The weather had changed slightly — softer winds, cloudy skies, and a calmness in the air that somehow echoed the emotions swirling inside Vedant.
For the past few days, Vedant tried to ignore it — the growing bond between Aanya and Aarav, the laughter that came so easily to her now, the way her eyes sparkled every time Aarav called her name.
But no matter how much he tried to stay distracted, something inside him kept aching quietly.
And today, he couldn't hold it in anymore.
After their last lecture, as students poured out of the classroom, Vedant walked up to Aanya.
"Can we… talk?" he asked, his voice softer than usual.
Aanya looked surprised but nodded. "Of course."
They walked to a quieter corner of the campus garden, where the old bench near the gulmohar tree still stood — the place they often used to sit during their first weeks of college.
Silence lingered for a few moments before Vedant finally spoke.
"Aanya… I don't know how to say this, but… I think I still have feelings for you."
Aanya's heart dropped slightly, not out of guilt but from the weight of the honesty.
"I tried to ignore it. I really did. I thought it would fade, but… seeing you with Aarav… it just made me realize it never really went away."
Aanya looked down at her hands, then gently reached for his.
"Vedant… I still like you. But as a friend. A really good friend. And I don't want our friendship to break because of this."
He didn't pull his hand away. He just listened.
"And about Aarav," she continued, looking up at him with sincerity in her eyes, "I know it might sound strange, but I told you before… I used to see an unknown boy in my dreams. For years."
Vedant nodded slowly. He remembered.
"I never knew his face, just his presence… his energy. I felt protected, warm, loved… like he was waiting for me. And now, I've found him. That boy… that energy I've always felt — it's Aarav. He's the one. He's my soulmate."
There was no drama in her voice. Just quiet certainty.
Vedant looked away for a second, processing everything. Then he let out a soft sigh and smiled — not out of happiness, but peace.
"I don't understand all this soulmate, connection stuff, Aanya. I'm not that kind of person. But… I can see it in your eyes. You're happy. And if you're happy… then I'm happy too."
Aanya smiled, eyes a little moist. "You'll always be important to me, Vedant. You've been my comfort and support since day one. That doesn't change."
Vedant nodded, standing up. "Just don't disappear into your love story and forget me, okay?"
"Never," she said with a gentle laugh. "I still need someone to pull Aarav's leg with me."
Vedant smirked. "That I can do."
Just then, a familiar voice broke the emotional stillness.
"Well, well, should I leave or join the farewell party?" Meher appeared with crossed arms and a dramatic expression.
Aanya and Vedant turned, surprised, but Meher was already grinning.
"I had a feeling you two were having one of those deep conversations. So I followed. Don't worry, I didn't hear everything."
Vedant gave her a look. "You totally did."
"Maybe," she shrugged playfully. "But I'm proud of both of you."
She walked up and threw an arm around Aanya.
"Look at you, Miss Soulmate. And you," she pointed at Vedant, "Mr. Growth. I'm impressed."
Vedant shook his head with a small smile. "You're impossible."
"I know," Meher beamed. "But I love you both. Now let's go get samosas. My treat — for all this emotional drama."
They all laughed, and the moment lightened.
From a distance, Aarav stood near the campus steps, leaning against his bike.
He had come to meet Aanya — maybe steal a few minutes with her before heading home. But as he reached the garden path, he paused.
He saw Aanya with Vedant and Meher — all three laughing, sitting closely on the bench beneath the gulmohar tree. There was a softness in her expression… a quiet warmth.
For a moment, something tugged in his heart.
He didn't hear the words. But he saw the gestures. Aanya smiling at Vedant. Vedant looking calmer. Meher's hands thrown dramatically as she teased.
Aarav stood silently for a few seconds… then turned away.
He didn't want to intrude. Whatever it was — he trusted her to share it when she was ready.
As he walked toward the college gate, ready to leave—
"Aarav?" A familiar voice called from behind.
He turned.
Aanya came jogging lightly down the path, breath a little uneven, eyes locked on him.
"You going home without saying bye to me?" she asked softly.
He gave a small smile. "I saw you laughing with your friends. Didn't want to interrupt."
"You're not just anyone," she said, stepping closer. "You can interrupt."
Her tone was light, but her eyes were full of something more — something tender.
Aarav looked at her for a second, then tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Everything okay?"
She nodded, her voice warm. "Yes. Just something that needed closure."
He didn't ask more. He didn't need to.
"I'll walk you to the gate," she said, linking her hand with his.
As they walked together, their silence wasn't empty. It was safe — filled with understanding, trust, and a love that didn't always need to be explained.
The sun had just begun to dip as the last bell of college rang out, and students started flooding out through the main gate. Meher was still busy arguing with Vedant about some thing when I spotted him — Aarav, leaning casually against his bike, scrolling through his phone.
His presence always made the world around me slow down.
I took a deep breath and walked over.
He looked up and smiled, that familiar softness in his eyes that only I seemed to see.
"You're leaving already?" I asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"Was about to," he said. "But now I'm not so sure."
I smiled, feeling a wave of warmth.
There was a small pause before I gathered the courage and blurted, "Come with me. Let's go on a movie date today."
He raised his brows, surprised — but there was a flicker of something playful in his eyes. "A date? You're asking me out?"
I laughed nervously. "Only if you say yes."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "How could I ever say no to you?"
The theatre wasn't crowded — just the way I liked it. I sat beside him, our hands close but not quite touching at first. But somewhere between the trailers and the film's first few scenes, our fingers intertwined, and neither of us let go.
My heart felt like it was wrapped in cotton — safe, light, and warm.
He would glance at me during the funny parts just to watch me laugh. And during the emotional scenes, he'd gently squeeze my hand — like silently checking if I was okay.
But I wasn't thinking about the movie.
I was thinking about us.
Later That Night
We stepped out of the theatre into the soft night air, the city glowing with streetlights and soft murmurs of weekend life.
I expected the evening to end there, but Aarav turned to me with a soft voice. "Let's not go home yet. Let's just walk."
I nodded. "Okay."
So we walked — without planning where to go. Just side by side, down quiet streets and closed shops, our steps matching without trying.
It was peaceful… like the world had paused just for us.
His hand brushed mine again before he gently held it, fingers curling around like it was second nature. And honestly? It was.
We stopped in front of a closed bookstore — the kind I always imagined visiting in a dream.
He leaned against the railing, looking up at the stars.
And then he spoke.
"You know… I've been alone for a long time, Aanya," he said softly. "Even when surrounded by people. I laughed, smiled, joked… but something always felt missing."
I turned toward him, listening as my heart thudded.
"And then you came," he continued, his voice low but raw. "With all your questions… your smiles. You made everything feel new again. You made me feel."
I didn't speak. I couldn't.
He stepped closer.
"I don't just love you, Aanya… I love everything about you. I love the way you look at people when they talk, the way you carry the world's softness in your eyes. And it scares me sometimes… because I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone."
Tears threatened to fill my eyes.
"I love you so much," he whispered. "So much it hurts sometimes."
I swallowed, trying to hold it together, and then finally whispered, "I know."
His eyes widened a little, and I saw the way he blinked — caught off guard, maybe even emotional.
And before he could say anything, I stepped into him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
"I know," I whispered again into his chest, my voice barely audible. "I feel it. Every time you look at me, every time you hold my hand, every time you stay silent but stay with me."
He hugged me back — tight, like he was afraid I might disappear.
In that quiet corner of the world, beneath a sleeping sky and flickering streetlights, it was just us — hearts pre.ssed close, breaths syncing in silence.
It wasn't just love anymore.
It was home.
"If you want me to keep writing this story, drop a comment! Your support means everything 💕"