haven’t been cheerful
either. Ankita doesn’t talk to me nicely, Keshav ignores
me (perhaps because of Ananya’s influence), and you
stopped writing poems for me, which I really loved. I’m
sorry, Jayashree, for everything that happened. Please
consider forgiving me. I was just unsure if I could ever
reciprocate your immense love, and that’s why I thought
keeping distance was best. Today, you ignored me in the
park, and trust me, it felt very strange."

I read the message but stayed still. I couldn’t figure out

what to reply and didn’t want to tell Ananya about it
either. So, I left it on "seen" — not because I wanted to
ignore the message, but because I didn’t know what to
say.

I really wanted to leave Rasmalai as a part of my past,

but it wasn’t easy to get him out of my mind.
Chapter 12
The next day after college, Ishaan was throwing a small
birthday party. He’d invited me, Ananya, and Keshav—
and someone else he hadn’t mentioned.

Ananya and I arrived at the venue together.

“Oh, they’ve arrived!” Ananya said, as Keshav entered.

I turned to look, and to my surprise, Rasmalai was with

them. I swallowed the lump in my throat and decided to
ignore him. As they approached, I wished Ishaan with a
gentle birthday hug.
We all hung out and had fun, but every laugh, every
joke, felt like I was trying too hard. Rasmalai wasn’t the
reason behind my smile anymore—it was Ishaan and
Ananya who kept me grounded.

“I think you should cut the cake now!” Keshav

suggested to Ishaan.

Ishaan smiled, picked up the knife, and, to my surprise,

fed the first piece of cake to me. It caught me off guard
but made me the happiest I’d been all day. I took a piece
of cake and fed it back to him with a smile.

As the party started to wind down and we were preparing

to leave, Rasmalai approached me.

“Hi,” he said quietly.

“Hm,” I replied, keeping my voice neutral.

“You didn’t reply to my message yesterday.”

“I was busy.”

“Did you… forgive me?” he asked hesitantly.

Before I could answer, Ishaan called out, “Jayashree!

Let’s take some pictures together!”
Grateful for the escape, I smiled briefly at Rasmalai
before walking over to Ishaan, choosing to ignore his
question—for now.

"Why did you invite Rasmalai? Why didn’t you let me

know?" I asked Ishaan.

"Well, we exchanged numbers at the park yesterday and

had a good time together. He also apologized for
everything, so I thought it would be nice to invite him.
Plus, Keshav is his roommate, so it wasn't a big deal for
him to come," Ishaan explained.

"I see," I replied, still processing the information.

We all returned to college and headed to the hostel. I was

genuinely happy to have a friend like Ishaan who was
always there for me. However, a part of me kept mulling
over Rasmalai.

Suddenly, my phone rang—it was Ankita di. I eagerly

answered.

"Where are you?" she asked excitedly.

"Just reached my room," I replied, trying to sound

nonchalant.
"Where had you been?"

"It was Ishaan's birthday, so we all went there—me,

Ananya, Keshav, and..."

"And who?" Ankita di interrupted, her curiosity piqued.

"Rasmalai," I said, with a mix of reluctance and

frustration.

"Why did Ishaan invite him?" Ankita di asked, clearly

surprised.

"I don’t know... and honestly, I don’t care," I exclaimed

with an exasperated sigh.

We talked for a few minutes,I told her about Rasmalai

and she suggested me to avoid him as much as I can. As
I cut her call, I sat at my desk, overwhelmed by that
Rasmalai’s message. It wasn’t just the text—it was the
torrent of unresolved emotions it unleashed. I decided it
was time to confront him and release everything I had
bottled up inside. I couldn’t continue pretending that I
was okay with how things ended. I arranged to meet him
at the park.
When I arrived, the park was peaceful. As Rasmalai
approached, the familiarity of sitting with him on the
bench made me remember the days we spent practicing
for the fest. Those moments of shared effort seemed to
haunt me.

"Hi, Jayashree," Rasmalai said quietly.

"Hi," I replied, my voice steady but weighed down by

unspoken emotion. "Thanks for coming."

I needed him to understand the depth of my pain. "When

you told me that we should not have further
communication or conversation, it felt like a sudden end
to something that never fully began. yet, it meant so
much to me. For four and a half years, I adored you. I
never asked for anything in return. I cherished every
moment we spent together, even though it was one-
sided."

I looked at him, trying to convey the depth of my hurt.

"And then you decided to push me away, to tell me that
we could no longer have any conversations. It was like
tearing apart my heart and soul. I was left in a conflict,
struggling to choose between loving or being loved. Did
you think you were saving me from further hurt?
Because all you did was deepen the wound I was already
healing."
Tears welled up in my eyes as I continued. "I didn’t
burden you with my feelings or demand anything from
you. I just loved you, purely and unconditionally. So
why was it necessary for you to shut me out? You
thought it was for my own good, but it only made things
worse. It was as if you were ripping apart a part of me
that was already torn, leaving me in a state of conflict—
caught between the pain of unrequited love and the
struggle to move on."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my emotions. "I’ve

moved on now. I realised being loved is more important
than to love. I’ve found someone who appreciates me
and makes me feel valued. I’ve come to realize that I
don’t need you in my life anymore. I don’t need
someone who left me in pain, believing that it was for
my own good."

I stood up, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. "This is

where we part ways. I hope you find what you’re
looking for. I’ve let go, and I’m ready to move forward."

As I walked away from the bench, I felt a weight lift

from my shoulders. It wasn’t an easy step, and I knew it
wasn’t the end of my journey to healing, but it was a
necessary one. Rasmalai stood silently, watching me
leave, and I moved on with a sense of finality and peace.
I wanted to turn and catch a final glimpse of his face, but
I knew that if I looked back, his eyes would hold me
captive, preventing me from taking this crucial step
forward.

When I returned to my room from the park, I didn’t say a

word about where I had been or who I had spoken to. I
simply closed the door and sat down, feeling the weight
of my thoughts pressing down on me.

I started to replay everything that had happened in my

mind. The conversation with Rasmalai, the feelings I had
tried to suppress, and the words I had said—all of it
swirled around, making me question if what I had done
was right or wrong. I remembered telling him that I had
already found someone. Why did I say that? Was it a
defense mechanism? Or was it a way to push him away
and protect myself from further hurt? I said so thinking
of whom- Ishaan?

The more I thought about it, the more confused I

became. I had said those words in the heat of the
moment, not fully understanding the impact they would
have. I felt a pang of regret mixed with relief. Was it
better to have ended things this way, or should I have
faced the situation differently?
As these thoughts raced through my mind, I realized how
deeply they affected me. I started writing down my
feelings, trying to make sense of them. I poured out my
thoughts onto paper, filling several pages as I attempted
to untangle my emotions. I wrote about my confusion,
my fears, and my determination to move forward.

In the midst of all this, I completely shut myself off from

everyone. Ananya told Ishaan that I wasn’t speaking to
anyone, and I even ignored his calls. I didn’t want to
explain anything or get into any discussions about what
had happened. I felt that talking would only complicate
things further. Instead, I immersed myself in my studies.

When people asked about my sudden change in

behavior, I would simply say that my exams were
coming up and I needed to focus on my preparation. I
told them I couldn’t afford to be distracted by anything
else. I was determined in my goal to be a doctor, and I
wasn’t willing to let anything derail that ambition. I felt
like I had already wasted too much time on personal
issues and didn’t want to spend any more of it on things
that wouldn’t help me reach my goals.

I started to ignore everyone more and more, dedicating

myself entirely to my studies. I worked through my
study material with renewed intensity, hoping that by
burying myself in my studies, I could somehow make up
for the time I felt I had lost.
Nothing felt right. I tried to immerse myself in studying,
pushing away everyone close to me, but no matter how
hard I tried, I could not escape my own thoughts. The
thoughts that constantly circled back to Rasmalai.

I knew I did not want to go back to that dark phase, the

phase that had nearly destroyed me. But even as I tried to
move on, I could feel myself unraveling. I was running
away from everything—isolating myself from the world.
It felt as though I was the one pulling myself apart, little
by little.

Chapter 13
Despite the chaos swirling in my mind, I somehow
managed to get through all my exams, and only one
exam was left. I sat at my desk, my face twisted into a
frown, lost in yet another wave of useless and draining
thoughts.

"Your exams went well, so why are you so tense?"

Ananya asked, her concern clearly evident in her voice.
"I am not tense. Do not read too much into it," I replied
flatly, hoping she would not press further.

"I will not overthink it, but you have changed, broo. The
'just-met Jayashree' used to share more with me than the
'Jayashree I have lived with for the past four months.'
What is going on?" she asked, her concern deepening.

"There is nothing to share," I said, turning my attention

back to my book, hoping that my deflection would be
enough to make her stop asking questions.

"Are you going home after the exam finishes

tomorrow?" she asked, clearly attempting to draw me out
of my shell.

I could not help but smile slightly before replying, "Of

course, I am going. Durga Pujo is next week—I would
not miss that for anything! And in fact, I will be going
home next month as well. Kali Pujo is next month too."

"Tell me more about how you spend your days during

these pujos! I would really love to know!" she said, her
genuine interest shining through.
Ananya always knew exactly what to ask to grab my
attention, and I, as always, fell right into her trap.
Without even realizing it, I began narrating to her how I
spent my days during Durga Puja.
"You know, every year around this time, I would usually
be out shopping. It is such a thrill getting two new outfits
from each one—Maa, Boro Masi, Mejo Masi, Mama,
Dadu, Baba... Honestly, the list could go on forever! The
real fun, though, is choosing which outfit to wear for
each occasion. I have to decide what to wear in the
morning on Saptami, what to wear in the evening, and
which outfit is perfect for the puja ceremonies. And the
same thing happens for Ashtami, Navami, Dashami, and
even Sashti. It is just so much fun planning it all out!" I
said with a nostalgic excitement.

Ananya kept listening intently to everything I was

narrating, but then it suddenly hit me—we have our last
exam tomorrow! We both quickly gulped down our shots
of thick, black coffee, bidding farewell to any hopes of
sleep for the night, and sat down with full concentration
to study.

"Finally, we’re getting some holidays!" Ananya

exclaimed as the three of us—Ananya, Ishaan, and I—
stepped out of the exam hall.

"Yes, I’m so excited to go home," I replied, feeling a

sense of relief.
"What? You’re going home? I thought we’d all hang out
together! You’ve been buried in your books for the last
three weeks. You barely even talked to me properly,"
Ishaan said, sounding surprised and slightly
disappointed.

"I don’t have anything else left to do now. My ticket is

already booked for tomorrow," I said, shrugging.

"When exactly are you leaving?" Ananya asked.

"I’ll leave around 6 PM tomorrow," I replied casually.

"Alright then, I’ll join you! My train is at 8 PM."

We shared some fun moments and giggles after what felt

like ages. But even in those lighthearted moments, a part
of me still longed to see Rasmalai, as irrational as it was.
I knew it would probably hurt me to see him, but I
wanted it anyway. Eventually, I couldn’t resist and
casually asked Ananya about Keshav.

"Where’s Keshav? I haven’t seen him in a while."

"Oh, they had their exams too. His finished yesterday,

and he left for home today," Ananya replied.
I assumed Rasmalai had also gone home, and the thought
of not seeing him again stirred something in me.
Strangely enough, a few weeks ago, I would’ve been
relieved at the idea of escaping him. But now, after the
constant workload and endless hours of thinking about
him, my eyes just longed for one last glimpse. I knew I
wouldn’t talk to him, but still, I wanted to see him.

"Hey, where are you lost?" Ishaan waved his hand in

front of my face, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Uhm… I’m here, yaar. Where else would I be lost?" I

replied with a weird, revealing smile.

"There’s something bothering you. I’ve noticed it for the

last month or so, but you’re not opening up. Why?"
Ananya asked, her concern deepening.

"Yeah, I’ve noticed it too," Ishaan chimed in, agreeing

with her.

"Uff, there’s nothing to open up about. If there were, I

would’ve told you both. Simple as that," I snapped,
feeling cornered.

"Leave her alone, Ishaan. She’s better off with her

thoughts. Trying to get her to open up is pointless. If she
wants to, she will," Ananya said with a tone that felt a
little too snarky to me.

"Hmm," Ishaan mumbled in response, his concern still

lingering.

"Leave it, guys!" I said, trying to escape the situation.

After returning to our room, I began packing up, and

Ananya did the same.

"I don't know how I am going to live these days without

you. I am so used to being with you, yaar," Ananya said
while folding her yellow floral shirt and placing it into
her bag.

"Well, you are managing just fine without Keshav, aren’t

you?" I teased her with a mischievous grin.

"Ughh, will you ever pass up a chance to pull my leg?"

she replied, shaking her head but accepting it as just
another one of our playful moments.

"I will have to think about it," I said, grinning.

We both laughed, even as we were already preparing

ourselves for the distance and the missing that was sure
to follow.
"Are you going to miss Ishaan?" Ananya suddenly
asked, throwing a curveball into the conversation.

"Why would I miss him? I am not leaving forever, and

besides, he can text me if he needs to. I do not want him
getting too involved, anyway," I said, but a small trace of
tension slipped into my expression, betraying my
thoughts.

"Fine, fine, got it!" Ananya said, sensing the change and
deciding to drop the subject. "Now let's get some sleep.
We have a lot of things to do tomorrow."

"Hmm," I hummed in agreement, already feeling the

weight of the upcoming day.
Chapter 14
The next morning, I woke up early, which felt strange
after weeks of sleepless nights from exams. I looked
over and saw Ananya already busy with her packing. We
both had long train rides ahead—mine would be around
25 hours, but with Indian Railways, I was expecting it to
go beyond 30 hours. Ananya had a similar situation, so
we decided it was smart to get some stuff for the
journey.

“Let’s grab some snacks and books. There’s no way I’m

surviving on train food alone,” I said, throwing a few
essentials into my bag.
We hit the nearby shops and I picked up a novel—
Moving On Doesn’t Mean Letting Go: A Modern Guide
to Navigating Loss—because clearly, I wanted to face all
my emotional baggage during the long ride. I also
grabbed some chips and chocolates for comfort.

Ananya, though, was shopping like we were about to

move to another country. “Snacks, a pillow, toiletries—
what else?” she mumbled, adding more to her basket.

“You do know we’re going on a train, not a world tour,

right?” I joked.

She laughed. “You can never be too prepared!”

After grabbing what we needed, we headed back to our

room to finish packing. The cab was almost here, and I
wanted to be ready. While tying my shoes, I called out,
“Ananya! The cab’s here, are you ready?”

“Yeah, yeah! Coming!” she yelled back, appearing with

her giant bag, excited and a bit rushed.

We went downstairs, and Ishaan was already there,

waiting to say goodbye. “I’m going to miss you guys,”
he said, looking a bit sad.
“We’ll miss you too,” I replied, trying not to get
emotional. “Text me if you need anything, okay?”

Just before we left, I asked him, “When are you going

home?”

“The day after tomorrow,” he answered with a shrug.

We said our goodbyes and got into the cab. Ananya, of

course, was already on her phone with Keshav,
something that surprised me because they hadn’t talked
in two days. That was long for her.

Meanwhile, I decided to call Ankita di. It had been a

while since we last talked, and she always knew how to
lighten the mood. She picked up after a few rings.

“Heyy, look who’s alive!” she teased.

I smiled. “Sorry! Exams had me buried. But don’t think I

forgot about my beautiful Didi!”

“Haan haan, I know how much you think of me,” she

said with a laugh.

We fell into our usual banter, catching up on everything

we hadn’t talked about. Of course, I mentioned
Rasmalai, and like always, she replied, “You’re
shameless!”

I was used to her teasing by now, but the cab ride ended
quicker than I expected, and we reached the station.
“Ananya, we’re here!” I said, shaking her out of her call
with Keshav.

“Oh, right!” she said, quickly hanging up.

We got out and hurried toward the platform. My train

was set for 7:25 PM, and hers was at 8:00 PM. Time was
tight, so I rushed to find my coach, and by the time I
settled into my seat, the train was already about to leave.
I waved goodbye to Ananya from the window, feeling a
bit sentimental as the train pulled away.

The night outside was pitch black. From my window

seat, I couldn’t see anything as the train left the lights of
the station behind. With nothing else to do, I picked up
the novel I had bought earlier and started reading. The
book’s words gripped me, pulling me into its emotional
depth, and for a moment, I was completely lost in it.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted my focus.

"I didn’t think someone like you, who already has
someone better, would need to read these kinds of
books."

Startled, I looked up. My breath caught in my throat as

my eyes landed on the last person I expected to see. My
lips froze, and all I could do was exchange glances with
him—just like we used to. His eyes were still as familiar
as ever, and just as I was trying to process this sudden
moment, his lips curved into a smile.

In a soft, polite voice that sent a shiver down my spine,

he asked, "Ghar jaa rahi ho?"—(Are you going home?)

I nodded without a word, feeling my heart race in my

chest. I tried to go back to my book, but I couldn’t focus
on a single word. My mind kept replaying our brief eye
contact, and no matter how much I tried to ignore it, his
smile lingered in my thoughts.

I mean, what were the chances of running into him like

this? The last time we saw each other, it had been a
month ago, and that meeting had ended with an intense
fight. A fight that left us both deciding to part ways.

Now here he was, sitting right in front of me, after all

this time. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of
my chest, and I didn’t know how to feel—whether this
was an awkward moment I desperately wanted to avoid
or the exact thing I had been secretly hoping for.

I sat there, frozen, trying to pretend I hadn’t heard him.

But then, breaking the silence, he spoke again.

"Don’t look so surprised. It's only natural for this to

happen—our departure and arrival stations are the same.
Honestly, it's way more natural than the fact that we both
ended up in the same college!" His voice carried that
familiar tone, clearly trying to force me into a
conversation.

"I didn’t want this. That’s all," I replied, my words

sharper than intended. But even as I said it, I knew a part
of me had been waiting for this exact moment.

"You didn’t answer either of my questions, by the way,"

he pointed out.

"What did you ask? I don’t bother paying attention to

worthless ones," I shot back, my words contradicting the
confusion building inside me.

"Did you just call me worthless?" He laughed, clearly

amused.
"Of course. There’s no worth of you in my life," I said,
my voice a little too harsh.

"But I was asking—why are you reading a book on

'moving on' when you’ve already moved on and found
someone better than me, hmm?"

"Ah, so you’ve got nothing better to do during this train

ride, so now you want to talk to me? And as soon as we
reach, you’ll leave me alone again? Just leave me alone
now—I don’t even know you," I snapped, the frustration
clear on my face.

He looked a bit taken aback but quickly buried himself

in his phone, just as I went back to my book. Or at least,
I tried to. No matter how hard I stared at the pages, I
couldn’t focus. His words, his presence—they were all
lingering too close, unsettling me in ways I didn’t want
to admit.
I realized that having him right in front of me was
making it impossible to focus on my book, so I gave up,
placing the novel aside. Instead, I began mindlessly
scrolling through my phone—watching videos didn’t
require much mental effort. But no matter how hard I
tried, my heart wanted something else—a glimpse of
him.
I tried to resist, but after all, this was a moment I had
secretly longed for. Yet now that it was happening, it felt
like I was doing everything to push it away.

Out of the corner of my eye, I drifted a glance toward

him. He was staring out the window, lost in thought. My
curiosity piqued, I glanced out of my own window to see
what had his attention, but all I saw was the same blank,
black night outside. There was nothing, just a dark
emptiness. He wasn’t really looking at anything at all.
He was deep in thought—about what, I couldn’t tell.

For a brief second, I found myself wishing he would say

something, start a conversation. I mean, sure, I wouldn’t
respond nicely—but still, I wanted him to try.

He continued gazing out into the night, and I…well, I

was busy gazing at him. But suddenly, he turned, and I
quickly shifted my eyes back to my phone, pretending to
be engrossed in some random video.

"You had your dinner?" Rasmalai asked, his voice gentle

as though everything between us was as smooth as ever.

"You have nothing to do with that!" I retorted, my words

sharper than they needed to be, though there was a
softness creeping into my tone with each word, betraying
my resolve.
"It was a yes or no question," he said with a snarky grin,
brushing off my harsh reply like he was used to it. "I
didn’t ask if it was my business or not."

I let out an annoyed huff. "Ugh... No. Fine!?"

"Let’s have it together then," he offered, his tone casual

as if this was the most normal thing in the world for us.

"Sorry to say, but I don’t eat with strangers," I snapped

back, adding unnecessary heat to my words.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Strangers, huh?

So now we're pretending like we don’t know each other
at all?" He leaned back in his seat, with that same easy
smile he always had.

I looked away, frustrated by how easily he could get

under my skin. But deep down, there was a small,
undeniable part of me that wanted to say yes, to sit with
him, to let the tension between us dissolve—even if just
for the time we shared this train ride.
The silence between us was heavy, broken only by the
rhythmic clatter of the train on the tracks. I scrolled
aimlessly through my phone, trying to distract myself
from the fact that Rasmalai was sitting right there, just a
few feet away.
Suddenly, the train gave a slight jolt, causing my phone
to slip from my hand. Before I could react, it flipped
over in the air. In one smooth motion, Rasmalai caught
it, his fingers brushed mine with warmth as he handed it
back. Our eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to
stand still. The train, the noise, everything faded. It was
just us, locked in that fleeting, electric glance.

He smiled—just a hint, nothing too obvious—but

enough to make my heart race. "You’re welcome," he
said softly, his voice laced with a familiar teasing tone.

I quickly broke eye contact. "Thanks," I mumbled,

stuffing the phone into my lap, pretending to be absorbed
in something on the screen. But my mind was racing,
and I couldn’t shake the feeling that, for a moment, there
was something more lingering between us—something
that had never had the chance to fully start.

Rasmalai leaned back, gazing out of the window into the

inky darkness. I stole another glance at him, trying to
read his face, but he looked calm, almost contemplative.

After a few minutes, he broke the silence.

"You know what, it’s actually kind of funny," he said.
"Of all the trains, and all the seats, we end up here.
Together."
I rolled my eyes, trying to act unaffected. "I don’t
believe in coincidences," I muttered.

"Maybe," he said, turning to face me. His gaze was

softer now, less playful. "Or maybe it’s a chance we
never took."

I feigning disinterest. "A chance for what?"

"To talk about everything we never got to. You and me. I
know it never started, but maybe we can stop pretending
like it was nothing."

I wished to say it was him who has made me pretend like

this today but anyways his words hit harder than I
expected. Part of me wanted to shut him down, to avoid
the conversation I’d been dreading. But another part of
me—the part that had stolen glances at him—wanted to
hear him out.

"I don’t want to talk," I lied, my voice softer than I

intended. I wasn’t ready to confront the what-ifs. Not
yet.

"Alright," he said, nodding slightly. "But if you change

your mind, I’m here."
I turned back to the window, watching the darkness
outside, but I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe, just
maybe, there was still something worth talking about.
As I gazed out of the window, trying to let the darkness
swallow me whole, my phone buzzed unexpectedly. I
looked down at the screen—Ishaan. My thumb hovered
over the accept button. I knew he’d just check in, like he
always did. Ishaan, my dependable friend.

With a quick glance at Rasmalai, I checked if he was still

looking out the window—he was. I answered the call.

"Hey," I whispered, hoping not to draw Rasmalai’s

attention.

"Hey! Are you on the train? How’s it going?" Ishaan’s

voice came through, as familiar and comforting as ever.

"Yeah, I’m on the train. It’s alright. Just...long," I

replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Alright, just wanted to check in. You know how it is.

Don’t forget to eat. I mean it!" he added with a laugh,
always caring about the small details.

"I know. I won’t forget," I said, smiling despite the

tension sitting in my chest. "I’ll text you when I reach."
"Okay, take care. Bye!" he chirped, hanging up. The
warmth of his concern lingered, but it didn’t calm the
storm inside.

I put my phone back in my lap, but my mind was still on

Rasmalai. The truth was, I knew Ishaan had feelings for
me. He had never said it outright, but the way he called,
the way he cared—it was obvious. And maybe if things
had been different, if Rasmalai wasn’t still somewhere
lodged in my heart, I might’ve looked at Ishaan
differently. But no. I was still stuck in this cycle, one
glance from Rasmalai throwing everything out of
balance.

I glanced up again, trying to be discreet. Rasmalai was

still looking out the window, seemingly lost in thought.
His profile, the way his hair fell over his forehead—it
stirred something deep inside me. Could he sense what
was going on? He knew about Ishaan’s feelings for me.
That much was certain. He had teased me about it
before, laughing at the irony of it all.

But here we were. On the same train, after everything

that had happened, and I couldn’t help but wonder—was
there still something between us? Or had it all ended
before it even had a chance to begin?
Just as I was about to lose myself in those thoughts,
Rasmalai turned his head slightly, as if sensing my gaze.
My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly looked away,
trying to dissolve the moment.

After a brief pause, he spoke up, "So, that means we’re

strangers, and we won’t have dinner together?" His tone
was serious this time, lacking the usual playfulness.

I opened my mouth to respond but found myself at a loss

for words. I just stayed quiet, my mind racing.

"Come on, yaar," he continued, his voice softening.

"We’ve known each other for over five years now.
We’re not strangers at all."

His words hung in the air, and I pondered for a moment.

Finally, I nodded, the tension easing slightly. "Okay,
let’s have dinner together."

I pulled out my lunch box, revealing the Rajma-Chawal

Ananya had packed for me. Rasmalai opened his box,
unveiling a delicious spread of Paneer and Paratha. We
exchanged our dishes, and as we shared the food, it felt
like the barriers between us were slowly melting away.

The warmth of the meal reflected the lightness in the air

as we talked. We shared stories about our classes, the
challenges, and random observations about life. Each
bite brought a new sense of ease, laughter softening the
earlier tension.

In that small space, surrounded by the hum of the train,

everything felt simpler. It was as if we were stepping out
of the shadows of uncertainty and into a light that was
uniquely ours.

As the train moved on, I realized that sharing this meal

wasn't just about dinner—it was about getting to know
each other better. For the first time in a while, I felt a
glimmer of hope about what the future might hold.

Chapter 15
Abruptly, my phone rang. Seeing an unknown number, I
answered with a smile, but in a split second, that smile
vanished. My heart seemed to stop. My hands trembled,
and the phone slipped from my grip. Suddenly, the world
around me fell silent, like I had been pulled into a void,
and tears began streaming down my face.

"What happened?" Rasmalai's voice cut through the fog,

his eyes wide with concern.
I tried to speak but choked on the words, tears blurring
my vision. Rasmalai, quick to act, handed me some
water, his touch gentle but firm. "Tell me, Jayashree," he
urged softly, his calm demeanor holding steady as he
waited.

I took a shaky breath, barely able to speak the words.

"Rasmalai..." My voice wavered.

"I'm here, just tell me."

"Ananya's train..." I paused, swallowing the lump in my

throat. "It met with an accident." As the words left my
lips, a fresh wave of tears poured out, unstoppable,
overwhelming.

Rasmalai's expression faltered, shock flashing across his

face, but he remained composed. "Where is she now?"
he asked, his voice calm, though I could sense the
urgency behind it.

"They are taking her to the nearest hospital," I whispered

between sobs.

Rasmalai put his hand on my shoulder, his voice calm

but commanding. "Listen to me. We'll get off at the next
stop, okay? We’ll find the quickest way to the hospital.
But you need to calm down, Jayashree. We’ll get
through this."

I nodded weakly, though the tears wouldn’t stop. My

mind was racing, filled with memories of Ananya—the
first time I saw her in that beautiful red chikankari kurti,
her radiant smile that could light up a room, her silly
little comments that used to annoy me, and now felt like
cherished treasures. All I wanted was to hold her, to tell
her how much I loved her, but fear gnawed at me that I
might never get the chance.

The thought made my tears fall harder, my sobs louder,

no longer in my control.

"Oh, Jayashree," Rasmalai said softly, his voice cracking

just a little, "I know how hard this is... but crying this
much won’t help. Please, calm down."

As the train came to a sudden halt, panic washed over

me. Rasmalai and I dismounted the train, our hearts
racing. The platform was bustling with people, but all I
could think about was getting to Ananya.

“Let’s find the next train,” Rasmalai urged, his calmness

helping to steady my nerves. We hurried to the ticket
counter, scanning the board for the next departure to the
nearest city where the hospital was located.
Once we boarded, the rhythmic clatter of the train was
drowned out by my thoughts. I couldn’t shake the feeling
of dread. After an hour that felt like years, we finally
arrived at our destination.

The moment we stepped out of the station, the

atmosphere was charged with urgency. We rushed into a
waiting cab, and I instructed the driver to take us to the
hospital as quickly as possible. The streets were
congested, and every red light felt like an eternity. I
gripped the edge of my seat, my heart racing with every
passing moment.

When we finally arrived at the hospital, chaos greeted us.

The entrance was crowded with people—families
anxiously waiting for news, nurses rushing past, and the
distant sound of sirens echoing in the background. The
sharp smell of antiseptic mixed with the scent of sweat
and fear was suffocating.

“Where do we go?” I asked Rasmalai, panic creeping in.

“Let’s ask at the reception,” he replied. We reached the

front desk, where a nurse was frantically typing on a
computer.
“Excuse me, we’re looking for Ananya Sharma. She was
in the train accident,” I said, my voice trembling.

“Please wait a moment,” the nurse said, her tone serious.

I could see the worry in her eyes, and I felt my heart
drop.

We stepped aside, Around us families were receiving

news about their loved ones—some faces breaking into
tears, others collapsing in despair. I felt sick with
anxiety.

“Jayashree,” Rasmalai said, squeezing my hand tightly.

“Just don’t overthink it; I repeat, just don't!”

I nodded, but inside, my mind was racing. I thought of

Ananya, alone and scared, and all I wanted was to be by
her side.

After what felt like an eternity, the nurse replied, her

expression grim. “She’s in surgery. There was
significant damage, and the doctors are doing everything
they can. You can wait here for updates.”

“Can we see her?” I asked, my voice barely above a

whisper.
“Not yet. Please be patient,” she replied before moving
on to the next family.
The waiting area was filled with tension and fear. I sat
down in a chair, the gloomy environment feeling
suffocating. Rasmalai sat next to me, his presence a
small comfort amid the chaos.
“Just hold on,” he whispered, his voice steady. “We’ll
get through this.”
As I stared at the floor, I could feel tears welling up
again. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on the memories
of Ananya—all I wanted was for her to be okay.

"I think we should inform Keshav about it... he probably

doesn’t know," Rasmalai suggested, trying to shift my
mind away from the gloom.

I could barely respond, so I just nodded in agreement.

Rasmalai took out his phone and dialed Keshav’s

number. The first time it rang, there was no answer. He
tried again, but still, no response. On the third attempt,
Keshav finally picked up.

"Hello?" his groggy voice came through, making it clear

he had been fast asleep.

"Hey, I need to tell you something..." Rasmalai said,

speaking quickly as soon as he heard Keshav’s voice.
"Ugh... have you seen the time, man? What could be
more important than sleep this late at night?" Keshav
grumbled, annoyed at being woken up. But before he
could say more, Rasmalai interrupted him.

"Accident... Ananya's train met with an accident."

At first, Keshav didn’t quite process the words. "Okay,

so... what!?" he exclaimed as the realization hit him. His
voice went from sleepy to wide awake in a split second.

"Hmm..." was all Rasmalai could say.

There was silence on the other end for several moments.

"Where is she? Is she okay? Can I talk to her?" Keshav

fired off a barrage of questions in a single breath, leaving
both Rasmalai and me momentarily speechless. We
exchanged a glance, unsure how to answer.

I signed to Rasmalai, urging him to reassure Keshav that

Ananya was stable and that there was no need to worry,
even though, ironically, I was the one most consumed
with worry.

Rasmalai did as I suggested, but it was clear that Keshav

wasn't going to be calmed by mere words. He asked for
the hospital's name and told us to stay put until he
arrived.

The air was thick with chaos and noise, but despite all
that, the weight of what might happen made everything
around me feel perfectly silent. Both Rasmalai and I
were quiet, lost in our own thoughts. I instinctively put
out my phone to call someone.

"Whom are you calling?" Rasmalai asked, breaking the

silence.

"Ishaan," I replied, my voice low.

"But why? It's so late, isn’t it?"

"Hmm, but he should know about this," I said, almost to

myself.

"And what would that accomplish? One more person

worried about this... I know he should be informed, but
there’s no need to tell him everything right now,"
Rasmalai responded calmly. He was right. I hesitated
and put my phone back in my pocket.
Chapter 16
"You’re Jayashree, right?" A woman in her forties,
dressed in a green saree adorned with emerald jewelry,
approached me. Her eyes were filled with tears, yet she
managed a faint smile as she recognized me. It was
Ananya's mother. Though I had never met her in person,
we had spoken several times during Ananya’s video
calls. Instinctively, I greeted her as a sign of respect, and
Rasmalai did the same.

"And who is this with you?" she asked, glancing at

Rasmalai with a hint of confusion.
"He’s Akshat, our senior from college," I explained. "We
happen to be from same place. Coincidentally, we were
in the same train, the same compartment, and when we
heard the news about Ananya..." My voice trailed off as I
noticed fresh tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Aunty..." I wanted to offer some comfort, but the words

failed me. I was already overwhelmed with worry, and
seeing Ananya's mother cry in front of me felt
unbearable.

A few tense moments passed before a nurse approached

us. "Ananya is out of danger now," she said softly.
"You’ll be able to meet her now, and she can go home
tomorrow."

Relief washed over me, though the tension still lingered.

Ananya's mother gave me a grateful nod. "I have to be
with the rest of the family for now," she said, preparing
to leave. But before she went, she turned to us. "Please,
both of you, come stay with us for a day. It would mean
a lot."

We couldn’t help but nod with a smile, understanding

that the situation was delicate, and declining her
invitation wasn’t an option.
As we sat back down, I wanted to apologize to Rasmalai
for dragging him into all of this. After debating with
myself for a while, I was about to speak, but before I
could, Keshav appeared. He didn’t look as worried as he
had sounded on the phone.

"I just met her, she’s fine!" he exclaimed, a smile

breaking through the tension. His relief was contagious,
and soon, the happiness spread across all our faces.

I was drained from everything that had happened in the

past few hours.
"Let's get some fresh air now," Rasmalai suggested.
It was a suggestion that needed no approval. All three of
us moved out of the hospital after meeting Ananya.

The cold breeze hitting my face as we stepped outside

felt harsh, yet refreshing. We kept walking through the
streets until we found a roadside tea shop—a typical
tapri you'd find every few blocks in India. We sat on the
wooden bench outside, illuminated by a single bulb
hanging above. The owner came to take our orders, and
we requested three cups of masala chai.

“Though I’m not a chai lover, after all this chaos, this
cup of chai is like a Blessing!” I exclaimed, savoring the
first sip.
“You know what, guys? I was terrified after hearing
about Ananya... I can't lie; I’m still terrified!” Keshav
admitted between our jests and chuckles.

“We were all terrified, yaar,” Rasmalai said softly.

“I think we should visit her at home after she returns

tomorrow,” Keshav suggested, continuing to sip his chai.

I smiled and exchanged glances with Rasmalai.

“What’s going on?” Keshav interrupted, noticing our
silent exchange. We both burst into laughter.

“What’s so funny about this? Fine, if you two won’t go,

I won’t either, but just tell me why you’re laughing,” he
said, trying to figure out what had tickled our funny
bones.

“Actually, Keshav… we can’t come with you

because…” I said, drawing it out for effect. “We’ll be
going there with Ananya herself!” I finished in sync with
Rasmalai.

“Matlab?” He seemed intrigued, eager to know what we

meant.
“Not much, but just half an hour before you arrived,
Ananya's mother invited us to their home,” Rasmalai
said, grinning widely.
As he finished, I joined him in giggling.

Keshav's expression shifted from confusion to disbelief.

“Wait, what? You’re both joking, right?”

“Nope, all true!” I replied, still chuckling at his reaction.

“Looks like you’ll be left out of the family Dinner.”

“That’s not fair!” Keshav protested, feigning annoyance.

“I should be there too! I’m her boyfriend, after all!”

“Oh, so now you want to be included in family events?”

Rasmalai teased, nudging him playfully. “But in typical
Indian households, boyfriends don’t get invited to family
things, do they?”

“Exactly!” I chimed in, enjoying the playful banter.

“You’ll have to wait for a proper introduction before you
crash the family Dinner with us.”

Keshav crossed his arms, pretending to sulk. “This is just

great. I finally get a chance to see Ananya after her
accident, and I’m not invited. What am I supposed to do,
just sit at home and wait for updates?”
“Maybe we should take a video of the Dinner and foods
and send it to you,” I suggested, unable to hide my grin.

“Or we could do a live stream, so you can feel included

while sipping chai alone at home,” Rasmalai added,
bursting into laughter.

Keshav rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners

of his mouth. “You guys are the worst! But seriously,
I’m happy for Ananya. She got well really soon!"

“Absolutely,” I agreed, feeling a wave of relief wash

over me again. We all felt peace after so long that day.
“So, we’ll make sure to keep you updated on
everything.” I said.

As we finished our chai, I felt a renewed sense..

“Alright, let’s get back to the hospital. I can’t wait to tell

Ananya that her boyfriend is sulking over not being
invited!” I said, standing up.
Chapter 17
The next day, I went to visit Ananya before she was
scheduled to leave for her home in Udaipur.

"So, you’re leaving?" Ananya asked, lying on the

hospital bed, her body covered by a white sheet.

"Yes, I have to. You know Durga Puja is next week, and
I’m already late. Now that you’re stable, I can go," I
replied.

"Hmm... So you’re leaving me just because you want to

enjoy the festival? Next time I go home, you have to
come with me," Ananya insisted, her tone firm.
"Of course! I promise I’ll come," I said with a smile.

"No, next time, you’re coming with us today! You’ve

stayed here all day for her; we can’t let you go like this,
beta," Ananya's mother interrupted us from behind.

"But Aunty—" I started to protest.

"No buts, dear. You’re coming with us, that’s final! And
you must take that senior of yours—what’s his name?
Ah, yes, Akshat. Your uncle will arrange tickets for both
of you to your home from Udaipur. We've already
booked your flight for today," she cut off my explanation
mid-sentence.

"Flight for us? What about you all?" I asked, surprised.

"Ananya can’t board a flight, so you’ll travel in the

ambulance. Your uncle will accompany you both on the
flight," she explained.

"Aunty, if you don’t mind, can I request something?" I

said, lowering my voice.

"Yes, sure, tell me," she replied.

"Actually, since you’ve already booked tickets, I won’t

deny your offer. But since Akshat is here, could you
please book one more ticket? Keshav, Akshat’s friend,
was also here the whole day, but when you met us, he
wasn’t around. We can’t go without him either, as I’ll be
busy with Ananya, and we won’t have much time to talk
to Akshat. I don’t want him to feel left out. I’m not
insisting, but if it’s possible..." I explained.

As I spoke, I noticed a hint of concern in her expression,

which made me more determined to voice my request.
I knew that if I went with Rasmalai alone, I would have
to keep him company, which would just remind me of
how he pushes me away all the time. I didn't want to face
that situation again.

"Of course, beta, we will book it; you don't worry!" she
said affirmatively.

After she reassured me, I decided to inform my family

about everything happening. I dialed Maa's number as I
stepped out of Ananya's cabin.

"Hello," I said when the call connected.

"Hello!" the voice on the other end replied.

Hearing that sweet, charming voice after so long brought

me joy.
"Sonty, is that you?!" I exclaimed, my voice bright with
happiness.

"Oh, thank God! At least you recognize me!" she replied

in Bengali, which made me smile even more.

"But listen, Sonty," I said, my tone shifting slightly. "I

won’t be able to return for the next two days."

"What? Why not?" she asked, sounding concerned.

"I have to visit Ananya’s home; she was in the hospital,

and her family wants me to go with them," I explained
briefly.

"Oh, I see! I hope she’s okay," Sonty replied. "When are

you coming back? I came to your house for the shopping
and preparations for the festival, and I picked up Masi's
phone as she went to the kitchen."

"Yeah, I will. I just wanted to let you know in case all

were wondering where I was," I added.

"Just keep me updated, alright?" she said.

"Of course! I’ll call you as soon as I can," I promised.

But did I tell you about her before? She’s my cousin,
Sonty. A year older than me, but academically a year
junior. That’s how I always introduce her to everyone.
She was the prettiest one in our family. Since childhood,
we were more like friends than cousins. However, amid
the chaos of college and academics, we somehow lost
touch. I realized I hadn’t called her even once in the past
two months. Sonty was the most sensible person you
could ever meet; if she called me twice and I didn’t
return her call, she wouldn’t call again until I
apologized.

As I cut the call with Sonty and turned around, I found

Rasmalai standing behind me.
"You want to say something? Actually, I couldn't deny
the tickets. Sorry if all this is bothering you. I mean, if
you can’t go, I can tell Aunty, and Keshav can use your
ticket instead. Let me just go and tell her..." I rushed out,
my voice trembling slightly. I was desperate to avoid any
further complications.

As I started to walk away, claiming I would inform

Aunty that Akshat couldn’t go, I suddenly felt
Rasmalai’s hand on my shoulder, making me freeze. I
closed my eyes for a brief moment, trying to steady my
thoughts.
"Aree, no need to worry so much!" he said, his voice
breaking through my anxious haze.

I opened my eyes, facing him, my heart still pounding. I

wanted to protest, but the words wouldn't come.

"But..."

"Ahh, just don’t think about it so much! I’ll get to visit

Udaipur with Keshav, and this isn’t a bad situation at
all," he said, attempting to reassure me.

"Okay then," I said, turning to leave, knowing I had

already interacted with Rasmalai enough to create
potential complications.

"Yaar, sunn to lo..." he called out, trying to get my

attention.

"Do you need something?" I asked, aiming to keep it

direct.

"Are you trying to avoid me, by the way?" he said, a hint

of teasing in his voice.

"You have nothing to do with that, I guess. If you really

need something, please tell me; otherwise, I have to go. I
need to talk to Ananya," I replied, keeping my tone
steady yet modest.

"I just wanted to know if you informed your friend about

all this or forgot," he asked, and I could tell he was
trying to lighten the mood.

"Which friend?"

"Ishaan."

"Oh no... I actually forgot! Thanks for reminding me!" I

said, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Hmm, hmm," he replied, amused by my forgetfulness.

I turned to call Ishaan, but even after four rings, he

didn’t pick up. I texted him to call me back when he was
free.

"May I sit here if you don't mind?" I asked Rasmalai,

hoping to take the window seat on the plane.

"Okay," he agreed without hesitation.

The flight was four hours long, and since I hadn’t gotten
much sleep the night before, I decided to rest. I settled
into the window seat, with Rasmalai beside me and
Keshav next to him. Ananya's dad was a few rows back.

As I gazed outside, the white clouds created a

mesmerizing view against the blue sky. I took a deep
breath and then closed my eyes. The exhaustion of the
past two days soon pulled me into sleep.

"Jayashree..." A whisper broke through my slumber, and

I slowly opened my eyes.

"Haan..." I replied, my voice thick with grogginess.

"We'll be landing in the next 20 minutes," Rasmalai said,

handing me a cup of coffee. "Take this; it will recharge
you." He smiled, and for the first time in weeks, I felt a
tether to that moment. There was a relief in seeing him
smile, reminiscent of the comfort I used to find back in
school. I wanted to tell him that his smile was forbidden
in front of me—it melted the core of my heart. But I
could never muster the confidence to say such things,
especially to Rasmalai.

Instead, I simply took the cup, sipped it promptly, and

glanced out the window, pretending I wasn’t affected by
our eye contact anymore.
As I gazed out the window, the landscape transformed
beneath us, revealing the sprawling beauty of Udaipur. I
could see the shimmering lakes and the outline of the
hills in the distance.

Keshav leaned forward, his eyes bright. “Look at that

view! Udaipur looks incredible from up here.”

I nodded, “Yeah, it really does.”

Chapter 18
After an hour and a half since we left the airport, we
finally reached Ananya's house—a grand, palace-like
mansion. The entrance alone left the three of us
awestruck.

"Now I get why Ananya looks like a princess!" Keshav

said, his eyes still glued to the mansion.

"Why?" Rasmalai and I said in sync, throwing a side

glance at Keshav.
"Because she literally lives in a palace, bro!" Keshav
replied, as if he had just stated the most obvious fact in
the world.

We both just shrugged.

"So, shall we finally go inside and meet your 'princess'?"

I asked.

"Of course, that's the whole reason I came here, right?"

Keshav replied, still sounding like it was all so obvious.

“Hm.”

“You three are still standing out here? Come in, beta!
Treat this like your own home; no need to be shy,"
Ananya's father called as he came over, having finished
talking to the driver.

"If you wouldn’t mind, I could even put this property

under my name..." Keshav whispered under his breath.

"What, beta? Could you repeat that?" Ananya’s father

asked warmly, making it clear he hadn’t heard.

“We’re not shy at all, Uncle! That’s just what I was

saying,” Keshav replied, covering his slip with an overly
enthusiastic smile. “It already feels like home.”
“Haha, that’s the spirit! Keep it up!” Ananya’s father
chuckled, patting Keshav on the back.

Ananya's father let us inside and as we stepped inside, I

could barely keep my jaw from dropping. The entrance
hall was huge, with these towering ceilings and arches
that looked like they belonged in some kind of royal
palace. Everything had this soft, golden glow from a
massive chandelier hanging overhead, casting light over
the polished marble floors that almost seemed to sparkle.

"Whoa," Keshav breathed, his eyes as wide as the

chandelier above us. "This place… I think I have only
ever seen houses like this in movies."

I nudged him, trying to act casual even though I felt the

same way. "Guess we’re living in a movie now, huh?"

Rasmalai just chuckled, but I could see the awe in his

eyes, too. As we moved further in, I noticed beautiful
tapestries and paintings lining the walls, and even a
massive, carved wooden staircase spiraling upwards, the
kind that seemed made for grand entrances.

We all just took it in for a moment, letting the quiet,

elegant feel of the place sink in. It was like stepping into
a whole other world.
"Ananya's ambulance hasn't arrived yet. Once they
reach, we'll have lunch together, and in the meantime,
you three can have breakfast in the garden," Ananya's
father informed us with a warm smile.

We nodded, and then he gestured for one of the house

staff to show us to our rooms.

"Go and freshen up first!" he encouraged.

The room that was given to me didn’t feel like a typical

guest room at all—it was thoughtfully designed, every
detail mesmerizing. There was a single bed with pristine
white bedding, accompanied by a matching nightstand
topped with an elegant white lamp. On the other side, a
large window opened onto a balcony that offered a
perfect view of the sprawling green garden below,
brimming with colorful flowers that seemed to dance in
the sunlight.

I stood there for a moment, taking in the serene view,

feeling as though I had stepped into a dream.

I wore a simple yellow kurti with white thread work over

it and paired it with white ankle-length leggings, my
loose braid swaying gently as I moved out of my room.
"Moving to the garden, no?" Ananya's father asked when
he saw me coming downstairs.

"Yes, Uncle..." I replied, smiling as I made my way

outside.

As I stepped into the garden, I was greeted by a burst of

color and life. The flowers bloomed vibrantly, their
petals glistening in the sunlight. There were rose bushes
with red and pink blooms, marigolds in shades of orange
and yellow, and delicate lilies swaying gently in the
breeze. The air was filled with a sweet fragrance that
made me feel instantly at ease.

In the center of the garden, I spotted a lovely white

round table, perfectly set for breakfast. It had delicate
floral patterns on the tablecloth, and a small vase of fresh
daisies sat in the middle, brightening the setting.

I pulled out one of the three chairs and sat down. As I

took my seat, my eyes fell on Rasmalai, who was
standing directly across from me, and, like always, his
sudden presence caught me off guard.

"Uh..., take your seat," I said.

"Hmm."
He sat down, and everything felt fresher in that view,
with soothing breezes washing over us.

"Everything happened so fast that I didn't even get time

to sit peacefully like this," Rasmalai said.

"Hmm, me too," I replied, unnecessarily gazing at

Rasmalai wearing a t-shirt that matched the shade of my
kurti paired with white pant , who was looking towards a
jasmine plant. He turned toward me, and I quickly broke
my gaze.

"Anyways, I wanted to tell you something for a long

time, but either I couldn't muster the courage to say it, or
I couldn't get you alone," Rasmalai said in a steady tone.

"Hmm, no problem. You can spill it out now; it's as

simple as that," I replied with a smile, trying to lighten
the serious atmosphere he had created.

"Hmm..."

"Wait, please don’t tell me that we’re getting close again

and that we should maintain our distance. In fact, if
you’re willing to say so, please don’t. I’ve thought about
it a lot, and I genuinely feel there’s no point in liking you
—wanting you—because ek haath se taali nahi bajti,
na?"(One cannot clap with single hand.)
"Aree, don’t exaggerate! No need to presume kuch bhi."

"Huh? Is this 'kuch bhi' hahn? Isn’t it what you’ve said to

me every time I enjoyed your company? Isn’t it what
made me feel worthless? Isn’t it what made me think of
hating you? Of course, I couldn't... but Ugh, leave it. Say
whatever you want. I’ll listen to it like always, and
perhaps you’ll make me cry again. But usse kya farq
padta hai? You continue!" I said, feeling all the courage I
had always lacked in front of Rasmalai surge at once.

"Wait, wait! Don’t get overwhelmed!" Rasmalai tried to

lighten my mood again.

“Look, I’m not trying to upset you,” Rasmalai said, his

voice softening. “I just wanted to be honest with you. I...
I’ve been thinking a lot about us, too.”

My heart raced at his words. “Us? What do you mean by

that?”

He paused, looking out toward the garden as if searching

for the right words. “I mean, it’s complicated. I care
about you, but sometimes it feels like we’re stuck in this
loop. You know?”
I frowned, feeling the familiar mix of confusion and
frustration. “Stuck in a loop? You’re the one who keeps
pushing me away, Rasmalai! It’s hard to figure out what
you want when you keep changing your mind!”

“I know, I know! But it’s not that simple. I’ve never felt
this way about anyone before. It scares me, okay?”

“Scares you? You think that’s fair to me?” I shot back.

“You act like I’m the problem when all I wanted was to
be close to you!”

“I never said you’re the problem…” Rasmalai trailed off

and then continued, “These staff, they are the bloody
problem. See, we’ve been sitting here for the last 18
minutes, and they still haven’t arrived with breakfast.
I’m hungry, yaar, and this is creating a problem only!”

“Hain? You’re fine, na? What happened?” I said, still

amused by the nonsense Rasmalai just spilled.

“He’s not fine, yaar. He just said he’s hungry. Hunger

can mess with your head, you know!” Keshav chimed in
as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

“Hmmm... Now I get it!” I sighed, trying to mask my

laughter.
“Honestly, we can’t let our hunger ruin this moment,”
Rasmalai added, trying to regain some seriousness.

“True! So, while we wait for our royal breakfast, how

about we just enjoy the moment? Look at this beautiful
garden!” I said in an overly dramatic way.

“Yeah, you’re right. Just look at those flowers. They’re a

feast for the eyes,” Keshav said, leaning back in his
chair.

Just then, we heard footsteps approaching, and a couple

of staff members walked in with trays. They set them
down on the table, revealing a hearty breakfast. There
were crispy kachoris served with aloo ki sabji (spiced
potato curry), a bowl of curd, and freshly made pooriyas
(fluffy fried bread).

“Finally!” Rasmalai said, his eyes lighting up at the sight

of the food.

As we began to eat, Ananya's father remarked, “I hope

this breakfast is enough for you. It’s a bit light since we
have a big lunch planned later.”

“Light? This looks amazing!” I replied, digging into the

food.
“Yeah, I was expecting something more elaborate,”
Keshav added, happily munching on a kachori.

We shared a laugh, enjoying the cozy atmosphere. The

conversation flowed easily as we savored the meal.

“Ehh, did you tell Ishaan about everything or not?”

Keshav asked as he finished his breakfast.

“I tried, called him so many times, but he didn’t pick up

and didn’t even see my message,” I replied, a hint of
frustration in my voice.

“You guys fought or what?” Rasmalai asked, raising an

eyebrow.

“No, nothing like that…” I replied quickly, trying to

dismiss the idea.

“Okay, I’ll try calling him after I reach my room. I

forgot to bring my phone,” Keshav said, stretching a bit
as he pushed his chair back.

“Hmmm…”

“Why don’t you call him right now? Just go call him and
come back,” Rasmalai suggested, a noticeable eagerness
in his tone. “There’s not much signal here in the garden,
anyway.”

I sensed the underlying urgency in Rasmalai’s words,

realizing he wanted Keshav to step away for a moment.
Keshav glanced between us, oblivious to the tension.

“Alright, I’ll be quick!” Keshav replied, standing up and

heading toward the house.

As we continued our breakfast, I noticed Rasmalai's gaze

drifting toward me. There was a hint of hesitation in his
eyes, as if he wanted to bring something up but was
unsure how to start.

”Can I ask you something?” he finally said, shifting in

his seat. “Is there anything going on between you and
Ishaan?”

I raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by his question.

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

Rasmalai shrugged. “I don’t know. You two seem close,

and it’s not like I don’t notice things.”

“Close? We’re just friends,” I replied defensively,

besides, you’re the last person I’d expect to care about
my friendship with him.”
He chuckled lightly. “Well, I care because I want to
make sure you’re happy. And it looks like Ishaan makes
you smile.”

I paused, taken aback by his unexpected concern.

“You’ve changed, Rasmalai. Last I checked, you wanted
nothing to do with me.”

He sighed, “Look, I know things got complicated

between us. I didn’t mean to push you away. I just
thought it was for the best.”

“Best for whom?” I shot back. “You’ve kept me

guessing for so long, I don’t even know where we stand
anymore.”

“Maybe we should figure that out,” he replied quietly,

his eyes searching mine.

Just then, Keshav interrupted, his phone in hand. “I’m

going to call Ishaan and see if he’s available. Be right
back!” With that, he walked away leaving me and
Rasmalai alone at the table.

“Now it’s just us,” Rasmalai said. “We can talk without
any interruptions.”
“Yeah, talk. About what exactly?” I asked curiously.

Chapter 19
I lay on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling, still trying to
piece together what exactly Rasmalai had wanted to say.
After Keshav left to call Ishaan, Rasmalai had finally
tried to confess something—only for us to get
interrupted by Ananya's father, who suggested we rest
for a while before Ananya arrived.

"Ugh, why can't he just say things clearly for once?" I

muttered to myself. Every time he tries to say something,
he either leaves it hanging or pulls back right when I'm
about to understand.

I picked up my phone, ready to type a message to

Rasmalai to ask what he wanted to say. But when I
opened our chat, my eyes drifted to the long paragraph
he’d sent a month ago, full of apologies and regret over
my silence toward him. I read it once more, then tossed
my phone aside out of reflex. Closing my eyes, I took a
deep breath as memories filled my mind. The scene from
when I first saw him in the school’s sick room became
vivid.

FLASHBACK: 5th AUGUST 2022

"Excuse me, ma'am," Vaishnavi, a friend from another
section, stood at the door of our classroom.

"Yes?" my chemistry teacher responded.

"Ma'am, is Jayashree present? Could you send her out?"

Vaishnavi asked.

"Jayashree..." my teacher called, looking toward the

class.

"Yes, ma'am," I answered, standing up from my seat in

the third row, first column, where I’d been talking with
my bench partner, Anisha, in our standard nine class.

"Vaishnavi is calling you," she added.

I walked out of the classroom and saw Vaishnavi

standing there with Ankita di. I was a bit confused as to
why they were looking for me.

"What’s up?" I asked.

"Didn’t Minakshi ma’am tell you? We have to attend a
webinar today," Vaishnavi replied.

"Like, right now?" I asked.

"Hmm," Vaishnavi confirmed.

"What class do you have now?" Ankita di asked.

"Chemistry," I answered.

I noticed both of them were holding water bottles.

"Should I bring mine too?" I asked.

"Hmm, take it," Ankita di replied.

I quickly went back to the classroom, grabbed my water

bottle, and returned. As we walked across the school
ground, we chatted about how our studies were going. I
wasn’t particularly close to Ankita di back then, but I
remember telling her how much I disliked chemistry.
She laughed and replied, "If this is how you feel in ninth
with Rashmi ma'am, just imagine what it’ll be like
without her teaching you."

The three of us eventually made our way to the school

office and sat on the waiting chairs outside the
principal's office, commenting on the board toppers' list
displayed there.

"We are supposed to be in the sick room, beta,"

Minakshi ma'am, my English teacher, said as she joined
us.

We entered the room, guided by Minakshi ma’am. To

the left, there was a bed with a laptop perched on it. I
barely recognized anyone apart from Vaishnavi and
Ankita di. As I settled in, the webinar started, and it
didn’t take long for boredom to set in. The drone of
voices and slides in the Google Meet seemed endless,
and my eyes couldn’t help but drift.

It was then that I began noticing him—the boy beside the

laptop. I found myself glancing at him over and over,
watching as he adjusted his hair with an effortless flick
and focused on setting up the laptop. His calm
confidence caught my attention, and for reasons I
couldn’t quite place, I felt drawn to him.

At one point, when it became unbearable to sit any

longer, Vaishnavi and I asked Minakshi ma’am if we
could go to the washroom. She allowed us, and as soon
as we stepped out, Vaishnavi leaned in, sharing a piece
of news that would only deepen my curiosity.
“You know that boy sitting right next to the laptop? His
name’s Akshat,” she said casually, as if she’d just shared
the most ordinary fact. “He topped the 10th boards this
year, and the one beside him is Rudra, who came
second.”

“Oh…” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

She went on to tell me about his academics and his

decision to take biology. The more she spoke, the more
intrigued I became. When we returned to the sickroom, I
couldn’t help but glance at him more often, noticing
every small movement. Each look only added to the
strange pull I felt.

As we finally made our way back to our classroom after

six long periods, I couldn’t help but blurt out to Anisha,
“I think...I think I’ve started liking someone.”

----------------END OF FLASHBACK-----------------------

Taking a deep breath and opening my eyes, I picked up

my phone and opened the chat with Rasmalai. My heart
raced slightly as I hovered over the screen,
contemplating what to say. Finally, I typed a simple
message: "Can we talk? I really want to understand what
you were trying to say."
As I sent the text, memories washed over me, pulling me
back to the day I first reached out to him—a day that felt
like both an eternity ago and just yesterday.

FLASHBACK: JULY 26, 2023

By then, I was close to Ankita di, and she knew about
my admiration for Rasmalai. That day, I had sung a
patriotic song in school, and later that evening, while
conversing with Ankita di, I mentioned that Rasmalai
hadn't been looking at the stage while I was singing. She
replied, "He must be feeling your song; he also loves
singing."

Her response sparked an idea. I asked her to send me his

song so I could listen to it. But she denied it and instead
told me to ask him on my own. And so, I actually texted
him, asking for his songs.

"Hi, I'm Jayashree," I sent.

"Hmm, say," Rasmalai replied.

"Ankita di said you also sing. I want to listen; may I?" I

asked.

"Aree, I just sing casually! Btw, you were amazing

today," he replied.
That day we chatted for a while, and then he said he
would send his audio clips to me in a few days.

--------------END OF FLASHBACK--------------------

Drifting out of my thoughts, my phone buzzed, and I saw

that Rasmalai had replied.

"Hmm, but I guess it would be better to speak in person.

I don't want you to ignore my message once again."

I wanted to tell him that I hardly ever ignored his

messages; it was just that paragraph I didn’t reply to
because I was overwhelmed and couldn't decide what to
say. But I simply typed, "Ok," not wanting further
complications.

He then replied, "Let's talk tonight, after dinner, at the

garden."

I agreed.
Chapter 20
We were all seated around the antique 12-seater dining
table in Ananya's home. Ananya's uncle, who was older
than her father, sat next to the head of the table, where
her grandfather presided. Her grandmother sat beside
him, followed by Ananya, me, Rasmalai, Keshav,
Ananya’s brother, her father, her chachu, and her three
younger cousins.

The kitchen staff brought out an extravagant Rajasthani

lunch. The air soon filled with the rich aroma of dal baati
churma, ker sangri, gatte ki sabzi, and missi roti, each
dish adding another layer of flavor to the air. It felt as if
every dish was a slice of tradition, a story passed down
and preserved.

As we began, the soft clinking of silverware mixed with

the low murmur of voices. Ananya’s grandmother served
Rasmalai a generous portion of churma, smiling as he
thanked her, looking slightly shy yet appreciative. “This
is a taste of Rajasthan’s heart,” she said with pride.
“Every dish has its own story. In our family, these
recipes are passed from one generation to the next.”

Ananya’s uncle picked up on her words, launching into a

tale about the time he tried making ker sangri for a
festival and nearly mistook mustard seeds for fenugreek.
Laughter erupted at the table, and even her usually quiet
grandfather chuckled.

The atmosphere was warm and lighthearted. Keshav,

sitting across from me, leaned forward and whispered,
“Who knew food could come with history lessons?”

I smiled. “It’s fascinating,” I replied, genuinely

captivated by how the meal seemed to bring everyone
closer.

I couldn’t help but notice how relaxed Rasmalai was,

listening intently and asking questions about each dish.
He caught my gaze once, giving a slight smile, almost as
if he’d caught me studying him.

After we finished the main course, plates of ghevar,

creamy shrikhand, and syrupy jalebi were brought to the
table. As I took my first bite of ghevar, the sweet
richness nearly made me sigh with delight.
Ananya’s father noticed and smiled knowingly. “It
seems our guest enjoys Rajasthani desserts,” he teased
gently.

I laughed, a little embarrassed. “It’s incredible. I don’t

think I’ve ever tasted anything quite like this.”

Ananya’s grandfather nodded approvingly. “Good food

is best when shared,” he said. “We are glad you are here
to enjoy it with us, beta.”

As the table quieted down after dessert, Ananya’s father

suggested, “We’ll gather in the garden for tea after a
short rest.” Nods and murmurs of agreement filled the
room as everyone prepared to take a break before
regrouping outside.

Once upstairs in the guest room, I stretched out on the

bed, reflecting on the afternoon. This visit was turning
into something much richer and more memorable than I
had expected. Just then, my phone buzzed with a
message notification.

I checked it—it was from Rasmalai, reminding me about

his invitation to meet in the garden after dinner. My
mind began to swirl with questions. What was it that he
wanted to talk about so privately? There was a mixture
of curiosity and nervous anticipation in my heart as I
thought about our upcoming conversation.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. I went to

open it and found Ananya standing there.

"Ananya, why’d you come all the way here? You could
have called, and I would’ve come to your room," I said,
surprised.

"Please! You coming to Udaipur is valuable enough for

me. I can easily walk a few rooms over," she replied,
rolling her eyes.

"Alright, alright, come on in. I’ve got so much to tell

you." I led her to the bed, letting her settle comfortably
against a pillow.

As she settled in, I began telling her about the events of

the past few days—about Rasmalai being with me
throughout the anxious hours after her accident, and how
he seemed on the verge of confessing something before
we were interrupted.

"He was about to say something, but then Keshav came

in to tell us he was going to call Ishaan, and…," I trailed
off, feeling a twinge of confusion.
"What happened?" Ananya asked, sensing my hesitation.

"The thing is, Keshav never told me if he actually spoke

to Ishaan, and now Ishaan hasn’t called or texted me in
two days," I said, frowning slightly.

Ananya raised an eyebrow. "What is he doing? Did you

say something to him?"

"Why would I? I know he was starting to get attached, so

I tried to keep a bit of distance—to avoid hurting him.
But I didn’t spell that out or anything. I’m not heartless,
like… well, I’m not Akshat!" I replied, feeling a mix of
frustration and sadness.

Ananya looked at me thoughtfully. "Maybe that distance

made him feel like he was losing you without
understanding why. Sometimes, a bit of openness can
help, even if it feels risky."

I sighed, realizing she might be right. "Yeah… but now,

with Rasmalai asking me to meet him in the garden
tonight, it’s like everything is just getting more tangled."

Ananya's eyes lit up. "So, he’s finally going to tell you
something, huh?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool, but my heart was
racing with anticipation. "I guess we’ll find out soon
enough."

She gave me a supportive smile, squeezing my hand.

"Well, if anyone can handle this gracefully, it’s you."

I smiled back, but the thought of Ishaan lingered in my

mind. Something didn’t feel right—three days without
any message from him wasn’t like him, especially after
everything we’d shared.

Ananya must have sensed my worry because she

suggested, “Why don’t we call Keshav over and see if he
can clear this up? He did talk to Ishaan recently, didn’t
he?”

"Good idea," I said, reaching for my phone. In a few

minutes, Keshav appeared at the door, looking curious
but slightly cautious.

"Come on in, Keshav. We need you to tell us what’s

going on with Ishaan," I said as he settled down in the
chair by the bed.

He gave a small sigh, leaning forward. "I was actually

wondering when you’d ask about this. There’s
something you should know, Jayashree."
Keshav’s Flashback to Call with Ishaan That
Morning:

Right after breakfast, I went to my room, grabbed my

phone, and stepped into the garden, announcing to
Jayashree and Akshat that I was going to call Ishaan. I
expected I’d have to dial him a couple of times since
Jayashree had called him several times already with no
response. But to my surprise, he picked up on the second
ring.

"Hello," Ishaan said, his tone flat.

"Hey, Ishaan, it’s me, Keshav. We’ve been calling you

for so long; you didn’t answer!" I said, trying to sound
casual, but the worry in my voice slipped through.

"You never called me, Keshav," he replied steadily, the

hint of defensiveness clear.

"I mean, Jayashree did," I corrected, feeling the weight

of the moment.

There was a brief silence, and I could almost feel him

processing my words. "Actually, I... I didn’t want to
bother her anymore..."
"Why would you think that?" I asked, incredulity
creeping into my tone. "She just wanted to tell you about
Ananya's accident!"

"Ananya's accident?" Ishaan exclaimed, the shock

evident in his voice.

"Yes, her train met with an accident two days ago.

Jayashree wanted to inform you right away, but Akshat
thought it would be better to wait until Ananya was
stable. He didn’t want you to worry too much," I
explained, trying to convey the seriousness of the
situation.

"Akshat? How is he there?" Ishaan asked, confusion

threading through his words.

"Jayashree and Akshat were in the same compartment

while traveling back home. When Jayashree got the
news, they both came together. Right now, the three of
us are at Ananya's home in Udaipur," I said, feeling the
urgency in my tone.

"Oh nice, good that Ananya is stable now," he replied,

his relief palpable.

"Hmm," I acknowledged, but the moment was

interrupted by his next words.
"That’s what I thought when Jayashree was texting me,"
Ishaan said, hesitation seeping into his voice.

"What?" I prompted, sensing something deeper behind

his tone.

"I don’t know if I should say this, but… I think I might

have messed things up with her," he admitted, a hint of
regret coloring his words.

"With Jayashree? What happened?" I pressed, my

concern deepening.

"It’s nothing she did. Actually, it’s me. I just… I started

feeling like she was pulling away. Like maybe I was
bothering her with all my messages, and I didn’t want to
come across as clingy."

"You know Jayashree—she’s never been one to judge

anyone for showing they care. Maybe you’re just reading
into things too much," I reassured him, but he sounded
unconvinced.

"I thought so too at first, but then she just seemed

distant. I guess I got scared and thought that maybe the
best thing I could do was give her space. I’ve realized
that she probably has feelings for someone else—
Akshat, right? I can’t compete with that. It’s better for
her if I step back," he said, his voice growing firmer, the
determination behind his words unmistakable.

"Ishaan, you’re jumping to conclusions. Have you ever

talked to Jayashree about this? You’re making
assumptions without knowing how she feels," I urged,
feeling a surge of frustration.

"I don’t need to talk to her to see what’s happening. I’ve

been avoiding her calls because I didn’t want to
interfere. It’s not fair to her if I’m just in the way,"
Ishaan replied, resolute. "From now on, I won’t disturb
her."

With that, he cut the call, leaving me in stunned silence.

------------------END OF FLASHBACK--------------------

Back in the present, Keshav looked at me with a mixture

of sympathy and concern. "That’s why he’s been so
quiet, Jayashree. He thinks stepping back is the right
thing to do, but he’s completely misreading the
situation."
I sat there, absorbing it all, feeling a pang of guilt and
sadness. Ishaan had distanced himself without asking
anything about my feelings.

Ananya squeezed my hand again, a comforting gesture

that reminded me I wasn’t alone. "Maybe it’s time to
clear things up, Jayashree."

I nodded, understanding what I needed to do. But first, I

had to meet Rasmalai in the garden that night, and then,
after everything was out in the open, I would find a way
to have an honest conversation with Ishaan.
Chapter 21
As we left the dining room, Ananya turned to me with a
curious look. "Did you like the dinner?"

"Yes," I said, smiling. "It was different but tasty—

something new for me."

"When are you going to meet him?" Ananya asked, her

eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Probably in an hour or so. I’ve got some assignments to

finish first, so maybe after that," I replied, trying to
sound casual.

Ananya nodded thoughtfully, then, after a brief pause,

asked, "Jayashree, you still like Akshat, don’t you?"

I hesitated, feeling a familiar pang of conflicted

emotions. "Uhh… if I’m honest, yeah. I do," I admitted
quietly. "And that’s why I’ve been keeping some
distance from Ishaan. He deserves more than someone
who is only half there."

Ananya raised an eyebrow. "Then why don’t you try to

move on and focus solely on Ishaan?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Ananya, it’s

not that simple. After the fest, when… Rasmalai said
that, I tried. I really did. I wanted to just let it all go, give
up on these feelings for him. I thought I could finally
focus on myself, encourage myself to move forward
without anyone weighing me down."

She looked at me, her expression softening. "So… what

happened?"

I shrugged, feeling the weight of all those tangled

emotions pressing down on me again. "I wanted to hate
Akshat for making it so complicated, but I couldn’t.
Even when I tried to distance myself, everything kept
pulling us back together—like your accident. We got so
caught up in it all again, and now… I don’t know what
he’ll think or what I should even say to him."

Ananya reached out and gave my hand a reassuring

squeeze. "Don’t stress too much about it, Jayashree.
Things will work out as they’re meant to."
I looked away, feeling a tinge of guilt. "I just don’t want
to hurt Ishaan. He’s been nothing but kind."

Ananya nodded, understanding. "I know. And you’re not

at fault for being honest with your feelings… sometimes,
things just get complicated."

"Yeah… whatever," I muttered, more to myself than to

her.

With a sigh, we headed to our rooms. I threw myself into

my assignments, setting an alarm for 11:30 PM. Ananya
had mentioned that her family usually went to bed
around 11, so we’d agreed to meet in the garden around
that time. I wanted to gather my thoughts before facing
Rasmalai and whatever he had to say.

At the clock striked 11:30 my phone alarm buzzed, I

turned it off and went in front of the mirror and set my
hairs and wore a sweater to get protected from the chill
winds out side.
I moved out of my room and then went downstairs. The
house was fully quite no voice could be heard. I went to
the back door and entered the Garden.
I saw the Rasmalai sitting on the bench, the pitch
darkness with subtle breezes and fragrance of Jasmines
made everything feels subtle and surreal, Unwilling I
was getting an unwanted hope, Maybe that I didn't need.
"Hey" I waved him as I reached in front, he looked at me
and then spoke up.

"Oh, Thanks for coming!" He said.

"Why wouldn't I come, but please tell me fast now that

what is that you wanted to say from so long?"

He ran a hand through his hair, a habit he had.

"Before I say anything please understand that I never
meant to hurt you, I did everything that I felt is best for
you and I will always do so only"

"You have said it too many times before too,

Rasmalai...is this all you wanted to say?"

"No, actually, Ishaan called me today...After we moved

to our rooms before the breakfast."

My brows furrowed in surprise. "Wait, Ishaan? Called

you? After we reached udaipur? Did you tell him about
Ananya's accident that time."

"Yeah, I mean no,I couldn't tell him about Ananya, he

didn't let me speak properly" he replied, his gaze drifting
off into the shadows. "He was really... disturbed. He
thinks I hurt you somehow. That you’re keeping your
distance from him because of me. He thinks you are still
so much into me."

I felt my heart sink a little, I somehow felt bad for my

behaviour toward Ishaan. Also the hope that had bubbled
up inside me few moments ago deflating slowly, So he
was here to talk about Ishaan.

"He said," Rasmalai continued, "that maybe he has been

selfish with his feelings, and that he never wanted to be a
reason for your unhappiness. He thinks... he thinks I’m
the reason you can never be with him." He paused,
looking at me intently. "Jayashree, he's really hurt.
Maybe you should talk to him, samjhaao usse (make him
understand). He’s a good friend, and he doesn’t deserve
to feel like this."

I took a slow breath, letting his words sink in. Here I

was, hoping for clarity between us, and instead, he was
pushing me toward Ishaan. My heart felt heavy, like it
was caught between two worlds.

"You should never loose someone, who cares so much

for you...I mean if you feel so then only."
He said looking at me.

I looked at him and urged to say that where were his

these morals when someone genuinely cared for him.
"So," I said looking away from him, barely above a
whisper, "you think I should... be with him?"

He looked away, as if he hadn’t quite expected the

question. After a long pause, he finally answered,
"Jayashree, Ishaan is a good guy. He truly cares for you.
If you both have a chance at happiness... maybe you
should give it a try." He then turned towards me,"But
please don't get me wrong, I want your happiness only."

I swallowed, forcing a small nod, tears pricking the

corners of my eyes even though crying hadn’t been my
intention. "Right. Maybe it’s time I settle things with
Ishaan,” I replied, feeling the weight of my own words
press down as I said them.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between us, one that

felt like a goodbye to something that never had the
chance to begin.

"Then… help me," I said, still looking away, refusing to

meet his gaze.

"Sure. Tell me," Rasmalai replied softly, sensing the

gravity in my voice.
"Call Ishaan right now, and give the phone to me," I
said, the words tumbling out before I could second-guess
myself.

"Why me?" He looked at me, a flicker of confusion in

his eyes.

"Because he won’t pick up my call. I need to tell him…

tell him that he’s one of the few people who has made
me feel genuinely cared for. I just can’t handle more
complications—I’m already lost in enough turmoil," I
admitted, the words heavy. "And, as you said, if I have a
chance at some happiness, I shouldn’t let it go, right?"

Rasmalai paused, then nodded, seeming to understand

the mixed emotions I was struggling with. "Okay, give
me a second." He pulled out his phone and dialed
Ishaan’s number, putting it on speaker. This time, I
didn’t have to endure three or four rings; as soon as the
first ring ended, a tense, bold voice came through.

"What the hell do you want from me?" Ishaan's tone was
sharp, slicing through the silence like a blade, almost
painful to hear.

My breath caught for a moment before I replied, "It's me,

Ishaan." My voice was soft, barely audible, but firm
enough to carry through.
There was an awkward pause on the other end. I could
almost hear the weight of his breathing, as if he were
drawing in every word, steadying himself for something
he didn’t want to face. I held my breath, fearing he’d
hang up, but then his voice broke the silence—low,
restrained, yet laced with hurt. “You… What do you
need?”

Hearing Ishaan’s voice like this—a vulnerability

wrapped in anger—stirred something deep within me.
Memories rushed back through the echoes of my
younger self who was shattered by Akshat. This moment
brought that same raw ache to the surface, yet it also
awakened an empathy I didn’t expect to feel.

“Thank you, Ishaan. You’ve been one of the greatest

friends I’ve ever had," I began, feeling the words settle
heavily between us. "You make me feel so happy… just
by caring so much.” My voice wavered, searching for his
response, but all I got was silence, as though he was
absorbing every syllable, unsure of what it all meant.

I swallowed, pressing forward. “My life is so

complicated, more than you could imagine. It’s like a
storm I created but can’t control. And in all this chaos…
somehow, I made you feel distant. But believe me,
Ishaan, I never meant for things to turn out this way.”
My voice softened, catching on a tremor of regret. Deep
down, I knew I had distanced myself for his happiness as
I knew I can't ever like him the way I liked Rasmalai, but
now, standing here, the lines felt so blurred.

There was a long pause, and then his voice cut in, bitter
and raw. “So, how can I help you now? You’re calling
from Akshat’s phone so late at the night. You both
travelled in the same compartment. I guess you’re happy
enough?” His words were sharp, his tone biting, each
one hitting like tiny pinpricks.

“Please, Ishaan,” I whispered, almost pleading, “don’t

misinterpret.”

"Fine,” he replied curtly. “Go on.”

I gathered my thoughts, steadying my breath. “I want… I

want us to give this a try. I think… I want someone who
really cares about me. You do, don’t you?”

For a heartbeat, there was nothing. Then, his voice came

through, uncertain yet laced with a quiet hope. “Do you
really mean what you’re saying, Jayashree?”

I swallowed and forced out the words, ignoring the

tremor in my heart. “Of course, I do.” As I spoke, I
found myself glancing at Rasmalai, whose expression
softened into a bittersweet smile. There was something
almost painful in that smile, a fleeting glint that felt like
the edge of a knife to my delicate heart.

There was a beat of silence, and then Ishaan’s voice

returned, steadier now. “Then… I’ll give it a chance.”

“Hm,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper, the

weight of my decision settling on me like a heavy cloak.

A moment passed in silence, the air thick with things

unsaid. Finally, Rasmalai shifted beside me, his voice
cutting through the tension. “I guess my job here is
done,” he said, with a faint smile that didn’t quite reach
his eyes.

“Goodbye, Ishaan. Let’s talk tomorrow,” I murmured,

my voice carrying a mix of hope and resignation. He
mumbled a similar goodbye, and with a small sigh, I
ended the call, handing the phone back to Rasmalai. As I
did, his fingers brushed against mine—a brief touch,
fleeting but electric, sending a shiver down my spine.

He gave me one last, small smile, a gesture so delicate it

almost hurt to see. I stayed frozen, watching as he turned
and walked away towards the house. I couldn’t bring
myself to look away, my gaze tracing the familiar lines
of someone I knew I could never truly hate. Even after
everything—even after fate seemed to twist and tear at
the threads between us.

As his figure grew smaller in the distance, I whispered,

almost to myself, “I tried my best… but you...You were
never meant to be mine.”
The words lingered, filling the quiet night as a single tear
slid down my cheek, followed by another.
Prologue continued…

The laughter died down as everyone leaned in, eager for

more. Vaishnavi, ever the realist, crossed her arms and
raised an eyebrow.
“This is why I don’t like your attitude,” she said, her
voice laced with frustration. “Why take your life
decisions based on how someone else reacts to you? You
need to make choices for yourself, Jayashree.”

Anisha, always the mediator, gave Vaishnavi a look

before speaking. “No yaar, it’s not that easy. If you have
feelings for someone, they make you do crazy things.
It’s just part of being human.”

Anamika snapped back, shaking her head. “Wahi na, it’s

not that simple. You can’t just dismiss everything like
that. Love doesn’t follow logic, you know?”

The conversation hung in the air for a moment, the

tension palpable. Everyone was waiting for me to speak
up, but I wasn’t sure where to start. I opened my mouth,
but before I could say anything, Manshi chimed in.

“Wait, wait! Can we at least see a picture of Ishaan?” she

asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
I was about to respond when Riya interrupted. “I don’t
think the story is over yet,” she said, cutting through the
sudden wave of questions. “Please, Jayashree, continue.
We can see his picture at the end. I’m sure there’s more
to it, right?”

I took a deep breath. I could tell they were all hanging on

to every word, each one eager for the next chapter of the
story. It was clear that I couldn’t just end it there. So, I
smiled softly and began again, my voice steady but with
an excitement that matched their own.

Chapter 22
I opened the door to the guest room, closing it behind me
with a forceful thud that echoed in the stillness of the
house. I barely noticed the sound, even though everyone
was probably asleep. Slowly, I sank to the floor, pressing
my back against the door for support as I hugged my
knees, feeling the weight of the day press down on me.
The tears came in a rush, streaming down my face,
soaking the top of my yellow kurti until it clung to my
skin. I couldn’t stop myself, couldn’t hold back all that
had built up inside.

Why did I do this? Why couldn’t I just tell Akshat that

he was the one I’d always wanted and couldn’t stop
wanting, no matter how much I tried? And if I couldn’t
say that to him, then why on earth did I say those things
to Ishaan? Did I just offer him something he deserved so
much more than—a genuine, real love—like it was a
mere… charity?

“Ugh… huhhh…” I sobbed, slamming my fist against

the cold floor, the pain grounding me only slightly.
“What did I just do? I went to someone I don’t even have
feelings for and tried to start a relationship. Oh, my
goodness!” I whispered, covering my face with both
hands, fingers pressing into my temples as though I
could somehow squeeze the confusion out of my mind. I
couldn’t decide what to do next, how to make sense of it
all. Reflexively, I wiped my tears with the sleeve of my
white open front sweater, the fabric dampening as I tried
to steady myself.

“W-where’s my phone?” I murmured, glancing around

the room, eyes searching as if the phone would hold all
the answers.

I slowly stood up, feeling the heaviness in my legs, and

moved to sit on the edge of the bed, grabbing my phone
from where it lay. The clock read 12:10 AM. Without
thinking twice, I opened the dialer and pressed call, not
caring about the late hour. The ring buzzed in my ear,
each second feeling like an eternity.

“Hello?” came the voice on the other end.

“Didi…” I choked out, my voice breaking into a sob as

soon as Ankita di answered.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Her tone sharpened,

her worry instantly audible.

A wave of guilt hit me; I hadn’t called her in days,

hadn’t even mentioned Ananya’s accident. From her
voice, I knew that Rasmalai hadn’t informed her either. I
could barely find the words as I tried to answer, the tears
streaming down my face again, each one heavier than the
last.
“I… I messed up everything,” I whispered, my voice
shaking as the weight of it all washed over me.

“Messed up what? what’s wrong?” she asked, sounding

both alarmed and confused.

“I… I just…” I broke down again, unable to form the

words, clutching the phone tightly as if her presence
could reach me through it. I could almost feel her arms
around me, comforting me like she did the last time I felt
this heartbroken and confused. I wanted to embrace her
firmly right then and tell her everything crying like hell.

“What happened? Tell me!” she urged, her voice filled

with concern.

I took a shaky breath, steadying myself enough to

respond, “When are you coming home from college?”

“Tomorrow… but please, don’t leave me in suspense

like this! What happened?” she pressed, her voice edged
with frustration now.

“I’ll be back in town tomorrow by late evening. Can we

meet for dinner?” I asked, the desperation still evident in
my tone as I struggled to keep my emotions in check.
“Tomorrow?” she repeated, surprise mixed with worry.

“Yes… at Spice Garden. I’ll let you know the time,” I

said, my voice still breaking as I tried to control my
sobs.

“Alright… but are you sure you’re okay?” Her voice

softened, sensing my distress.

“I’ll explain everything tomorrow. Goodnight, Didi,” I

managed, hurriedly ending the call before she could ask
anything else I turned airplane mode on. I knew if she
insisted me any further, I would spill everything right
there and then. But I wanted to tell her in person—to feel
her support and the comfort of her presence.

With a trembling hand, I put down the phone, feeling

emptier than ever. The room seemed colder, quieter, as I
sat in the dark, trying to settle down myself.

"Ugh, please, tears, stop now!" I murmured to myself,

half-hoping my tears would actually listen.

I wiped my face again, swiping away the wetness that

refused to disappear, and stood up from the bed. A
strange sense of restlessness took over, so I wandered
over to the balcony, needing the cool night air to clear
my head. From there, I could see the garden below, that
same bench where I had sat with Rasmalai just a short
while ago. The image of it—still, quiet, untouched by the
turmoil I was feeling—brought everything rushing back
with vivid intensity.

Despite the stillness around me and the light chill in the

air, a shiver ran through me, as if the night itself
understood the weight of the moment. I gripped the
balcony railing, letting the breeze brush over me, hoping
it would carry away some of the pain too. But each
passing gust only seemed to deepen the ache, replaying
that conversation with Rasmalai over and over in my
mind.

Buzzzzz... My phone's alarm jolted me awake.

I flipped the phone over and saw it was already 9 AM. I

realized I had snoozed the past four alarms I had set.
Ananya’s family would already be having breakfast.
With a heavy heart and a tired body, I forced myself to
sit up, leaning back against the edge of the bed. I reached
for the water bottle just a couple of feet away and gulped
down half of it.
Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door.

“Who’s that?” I called out loudly enough to be heard.

“It’s me, Ananya,” came her response.

“Come in, it’s open!” I said, trying to shake off the

grogginess.

Ananya stepped in, raising her eyebrows at me. “You’re

still not ready? It’s already 9! You all need to leave
before 11; your flight from Udaipur is at 12:20!” she said
with a slight scold.

“I’m awake, I promise! I’ll be downstairs in a bit,” I

assured her.

“Alright, I’ll check on Akshat too…” she said, turning to

leave. Hearing his name made last night’s scene play
through my mind all over again.

I didn't mention anything to Ananya about last night. My

phone was still on airplane mode from last night; I had
left it like that to avoid any chaos. Shaking off the
memory, I knew I had to get going. We’d need to leave
by 11 since Ananya’s dad had arranged tickets for me,
Akshat, and Keshav to fly from Udaipur to Delhi.
Keshav, being from Delhi, would head off with his
cousin from the airport. Meanwhile, Akshat and I would
be stuck waiting there for a few hours, as there wasn’t a
connecting flight to Ranchi until later.
With a sigh, I decided a quick shower would help wake
me up and clear my head before starting the day.

I got up, gathered my things for a quick shower, and

headed into the bathroom. The cool water helped me
shake off the fogginess and, just a little, the weight of the
previous night. I tried to push away thoughts of Akshat
and Ishaan, but they lingered, weaving in and out of my
mind like an endless loop.

After dressing, I took a deep breath before heading

downstairs. The scent of breakfast was warm and
inviting, almost enough to make me forget the heaviness
I felt. As I walked into the dining area, Ananya’s family
was bustling around, her cousins chatting and laughing,
her uncle pouring tea for her grandmother, and Ananya's
mother was setting plates with a smile.

“There she is! Good morning,” Ananya greeted,

gesturing for me to take a seat.

“Good morning,” I replied with a small smile, settling in

as Keshav and Akshat entered behind me. Keshav
looked refreshed, chatting cheerfully with Ananya’s
father, while Akshat seemed calm and composed, though
he avoided looking directly at me.
We all sat down, and breakfast began, the lighthearted
energy of the family filling the air. Ananya’s dad made
small talk, and the morning went by in a surprisingly
normal rhythm. But as the clock ticked closer to our
departure time, the atmosphere grew bittersweet.

We went back to the group to say our goodbyes.

Ananya’s father helped us load our bags into the car.

"Let's now meet at college after the vacation," I said to

Ananya giving her a good bye hug.

"Yes, stay connected till then," she replied

"Hmm"

After a round of hugs and thanks to everyone, we were

on our way to the airport.
In the car, Keshav chatted casually with Ananya’s dad
while Rasmalai and I sat quietly. The silence between us
felt heavy, filled with words that neither of us seemed
ready to say. I glanced over at him a few times, but he
kept his gaze fixed on the scenery outside, lost in
thought.

We arrived at Udaipur Airport with just enough time to

check in and board. The flight to Delhi was quiet and
uneventful, with each of us lost in our own thoughts. I
tried to focus on the upcoming journey, hoping it would
help distract me from everything that had unfolded in
Udaipur. Keshav was the only one who was initiating
conversation throughout the flight but none of it
continued long.

We landed in Delhi after 1 hour and 15 minutes, and

Keshav, who was standing nearby to me, checked his
phone and grinned. “Hey, my cousin is on the way, but
listen—since we have a four more hours before your
next flight, why don’t you both come to my house for
lunch? It’s just 20 minutes away from here. My family
would love to meet you.”
I exchanged a quick glance with Akshat, both of us a bit
hesitant. This was the first time in the day he looked at
me today.

“Come on,” Keshav added, looking between the two of

us with a hopeful smile. “It’ll be nice to get out of the
airport for a bit. Plus, my mom makes an amazing lunch.
Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!”

"But Keshav, let's plan it some other time please, we are

already late!" I urged.

But after a moment’s hesitation and deny, Rasmalai and

I agreed. Keshav said to take it like a welcome break, a
way to reset a bit after the heavy atmosphere of the past
few days.

We exited the airport, and soon Keshav’s cousin pulled

up in a car to take us to his place. The drive was relaxed,
with Keshav filling the silence with stories about his
family. He pointed out familiar places along the way,the
streets where he grew up, and I found myself smiling at
his enthusiasm.

"Ankita tried calling you, but it's switch off since last
night. Talk to her once." Rasmalai said breaking the
silence between us.

"Hnn...did you say something?" I said startled by hearing

the voice of Rasmalai speaking to me.

"Your phone is not reachable, Ankita is worried and

that's why she said me to tell you.." He replied.

"Wait why.. I mean how did she know that we are

together?" I asked intrigued.

"She just mentioned that she is gonna have a dinner with

you today but you aren't not reachable by call or
messages, I said that you are beside me and I can tell
you,"
"Did you tell her about Ananya's Accident?" I asked my
curiosity rising up.

"Not yet, I told her that I will explain her everything on

call it's too much to tell on text." He replied.

"Fine!"

"Do call her like she is genuinely worried,"

"Hmm, I will..just let us reach Keshav's house."

I pulled out my phone from my bag and turned off the

airplane mode. As soon as I did so I found three missed
calls from Ankita di and three from Ishaan and two from
home and message notifications mostly from Ishaan,
Ankita di, Ananya and home.
I dropped a message to Ankita di and then turned
airplane mode on again.

As we stepped into Keshav’s home, His mom stood at

the doorstep. She had normal frame, somewhere in her
forties wearing a Beige coloured Salwaar with long thick
braided hair. his mom greeted us with a big smile, her
warmth filling the air instantly. "Welcome, welcome!
We’ve heard so much about you two!" she said, hugging
me and Rasmalai in turn. She seemed like the type who
was always ready with open arms and a big heart.
“Mummy, let them breathe! They’ve had a long flight,”
Keshav laughed, but his mom brushed him off.

“Arrey, don’t be silly, Keshav. They’re your friends,

they’re like family!” She led us into the living room,
where plates of snacks and 5 glasses of lassi were
waiting on the table. “Come, sit down! You must be
starving. Keshav told me all about the two of you,” she
said, grinning at us in a way that made me feel like she
knew way more than she was letting on.

As we started nibbling on the snacks, Keshav’s mom

leaned forward with a mischievous look in her eyes. “So,
Akshat beta,” she began, glancing between the two of us.
“I know all about your other friend Ananya and her
friendship with Keshav.” She winked.

"That's Amazing to hear Aunty ji," Rasmalai replied

picking up one glass of lassi.

"Yes, I'm very Frank to Keshav. But what’s the story

here?” She gestured between Rasmalai and me, clearly
intrigued.

Rasmalai coughed, trying not to choke on his lassi, while

I quickly shook my head, trying not to smile at this
wrong time. “No, Auntyji, there’s no ‘story,’” I said,
laughing awkwardly.

“Oh, please! I was young once, too, you know!” She

raised an eyebrow, giving us both a playful smile. “So,
you’re sure there’s nothing there?” She turned to
Keshav, nudging him. “Keshav, what’s going on? Are
they just trying to keep secrets?”

Keshav, caught off guard, chuckled and blurted out, “Oh,

no, no, Aunty ji, ugh I mean mummy ji, there's nothing
like that we are all good friends only.”

“Oh, I see!” she said with a grin, though her eyes

sparkled with newfound curiosity as she looked at me.
“Well, if that is the truth it only make things more
interesting, doesn’t it?”

She then gave Rasmalai a teasing nudge. "You know,

Akshat beta, a good friend can sometimes turn into
something more. It’s happened before too!" Her playful
tone made it clear she was just having fun with us, but
the room erupted into laughter as she continued to nudge
and wink, fully invested in her own theory about
Rasmalai and me.

Lunch was filled with more teasing from Keshav's mom,

who kept glancing between us, clearly enjoying the new
‘couple’ narrative she’d imagined. She even started
joking about how she could imagine me and Akshat
coming home to visit someday.
“You both look so perfect together!” she said, reaching
out to pinch Akshat’s cheek in mock approval, which
made him groan but smile anyway.

That line hit me hard enough to make me hiccup—not

once but thrice. The chawal in my hand slipped back
onto the plate as I jerked involuntarily.

“Take this, be careful,” Akshat said, handing me a glass

of water with an amused expression.

I held the glass, giving him a curt “Thanks,” my face

deliberately blank. Why did his smallest actions still
make me feel this way?

“I said na,” Keshav’s mom chimed in again, interrupting

the awkward silence. “You two are just made for each
other! Perfect match!”

I ignored her comment and focused on drinking the

water. This was getting too much. Before I could react,
Keshav’s phone rang. He answered it and, after a brief
conversation, held it out to me.

“It’s Ananya,” he said.

I took the phone reluctantly. “Hello?”

“Hey,” Ananya’s cheerful voice came through. “Tried

calling you so many times, but your phone’s been
switched off. Anyway, there’s something I need to tell
you.”

“What is it?” I asked, already feeling tired.

“Well, I bought gifts for the three of you for coming all
the way to Udaipur, but there’s been a mix-up.”

“What kind of mix-up?” I asked, frowning.

“I accidentally put your gift in Keshav’s bag, his gift in

Akshat’s bag, and Akshat’s in yours.”

“What?!” I almost shouted, earning curious glances from

Akshat and Keshav. “When did you even buy gifts? And
how on earth did this happen?”

“My cousin bought them while you all were busy saying
goodbye. I was in such a hurry that I messed up when I
put the gifts into your bags in the dickey,” she explained,
sounding genuinely embarrassed.

“So silly of you!” I exclaimed, exasperated.

“Btw,” she added, “what happened last night? You
didn’t tell me anything.”

“I don’t have time now either,” I replied quickly, not

wanting to relive the emotional rollercoaster.

“Fine, fine. But you owe me the full story once you’re
home.”

“Hmmm,” I muttered, not committing to anything.

“Okay, bye. Safe travels!” she said, cutting the call.

I handed the phone back to Keshav, shaking my head.

“What’s up?” Keshav asked, looking intrigued.

“Ananya,” I began, trying to suppress a sigh. “She got us

gifts but mixed them up. My gift is in your bag, yours is
in Akshat’s maybe, and his is in mine.”

Keshav laughed. “Trust Ananya to make such a mess!”

“Well, let’s just sort it out before leaving for the airport,”
Akshat suggested in his usual calm tone.
After lunch, we all headed to Keshav's room to sort out
the gift confusion. I unzipped my bag and began pulling
things out one by one, placing them neatly on the bed to
avoid creating a mess. Beside me, Akshat was doing the
same, while Keshav sat cross-legged on the bed, digging
into his bag with no regard for neatness.

“This is so typical of Ananya,” I muttered, shaking my

head as I sifted through my things. “I mean, how do you
mix up gifts like this?”

Keshav laughed. “It’s a talent, honestly. She should win

an award for her chaos.”

"Hmm, the grand one for choosing a chaotic like you

too!" I snapped him.

As I pulled out more items, my fingers brushed against

the familiar texture of my diary. It was a simple leather-
bound notebook that I had carried with me since my
college life started. I had started journaling my feelings
since when I was in standard 9th. It always made me
mild after I jot down the emotions on paper. I kept the
diary to me left.

“Any luck?” Keshav asked, holding up a box wrapped in

brown paper with a grin. “Got mine!”
“Not yet,” I replied, still rummaging

“Found mine,” Akshat said calmly, pulling out a neatly

wrapped gift from his bag.

"Ohh, I found too!!" Keshav exclaimed from the other

side.

Finally, I found a small package buried beneath my

clothes. “Here it is!” I exclaimed, holding it up
triumphantly.

“Good, now let’s pack up quickly before we’re late for

the airport,” Rasmalai said, zipping up his bag halfway
before pausing to grab his diary from the bed that was
identical to my diary. I did the same but neither of us
realized we had grabbed the wrong diary.

Keshav stretched dramatically. “Okay, crisis averted.

Let’s head out. My cousin would leave you guys to the
Airport, I better take some rest. Too much tierd I am."

We quickly packed the rest of our belongings and zipped

up our bags, each of us assuming everything was back in
its rightful place. None of us noticed the subtle switch
that had just happened.
Chapter 23
As we settled into our seats on the flight from Delhi to
Ranchi, Rasmalai’s voice broke my train of thought.

“Didn’t you talk to Ishaan after yesterday night?” he

asked, his tone casual yet probing.
“No… I mean, I didn’t get time, so just… yeah, couldn’t
talk,” I said, fumbling slightly with my words, avoiding
his eyes.

“Hm, I see,” he replied, his gaze locking onto mine

briefly before looking away.

We were seated in the right column of the plane. I had

taken the window seat, while Rasmalai sat beside me.
Our silence lingered, but it wasn’t uncomfortable—just
heavy, weighed down by all the unsaid words between
us.

Beside Rasmalai was a young woman with a radiant

smile, dressed in a long embroidered top paired with
flared blue jeans. Her confident demeanor caught my
attention as she glanced around, clearly surveying her
surroundings.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” the young woman said suddenly,

breaking the fragile silence between me and Rasmalai.

“Ye… yes?” I replied, slightly startled.

“If you don’t mind, may I sit beside you?” she asked, her
polite tone accompanied by a radiant smile.
I glanced at Rasmalai, silently asking for his opinion. He
shrugged subtly, then stood up, gesturing for her to take
his seat.

Now, she was sitting beside me, and Rasmalai had taken
the aisle seat.

“Actually, if you’d like to sit with him, I can swap places

with you,” she offered, her expression friendly but
inquisitive.

“No, it’s fine. It doesn’t make a difference,” I replied

quickly, waving her off.

“Alright, if you’re sure,” she said, adjusting her seatbelt.

For a moment, she was quiet, focusing on the safety
instructions on the screen. But then, as if curiosity got
the better of her, she turned to me with a small smile.

“Can I ask you something?” she began.

I nodded cautiously. “Sure.”

“Is he your boyfriend? Or brother?” she asked directly,

her tone casual but clearly intrigued.

I blinked, her question catching me off guard. “Neither,”

I replied flatly, shaking my head.
“Oh…” she said, looking slightly puzzled. “So, are you
two friends?”

“No, not even that,” I said, my voice firmer this time.

Her eyebrows raised slightly, and she looked like she

wanted to ask more but decided against it. “Ah, okay. I
see,” she said, nodding as if I gave an explanation that
made perfect sense.

With that, she turned her attention back to the screen in

front of her, and I exhaled quietly, grateful the
interrogation was over. She shifted slightly in her seat,
leaning towards Akshat, who sat on her other side.

“So, are you traveling for work or heading home?” she

asked, her voice light, almost casual, but the undertone
of curiosity was hard to miss.

“Heading home,” Akshat replied shortly, his fingers

absentmindedly tracing patterns on the armrest.

“Oh, nice. Ranchi, right?” she continued, picking up on

his earlier answer. “What do you do?”

Akshat hesitated for a moment, glancing at her briefly

before responding, “I’m still in college.”
“Oh, really? That’s great! What are you studying?” Her
tone perked up, clearly trying to keep the conversation
alive.

“Medicine,” he replied simply.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she gave a soft laugh.

“Ah, so you’re the serious type. Doctors always are. It
suits you.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, my grip tightening on the

armrest. Her playful tone didn’t go unnoticed, and
neither did Akshat’s nonchalant response.

“It’s a demanding field,” he admitted, his tone neutral,

neither encouraging nor dismissive.

“I can imagine,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind

her ear. “You must be really dedicated to handle all that
pressure. I don’t think I could ever do something so
intense.”

Akshat shrugged lightly. “It’s manageable.”

I rolled my eyes subtly, staring out the window as

though the clouds held some sort of solace. She wasn’t
giving up anytime soon.
“So, do you often travel with your... friend here?” she
asked, her head tilting slightly in my direction.

“No, this is just a coincidence,” he replied, his voice

steady.

“Oh,” she said, her gaze darting between the two of us.
“Are you two close?”

I turned to her, giving a polite but firm smile. “We’re

not. Just senior and junior from the same college. That’s
all.”

Her eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. “Oh, I see.

That’s interesting. And you, what are you studying?”

“Medicine,” I replied curtly, hoping to keep the

conversation short.

“Oh! So, you’re both in the same field? That’s amazing.

You must be able to relate a lot to each other,” she
remarked, her gaze flicking back to Akshat.

He gave a small nod, keeping his expression neutral.

“Medicine seems like such a tough field,” she continued,

clearly intent on keeping the conversation alive. “How
do you both even manage? All those late nights, exams,
and practicals—it must be exhausting.”

I forced a polite smile. “It’s part of the process. You get

used to it.”

Akshat, meanwhile, remained silent, his focus seemingly

elsewhere.

She leaned slightly toward him, her voice softening.

“You seem like the type who’s really focused, you
know? Like, all about your goals. Am I right?”

He glanced at her briefly before replying, “I guess so.

It’s important to stay focused in medicine.”

“That’s impressive,” she said, her tone laced with

admiration. “Not many people can stay that dedicated. I
think it’s really admirable.”

I let out a soft sigh, trying to ignore the growing

frustration bubbling inside me. This woman was
persistent.

“And what about hobbies? Do you even have time for

those, or is it just all work and no play?” she asked with
a teasing lilt.
Akshat’s lips quirked into a faint smile. “Not much time
for hobbies, but I enjoy them occasionally. Like singing
or....”

Before he could finish her eyes lit up. “Oh, a doctor who
sings? That’s rare! You must be really talented.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but interject, my tone laced

with just enough amusement to hide my annoyance.
“He’s decent. Don’t hype him up too much; he might
start believing it.”

Akshat turned to me, his eyebrows raised slightly, and

for the first time since boarding the plane, there was a
flicker of humor in his eyes. “Decent? That’s all you’ve
got to say?”

I shrugged. “Well, you know, nothing is extraordinary in

you.”

The woman chuckled, clearly sensing some underlying

tension but choosing to play along. “Now I’m curious.
You’ve got to sing something for us!”

Akshat shook his head, his faint smile fading. “Not

happening.”

“Oh, come on!” she pressed.

“No,” he said firmly, leaning back in his seat.

She sighed dramatically. “Fine, but you’re definitely

keeping your talents a secret. It’s kind of intriguing.”

Akshat gave a polite nod, clearly uninterested in

furthering the topic.

She tilted her head slightly, studying him. “You’re not

much of a talker, are you?”

He shrugged lightly, his gaze shifting momentarily to

me. “Depends on the company.”

I stifled a laugh, pretending to be engrossed in adjusting

the air vent above me.

“Oh, I see how it is,” she said, playfully narrowing her

eyes. “A mystery man. You must be really popular in
college.”

“I don’t think so,” Akshat replied flatly, pulling out a

novel from his bag. “I’m not really into that.”

She raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to get a look at the

book’s title. “A novel? That’s unexpected. What are you
reading?”
He angled the cover away from her view, his lips
twitching in what could only be described as subtle
amusement. “Just something to pass the time.”

“You’re really good at dodging questions, you know

that?” she said with a laugh, leaning back in her seat.

“I’m just here for the flight,” he replied simply, opening

the book and effectively ending the conversation.

She turned her attention back to me, as if seeking an ally.

“Is he always like this?”

I smiled faintly, shrugging. “Pretty much.”

She huffed, finally pulling out her phone. “Well, I guess

I’ll just leave you two geniuses to your own devices.”

I resisted the urge to laugh at her obvious frustration.

Turning my face toward the window, I decided to feign
sleep. My head rested lightly against the cool pane, and I
closed my eyes, tuning out the sounds around me.

For a while, the hum of the plane’s engine was the only
thing I focused on. Akshat, absorbed in his novel, didn’t
spare me a glance. The woman beside him scrolled
through her phone, occasionally typing furiously on the
screen.

The atmosphere had shifted into a quiet rhythm, each of

us lost in our own space. I sneaked a quick peek at
Akshat from the corner of my eye. He was leaning
slightly forward, his brow furrowed in concentration as
he turned the pages of his book.

Something about the moment felt oddly calming—him

reading, me pretending to sleep, the stranger lost in her
phone. It was a strange kind of peace amidst the chaos of
emotions I had been feeling for the past few days.

The captain’s voice broke through the tranquility,

announcing our descent. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’ll be
landing in Ranchi shortly. Please ensure your seat belts
are fastened and your belongings are secured.”

I straightened in my seat, stretching slightly and rubbing

my eyes for effect, pretending to wake up.

“Hope you got a good nap,” Rasmalai said, glancing at

me with an expression that was half-teasing, half-
genuine.

“It was… restful,” I replied, brushing off the lingering

awkwardness.
As the plane touched down, the woman next to Akshat
stretched her arms dramatically. “Well, that was quick!”
she exclaimed, flashing a bright smile at both of us. She
didn’t wait for a reply before continuing, “By the way,
I’m an engineering student at NIT Jamshedpur. It’s a
decent college, you know? Not as glamorous as the IITs,
but hey, it’s still one of the top NITs.”

Akshat nodded politely, his expression unreadable.

“That’s nice.”

“Yes, yes, it is,” she said, clearly energized by the

opportunity to talk about herself. “I’m in my third year.
Electrical engineering. It’s not easy, but I’ve always
been good at physics and math, so it suits me well.”

"Ohh, I see" I replied.

She didn’t seem to notice—or care. “You know, my

grandparents live in Delhi. That’s why I flew back from
there. I was visiting them for a few days. They’re so
sweet, always stuffing me with parathas and gajar ka
halwa whenever I visit. I can barely say no to them!”

I gave her a polite smile, while Rasmalai remained

focused on his bag, which he had just pulled out from
under the seat.
“But it’s hard to balance family visits with studies, you
know? Especially since my semester exams are around
the corner. I’m already behind on my projects. And then
there’s the pressure of internships and placements!” She
sighed dramatically, as if expecting us to agree.

“Sounds like a lot,” Rasmalai said, his tone nonchalant

as he zipped up his bag.

“It really is,” she said, missing the hint of disinterest in

his voice. “But the campus life at NIT Jamshedpur? It’s
amazing! The fests, the events, the clubs—there’s always
something happening. Are medical colleges like that
too?”

I glanced at Akshat, who seemed to be debating whether

to respond or not. “Not really,” I said, stepping in.
“We’re usually too buried in studies to have the kind of
social life you’re describing.”

“Ah, that makes sense,” she said, nodding as if she truly

understood the demands of medical school. “But you
must have your fun moments too, right?”

Akshat finally met her gaze, his expression polite but

distant. “We do, but probably not as often as engineering
students.”
“Well, you two seem so serious!” she said, laughing
lightly. “Anyway, I’ll stop rambling about myself. It was
nice meeting you both. Who knows, maybe we’ll bump
into each other again someday!”

“You rambled a lot but didn’t tell your name,” I said,

raising an eyebrow, half-smiling.

“Oh, silly me!” she said, tapping her forehead lightly.

“I’m Kavya. And you both are…?”

“Jayashree,” I replied curtly.

“Akshat,” he added simply, his tone polite but distant.

“Nice names! Well, Jayashree, Akshat, it was a

pleasure,” she said, standing as the seatbelt sign turned
off.

We nodded politely as she gathered her belongings,

giving us one last radiant smile before stepping into the
aisle to dismount.

“Talkative, isn’t she?” Rasmalai murmured as we

walked through the terminal.

“She rambled enough to write a novel,” I replied dryly.

He chuckled softly, his lips curving into a small smile.
And we walked by the terminal of Airport.

"Hmm, stop here," I finally said after some 1.5 hours that
felt like an eternity of silence in the cab.

The gray Uber cab slowed to a halt, its tires crunching

softly against the gravel road. After driving for 49
kilometers, we had arrived at Spice Garden—a well-
regarded vegetarian restaurant in town, where I was to
meet Ankita di for dinner.

"You’re getting off here?" Rasmalai asked, breaking his

own silence.

"Hmm, yes. We’re already running late. Ankita must be

waiting, so there’s no point in going home and coming
back again," I replied, avoiding his gaze as I busied
myself with the bag on my lap.

"Alright then. Bye. Have a nice dinner," he said, his tone

polite yet distant.

"How much do I have to pay?" I asked abruptly.

"For what?" He frowned slightly.

"For the cab fare, obviously. We shared it, no?"

"Hmm, leave it. I’ll handle it," he said casually.

For a brief moment, I wondered if this was his silent way

of thanking me for stepping away from him. But, of
course, I didn’t voice it. "No, why should you pay for
me? I’ll pay my part," I insisted, fishing my wallet out of
my bag.

I leaned forward to ask the driver how much of the fare

was mine when a familiar voice pierced the air.

"Bhaiyaa!" Ankita di’s excited shout startled me as I

turned to see her peeking into the cab through the half-
open window.

"Hi behnaa," Rasmalai replied with a small smile, his

face softening in a way that caught me off guard.

Both of us alighted from the cab, and Ankita di

immediately enveloped him in a warm hug.

"Last time, I didn’t get to say goodbye properly," she

said, her tone laced with a hint of regret.
"Ugh, no problem. These things happen. No need to
overthink it," he replied, his voice as steady and casual
as ever.

The sight of their camaraderie was strangely comforting

yet unsettling.

"Why don’t you join us for dinner today?" Ankita di

asked suddenly, her smile wide and genuine.

My heart skipped a beat, sinking as quickly as it had

risen. I deliberately avoided looking at him, silently
praying he would decline the offer.

His gaze, however, darted toward me, and our eyes met
for a fleeting moment. Something about his expression
made my heart clench—a silent question, perhaps, or a
hesitant acknowledgment.

"Some other day," he finally said, breaking the tension.

"Not today. Mummy has already made dinner, and I
don’t want to miss maa ke haath ka khana (mom's made
food) after so long."

"Sure," I blurted out, a little too quickly, smiling

awkwardly. Both of them turned to look at me as if I had
started dancing on the roadside. I cleared my throat,
fidgeting with my bag, trying to suppress the wave of
embarrassment.

"Alright then," Ankita di said cheerfully. "Next time,

pakka (for sure)."

"Sure," he echoed, his voice softer now, his eyes

lingering on me for a second longer than necessary
before he turned and got back into the cab.

As the cab pulled away, Ankita di looped her arm around

mine, her smile radiant. "Now you tell me my little
innocent precious chocolaty Mouse cake splattered on
black current ice cream with strawberry waffle rolls on
the top wali behna, what's going on?"

"Ughh I missed you so much my momos with spicy

chutney wali didii," I replied with your in my eyes and
smile on the lips wrapping her even more firmly.

Ankita di laughed, her arms tightening around me in a

warm hug. "Acha, acha, bas bas! Don’t make me
emotional now. We’ll have people thinking this is a
Karan Johar movie reunion scene," she teased, wiping a
pretend tear from the corner of her eye.

I chuckled, stepping back but still holding onto her hand.

"I really missed you, di. These past few days… I’ve just
felt so lost." My voice softened, and my smile faltered
slightly.

Her expression immediately shifted to one of concern.

"Hey, what’s this? Lost? You’re my fierce behna! Jo bhi
hai, batao (Whatever it is, just tell me). I’m here now,
and we’ll figure it out together, okay?"

I nodded, blinking back tears. "Let’s go inside first. I’m

starving, and you know I can’t talk properly on an empty
stomach," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Fine, fine," she said, throwing her arm around my

shoulder as we walked into Spice Garden. The restaurant
was buzzing with a soft hum of conversations, the smell
of freshly made paneer tikka and naan wafting through
the air.

We were seated at a corner table, away from the noise,

giving us the privacy I so desperately needed. The waiter
handed us the menu, but Ankita di barely glanced at it
before ordering. "One basket of Butter naan (assorted
bread with butter splattered on it), paneer lababdar, dal
makhani, and a green salad. And, oh! Add a bowl of curd
too," she said, smiling at the waiter before turning back
to me. "See, I still know all your favorites."
I smiled weakly, fiddling with the corner of the
tablecloth. "You do, di. You always have."

"Now spill," she said, leaning forward, her chin resting

on her hand. "What’s this ‘lost’ business? I know
something’s up. Tell me everything, and don’t even
think about leaving out a single detail."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of where to begin. The

events of the past few days felt tangled, like a messy ball
of yarn I didn’t know how to unravel. But one look at
her patient, encouraging expression made the words
come pouring out.

"Di… it’s about Rasmalai and Ishaan," I started, my

voice barely above a whisper.

Her eyebrows shot up, and she straightened in her seat.

"Akshat bhaiya and Ishaan? Dono ka naam ek saath
kyun aa raha hai (Why are their names coming
together)?" she asked, her tone half-curious, half-teasing.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Because… I think I

messed up, di. Big time."

"Messing up is my department," she said with a grin,

trying to lighten the mood. "What happened? Did Akshat
bhaiya finally confessed anything? Did Ishaan say
something? Or did you pull a ‘Jayashree special’ and
overthink everything?"

I let out a humorless laugh. "It’s… a bit of everything,

actually." And then, bit by bit, I told her everything—the
train journey with Rasmalai, the accident, the nights in
Udaipur, Ishaan’s growing feelings, my impulsive
decision to call him last night, and how I ended up
agreeing to give us a ‘try.’

By the time I finished, the food had arrived, but neither

of us touched it. Ankita di sat back, her arms crossed, her
expression unreadable.

"Wow," she finally said, her voice laced with disbelief.

"So, let me get this straight. You told Ishaan you’d give
him a chance, but your heart’s still with Akshat bhaiya?"

I nodded, guilt washing over me like a tidal wave. "Di, I

thought it was the right thing to do. Ishaan… he’s such a
good person, and he genuinely cares for me. But…"

"But he’s not Rasmalai," she finished for me, her tone
gentle. "And you’re not being fair to him—or to
yourself."

I looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "I just… I don’t

want to hurt him, di. He’s been nothing but kind to me."
"Being kind doesn’t mean he’s the right person for you,"
she said firmly. "And forcing yourself to love someone
out of guilt isn’t fair to either of you. Ishaan deserves
someone who loves him wholeheartedly. And you…"
She reached across the table, placing a hand over mine.
"You deserve to follow your heart, even if it’s
complicated."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, but I knew she
was right. "What do I do, di? How do I even begin to fix
this?"

"First, eat," she said, pushing the basket of naan toward

me. "We’ll figure the rest out after you’ve had some
food."

I smiled faintly, picking up a piece of bread. "Thanks, di.

For always being there."

"Always," she said, squeezing my hand. "Now, eat up.

You’re going to need your strength for whatever comes
next."

__________________

After Dinner with Ankita di

The drive back to my home was quiet, with Ankita di
glancing at me every now and then, like she was trying
to read the storm brewing inside me. The car was cozy,
the faint hum of the AC mixing with the low sound of
the FM radio, creating an oddly comforting atmosphere.
It felt like a bubble of calm, temporarily protecting me
from everything I was dealing with.

“Feeling better after dinner?” she asked, her voice

cutting through the silence.

I nodded, resting my head against the window. “A little.”

“You know, I meant what I said,” Ankita continued, her

voice soft now. “I’m always here for you. No matter how
messy things get.”

I smiled faintly, feeling a warmth spread through me. “I

know, di. That’s why I told you everything.”

As we pulled up to my house, Ankita di parked the car

and turned to face me. “Are you sure you’ll be okay
tonight? You’ve been through a lot.”

I opened the door, the cool night air brushing my face,

and for a moment, I just stood there. “I’ll be fine.
Sonty’s at home. We’re planning to leave for nani’s
house in a few days for Durga Pujo, so I’ll have her
company.”

“Good. Don’t keep things bottled up, though,” she said,

her tone firm. “If you feel overwhelmed, call me. Day or
night.”

“I will,” I promised, stepping out of the car.

“Pakka?”

“Pakka,” I replied with a small smile, waving as she

drove off into the night.

Chapter 24
As Bhai unlocked the door, the warm glow of the living
room light spilled out, revealing Sonty sprawled on the
sofa, scrolling through her phone.

“Finally, the world traveler returns!” she said with a

dramatic flourish, sitting up.
I laughed softly, kicking off my shoes and setting my
bag down. “World traveler, huh? I went to Udaipur, not
the moon.”

“Well, close enough,” she teased, patting the space

beside her. “Come here! Tell me everything. Was it all
glamorous palaces and royal vibes?”

“Not exactly,” I said, settling beside her. “It was more…

eventful than I expected.”

“Eventful? Oh no, spill the tea! Did you meet a prince

charming? Get lost in a desert? Fight off robbers on the
train?”

“Nothing that dramatic,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “But

I’ll tell you everything tomorrow. Tonight, let’s just
sleep, okay? I’m exhausted.”

Sonty groaned in mock protest. “Fine. But only because

I’m starving you have to sit with me at the dining table.”

I got freshened up and then changed my clothes. We

moved to the dining table, where a simple dinner was
waiting—rice, dal, Aloo bhaja, begun bhaja, mixed
vegetable curry, and Lau posto, which Maa must have
prepared earlier.
As she began to eat, she peppered me with questions
about college. “So, how’s everything going at your fancy
medical school? Still acing all your classes?”

“Trying to,” I said with a shrug. “It’s not easy, though.

The pressure is constant.”

“I can’t imagine. Hats off to you,” she said, taking a bite

of her curry. “By the way, nani’s already planning what
to cook for you when we get there. She’s missed you so
much.”

I smiled at the thought of nani and her endless

pampering. “I missed her too. It’ll be nice to spend some
time with her.”

After dinner, Sonty went to Mom’s room, as she slept

with her, and I retreated to mine. But sleep didn’t come
easily. I tossed and turned, my thoughts racing back to
the whirlwind of events over the past few days. Finally, I
gave up, slipping out of bed and grabbing my diary from
my bag.

I plopped onto the living room couch, the dim light from
the lamp casting soft shadows around the room. Opening
the diary, I immediately froze.
This… wasn’t my handwriting.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized the mistake. I had

grabbed Rasmalai's diary by [Link] clawed at
me, and before I could stop myself, I began reading.

Diary Entries of Rasmalai:

14th February 2025

It was well spent day today. I keshav and Meghna went

for lunch. I don't why but now meghna takes away my
gaze quite often. I don't feel like keep her away. The time
we spends together feel so precious.

---

My heart raced, I searched if there was any page

mentioning my name as I found a page where my name
was mentioned my heart pounded.

---

27th July 2026

It was my third time attending our college’s freshers’
party. I was wearing the yellow kurta that Keshav and I
had bought together during the summer haul sale. I was
talking to Keshav when I met Jayashree. My junior from
school, who’s now my junior in college too. Discovering
her here quivered me; she melts me always—not that I
really like her or anything, but because she liked me. Or
perhaps still likes me. She never approached me
regarding that, but her feelings were vivid. I also spent
some time with the two-year-older version of the
Jayashree I knew. She’s more confident and bold now,
yet a confused soul. I loved meeting her, and perhaps
she’s going to join us tomorrow for the concert along
with her roommate.

"He really enjoyed meeting me," I muttered, then smiled,

forgetting whatever was happening. I moved to the next
page.

---
28th July 2026

We went to the café before heading to the concert today.

It was a lively spot, bustling with energy, but somehow,
the group managed to find two tables to occupy. At one
table, Jayashree, Ananya, Khushi, and Sneha sat,
chatting animatedly, while the rest of us—Keshav,
Akash, Vansh, and I—sat at the other.
We were enjoying our cold beverages and snacks when
Jayashree approached me. Her steps were purposeful,
her eyes sparkling with the kind of excitement that hinted
she was up to something. She asked me to come with her,
her tone left no room for argument.
Before I could ask why, she grabbed my hand and led
me away from the table. Curious and slightly amused, I
let her guide me.
She took me to the narrow staircase that led to the café’s
terrace. As we climbed, I could hear the faint hum of
traffic and distant chatter fading away, replaced by the
stillness of the open air above.
When we reached the terrace, she stopped abruptly,
turning toward the horizon. “Look,” she said, pointing
to the sky.
The view was breathtaking—a canvas of pink and blue
hues stretched across the evening sky.

"Why didn’t he complete this one?" I whispered, my

voice barely audible as I read the abrupt ending. Rolling
my eyes, I flipped through the following pages, my
fingers brushing against the paper, searching for more
mentions of my name. The disappointment of the
unfinished entry lingered, but then my breath hitched as I
stumbled upon another page where my name stood out.
____________
24th August 2026

College fest is on the door, and I had decided to perform

a duet song this year. I'm going to do so with Jayashree.
We have decided what to sing. When we were planning
things in the cafeteria today, it reminded me of my
previous college fest, where I had performed a duet
dance with Meghna. Everyone praised it, and even
rumors of our dating spread, but somehow, it was never
meant to be. I fell for her, but... Anyway, as I said, we
decided the songs and will start the practice tomorrow
in the practice room. I just hope Jayashree doesn't get
attached to me.

---

The only thing that came to my mind after reading this

was: Who is Meghna? If she's my senior and Rasmalai's
friend, how did I never discover her? Keeping my
thoughts aside, I moved to the next page.

---

25th August 2026

Keshav approached someone for the first time in his life.
A girl two years junior to us. He saw her for the first
time in the freshers’ and then during our visit to the
concert last Tuesday last Month. She is Ananya, a
confident, cheerful girl whose dimples are breathtaking,
as Keshav says. She’s Jayashree’s roommate, and oh
yeah, our practice for the fest had an incredible
commencement today. But I also discovered something
disappointing. I took Khushi to the concert that day
when Jayashree and her roommate, Ananya, were also
there. But she said to Jayashree that I’m dating her. The
thing that scared me is Jayashree breaking down after
knowing I’m dating, even though that wasn’t true. She
shouldn’t expect things from me.

---

“Ugh, this Rasmalai, his thoughts sometimes make me

smile, and can even make me cry. How lucky is Ananya
to get a match like Keshav,” I whispered. I placed the
diary back into my bag, realizing it was already 2:30
AM, and I hadn’t realized how much time had passed
while reading through all this.

I decided not to return the diary for now and read more
tomorrow.
____________
"Mon, uthee jaa, deri hochche!" Maa’s voice rang out in
Bengali, urging me to wake up as the morning sun
streamed through the windows.

"Hmm... coming," I mumbled groggily, pulling the

blanket over my head in a futile attempt to block out her
voice. The bed felt too cozy, and I wasn’t ready to leave
it just yet.

"How much sleep do you exactly need? I think you’ve

already clocked ten hours!” This time, it was Sonty who
barged in, her tone dripping with sarcasm. Before I could
protest, she yanked the blanket off me, leaving me
exposed to the crisp morning air.

"Ugh, stop it!" I groaned, curling up into a ball. "I didn’t

even sleep properly. I slept at 3, okay?"

"Three? What were you even doing till so late?" she

asked, her curiosity mixing with mockery.

"Reading da…" I almost let the words slip before

catching myself just in time. "Never mind," I said
quickly, hoping she wouldn’t press further.
"Oh, my studious cousin!” she said, rolling her eyes
dramatically. “Are you preparing for some gold medal
now? Or are you secretly trying to win the Nobel Prize?”

"Sleep didn’t come," I muttered, forcing an awkward

smile.

"Fine, then miss breakfast," she snapped, throwing her

hands in the air. “And don’t think Masimoni will call
you for lunch either! You can have a peaceful day
sulking in your room!”

"Stop being so dramatic, yaar. I’m coming," I grumbled,

finally dragging myself out of bed, my expression
clearly showing my reluctance.

As I stepped out of my room, rubbing the sleep from my

eyes, I noticed Bhai sitting at the dining table. Unlike the
rest of the family, who were content with puffed rice and
Ghugni (curry made of dried yellow peas), Bhai was
Eating Mixture with Puffed rice and boiled potatoes.

"Maa, more mixture, please! This tastes so bland," Bhai

complained loudly, his mouth half-full, crumbs
scattering on the table.

"I won’t give you any more. Just eat it as it is!" Maa’s
voice came from the kitchen, sharp and unyielding.
"Ughhh, I need it, Maa. Please," Bhai wailed
dramatically, his tone edging toward desperation.

"You better not eat if it’s so bland," I interjected,

grabbing my toothbrush and applying a generous amount
of toothpaste.

"And you better shut up!" Bhai retorted, glaring at me

with mock annoyance.

"I won’t, huhhh," I fired back, the brush now stuffed into
my mouth, muffling my words slightly.

"Huhhh," he snuffed, mimicking me with exaggerated

disdain.

"Why are you both quarreling so early in the morning?"

Sonty’s exasperated voice cut through the air as she
walked in.

"This isn’t early! It’s 11. And she woke up late—it’s her
fault," Bhai said, pointing at me with one hand while the
other formed a ball of puffed rice mixed with other
elements.

I rolled my eyes, gesturing vaguely since my mouth was

full of toothpaste foam.
"Okay, fine! Enough now," Sonty said, mediating like
she always did. “You, eat your breakfast without any
more drama,” she pointed at Bhai. “And you," she turned
to me, "finish brushing and get ready quickly. Stop
dragging everything out!”

I nodded grudgingly, knowing better than to argue

further.

After lunch, I trudged back to my room, shutting the

door behind me with a definitive click.
“Maa, I’m taking my afternoon nap,” I had announced
before leaving the dining area, only to face a barrage of
snarky statements from everyone at the table.

“Afternoon nap? After ten hours of solid sleep?” Maa’s

sharp voice was the first to pierce through, followed by
an exaggerated sigh.

Sonty, of course, couldn’t resist chiming in. “Bro, are

you secretly auditioning for the role of Kumbhakarna in
the next Ramayana adaptation?”

“Maybe she’s sleep-deprived because she’s studying so

hard!” Mejo Maasi suggested, her tone dripping with
exhaust. “Or maybe,” she added, her voice carrying a
serious edge, “she’s suffering from hypersomnia."
"Beta, you’re a medical student, aren’t you? Shouldn’t
you be diagnosing yourself if you’re either oversleeping
or not sleeping at all?” Meso, Sonty's father said.

I had merely nodded and hummed in agreement,

plastering a serious expression on my face while they
theorized about my “condition.” My mind, however, had
long drifted away from their words.

“Let her be, will you?” Maa finally said, waving a hand
dismissively. “This girl’s not going to change no matter
what we say.”

With their taunts ringing in my ears, I finally escaped to

my room, feeling like I deserved a national award for
enduring their relentless commentary with such calm. As
I plopped onto my bed, I couldn’t help but smirk at the
dramatics of it all.

I sat up straight on my bed gazing at sun Ray falling on

the study table where I had spent my last years, then
abruptly pulled out the bag I had brought from Udaipur,
and retrieved the diary from inside. Its simple cover felt
heavier than it should, as though it carried the weight of
every word written within. I flipped it open, my eyes
skimming over entries I’d already read before settling on
one I hadn’t yet seen.
26th August 2026

Ankita came to our college today. We were celebrating

Keshav's birthday and after that Ankita made her
surprise arrival, She would be living here with
Jayashree and Ananya in their room. She said she
wanted to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with me this time
and also wanted to witness my performance with
Jayashree. So much excited for tommorow.

27th August 2026

Today was Raksha Bandhan—a day I hadn’t thought to

be end up being quite the rollercoaster. Ankita, as usual,
made it grander than I’d anticipated, from her
impeccable planning to the surprise venue. Only she
could come up with something as unconventional as
celebrating Raksha Bandhan at an OYO.
When we reached there, the mood was lighthearted.
Ankita tied the Rakhi first, and we shared that sibling
bond I’ve always cherished with her. Ananya followed,
and her enthusiasm made me laugh. I could see how
happy she was around Keshav; the two of them share
something rare—something effortless.
But then, there was Jayashree. I could feel her
restlessness throughout the day. She’s usually vibrant,
but today, there was something off. When Ankita teased
her into tying a Rakhi to Keshav, I saw a flicker of
reluctance in her eyes, as if she felt out of place, caught
between moments that weren’t hers.
Later, during dinner, things took a turn. I was joking
with Ankita, and somewhere in that playful exchange, I
ended up hurting Jayashree. I didn’t mean to, but her
reaction cut deeper than I’d expected. She walked out,
her words sharp: “There’s no point in staying where I’m
not the PRIORITY!”
Those words hit me harder than I thought they would.
I’ve known she’s felt sidelined at times, and maybe,
unknowingly, I’ve contributed to that. I’ve tried to keep
things light between us, but maybe my attempts to keep
her at a distance have only created more confusion.
When she left the restaurant, I wanted to go after her, to
explain, to apologize. But what would I have said? That
she matters? That her feelings matter? I’ve spent so
much time trying not to cross any lines with her, afraid
of what it might lead to, but maybe I’ve crossed the
wrong ones in the process.
Back at the hostel, Ankita tried to comfort her, but I
know Jayashree well enough to understand that she
won’t let this go so easily. Later, I texted her about
tomorrow’s practice, keeping it strictly professional,
because what else could I say?
I don’t know how to fix this, and honestly, a part of me
wonders if I even should.
___
"Oh god, did I just see that Rasmalai's longest entry I
saw till now discusses about me!" I mummered. And
then turned to the next page.

___________
28th August 2026

Today was... enlightening, to say the least. Jayashree

turned the smallest misunderstanding into a mountain of
drama.

It all started yesterday, when I joked about being

Ankita’s priority. I thought it was harmless fun. But no,
not with Jayashree. She took it to heart and decided to
ignore me. I tried reaching out today, but she
conveniently avoided my calls.
When I called Ankita, I was confused. Was it something I
said? Turns out, it was. Ankita explained that Jayashree
was upset about my “priority” comment. Seriously? I
joked about being someone’s priority, and now I’m on
her blacklist? Women and their endless mysteries.
But Ankita was right—I should have just apologized. So,
I swallowed my pride, called Jayashree, and tried to
make amends. She answered, finally, but her tone was
colder than the AC in the practice room.
Her words, though. "Not everyone can be the priority all
the time, you know." She used priority like a weapon,
throwing it back in my face over and over again. I could
practically hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice.
I apologized again, but she wasn’t having it. "Solo
performance," she said. Solo?! After everything we’ve
rehearsed together? The late nights, the laughter, the
shared notes? I couldn’t let her walk away like this.
After much convincing and pleading (yes, pleading—
me!), she finally agreed to perform. She said she hadn’t
forgiven me yet, and that I still owed her. Fair enough. I
deserved that, I guess.
But here’s the thing about Jayashree. Beneath all that
fire and stubbornness, there’s a vulnerability she tries so
hard to hide. It’s what makes her so... her. And as
frustrating as today was, it made me realize something.
During all these I somehow had a strange vibe.

I just hope I haven’t ruined any chance.

________________

29th August 2026

Today was… complicated.

The performance was incredible—effortless,
harmonious, and real. Jayashree and I were in sync, just
like we always are when we perform together. For those
few minutes, everything felt right.
But life offstage isn’t so simple. While walking to dinner,
I made a decision that I knew would hurt her, but it felt
necessary. I told her we shouldn’t talk anymore. Her
expression was hard to forget—confusion, anger, and
something deeper that I couldn’t quite name.
I didn’t want to say those words. But every time I look at
her, memories of Meghna come rushing back. It’s like a
wound that never fully healed, and being close to
Jayashree only makes it ache more. I can’t explain this
to her—not yet. Maybe not ever.
I just couldn’t let her get hurt. Not because of me.
The way Jayashree walked away afterward, the tears she
tried so hard to hide… it broke something inside me.
Later, Ankita called. She was furious with me, and
rightfully so. She told me I was being selfish, that I had
no right to decide what was best for Jayashree. “You
can’t just push people away whenever things get
complicated, Bhaiya,” she said. And she was right.
But I know this is for the best. At least, I have to believe
that.

_________

"Who is this Meghna, Bhai?!" I sighed, frustration

bubbling up. "Why is Rasmalai always talking about her
every time he hurts me?" The question lingered in the
air, unanswered.
Maybe I needed to dig deeper, to understand this name
that kept haunting his entries. My fingers hovered over
the diary, hesitating for a moment. Then, I decided—I
should flip back to 2025, to the time when I wasn’t part
of his life, to see if I could piece together the story
behind Meghna.

I placed the diary back into my bag with a soft thud,

deciding to revisit it later. Without realizing it, an hour
had slipped by. Fatigue pressed down on me, and I
decided to get some much-needed sleep. As I lay on the
bed, pulling the blanket over me, a knock interrupted the
quiet.

It was Baba. His familiar voice broke through the door.

“You sleeping?”

I sat up slightly, brushing stray hair from my face.

“Yes… actually, I couldn’t sleep properly last night, so
just catching up,” I replied, keeping my tone casual.

“Okay, okay, no problem,” he said, his voice soft, as

though not wanting to disturb me further. He moved
toward the almirah, rummaging for some documents.

Once he left, the door creaked open again, and in walked

Sonty, her expressions a mix of annoyance and curiosity.
She wasn’t one for subtlety, especially when it came to
my secrets—or what she perceived as secrets.

"Bruh, are you out of your mind? Why the hell is your
phone on airplane mode, huh? And wait a second—who
is this Ishaan?" she exclaimed, her tone sharp and
accusing. "You’ve gone and made a boyfriend and didn’t
tell me? Wow, so bad of you!"

Her words sent a jolt of panic through me. “Arrey, arrey,

relax, behen, relax! I’m not hiding anything, okay?” I
said hurriedly, snatching my phone back from her grip.

I gestured for her to keep quiet, pressing a finger to my

lips. Her curiosity wasn’t going to fade, but for now, I
needed to handle Ishaan. I unlocked my phone, switched
off airplane mode, and called him.

As I dialed Ishaan’s number, the sound of the ringing

filling the room as Sonty stood nearby, her arms crossed
and an eyebrow raised. She wasn’t going to let me off
easily, but I’d deal with her later.

“Finally,” Ishaan’s voice came through the line, relief

evident in his tone. “I was beginning to think you were
ignoring me on purpose.”
I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “No, Ishaan. My
phone was on airplane mode. I wasn’t ignoring you,” I
said, keeping my voice calm and neutral.

“Are you okay? You sound... off,” he asked, concern

lacing his words.

“I’m fine,” I replied quickly, not wanting to dive into my

own mess of emotions. “What did you need to talk
about?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Jayashree, I wanted to ask

if… if we’re okay. I mean, I know things have been
complicated lately, and I don’t want to make you
uncomfortable.”

I felt a pang of guilt at his words. He was always so

considerate, always putting my feelings first, even when
I couldn’t reciprocate the same way.

“Ishaan, we’re fine,” I said softly. “There’s nothing to

worry about.”

“Are you sure?” he pressed. “Because sometimes it feels

like you’re... holding back. Like you’re not fully here.”

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t wrong—I

was holding back. How could I not, when my heart was
still tangled up in feelings for someone else? But I
couldn’t tell him that, not without hurting him more.

“Ishaan,” I began carefully, “I told you before... I’m

trying. It’s not easy for me, but I’m trying.”

There was a pause on his end, the silence stretching

uncomfortably. “I know you are,” he said finally, his
voice quieter now. “And I appreciate it, really. I just... I
don’t want to pressure you.”

“You’re not pressuring me,” I assured him quickly. “I

just... I need time, okay?”

“Take all the time you need,” he said softly. “I’ll wait. I
told you, Jayashree, I’m here for you. Always.”

His words hit me like a weight. I knew he meant them,

and that only made the guilt heavier. Ishaan deserved
someone who could love him fully, without reservations
or lingering feelings for someone else. But I wasn’t that
person—not yet, and maybe not ever.

“I know,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Thank you, Ishaan. That means a lot.”
“Okay,” he said after a moment. “But if there’s ever
anything you want to talk about, you can always call me,
okay? Anytime.”

“I will,” I promised, even though I wasn’t sure I meant

it.

We ended the call, and I sat there for a moment, staring

at the phone in my hand. The room felt quieter now, the
weight of the conversation settling over me.

“So?” Sonty’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“What’s the deal with this Ishaan guy?”

“Nothing,” I said quickly, shoving my phone into my

pocket. “He’s just a... friend.”

Sonty raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because that didn’t

sound like just a ‘friend.’ Spill it, Jayashree. I want the
full story.”

“There’s nothing to spill,” I said firmly. “And you’re not

getting any details, so don’t even try.”

“Oh, come on! I’m your elder sister! You can’t keep
secrets from me!” she exclaimed, following me as I
walked toward the door.
“Sonty, seriously, drop it,” I said, turning to face her.
“It’s complicated, and I don’t want to talk about it right
now.”

She pouted but finally backed off, muttering something

under her breath about how unfair I was being. I let out a
sigh of relief as she left the room, closing the door
behind her.

I sank back onto the bed, my mind racing. The

conversation with Ishaan had left me feeling conflicted,
torn between the guilt of not being able to love him the
way he deserved and the lingering ache for someone I
couldn’t have.

“Why does everything have to be so complicated?” I

whispered to myself, staring up at the ceiling.

I thought about Rasmalai—his words, his actions, the

way he had pushed me away while still holding a piece
of my heart. And then there was Ishaan, so kind and
patient, offering me everything I should want but
couldn’t fully accept.
____________

"Tea or coffee?" Maa asked, her voice carrying from the

kitchen.
"Coffee... with just a pinch of sugar," I replied,
surprising even myself.

"When did you start having coffee with sugar, haan?"

she questioned, peeking out from the doorway.

"I didn’t, Maa. I just feel like having some today, that’s
all," I explained, keeping my tone light.

"Okay, okay. Need biscuits too?" she asked, already

reaching for the jar.

"Nope, just coffee, Maa," I said, settling into my chair.

She gave me a long look before nodding. "Why don’t

you go and meet some of your school friends? Some of
them must be here during the break."

I paused for a moment, then nodded. "Not a bad idea."

"Maa never gives bad ideas," she quipped with a smile,

handing me the coffee. Then her tone shifted, her
curiosity bubbling up. "By the way, how was your dinner
with Ankita yesterday? You didn’t say much when you
got back."
"It was nice," I said, taking a careful sip of the coffee.
"Akshat Bhaiya dropped me in front of Spice Garden,
and from there..."

"Akshat? Your senior from school, right?" she

interrupted, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Maa," I admitted, putting the

cup down. "He’s not just my senior from school; we’re
in the same college now. We happened to come back
together from Udaipur too."

"He went to Udaipur with you?" she asked, her tone

tinged with surprise.

"Yes," I said. "Actually, we were in the same train

compartment when Ananya’s accident news came in. We
ended up going to her house together."

"Ah, that makes sense. Still, you should’ve mentioned it

earlier," she said, shaking her head lightly before adding,
"Akshat seems like a decent boy. You should keep good
relations with him."

I nodded but didn’t respond, taking another sip of my

coffee. Maa didn’t need to know the tangled feelings and
complicated emotions swirling between me, Akshat, and
Ishaan.
"So, any plans for today?" she asked after a moment.

"Maybe I’ll text a few friends and see if they’re free to

meet up," I replied casually, though my mind was
already racing with what I’d have to face if Ishaan called
again.

"Good. It’ll be nice for you to get out and catch up with
them," Maa said, patting my shoulder before heading
back to the kitchen.

I sat there with the coffee in my hands, trying to push

away the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm me.
Rasmalai, Ishaan, the diary, everything—it was all too
much. But Maa’s suggestion wasn’t bad. Meeting some
friends might be the distraction I desperately needed.

But first, I had to decide how I was going to deal with

Ishaan when I inevitably had to call him back.

Me: Wow!

I stared at the picture Ishaan had sent—a beautiful

chiffon dress in a soft shade of lavender with intricate
embroidery along the neckline.
Ishaan: It would look nice on you.
Me: Why did you take so much trouble? There wasn’t
any need.
Ishaan: What trouble? I was buying one for my cousin,
so I just took one for you too.
Me: Still, Ishaan... you didn’t have to.
Ishaan: Jayashree, stop making it sound like I climbed
Mount Everest for this. It’s just a dress.

I smiled faintly, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and

guilt. He was always like this—making thoughtful
gestures and brushing them off as no big deal.

Me: Okay, fine. But lavender? How did you even know
it’s one of my favorite colors?
Ishaan: Lucky guess. ;)
Me: Well, thank you. It’s beautiful.
Ishaan: You’re welcome. Can’t wait to see you wearing
it someday.

I blushed slightly, though no one was around to notice.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard, unsure how to
respond to that. Before I could come up with something,
he sent another message.

Ishaan: Btw, don’t overead this, okay? It’s not a big deal.
Just something small. :)
I shook my head, smiling softly. He always knew what
to say to ease my overanalyzing tendencies.

Me: Fine, I won’t. And thanks again, Ishaan.

I placed my phone down on the bed, staring at the

ceiling. Ishaan’s gestures always felt genuine, but they
also left me with a sense of unease—like I was taking
more than I could give.

A small part of me wondered "Would I ever be able to

reciprocate his care and kindness the way he deserved?"
My eyes fell on the bag and I took out the diary once
again. This time I opened the pages back in 2025. There
were entries where I could see the name meghna
mentioned.

15th March 2025

The library was quiet today, just the way Meghna likes
it. She was beside me but from the past days we weren't
okay..things were complicated. Our friendship seemed
fragile. Maybe I was the one who ruined it...may be it
was me because of whom we were not comfortable
completely. We were talking but not like we normally
did. I hope things get better!

-------
I couldn't get what exactly happened among the two,
Meghna and Rasmalai. Did Rasmalai like her and
confessed it that ruined their bond? Did she like
Rasmalai? Ohh a barrage of thoughts wandered in my
mind, to unfold the things I went back to late February
2025.
--------

26th February 2025

I talked to Meghna today after more than a week. We sat

beside each other in the library, I let her use my pen.
The strands of hairs ornamented her fair face and her
white embroidered kurti felt like heaven. I wished we
hadn't regret on what happened last week. I wished she
had smiled in this attire but she didn't. I am dying to see
her smile, since that day she didn't smile in my views. I
wish things get better between us soon fading what
exactly happened.

---------

"His entries are as intriguing as him" I wishpered and

turned pages back to read what had happened after
reading some of the pages I encountered one long entry.
-----------

18th February 2025

I don't know from where to start, how to convey, and
what to write! I just know I need to write today as
whatever happened today is something I can't dare to
share with anyone.

Like almost every evening, I went to the library with

Meghna. Keshav, like every other day, was not in the
mood to study. Meghna had her hair open today, and
her pink cardigan made her white dress appear prettier
and her... the prettiest.

We sat side by side, books open in front of us. But the

words on the pages blurred into nothing. My mind was
stuck on the way she twirled her pen absentmindedly, or
how she tucked that stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Everything about her felt magnified today.
After an hour or so, she closed her book and said, “Let’s
go for a walk. I don’t feel like studying anymore.” I
agreed instantly. Maybe too quickly, but I couldn’t say
no.

We walked to the park and sat on the bench behind the

mango [Link] shifted closer, and before I knew it, she
rested her head on my shoulder. My heart was racing so
hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest. I glanced
at her from the corner of my eye. Her lashes were long,
her face serene. But her hand—it reached for mine, her
fingers brushing lightly before she held on.
I froze for a second, not sure what to do. Then,
gathering all the courage I didn’t know I had, I
whispered, “Meghna...”
She looked up at me, her eyes wide, curious. I don’t
know what came over me, but the words spilled out
before I could stop them. “I like you. Not just as a
friend... But more than that.”

Her expression didn’t change for a moment. She just

kept looking at me, her eyes searching mine, as if she
was trying to figure out if I really meant it.

And then, something shifted. Her gaze softened, and she

sat straight leaning forward.

I didn’t move, didn’t breathe. Her face was so close, I

could see the faint freckles on her nose, the slight
nervous twitch of her lips. And then, her lips touched
mine. My mind went blank, and all I could focus on was
the warmth of her lips against mine. My heart was
pounding so loudly, I wondered if she could hear it. Her
hand tightened around mine.
Promptly we pulled away, we didn’t speak. Her face was
still so close, her cheeks flushed a deep pink. I wanted to
say something—anything—but the words got stuck in my
throat.
She stood up suddenly, brushing her hands against her
cardigan as if trying to ground herself. “We should head
back,” she said softly, her voice barely audible.
I nodded, following her lead. The walk back felt heavier,
the silence between us no longer comforting but filled
with questions I didn’t have answers to.

Now, sitting here, replaying every second of what

happened, I feel... overwhelmed. That kiss—it was
everything I never knew I wanted. But it also scared me.

What happens now? Meghna, are we still just friends?

Did I just complicate everything we had?

I don’t know. All I know is that her touch, her kiss—it’s

etched into my mind forever. And no matter what
happens next, I’ll never forget this.

--------
"Oh my goodness," I almost shout, filled with
astonishment, still processing everything I had read.
What was this? What did it mean? My hands trembled
slightly as I stared at the pages, unsure of how to make
sense of the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

I picked up my phone, needing some answers. I needed

to know more. Keshav was the one who could shed some
light on this.
"Hello?" Keshav answered, his voice deep.

"Hii," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady.

"What's up junior?" Keshav asked, his tone casual.

“Actually, I was working on an assignment,” I started,

my voice hesitating slightly. "Can you tell me about
Meghna? Your batchmate?"

There was a brief pause before Keshav spoke again.

“Meghna... What about her?”

"Just... I wanted to know about her," I said, trying to

keep my tone casual. "I... I don’t really know much, and
I was curious."

"Why now, though? And what does she have to do with

your assignment?" Keshav’s voice was now more
curious, but I could hear a hint of suspicion.

"I... I just heard some things about her and wanted to

understand, that's all," I lied, trying to keep my
explanation simple.

"Okay, well, Meghna was a part of our batch, but she

passed away... about a year and a half ago," Keshav’s
words were slow, as if he was carefully choosing them.
“It was a car accident. After that, things kind of... got
complicated."

My chest tightened. My hands shook as I held the phone,

the weight of his words sinking in. Meghna was gone.
And Rasmalai—he lost someone whom he actually
loved!

"How did you... How did you know about her?" Keshav
asked, his curiosity piqued. "What made you ask about
her now?"

I tried to steady my breath. “I just... I’ve been hearing

things, you know? I thought it’d be good to know more
for an assignment.”

He didn't seem convinced, but he didn’t press further.

"Well, it is a sensitive topic. Just be careful with what
you ask about next time, okay? It’s still a touchy subject
for some of us."

"I will," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "Thanks for

telling me, Keshav."

I hung up the phone, my mind racing with the new

information. I had imagined of their rumors, seen entries
in Rasmalai's diary... but this? This was the truth.
Meghna, the person who had meant so much to
Rasmalai, was gone.
My heart twisted painfully as I sat there, clutching the
phone tightly. All this time, I thought it was me
Rasmalai had been pushing away. But now, I could see it
wasn’t about me at all. It was his love for Meghna, his
fear of losing someone again, that kept him guarded,
distant.

“Oh god, why do you even do this? Ughh!” I murmured,

my voice shaky. Tears pricked my eyes and blurred my
vision as I hastily wiped them away.

The door to my room creaked open, breaking my

spiraling thoughts.

"Did you pack your bag for nani’s house? We need to

leave tomorrow," Sonty said, stepping in casually.

"Hmm, just going," I muttered, quickly standing up,

trying to hide the wet streaks on my cheeks. My hands
fumbled as I searched for the bag to pack my things,
desperately trying to pull myself together.

Sonty gave me a look, her eyes narrowing. "Are you

crying?"
"What? No!" I blurted, my voice a little too defensive.
"It’s just… dust. I think something got in my eye."

"Right," she said, unconvinced. "You’re such a bad liar,

you know?"

"Fine, whatever. Just go, I’ll pack and come," I said,

waving her off, hoping she wouldn’t press further.

She hesitated for a moment, clearly debating whether to

push the matter. But finally, she sighed and left,
muttering something about me being overly dramatic.

I exhaled shakily and sat back down on the bed, staring

at the half-packed bag. My mind refused to quiet. Every
time I closed my eyes, thoughts of Meghna and Rasmalai
swirled together—the diary entries, Keshav’s voice over
the phone, the raw pain I now realized Rasmalai had
been hiding behind his teasing smiles.

I grabbed the bag again, forcing myself to focus on the

task at hand. I convinced myself thinking that next day,
we were leaving for nani’s house, and maybe the change
of scenery would give me the clarity I desperately
needed. Perhaps being surrounded by family, the
festivities of Durga Puja, and the love of nani would help
me make sense of everything churning inside me.
___________________

AFTER 10 DAYS

"I missed you so much," I said, closing my eyes and

soaking in the comfort of Ananya's embrace as we
reunited in our hostel room.

"Me too, bro!" she replied, squeezing me tightly.

As we broke away, we both got busy putting our things

in order. After two or three weeks at home, our small
two-bed hostel room—with one mirror, one washroom,
and the bare minimum essentials—felt like a world of
chaos to arrange.

"You only sent me pictures of the festivals," Ananya

remarked as she started arranging her study table.

"What else was I supposed to send?" I retorted,

organizing my own table.

"Bruh, you still haven't told me what exactly happened

that night before you left Udaipur. I have no idea what
went down in my house's garden. Ughh! Even Keshav
knows nothing about it. What’s going on between you
two, huh?" Her tone suddenly changed, becoming
accusatory.
"Two means?" I asked, deliberately playing dumb.

"What do you mean by 'two means'? Don’t act like you

don’t know what I’m talking about! Of course, you and
Akshat," she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh," I sighed, realizing she was still clueless about the

situation with Ishaan.

"What 'oh'? Tell me what happened!" she pressed, her

curiosity relentless.

"What’s the need to know? Let it be, na!" I replied,

trying to dodge her question.

"Oh, so now you don’t even feel like sharing things with
me?" she shot back, her tone tinged with hurt.

"It’s not like that... fine, leave it!" I said, frustration

bubbling up inside me as my mind spun with everything
that had happened.

"Okay, then I won’t ask," she huffed, turning away.

Silence filled the room, thick and unyielding. It lingered

for nearly two hours, neither of us making an effort to
speak.
Then, Ananya’s phone rang, breaking the tense quiet.

"Hello," she answered. After about 30 seconds of

conversation, she put the phone on speaker and turned it
toward me.

"Hi," said a voice that sent a jolt through my chest.

Rasmalai.

"I think I’ve taken your diary by mistake," he said, his

voice calm, though I could sense an undertone of
hesitation.

"Oh, I didn’t notice, actually," I replied, trying to sound

equally composed.

"Yeah, even I just noticed now," he admitted.

"So, now?"

"Let’s swap them back after I return," he suggested.

"You haven’t?" I asked, trying to mask the tiny flutter in

my heart.
"No, there’s a family function—that’s why," he
explained.

"Okay, enjoy," I said, keeping my tone neutral.

"Hmm," he replied. After a brief pause, he added, "Bye."

"Bye," I said.

As the call ended, Ananya shot me a knowing look.

"Why are you looking at me like that? If there was

something, why would he call on your phone?" I asked
defensively.

"Because you didn’t pick up his calls," she said matter-

of-factly.

I gave her a weird smile, brushing off her remark, but

internally, my heart swelled with a strange sense of relief
and happiness. Two big hours! It had been two whole
hours since we last spoke, and now, we had again.

_____________________

"And that's how I recovered so quickly!" Ananya

finished her story about her time at home, her voice
animated as always. Meanwhile, I was inevitably lost in
my thoughts, torn between Rasmalai, Ishaan, and the
endless loop of "what to do next."

"Bro, are you even paying attention?" Ananya asked,

snapping her fingers in front of my face and waving her
hand dramatically.

"Uhh, haan, bolo," I blurted out, startled back to reality.

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you so engrossed in?"

I hesitated for a moment, the question I had been

wrestling with tugging at my mind. Finally, I decided to
voice it. "Ananya... answer me one thing."

"Sure, ask," she said, her tone softening as she sat cross-
legged on her bed, facing me.

"Imagine you love someone," I began, my words

measured, "but they love someone else. And then… that
person they loved is no more. Would you still try to win
over the person you love? Even after their beloved…
died?"

Ananya blinked, clearly caught off guard by the

question. "That’s… a heavy one, bro. Why are you
suddenly asking this?"
"Just… answer first," I said, avoiding her gaze.

She sighed, her expression growing serious. "Honestly? I

don’t think I could. Loving someone who’s grieving a
loss that big? It’s not easy, yaar. It’s like you’d always
be fighting a ghost—someone who’s not there, but their
presence would still overshadow everything."

Her words struck a chord. I stared at my hands, fidgeting

with the edge of my bedsheet. "But what if you can’t
help it? What if you love them so much that you’re
willing to take that risk?"

Ananya tilted her head, studying me. "If you love them
that much, you’d probably want what’s best for them,
right? And sometimes, what’s best isn’t you. It’s giving
them space to heal, to move on at their own pace. You
can’t force yourself into that kind of situation. It’s unfair
—to both of you."

Her answer was clear, but it didn’t make the knot in my

chest loosen. "But what if they don’t want to talk to you
because of that loss? What if they’re scared to let you
in?"

"Then maybe that’s their way of saying they’re not

ready," she said gently. "And you have to respect that."
I nodded, but her words felt like a double-edged sword.
They made sense, but they also deepened the uncertainty
I was already feeling.

"Who’s this about, Jayashree?" Ananya asked, her voice

soft but probing.

"Nobody," I replied quickly, too quickly.

Ananya raised an eyebrow. "Nobody, huh? So, this isn’t

about Rasmalai?"

Her directness hit me like a jolt, but I managed to mask

my reaction. "Why do you always have to bring him up?
Not everything is about him."

"Because you’ve been acting weird ever since we got

back. And you’re the worst liar I know," she said with a
knowing smirk.

I sighed, leaning back against the wall. "It’s not him. It’s
just… a thought."

"Sure, just a thought," she said, clearly unconvinced but

not pressing further.
"Let’s drop it, okay? I don’t feel like talking about this
anymore," I said, pulling my blanket over my legs,
signaling the end of the conversation.

Ananya shrugged. "Fine. But, bro, if you ever need to

talk—like, really talk—you know I’m here, right?"

I nodded, offering her a small smile. "Thanks."

The room fell into a companionable silence, but my

mind was anything but quiet. Ananya’s words lingered,
echoing in the corners of my thoughts.

The truth was, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted

anymore. Rasmalai’s diary entries about Meghna
haunted me. Ishaan’s kindness felt like a weight I
couldn’t reciprocate. And my own feelings? They were a
mess I didn’t know how to untangle.

Somewhere in the distance, the faint buzz of the hostel

corridor broke the quiet. Ananya hummed softly to
herself as she continued arranging her things, blissfully
unaware of the storm brewing inside me.