Hey lovelies 💗

Here is the first chapter of the story. And i wanted to make one thing clear that —

This story is completely written by me—every scene, every dialogue, every bit of chaos comes straight from my brain 😭✨

I just take a little help to polish the language and grammar because I don’t always get enough time to edit everything properly.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it 💋

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[So let's start, Jai hind!]

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Aadhya was casually minding her own business, lying lazily on her bed while endlessly scrolling through reels on her phone, her thumb moving almost automatically as one video blended into another. She had absolutely nothing to do—and for once, that wasn’t even an exaggeration.

Because…

The 10th boards were finally over!!!

That strange phase of life had begun—the one where you suddenly go from being extremely busy to completely useless. No studying, no exams, no schedule… just pure, uninterrupted boredom.

Days felt longer than usual, nights came without any stress, and yet, somewhere in the back of the mind, there was always that tiny voice reminding you—results can drop anytime.

Typical CBSE student life.

And just like that, Aadhya’s daily routine had turned into a never-ending cycle—sleeping for hours, eating without hunger, scrolling endlessly, and occasionally getting scolded for simply existing. Yes, that part was permanent and unavoidable.

For every small thing—literally every small thing, she got scolded by her dear mother,

Maahi Malhotra.

Aadhya had absolutely no interest in doing chores. Not even a little. The idea of getting up and doing anything productive felt like a personal attack. But unfortunately for her, Indian mothers didn’t believe in “no interest.”

So whether she liked it or not, she was constantly dragged into doing basic household work, washing dishes, mopping floors, helping in the kitchen, cleaning random corners of the house, sweeping, arranging things that didn’t need arranging… basically doing everything she had successfully avoided her entire life.

Being the youngest daughter, Aadhya obviously didn’t accept this fate quietly. She complained, she whined, she threw tantrums—and most importantly, she made sure she didn’t suffer alone.

Like a true mastermind, she dragged the two most important people in her life into her misery—

Her siblings.

Ira Malhotra and Vihaan Malhotra.

The result?

Three grumpy piglings moving around the house unwillingly, doing chores with the energy of someone forced into labor, while their mother stood there admiring them proudly like they were the most aagyakaari (obedient) children to ever exist.

Back to the present—

Aadhya’s phone suddenly buzzed in her hand, breaking her lazy rhythm.

A notification popped up from the girls’ group—

Golgappe kudiyan🌚

“Oyeee!!! Lali mali, School group khol k check kro jaldi!!!”

(Oyee!! Open the school group and check quickly!)

The message was from—

Myra kutti💋

Aadhya frowned slightly at the urgency in the message, her brows knitting together as she sat up a little straighter. At the same time, Kiara, who was also online, reacted almost instantly.

Without wasting another second, Aadhya opened their ex-school group—

And for a brief moment—

Her brain completely short-circuited.

Her eyes scanned the message once.

Then again.

And again.

As if hoping the words would change.

But they didn’t.

“Good morning, dear students.

I hope you all are doing well. I’m happy to inform you that your Class 10th board results have been officially declared and are now available online…”

The words blurred slightly in front of her eyes as her heartbeat picked up speed.

By the time she finished reading the message, her heart was pounding loudly against her chest—so loud that it almost felt audible.

Her fingers hovered over the screen, frozen mid-air.

A sudden wave of nervousness crept in, settling heavily in her chest. Her throat went dry, her breathing turned uneven, and her palms started sweating. It felt like she had been thrown right back into an exam hall without any warning.

She quickly opened the group chat again—

Messages were flooding in rapidly, one after another.

“Ab kya kre?”

(Now what should we do?)

“Mai pakka fail houngi!”

(I’m definitely going to fail!)

“Mai kon sa top krungi?”

(It’s not like I’m going to top!)

Aadhya stared at the messages for a moment before quickly typing—

“Ek sath mil k check kre result?”

(Should we check the results together?)

Her finger hovered over the send button for a second before she finally tapped it.

Now she waited.

Every passing second felt slower than usual.

Her heart thumped loudly in anticipation.

Then—

“Yes! This is a very good plan!” Kiara replied almost immediately.

Myra agreed too.

Decision made.

They would check their results together.

And not just anywhere—

At Aadhya’s house.

Because her parents weren’t home.

Which made it the perfect place to panic freely without getting caught.

After an hour…

Aadhya, Kiara, and Myra were now sitting together in front of Ira’s laptop—which Aadhya had very secretly borrowed while Ira was out with her friends. The three of them were huddled close, their shoulders almost touching, their attention completely fixed on the screen in front of them.

Surprisingly, Vihaan wasn’t home either.

Which made the environment unusually peaceful.

No teasing. No interruptions. No unnecessary commentary.

Rare. Suspicious. But appreciated.

“Dekh, agr acche Nhii aaye marks to hum ambulance le lenge!” Aadhya said suddenly, breaking the silence.

(See, if the marks are not good then I will purchase an ambulance.)

“Kyu?” Kiara asked, her face full of confusion, while Myra gave her the exact same look.

“Aree pehel hum ambulance se logo ko udayenge, fir usi mein baitha k hospital le jayenge fir bolenge chal nikal 500! Hum leke aaye hai tumko idhr!” Aadhya explained with a wide grin, clearly proud of her genius plan.

(First we’ll hit people with our ambulance, then take them to the hospital and charge them 500 for bringing them there!)

“Mast planning!” Myra said, impressed.

(Good planning!)

“Hospital se alag hissa lenge hum, grahak to hum hii leke aarhe na!” Aadhya added confidently.

(We’ll take a share from the hospital too—we’re bringing them customers!)

“Jabardast!”

(Very good!)

“Pura business apne hathon me rhega!”

(The whole business will be in our hands!)

The three of them burst into uncontrollable laughter, the tension easing for a brief moment as their giggles filled the room.

But slowly…

The laughter faded.

Reality returned.

Their eyes shifted back to the laptop screen.

The air grew heavy again.

Aadhya’s fingers trembled slightly as she moved the cursor and typed her roll number carefully, double-checking each digit as if one wrong number could change her fate.

She crossed her fingers tightly, her lips pressing into a thin line—

And pressed enter.

Loading…

Loading…

Loading…

Each second felt painfully long.

“Abe jaldi kar, kal subah panvel nikalna hai!” Myra hissed impatiently, though her own heartbeat had sped up just as much.

(Oh just load already!)

And then—

The screen refreshed.

63.8%

The number appeared on the screen—bold, clear, impossible to ignore. For a split second, the room fell completely silent, as if time itself had paused just to let that moment sink in. Aadhya’s eyes stayed glued to the screen, her brain taking a second longer than usual to process what she was actually seeing.

And then suddenly—like everything hit her at once—

Aadhya shouted in joy.

“Pass ho gyeee!!! Pass ho gyeee!! Mithai batwaon!!!!” Aadhya started bouncing up and down on the bed.

(I passed! Yaay! Give everyone sweets!)

Her excitement burst out uncontrollably as she jumped repeatedly, the mattress dipping under her weight while her laughter filled the room. Her face lit up completely, eyes shining with relief and pride, as if a huge weight had just been lifted off her chest.

“Itna kaise le aayi tu?!” Kiara looked at bouncing Aadhya with a betrayed face while Myra was still processing.

(How did you score this much?)

Kiara’s expression was a perfect mix of shock and fake betrayal, her eyebrows raised as if Aadhya had committed some kind of crime by scoring more than expected.

Meanwhile, Myra hadn’t even reacted yet—she was still staring at the screen, blinking slowly, trying to fully register what just happened.

“Talent!” Aadhya said proudly, tapping her own shoulder.

She lifted her chin slightly, acting all confident and smug, as if she had always known this was going to happen, even though just minutes ago she was ready to plan ambulance business after failing.

“Aree! Now look at our marks too!”

Myra said, finally coming out of her processing world.

There was still a slight delay in her reaction, but now curiosity and nervousness replaced the shock as she leaned forward towards the laptop.

Then they typed out Kiara's roll number and soon her marks were also shown.

64.5%

Kiara's eyes widened, the number reflecting clearly in them as disbelief washed over her face. For a moment she just froze, and then suddenly—

She quickly started to shout and Aadhya hugged her while Myra took them in a group hug.

All three of them crashed into each other, laughing and screaming at the same time, their earlier fear completely forgotten as happiness took over.

But it was broken when Myra looked at them with wide eyes.

“Wait! Mera to dekho!"

(Wait! Check mine too!)

Her voice carried urgency now, pulling them back to reality again.

Then they typed Myra's roll number who hugged the pillow like that's some kind of candy.

She clutched the pillow tightly to her chest, almost as if it could protect her from whatever result was about to appear, her fingers gripping the fabric nervously.

63%

They processed it at first and then started to dance all around the bedroom, hugging each other at the joy moment.

For a second, there was silence again—just processing. And then, like a switch flipped, all three of them burst into laughter and excitement, running around the room, pulling each other into random hugs, their voices overlapping in pure happiness.

“Wait! Hum 3 k same kaise aaye?” Aadhya asked, breaking the chaos.

(How did we scored same?)

“Maybe because we literally studied the same amount!” Myra said and everyone burst into laughter.

The logic was so simple yet so funny that it made the moment even lighter, their laughter echoing loudly around the room.

“this kiara brought a whole percent more than us, beat her!” Myra shouted, pointing at Kiara who shrieked and ran away giggling loudly.

The mood instantly shifted into playful chaos as Kiara jumped off the bed and ran, her laughter mixing with mock fear while Aadhya and Myra chased her dramatically.

They ran around the house, their laughter ringing through the air as they throwed pillows and blankets around.

The living room quickly turned into a battlefield—pillows flying, blankets being tossed, cushions getting dragged into the chaos as their energy refused to settle down.

Myra thought it's fun and unknowingly hit the pillow at Kiara's head who literally fell face down on the floor and all of them froze.

The pillow hit with more force than expected, and Kiara dropped instantly, face down on the floor.

Everything stopped.

Completely.

“K-kiara…m-mar gyii kya behen?” Aadhya looked at Kiara's lying form, totally rigid.

(K-kiara?...Are you alive?)

Her voice shook slightly as she stared at Kiara’s unmoving body, her own body going stiff in panic.

Kiara stood up like a dead body getting up from its grave, both Aadhya and Myra shouted running behind couches.

“Bhoot! Bhoot!” They shouted.

(Ghost! Ghost!)

“Abe jinda hu!” Kiara shouted, rubbing her sore head.

(I'm alive!)

Aadhya and Myra looked at Kiara keenly, as if checking if she's real or not.

Their eyes scanned her suspiciously, still half-convinced she might actually be a ghost.

“Mummy…patthar bhar rkhe hai kya isme?!” Kiara glared at Aadhya pointing at the pillow.

(Ugh, mom…have you stuffed stones inside this!)

Aadhya just gave a nervous smile, looking at them with a guilty face.

Her lips curved awkwardly as she avoided eye contact, clearly accepting silent blame.

“Bhn tu kidhr rehti hai?” Myra asked, crossing her arms.

(Bro, where do you live?)

“Delhi mein, or kaha?” Kiara said with a matter-of-factly face.

(In Delhi!)

“Before that, where do you live?” Myra asked.

“India?” Kiara answered, totally clueless while Aadhya was just looking at them dumbfounded.

“Haa! Indian mein rehti hai tu, to humare yaha aise hii pillows hai!” Myra said with a laugh and everyone burst into laughter.

(Yes! You live in india, so we do have these kind of pillows only)

Kiara rolled her eyes but laughed anyway.

“Mere ghr me kon sa aise pillows hai jisse feathers nikalte ho, ek shot or aadmi coma me hai 4 saal k liye!” Kiara said and they burst into laughter again.

(My home itself has pillow like this, one shot and person is literally in coma for 4 years)

Their laughter was short-lived when the door opened and Shekhar Malhotra came.

Everyone froze on their spot as if suddenly attacked by snowflakes.

The chaos in the room suddenly felt ten times more visible.

“Ye kya ho raha hai?” Maahi asked, looking at the devastated room.

(What's going on?)

Pillows, blankets, snacks, slippers and even the poor cushions were scattered all around the living room as if they had survived a war zone.

“N-nothing mummy, it's just…I was bored so I called them home.” Aadhya said with a nervous laugh and Both Kiara and Myra nodded their heads vigorously like sheep following the other.

“Hmm…” maahi said and came inside but Shekhar’s eyes lingered at them.

There was a silent tension in his gaze that made all three of them sit a little straighter.

“Aree, baitho beta, khadi kyu ho?” Maahi said with a smile gently patting Kiara and Myra's head. While Aadhya just pouted.

(Aree, please sit dear. Why are you standing)

Shekhar went to his room and Kiara, Myra and Aadhya sat down on the couch trying to look as innocent as they could.

Their backs straight, hands neatly placed, expressions forced into calmness—as if they hadn’t just destroyed the house two minutes ago.

After a few minutes of chattering Shekhar suddenly came out with a stiff posture.

“I heard your results are out?” Shekhar asked in his deep, authoritative voice.

The moment those words left his mouth, it was as if time itself had paused. All three of them stiffened instantly, their bodies going rigid, eyes widening slightly as an invisible wave of panic washed over them.

The air suddenly felt heavier, harder to breathe in, and the cheerful chaos from just a few minutes ago vanished completely. It genuinely felt like this was the last day of their lives, like everything was about to end right here, right now.

Kiara had already started imagining her emotional farewell scene—hugging her parents tightly, apologizing for every mistake she had ever made, mentally listing down all her favorite foods she would miss forever, and somehow, in the middle of all that drama, she even imagined herself watching Myra and Aadhya get married in the future while she danced dramatically on “main naagin naach nachna” with tears in her eyes.

Myra, meanwhile, was no less dramatic in her own thoughts. She was internally wiping imaginary tears, picturing a tragic future where her life was completely ruined. She imagined how she would never get married now, how everything was over for her, and somehow her brain even jumped to the thought of her brother getting married to her best friend while she stood there, heartbroken, watching it all happen like a side character in her own life.

And Aadhya?

Well, Aadhya was on a whole different level. She was mentally contacting every god that existed in this universe, rapidly making promises she had absolutely no intention of keeping. “Bas iss baar bacha lo, pakka sudhar jaungi… roz subah jaldi uthungi… mummy ki help karungi… phone kam use karungi…” her thoughts ran wildly. At the same time, another part of her brain was panicking about something completely different—what about Shivansh? How was she supposed to marry him if her life ended today because of her result?

“Kya? Result aa gaye?” Maahi rushed out of the kitchen, her voice filled with surprise and curiosity.

(What? The results are out already?)

Almost at the same time, the main door opened and both Ira and Vihaan walked in, completely unaware of the tension they had just stepped into.

“Result aa gaya?” Ira asked excitedly, placing her purse casually on the table, her eyes lighting up with curiosity.

(Are the results out?)

“Waah! Chuhiya and friends kii result aa gyee!” Vihaan said with a wide, teasing grin, his tone full of mock excitement as his eyes immediately landed on Aadhya, who shot him a deadly glare in response.

(Wow! The little rat and her friends got their results?)

At that exact moment, Aadhya knew it—this was it. This was how her life was going to end.

Gaon basa nahi, bhik mangne waale aa gaye.

“P-papa… I was about to tell you only, w-we have already seen the results…” Aadhya stammered, forcing the most innocent and cutest expression she could possibly manage.

Her cheeks puffed slightly, her tired eyes with dark circles making her look like a complete panda, and her nervous smile only made her look even more suspicious.

“Hmm… how much did you score?” Shekhar asked, his gaze fixed directly on her, calm but intense enough to make her soul leave her body.

“P-pass, pass ho gayee papa…” Aadhya said, her eyes darting everywhere except his face, as if avoiding eye contact would somehow save her.

(I-I passed, Dad…)

“I know. But the percentage?” he asked again, his tone still steady, but leaving no room for escape.

“S-s-s-s-s…” Aadhya started stuttering uncontrollably, her brain completely blanking out under pressure, her tongue refusing to cooperate at the worst possible time.

“Hume pata hai tu saperi hai, lekin hissne kii jarurat nahi!” Vihaan jumped in instantly, not missing even a single opportunity to tease her, his grin widening as he watched her struggle.

(We know you’re a serpent, no need to hiss like that!)

“S-s-s-s-s-s-i… sixty golgappe khane hai!” Aadhya blurted out in panic, not even realizing what she had just said until the words fully registered in her own ears.

“What?”

Everyone turned to look at her, their expressions completely deadpan, a heavy silence falling over the room for a brief moment.

“N-no! I mean—I mean, sixty… s-s-s…” she fumbled quickly, trying to fix her mistake, her embarrassment increasing with every passing second.

“Sixty?” Shekhar repeated, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Aadhya shook her head rapidly, almost aggressively.

“No! I-it’s… s-s-s-s… sixty three!” she finally blurted out, her eyes squeezed shut tightly as if she was bracing herself for impact.

For a second, nothing happened.

And then suddenly—

She was pulled into a hug.

Her mother wrapped her arms around her warmly, Ira joined in immediately, Vihaan dramatically wiped fake tears from his eyes like he was attending an emotional award ceremony, and even Shekhar gently patted her head, a small hint of approval in his otherwise composed demeanor.

“Pehle se bahutt achaa hai, at least 40 mein nahi atki,” Shekhar said.

(Better than before—at least you didn’t get stuck in the 40s.)

Aadhya stood there, completely frozen for a moment, unable to process what was happening.

Her parents… were happy.

Actually happy.

Then everyone’s attention shifted towards Myra and Kiara.

“And you both?” Maahi asked with a soft, encouraging smile, her tone much gentler now.

“63.”

“64.”

They both answered quickly, almost in unison, clearly trying to avoid too much attention, their voices slightly hesitant.

To their surprise, instead of disappointment, they were met with smiles, nods, and words of appreciation.

Relief washed over them instantly, their shoulders relaxing as they realized they had survived this moment without getting scolded.

“Waah, choti chuhiya badi ho gayii, eleven me jayegi ab,” Vihaan teased, casually patting Aadhya’s shoulder, his tone playful but not as sharp as before.

(Wow, the little rat has grown up. Going to class 11 now.)

“Or chuhiya kii friends bhii,” he added, glancing at Kiara and giving her a small, brotherly nod—

But his eyes lingered on Myra for just a moment longer than necessary.

(And the rat’s friends too.)

As everyone slowly got busy again, the tension in the room fading away, Vihaan didn’t waste a single second before slipping back into his teasing mode.

He stepped slightly closer to Myra, that familiar mischievous grin playing on his lips.

“Mujhe nahi laga tha pass ho paogi,” he said casually, his tone light but clearly meant to provoke her.

(I didn’t think you’d be able to pass.)

“Shut up,” Myra replied immediately, rolling her eyes as she tried to walk past him without giving him the reaction he wanted.

“Make me,” Vihaan shot back without missing a beat, his grin widening as he watched her reaction.

Myra didn’t stop. She simply rolled her eyes again and continued walking away, clearly choosing not to engage further.

“But I’m genuinely happy!” Vihaan called out from behind her, his voice changing slightly this time—softer, more sincere, carrying a quiet hint of pride that didn’t match his teasing words from before.

Myra didn’t turn back.

She didn’t say anything.

But the small, uncontrollable smile that tugged at her lips—

It quietly revealed everything she chose not to show.

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The next evening, Aadhya woke up from her nap in an unusually good mood—no, not just good… extra happy. The kind of happiness that made everything feel lighter, softer, prettier. Even the sunlight filtering through her curtains felt warmer than usual, and the lazy heaviness of her nap disappeared the moment she opened her eyes.

Because today wasn’t just any normal day.

She was going to Myra’s house.

A small celebration had been planned—nothing too big, just something simple to celebrate the fact that they had officially survived class 10 and were now stepping into class 11. But for Aadhya, this wasn’t just about results or celebration.

It was about him.

Aadhya was happy—no, excited—because going to Myra’s house meant she would finally get to see Shivansh.

It had been a whole month.

An entire month since she had last seen him.

And for someone like Aadhya, who measured time in moments spent looking at him, that was way too long.

The holidays had ruined everything. No school, no random glimpses in corridors, no accidental eye contacts, no excuses to casually stand nearby. And she barely visited Myra’s house during this time—because, obviously, she couldn’t even use the classic “group study” excuse anymore. Holidays had taken that away too.

The last time she saw him was almost a month ago, when he had come over to her house with Myra for studies. He was there with Vihaan and their best friend Piyush, sitting in the living room, discussing things she barely understood—but none of that mattered.

Because he was there.

And she had been there too.

That was enough.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Aadhya quickly got up and rushed to freshen up—which, honestly, was a rare event in itself. The speed at which she moved today could easily shock anyone who knew her usual lazy routine.

Ira, who was sitting on the bed with her laptop, deeply focused on searching for good colleges in Delhi, paused mid-scroll and looked up at her younger sister running around like her life depended on it.

“Kya ho gaya? Train choot rhii hai kya, aise kyu bhag rhii hai?” Ira asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

(What happened? Are you getting late for your train, the way you're running around?)

“Didi! Aaj hum shivansh k ghr jayenge, bataye the na hum!” Aadhya said, lowering her voice instinctively, as if even the walls shouldn’t hear this precious information.

(Didi! Today I will go to Shivansh’s house, remember I told you?)

“Oh! Mm, hmm!” Ira responded, a teasing smile instantly forming on her lips as she lightly elbowed Aadhya.

Aadhya blushed instantly—dramatically, as always.

But honestly… how could she not?

Because the thought of seeing him again after an entire month made her heart do something strange—something soft and overwhelming all at once.

Aadhya couldn’t wait.

She couldn’t wait to look into his eyes again.

Those eyes…

The ones she had unknowingly fallen for long before she even understood what love felt like.

His brown eyes weren’t just brown—they were something deeper, something richer, something that refused to be described in just one word. They carried a warmth that felt almost comforting, like sunlight on a winter morning, yet at the same time, there was a quiet intensity hidden within them that made her heart skip every single time he looked at her. It was as if his eyes held unspoken stories—layers of thoughts, emotions, and something she could never fully understand, yet always wanted to.

Whenever their eyes met—even if it was just for a second—everything around her seemed to blur. The noise faded, the world slowed down, and for that brief moment, it felt like it was just the two of them standing in a space where nothing else mattered. There was something about the way his gaze lingered—not too much, not too little—that made her feel seen in a way she couldn’t explain.

It wasn’t loud.

It wasn’t dramatic.

But it was real.

And that was enough to make her fall… a little more each time.

“Ruk, mai tujhe ready karti hu. Shivansh bilkul behosh hii ho jayega tujhe dekh kar!” Ira suddenly said, snapping Aadhya out of her thoughts as she got up and walked straight towards the wardrobe with full confidence.

(Wait, let me help you get ready. Shivansh is going to faint seeing you!)

“Aree! Agr wo behosh hii ho jayenge to dekhega kon?” Aadhya asked shyly, her voice soft as her fingers nervously fidgeted with the edge of her dupatta.

(Aree, if he faints then who’ll see me?)

“Shut up, idiot!” Ira hissed, making Aadhya instantly zip her lips like an obedient child.

Without wasting another second, Ira pulled out an outfit and handed it to her.

It was a white short kurti—simple yet effortlessly elegant. The fabric looked soft and breathable, with delicate embroidery running along the neckline, adding just the right amount of detail without making it look too heavy. The sleeves were slightly loose, giving it a comfortable, flowy feel, while the length of the kurti ended just above the knees, making it look modern yet traditional at the same time.

Paired with it were baggy jeans—light blue, slightly faded, with a relaxed fit that balanced the simplicity of the kurti perfectly. The combination gave off that effortless “I didn’t try too hard but still look good” vibe—something Aadhya could never achieve on her own but somehow always happened when Ira styled her.

“Sidhi reh!” Ira tapped Aadhya lightly on the head, pulling her out of her thoughts again.

(Stand straight!)

Because Aadhya, instead of standing properly, was literally swaying left and right like a restless pendulum, her nervous energy refusing to stay still.

“Didi, I'm so nervous… what will he say? Will he complement me?” Aadhya asked, her voice filled with genuine anxiety, her fingers twisting together as her heart raced with anticipation.

“Celebration mein jaa rahi hai, ladki dekhne nahii jo complement karega!” Ira said, rolling her eyes.

(You’re going to a celebration, not a bride-viewing ceremony that he’ll compliment you!)

“Ho gaya Tera? Itna kya sajh dhaj rahii hai?” Vihaan’s voice suddenly came from the doorway as he stepped into the room, his eyes scanning Aadhya from head to toe with a teasing expression.

(Are you ready? Why are you getting all dolled up?)

“Tu chup reh, dhakkan!” Aadhya shot back instantly, glaring at him while Ira burst into laughter beside her.

(You shut up, bottle’s cap!)

“Izzat hii Nhii hai meri,” Vihaan muttered dramatically before turning around and walking away.

(No one respects me!)

The moment he left—

Both Aadhya and Ira burst into laughter, their giggles filling the room, easing the nervous tension that had been building up inside Aadhya’s chest.

But even in the middle of that laughter—

Her heart was still racing.

Because in just a little while…

She was going to see him again.

After an entire month.

________________________________________________________________________

The ride to Myra’s house felt unusually short that day—almost as if time itself had decided to move faster just to mess with Aadhya’s already racing heart.

Sitting behind Vihaan on his bike, her hands lightly gripping the edge of the seat instead of holding him properly, Aadhya kept staring at the roads passing by, though she wasn’t really seeing anything.

Her mind was somewhere else entirely—lost in thoughts that made her heart flutter and her stomach twist at the same time.

The cool evening breeze brushed against her face, playing with the loose strands of her hair, but even that couldn’t calm the storm inside her chest.

Because in just a few minutes…

She was going to see him.

After an entire month.

Vihaan, completely unaware of the emotional rollercoaster happening behind him, casually drove into Myra’s lane and stopped right in front of her house.

“Utar,” he said simply.

(Get down)

Aadhya quickly got down, adjusting her kurti nervously, her fingers smoothing out invisible creases as if her life depended on it. She glanced at the house in front of her—familiar, yet today it felt different.

Today, it felt important.

Without wasting much time, she stepped inside.

The house was already lively, faint sounds of voices and movement echoing through the space, giving away that preparations were going on. The warm lights, the slightly messy living room, the subtle chaos—it all felt welcoming.

“Myra!” Aadhya called out softly as she entered.

“Kitchen mein hu!” Myra’s voice came from inside, slightly distant, slightly busy.

(I’m in the kitchen!)

Aadhya nodded to herself, even though Myra couldn’t see her.

For a moment, she stood there, unsure of what to do next.

And then—

A thought crossed her mind.

Shivansh.

Her heart skipped.

If Myra was busy…

Then maybe—

Maybe he was upstairs.

Her feet moved before her brain could properly process anything.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, Aadhya made her way towards the staircase.

Each step she took felt louder than usual, her heartbeat syncing with the soft thud of her footsteps. Her fingers brushed lightly against the railing as she climbed up, her breathing slightly uneven, her mind filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Halfway up, she paused for a second.

What am I even doing?

But then again…

What if he’s there?

That thought alone was enough to push her forward.

Reaching the top, she glanced around carefully, her eyes scanning the familiar hallway. She knew where his room was—of course she did. She had memorized it long ago without even realizing.

Walking slowly towards his door, her steps became quieter, almost cautious.

And then she stopped right outside.

Her heart was pounding now—loud, fast, uncontrollable.

A small, shy smile tugged at her lips as a random thought slipped into her mind—

Future bedroom…

Her cheeks warmed instantly at her own thoughts.

“Pagal…” she muttered under her breath.

(Idiot!)

Still…

She leaned slightly forward, trying to peek inside through the slightly open door.

Just a small glance.

Just one look.

But before she could even properly see anything—

She heard footsteps.

Someone was coming.

Panic hit instantly.

Without thinking—without even giving herself a second to process—

She pushed the door open and stepped inside.

And then—

Everything stopped.

Completely.

Because the moment she entered—

Her eyes landed on him.

Shivansh.

Standing right there.

In the middle of wearing his grey T-shirt

For a second, her brain refused to register what she was seeing.

Her eyes widened, her breath hitched, and her entire body froze in place like someone had pressed pause on her existence.

And he—

He froze too.

Mid-movement.

His gaze snapped towards her instantly, surprise flashing across his face as his hand instinctively stilled.

Silence filled the room.

Thick. Heavy. Suffocating.

Neither of them moved.

Neither of them spoke.

Aadhya’s mind went completely blank.

She wasn’t even blinking anymore.

Her heart was racing so loudly that it felt like it might burst out of her chest any second. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides, her body stiff, her thoughts scattered into nothingness.

She didn’t know where to look.

She didn’t know what to do.

She didn’t even know how to breathe properly anymore.

And then—

His voice.

“Aap…?”

Soft. Confused.

Uncertain.

It hit her like a shock.

Her heart dropped instantly.

Because the way he looked at her—

It wasn’t recognition.

It wasn’t familiarity.

It was confusion.

“Kaun…?”

(Who are you?)

The words weren’t even fully spoken yet, but she understood them.

And in that moment—

It felt like everything inside her just… broke a little.

All those moments she had held onto…

All those glances…

All those feelings…

Did they mean nothing?

Did he really not remember her?

A strange heaviness settled in her chest, replacing the earlier excitement completely. Her throat tightened, her eyes stung slightly—not enough to cry, but enough to hurt.

She opened her mouth to say something—anything—

But no words came out.

She just stood there.

Frozen.

Embarrassed.

And completely shattered in ways she didn’t even understand yet.

And just before the silence could stretch any further—

“Aadhya kutti—”

Myra’s voice echoed as she entered the room—and then immediately stopped when she saw the scene in front of her.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh!”

In one swift movement, she grabbed Aadhya’s wrist and pulled her back.

“Tu idhar kya kar rahi hai?!” she whispered harshly, dragging her out of the room before anything worse could happen.

(What are you doing here?!)

Aadhya didn’t resist.

She couldn’t.

Her body moved, but her mind stayed behind.

Still stuck in that moment.

Still stuck on that one question—

“Kaun…?”

(Who?)

By the time they reached downstairs, the noise, the laughter, the energy of the house had returned—but Aadhya felt slightly disconnected from it all.

Kiara immediately noticed her and rushed over.

“Arre aa gayii! Itni der kyu laga di?”

(Oh you're here, what took you so long?)

But before anyone could question further—

Aadhya snapped back into herself.

And just like always—

She covered everything up.

With drama.

With chaos.

With her usual self.

“Tum logon ko koi farak hii nahi padta! Hum yaha mar rahe hai upar aur tum log neeche party ki tayari kar rahe ho!” she exclaimed dramatically, throwing her hands in the air as she flopped onto the sofa.

(You won't understand! Here I'm dying and you're making plans of party!)

Kiara blinked.

Myra rolled her eyes.

“Drama band kar,” Myra muttered.

But Aadhya continued anyway—complaining, exaggerating, throwing small tantrums, making faces—anything to distract herself from what had just happened.

And slowly…

The atmosphere shifted again.

Laughter returned.

Voices grew louder.

The small celebration finally began...

And just like that, the house transformed into a lively mess of laughter, chatter, and complete chaos.

The center table in the living room was already crowded with snacks—packets of chips half-torn open, bowls of namkeen spilling slightly over the edges, plates of biscuits arranged carelessly, and a few cold drink bottles standing like trophies in between it all. Someone had already started eating before everyone even properly gathered, leaving crumbs scattered everywhere, while the faint fizzing sound of opened soda filled the background.

The room buzzed with energy.

Kiara was sitting cross-legged on the floor, aggressively opening a packet of chips like it had personally offended her, while Myra moved around, trying to act responsible but failing as she kept getting distracted by conversations every few seconds.

Piyush had already made himself comfortable on the sofa, leaning back like he owned the place, casually sipping his drink and throwing random comments into every conversation just to stay involved.

Vihaan, as usual, had taken charge of being the annoying entertainment system, moving from one person to another, teasing, commenting, and creating unnecessary chaos just for his own satisfaction.

And Aadhya—

Aadhya was right there among them.

Laughing. Talking. Complaining. Acting completely normal.

But inside?

Inside, her thoughts were still tangled.

Her eyes—no matter how much she tried to control them—kept drifting.

Searching.

Looking for him.

And then—

There he was.

Shivansh.

Sitting a little away from the main group, talking to Piyush for a moment before shifting his attention around the room. He looked completely normal, completely unaffected—like nothing had happened upstairs. Like that moment never existed.

And somehow…

That made it worse.

Aadhya quickly looked away, grabbing a random packet of chips just to keep her hands busy. Her fingers fidgeted with the edge of the packet as she forced herself to focus on Kiara’s nonsense rant.

But her heart,

Her heart refused to listen.

“Arre sun na...” Kiara was saying something, but Aadhya only nodded absentmindedly, not really hearing a word.

Because at that exact moment—

She felt it.

A presence.

Closer.

Her heartbeat picked up instantly.

And before she could even mentally prepare herself—

“Arre haan!” Vihaan’s voice cut through the noise as he suddenly stepped forward, casually pulling Shivansh along with him.

“Shivansh, mil—” he started, then looked at Shivansh, “yeh hai Aadhya.”

(Here, meet—this is Aadhya.)

Time slowed down.

Aadhya’s fingers tightened slightly around the chips packet as she slowly looked up.

Her eyes met his.

For a second—

That same feeling returned.

That same pause.

That same quiet moment where everything else faded.

But this time—

It was different.

Because now—

He knew her name.

Shivansh looked at her properly this time, his expression no longer confused, no longer distant. There was recognition now—soft, simple, but enough.

“Oh… hi, Aadhya,” he said.

And that was it.

That one line.

That one simple greeting.

And suddenly—

Everything inside her flipped.

Completely.

Her heart, which had been heavy just moments ago, now felt like it was floating somewhere far away. The earlier embarrassment, the awkwardness, the tiny heartbreak—it all faded so quickly, like it had never even existed.

Because he said her name.

He remembered it.

He said it so normally, so casually—like it wasn’t a big deal at all.

But for her?

It was everything.

Aadhya nodded quickly, trying to act normal.

“H-hi…”

But inside—

Inside, she was gone.

Completely gone.

Her brain had already started running in a completely different direction.

Oh my God he said my name.

He knows me.

He said “hi Aadhya” so normally.

What if… what if one day he says “Aadhya” like that in front of everyone?

What if—

And just like that—

Her imagination betrayed her.

Because suddenly—

She wasn’t standing in the living room anymore.

No.

In her head, she was somewhere else entirely.

Dressed in something soft and beautiful, people around her smiling, lights glowing warmly—

And him.

Standing there.

Looking at her the same way.

Saying her name again.

But this time… differently.

Closer.

Softer.

Real.

“Aadhya?”

Vihaan’s voice snapped her out of it instantly.

“Haan?!” she responded a little too quickly, blinking as she returned to reality.

“Chip packet khaane ke liye hota hai, dekhne ke liye nahi,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

(The chips packet is for eating, not staring at.)

Kiara burst out laughing.

Myra smirked knowingly.

And Aadhya,

Aadhya quickly looked down, opening the packet properly this time, trying to hide the smile that refused to leave her face.

But it was useless.

Because no matter how much she tried—

That one small moment had already changed her entire mood.

And now, as the laughter continued, as conversations flowed, as the celebration carried on,

Aadhya wasn’t thinking about what happened upstairs anymore.

She was only thinking about one thing,

He said her name.

________________________________________________________________________

That's it sorry for the boring chapter I just didn't have much time and made sure to write as much as I could in one day.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter do lots of comments and votes I will be waiting for them

Words: 6.7k

Meet you in next chapter.

Bye-bye!

~Anniexdeewani.