It was 10:30 PM when the train finally screeched to a halt. A light breeze swept through the open windows, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and oil — September nights had a peculiar calm, one that whispered of change. The station buzzed with tired footsteps, muffled announcements, and the clinking of luggage wheels on uneven platforms.
We all started gathering our bags. I hoisted mine onto my shoulder, Kajal dragging her suitcase with a sleepy grunt, while Dhara was already waving towards the platform vendor for a water bottle. Around us, the boys from the badminton team — Aryan, Tashi, and the others — stretched and cracked their necks before rushing out to scout for autos.
The rest of us stood near the exit gate, trying to keep warm and awake by teasing and laughing.
"Bro, if we don't find an auto in five minutes, I swear I'll sleep right here," Aditya groaned.
"Sleep? We'll be eaten alive by mosquitoes," Kajal retorted, yawning.
"Don't worry, Kajal," Dhara grinned. "Aliza can sing them a lullaby. They'll flee."
I rolled my eyes. "Wow, thanks. Should I carry you all to the hostel too?"
They all laughed. Amid the jokes, Aryan returned with a few others, waving.
"Three autos here!" he called.
"Should we eat first?" Tashi asked, wiping his forehead. "I'm starving."
"Yeah, same here. Didn't someone say we'd go to the place we tried last time?" someone suggested.
We debated for a while — some wanted proper dinner, others just snacks. Eventually, we all settled on a small roadside dhaba that served dinner for ₹50 a plate. Cheap, warm, filling — exactly what we needed.
The place was dimly lit, buzzing with late-night regulars. The girls sat first, grateful for the rest. I slid into my seat and looked up — Aryan sat directly across from me.
Our eyes locked.
It was as if the world dimmed for a moment. The noise blurred, the laughter faded. His eyes held mine with an intensity I wasn't ready for — not hatred, not regret. Something else. Something wordless. Something that made my heart ache and flutter all at once.
I blinked and broke the stare, pretending to fix my hair.
He did the same — looking away, pretending it hadn't happened.
"Hey, Aliza, pass the water," Dhara said.
I smiled at her and nodded, grateful for the interruption.
Soon, the food came. Aditya stood up and started serving everyone.
"When did you become a gentleman?" one of the boys joked.
Aditya laughed, handing out plates. "When you all started acting like babies."
I got up to help him.
"Here, give me that," I said.
To my surprise, Aryan also stood up and joined us.
"I'll take those," he said softly, not meeting my eyes.
I didn't argue. We handed out plates as jokes and stories filled the air. Laughter rang out, mingling with the sounds of steel plates and spoons.
After dinner, we all wandered to the small stall nearby and bought cold drinks. We sipped them as we piled into the three autos we had booked. I found myself with Dhara, Kajal, Aditya, and a few team boys. Aryan was in another.
A part of me... I don't know. I hoped he'd get in ours.
But he didn't.
As the auto roared to life and sped through the sleepy streets, we sang songs loudly to the tiny speaker fixed at the front. Kajal shouted lyrics, Aditya drummed on the metal side, and even Dhara added her completely off-tune voice to the mix. We laughed till our cheeks hurt.
Soon, the familiar gates of the college appeared, glowing faintly in the night.
We stopped near the main hostel entrance. Everyone climbed out, yawning and stretching. The boys began unloading the luggage and handing bags to their owners.
"Kajal, your bag," Aditya said, passing it to her.
She took it but immediately froze. "Wait. I can't find my other bag."
"Which one?" I asked.
"The black one! With the pink zip. My wallet and charger were in there. Oh god... my money too!"
Panic spread through the group like a ripple.
"Did you leave it on the train?" someone asked.
"No, I had it at dinner," Kajal replied.
I stepped in. "I'm sure you left it at the restaurant. You kept it beside your seat."
Her eyes lit up. "Yes! Yes, you're right. I remember now."
The auto driver, who had been silent, spoke. "I have the number of the owner. Want me to call him?"
Tashi quickly grabbed the number and called. After a short conversation, he nodded.
"He found it. It's safe. We can pick it up tomorrow."
Kajal exhaled loudly. "Oh thank god. I was ready to cry."
We all relaxed again. Aryan took out his phone and called the sports secretary.
"We've reached. Everyone's fine."
Soon, the secretary arrived and began giving directions.
"Boys to the left building, girls this way," he said, pointing toward the path that led to the girls' hostel.
As we walked, one of the boys from the table tennis team came up to me.
"Hello boss, I'm Raj," he said shyly. "One of my seniors told me to talk to you. I'm new. He said you'd help."
"Who told you?"
"Karan. From your class."
I smiled. "Ah, Karan! He's a good friend. Sure, welcome to the team."
We exchanged quick introductions before parting ways.
The girls' hostel was a four-storey building. But our room was in the basement.
The matron greeted us at the entrance with a tired smile. "Come, girls. I'll show you to your room."
We followed her down the stairs. The hallway was cool, the air a little damp from the basement's ventilation system. It was oddly comforting after the long day.
Our room was already partially occupied — one girl was fast asleep on a bed in the corner.
Four mattresses lay neatly on the floor with pillows and bedsheets stacked on them.
We all stared.
"Looks like a sleepover," Kajal giggled.
"Sleepover in the dungeon," Dhara joked.
We changed into comfortable clothes, talking softly about the train, the restaurant, the people — everything. Laughter faded into yawns.
I lay down on the mattress, pulling the soft sheet over myself.
The room was quiet now, only our soft breaths and the occasional sound of someone shifting.
And in that silence… I thought about Aryan.
The way his eyes looked into mine. The silence between us. The unspoken things we both knew were there, but couldn't say.
I closed my eyes.
That name echoed in my chest again.
Aryan.
And slowly, wrapped in that name and the warmth of tired comfort, I drifted to sleep.