The cafeteria was buzzing with post-lunch chaos—tables full, chatter loud, laughter bouncing off the walls.

Amidst the noise, a storm was brewing quietly within a few hearts. Aditi, Maahi, Tanya, Krisha, and Aarohi sat at their usual table, but something was different today.

Aarohi was unusually quiet.

Even though she was physically present, her eyes were miles away—somewhere between the past and pain.

The girls were chatting about the upcoming mid-term exams.

Krisha was ranting about syllabus overload.

Aditi was fidgeting with her pen, panicking about Math formulas.

Tanya was chewing gum and acting too cool to care.

But Maahi noticed.

She kept stealing glances at Aarohi, whose fingers were nervously playing with the end of her dupatta.

"Are you okay?" Maahi finally asked gently.

Aarohi blinked and snapped back. "Huh? Yeah, I’m fine mujhe kya hoga?."

But they all knew she wasn’t.

Krisha bit her lip and softly said, "I’m sorry, Aarohi. I mean… it's because of my brother that you’re like this."

Aarohi looked up slowly and smiled a broken smile.

"It’s not your fault, Krisha. Sometimes things just… don’t go the way we planned," she said, looking down again, her voice barely above a whisper.

There was a silence. Not awkward—but heavy.

That kind of silence where emotions are screaming but no one wants to be the first to cry.

Maahi’s POV

Looking at Aarohi like this… it hits something deep inside me. This… is what love can do? Then it really is difficult to stay in love…

Maahi’s eyes went far away… back to two months ago…

It was the first day of school.

She was running late, her bag flapping behind her, hair a mess, shoes half open. The guard was just about to shut the school gate.

She sprinted… and tripped.

Her foot twisted and she was about to fall flat on her face when—

A strong hand caught her wrist.

She blinked up, panting.

“Are you okay?” a deep, calm voice asked.

But Maahi?

She didn’t respond. She was gone.

Lost in the warm brown eyes that stared down at her.

“Hey, Miss? Tum theek ho?” the guy snapped his fingers.

“Ha… ha mai theek hu. Thank you so much,” she stammered.

He tilted his head and smirked, “Sambhal ke chala karo. Gir jaogi.”

That was the first time she saw Vihaan Sharma.

And just a week later… fate brought him next door. Literally.

He moved into the house beside hers.

Since then, she couldn’t stop looking at him when he wasn’t watching.

Suddenly—

“Aap kaha kho gayi, madam?” Aditi snapped her fingers in front of Maahi’s face.

Maahi jolted. “Kuch nahi,” she mumbled quickly.

But before anyone could tease her, chaos unfolded.

Aarohi’s gaze suddenly turned toward the cafeteria entrance… and there he was.

Aarav, laughing over something Harsh had said.

He looked carefree. As if nothing had broken inside him.

That hurt more.

Aarohi quietly got up and left the table.

The girls all looked at each other in concern.

On the other side of the cafeteria, Krisha’s eyes accidentally met Shivam’s.

Just for a second.

But it felt like time stopped.

They both instantly looked away, pretending they didn’t see it.

Krisha made a quick excuse, stood up, and rushed away too.

Tanya narrowed her eyes.

“Isse kya ho gaya?” she muttered.

Aditi shrugged, “Pata nahi.”

Vihaan came and sat besides Maahi, leaned forward with a teasing smirk with his elbow resting on the table.

“Toh tumne confess kiya apne chatni ke momo ko?” he whispered, loud enough for Maahi to hear.

Maahi froze.

Her eyes widened like saucers.

Aditi literally choked on air, coughing dramatically.

Tanya’s jaw dropped, “Aapko pata hai?!”

Vihaan smirked wider, sipping his Coke.

“Haan. Woh ladka na Maahi jisko pasand karti hai, ha woh toh pta hai merko.”

Aditi gasped so loudly she might’ve swallowed the cafeteria oxygen.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa?????”

Maahi’s face turned redder than the tomato in her sandwich.

She stomped her foot, panic bubbling in her voice.

Then she widened her eyes at Aditi and used exaggerated eye language and hand gestures to scream silently: He doesn’t know who!! He doesn’t know it’s him!!!

Aditi blinked in realization, then tried to cover it.

“Ohhhhhhhhhh!” she said, understanding Maahi’s signals.

Then, grabbing Tanya’s arm, she said—

“Tanya, mere saath chal na.”

Tanya raised an eyebrow. “Kaha?”

Aditi hissed, “Abbey chal toh!”

Tanya—still confused—got up. “Theek hai…”

They both left the table, trying to look casual.

Leaving behind a very, very stunned Maahi…

… and an amused Vihaan, still sipping his Coke with a smug expression.

Vihaan ad just sat down next to her — close enough for her pulse to spiral out of control.

Her hands gripped the water bottle tightly, her eyes wide, and her cheeks… oh god, they were burning.

Vihaan leaned in, casually resting his elbow on the table and turning to her, his lips curled into that teasing smirk that could melt steel.

Vihaan – "Toh tumne bataya usse tum uske liye kya feel karti ho?" he asked, his eyes glinting mischievously, almost like he already knew the answer and just wanted to see her squirm.

Maahi blinked at him, her mouth opening to respond, but words failed her. Her voice, once confident and sarcastic around everyone else, chose betrayal in his presence.

Maahi – "Wo... wo... mai.." she stammered, her voice barely a whisper as her eyes darted away from his intense gaze.

Vihaan tilted his head, frowning slightly as he looked at her flushed face.

Vihaan – "Arrey tumhe kya ho gaya? Tum theek ho? Tumhara chehra toh laal pad gaya hai… Tumhe bukhar toh nahi hai? Kamal ki baat hai sirf uske baare mei sochne se hi tumhara yeh haal hora hai woh samne hota toh kya ho jata tumhe pta nhi"

Maahi,s inner Monologue: "kaise bataun isse ki woh ladka yeh hi hai aur abhi yeh effortlessly itna charming kyu lag ra hai mai behosh ho jaayngi aise toh"

Before she could even react, his hand reached out — gentle, warm — brushing against her cheek ever so slightly.

Maahi’s breath caught in her throat. Her heart? Oh, that had completely given up. It was dancing somewhere on cloud nine, while her brain tried to shut down out of sheer embarrassment.

Vihaan – "Oh I’m sorry." He pulled his hand back immediately, his expression apologetic.

Maahi – "Nahi nahi… koi baat nahi." She waved it off quickly, pretending to sip her water, but internally she was trying not to scream into the bottle.

On the other side of the cafeteria, Aditi and Tanya had a full view of this accidental rom-com scene unfolding before them. Both had frozen mid-bite, eyes glued to Maahi and Vihaan like hawks on a love mission.

Aditi – "Kya lagta hai jab behosh hogi?" she whispered, trying to suppress her laughter.

Tanya – "Abhi tak hui nahi, hone wali hogi," she replied deadpan, eyes narrowed in full observation mode.

Aditi – "Abbey!!!" she elbowed her.

Tanya – "Literally chehra dekh Maahi ka… aaha tamatar bade mazedaar ho gaya hai."

They both giggled uncontrollably, trying to hide their amusement behind their hands.

Aditi – "Bus behosh na ho jaye… literally uske cheeks touch kiye usne ab tak toh uske dimaag mei inke 4-5 bache ho hi gaye honge!" she whispered sharply, her voice pitching slightly.

Tanya – " 7-8 ho gaye honge Waise don’t tell me Maahi ne bhaiya ko nahi bataya."

Aditi gave her a look, raising one eyebrow with a knowing sigh.

Aditi – "Bataya hota toh regret mein hoti ya relationship mein… aur jaha tak hume pta hai…"

Tanya – "Regret mein hi hoti."

Aditi – "Huh?" She huffed.

Tanya – "Dekhna… dekhte hai kya hota hai."

Both of them shared a glance, a spark of mischief lighting up their eyes. This wasn't just about teasing anymore. This was now war-level drama, and they were going to enjoy every second of it.

Meanwhile, Maahi was still frozen, cheeks pink like fresh strawberries, trying to decode whether Vihaan’s touch meant something more… or if she was just hopelessly falling alone.

She dared not look back at Aditi and Tanya — she already knew they'd be smirking like cartoon villains, plotting the next scene in her very real and embarrassing love story and she will definitely fell unconsious.

And Vihaan? Well, he just leaned back, whistling softly as if he hadn’t just set her soul on fire with a single touch.

Little did she know… he noticed everything.

Scene: Cafeteria Exit – Shivam and Krisha

Krisha rushed out of the cafeteria, her heart thudding louder than it should. Her cheeks were flushed, not from the heat, but from the way her eyes met Shivam’s for a second too long. She clutched the notebook close to her chest, trying to ignore the chaos her emotions were causing.

Behind her, Shivam leaned back on his chair with a mischievous grin that screamed “ab toh maza aayega.”

Vihaan was still sitting with Maahi, fully distracted by her red cheeks and tomato-like expressions, and Keyansh was busy talking — probably again about that new history project.

Shivam stood up suddenly, pushing his chair back.

Shivam:

"Oye Keyansh, tu yahin ruk... main abhi aata hoon."

Keyansh:

"Kyun? Kahan jaa raha hai?"

Shivam smirked, looking smug.

"Tu toh maths teacher ko taadta hai, lekin bhai ka taste thoda classy hai, samjha?"

Keyansh (inner monologue, rolling his eyes):

Hadd hai yaar... isko kuch bol bhi nahi sakta. Sach hi toh bol raha hai apne hisaab se... par mujhe jo pasand hai woh...

(he trails off with a distant look)

Shivam raises a brow:

"Phir se mam ki yaadon mein kho gaya?"

Keyansh (sharply):

"Bakwas band kar! Ja jaldi, saale harami! Ladki ke liye chhod diya mujhe akele!"

Shivam chuckles:

"Atleast ladkiyon ke liye chhod raha hoon, auntiyon ke liye nahi jaise tu!"

Keyansh (getting up):

"SHIVAMMMMM!!"

He lunged to hit him, but Shivam swiftly dodged and ran away, laughing like a maniac.

Shivam spotted Krisha turning the corner. Her ponytail bounced with every determined step. He sprinted lightly to catch up with her, whistling as he came closer.

Shivam passed by her intentionally ignoring her so that she could notice.

Shivam ( grinning): "arrey krisha tum yaha kya kar rahi ho? Aaj late mat hona coaching ke liye "

Krisha turned around, arms folded, trying to look composed but failing miserably.

Krisha (deadpan):

"Shut up, Shivam aur yeh intentionally kiya tumne haina?"

Shivam (leaning closer):

"Arrey nhi nhi yeh mahapaap apne dost ki behen ko ignore karne ka mai kaise kar sakta hu"

Krisha (sarcastic):

"wow thanks for this fefda touching performance."

Shivam (mock hurt):

"Tch tch tch… tum toh feelings ke saath khel gayi."

Krisha(completely flustered):

"Mujhe late ho raha hai."

(She turns again to leave)

Shivam (walking beside her like an annoying shadow):

"Sach mei?"

Krisha (laughing a little despite herself):

"tum keyansh bhai se training lekar aye ho kya?."

Shivam (chuckling):

"Nhi nhi mai naturally aisa hi tumhare bhai ki pasand toh bahut unche level ki hai waha tak mera pahunchna yumpossible hai"

Krisha (chuckling): "Oho! Mere bhai ki pasand toh achi hai"

Shivam (deadpan):

".Achi. Choice aur woh bhi uski????? Mujhe abhi sanyas lena chahiye mai chalta hu yeh bolkar tumne mujhe traumatize kiya hai."

He winked and walked ahead of her, hands in pockets, humming a cheesy Bollywood tune.

Krisha (to herself, frustrated yet flustered):

"Bhai ye ladka sach mein pagal hai."

And yet, her heart betrayed her, skipping a beat.

Aditi was standing near the notice board, noticing maahi,s condition  with such intense focus that she didn't even notice the tall frame approaching her with that trademark smug smirk on his face.

Keyansh (mockingly): “Oho Madam ji ne chaplusi bhi shuru kar di.”

Aditi froze, her body stiffening even before she turned her head. She didn’t need to look to recognize that voice.

Aditi (annoyed): “Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?”

Keyansh (stepping beside her, peeking into the cafeteria): “Ji, tum kya kar rahi ho chaplusi?.”

She shot him a look—eyes narrowed, lips pursed.

Aditi: “Hadd hai!!!. Merko disturb mat karo.”

Keyansh (crossing his arms, leaning on the wall): “Tum hi toh kar rahi ho... National level conference.”

Aditi slammed the her head shut with exaggerated annoyance. Her patience was clearly thinning.

Aditi (shaking her head):  "tumhe chain nahi hai na?”

Keyansh (grinning): “Woh toh bachpan se nahi hai.”

Just then, Tanya walked by with a bottle in hand, pausing mid-sip at the familiar bickering voices.

Tanya (sighing dramatically): “Tum dono phir shuru ho gaye…”

Keyansh (placing a hand on his heart like she broke it): “Chiii, Tanya. Tujhse yeh ummed nahi thi ki tu bhi iska saath degi.”

Aditi (with a sly smirk): “Oh please, atleast main auntiyan toh nahi taadti.”

The jab hit home.

Keyansh (offended): “Hadd hai!!”

Aditi (quickly, not missing a beat): “Hadd toh tumne kar rakhi hai, 40 saal ki aurat se pyaar karke.”

Keyansh: “Tanya, sun! Terko na Krisha bula rahi thi!”

Tanya (curious): “Aisa kya?”

Keyansh (nodding confidently): “Sach mein. Puch liyo usse.”

Tanya (walking away): “Main abhi aati hoon.”

Now it was just them—again.

Aditi rolled her eyes and turned her back on him, walking a few steps away.

Aditi: “Tum bhi jao na. Merko disturb mat karo.”

Keyansh (mocking her tone): “Haan haan, taaki tum dusro ki privacy disturb kar sako. Hai na?”

Aditi stopped, jaw tightening.

Aditi: “Excuse me? Main ja rahi hoon. Tumse bolna hi bekaar hai, aunty lover.”

She took a step forward, but before she could move away completely, Keyansh gently caught her wrist.

She gasped, not out of fear, but out of sheer surprise. Her heart skipped a beat.

He didn’t pull her roughly. He just tugged her lightly—enough to make her stumble half a step back toward him.

Her breath caught in her throat. The space between them shrank drastically, and her mind suddenly couldn’t focus on anything except the sharp warmth of his fingers and the intensity in his dark brown eyes.

Keyansh (in a low voice): “Tum bilkul bhi nahi jan na chahogi ki yeh jhooth maine kyu bola hai…”

His voice was a whisper, yet it echoed in her bones. And then…

His warm breath brushed against her ear.

Aditi froze.

For a second, everything blurred—the corridor noise, the students, even her anger.

Aditi (snapping back, pulling away): “What the hell?! Tumne jhooth bola?”

Keyansh (grinning with absolutely no regret): “Of course. Itni kharab choice toh nahi hai meri.”

Aditi (fuming but flustered): “Waise tumse mujhe aisi hi umeed thi!”

He chuckled, stepping back as if satisfied with her reaction. His eyes sparkled with a teasing glint.

Keyansh (raising an eyebrow): “You know what… koi hai jisse pasand karta hoon. Woh baat alag hai. Mere crushes diary mein nahi rehte.”

Aditi opened her mouth to respond—but before any words could form, he winked and ran off like a rocket, laughing under his breath.

Aditi (shouting after him): “Keyansh!!!”

She stood there for a second, completely dumbfounded, fists clenched at her side.

Aditi’s inner monologue: Isko kaise pata chala… pagal insaan kahin ka!!! Bewakoof!!.

She turned away, her cheeks burning—not out of embarrassment, but the fact that somewhere, deep inside… she didn’t hate the chaos he brought and probably because he knew about her diary crush.

Scene: Last Period – School Grounds, Games Period

The sun filtered through the tall windows of the classroom as the final bell rang, marking the beginning of the last period—Games.

The students cheered and shuffled out with uncontained energy. Among them, Keyansh had a spark in his eyes, his signature mischievous smirk already stretching across his face as he walked beside Vihaan.

He nudged Vihaan slyly, his elbow gently poking into Vihaan’s side.

Keyansh (grinning): "Vihaaaaan..."

Vihaan (suspicious): "Kya?"

Keyansh (smirk widening): "Sach bta..."

Vihaan (blinking rapidly): "Kya sach? Kya ho gaya?"

Before Vihaan could even try to guess where this was going, Shivam appeared from behind, arms crossed and wearing the exact same teasing expression.

Shivam (mock serious): "Ek baat bta... hamari shakal pe ‘bewakoof’ likha hai kya?"

Vihaan (snickering): "Likhwa lo... acha lagega."

Keyansh snorted, holding back laughter as he leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering.

Keyansh: "Haan haan... tabhi toh Maahi ke itna close ho raha tha koi..."

Shivam (joining the tease): "Haan maine bhi dekha... tumhari tabiyat toh theek hai?"

Vihaan froze. His ears turned red first, then his cheeks followed, like a thermometer catching fire.

Vihaan (flustered, defensive): "Acha... at least mai aunty lover nahi hu!"

Keyansh (with zero shame): "Haan toh pasand toh pasand hoti hai na... age is just a number."

Vihaan (mocking): "Toh bata de sabko... khullam khulla pyaar kare hum dono aur waise bhi koi aur pasand hai usse aur tere se toh sahi hi hai warna tu toh..."

He barely finished the line when—

"OUCHHH!"

Keyansh stomped hard on Vihaan's foot, pretending like nothing happened.

Shivam (frowning): "Kya hua chilla kyu raha hai?"

Vihaan (hopping slightly): "Woh kuch nahi... soch raha tha teri pasand bhi bta du ke—OUCH!"

This time Shivam stomped on his other foot with equal force.

Vihaan (groaning, limping slightly): "Salon... iske liye narak mein alag se tel garam hora hai... aur yeh Keyansh mera bhai hokar mujh hi ko peet raha hai!"

Keyansh stepped beside him with a fake innocent smile, gently patting Vihaan’s back.

Keyansh (sweetly whispering): "Bhai hai... isiliye tu abhi tak zinda hai."

He grinned like a devil as he stepped away.

Vihaan (rolling his eyes, exasperated): "Hadd hai!!! Tum dono ko toh ek saath Mars pe bhej dena chahiye, Earth ke liye bohot toxic ho gaye ho..."

Shivam (mock offended): "Abey hum toh tere bhale ke liye kar rahe the aur sach bole toh toxic..."

Keyansh: "Haan, warna Maahi se hi puch leta."

Vihaan (sputtering): "Chup! Kuch bhi bolte rehte ho... ab kuch bolega Maahi sunlegi toh? Aur waise bhi usse koi aur pasand hai samjhe.!"

Keyansh looked at Shivam who grinned at him and then he cleared his throat.

Keyansh ( teasing): "matlab agar usse koi aur pasand na hota toh tu...."

Before he could complete Vihaan stomped his foot as hard as he did.

Just then, Maahi passed by with a basketball in her hand and smiled in their direction.

Shivam (elbowing him): "Dekha... Maahi aa gayi... tu ready reh proposal ka plan banane ke liye."

Vihaan (murmuring): "Tum dono ko silence zone mein bhejna chahiye permanent..."

As the trio walked out towards the field, the teasing continued but so did the laughter.

The late afternoon sun painted the sky in hues of golden amber as Aarohi walked down the narrow lane that led to her house. The breeze was soft, rustling the leaves along the pavement and tossing a few strands of her hair across her face. She tucked them behind her ear absentmindedly, lost in thoughts of unfinished assignments and the upcoming test in chemistry.

But just as she turned the corner past the old grocery store, her steps faltered.

Her gaze froze—right across the street, leaning casually against Harsh’s bike, stood Aarav.

Her breath caught in her throat.

He was laughing at something Harsh said, head thrown slightly back, that familiar crooked smile spreading across his face.

His sleeves were rolled up lazily, one hand tucked in his pocket, and he looked... exactly like the boy she had tried so hard to stop thinking about.

And then their eyes met.

For a fleeting second—so brief and yet so loud—it was just the two of them in that still frame of time.

No traffic, no noise, no Harsh beside him. Just the silent weight of unspoken words and emotions too tightly bottled.

Aarav's expression changed. The laughter faded from his lips, and something unreadable—soft, almost vulnerable—flashed in his eyes.

But Aarohi didn’t let the moment linger.

She turned away. Quickly. Sharply. As if looking at him burned more than she was ready to admit.

Her pace quickened, hands clenched into fists by her side as she forced herself to keep walking, to not look back, to pretend that single glance hadn't set her heart spiraling again.

That her chest wasn

That her chest wasn’t tightening with a wave of everything she was still trying to suppress.

Behind her, Aarav’s eyes followed her retreating form.

“Aarohi…” he whispered, barely audible over the sound of Harsh calling his name.

But she was already gone—at least on the surface.

Scene: Late at Night – Aditi's Room

The moonlight filtered softly through the window, casting a dim glow over the room. Aditi lay sprawled on her bed, scrolling mindlessly through her phone, but her mind wasn’t on it. It was still stuck on that moment… that damn moment.

Aditi's inner monologue (gritting her teeth):

Hadd hai!! Keyansh ko kaise pata uske baare mei?

Her fingers twitched with irritation, and she tossed her phone aside.

She got up and began rummaging through her bedside drawer, then the dressing table, and finally the desk.

Aditi (muttering):

"Where is my nailcutter yaar?!"

After another five minutes of chaos and turning her room into a battlefield, she finally stormed out toward her brother’s room.

She didn't knock — why would she? She barged right in and smacked Shivam on the back of his head.

Shivam (jerking up with a wince):

“Kya ho gaya tha chudail si?????”

Aditi (fuming):

"Tu yeh bata mera nailcutter tune liya kya?"

Shivam (casually scratching his head):

“Oho woh shelf mei hai, Keyansh ko chahiye tha.”

Her eyes widened in horror and rage.

Aditi (louder now):

“DON’T tell me ki tune usse….”

Shivam (grinning, totally unbothered):

“Ha ha, wahi.”

Aditi (snapping):

“Kutte!!! Kamine!!!” she shouted, grabbing the nearest cushion and whacking him hard on the arm, then again on the back, then his head.

“Tune usse mere room mei bheja kyu???”

Shivam (trying to dodge, laughing):

“Bas kar! Hyper kyu ho rahi hai?”

Aditi (boiling):

“Bhaad mei ja!” she yelled and stormed out of the room.

Shivam (yelling behind her):

“Pagal hai poori! Bas ek nailcutter hi toh tha!”

She slammed her bedroom door shut behind her. Her breathing was heavy, face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and confusion. Sliding down with her back to the door, she buried her face in her hands for a moment.

Her heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

She didn’t even want to admit how fast it had been beating when she imagined him in her room.

Not just anywhere, but here. Among her things. Breathing her air. Seeing the diary.

Her eyes darted toward her dresser where the small leather-bound book sat.

She stood up abruptly and rushed toward it, flipping it open and sighing in relief.

Aditi’s monologue (facepalming):

Pagal ho gayi hoon kya? Diary toh uss time table mein hi thi. agar ussse pta chal gaya ho toh?

Aur sabse badi baat – usne bola kaise? ‘Tum bilkul bhi nahi jan na chahogi ki yeh jhoot maine kyu bola hai.’

She shook her head as if trying to toss the thought away, but it stayed… burned into her mind. His voice, his breath near her ear, the cocky smirk on his face.

Aditi (under her breath):

“Stupid… idiot… psycho… aunty lover.”

And yet, she couldn’t stop the tiny smile that played on her lips for just a second before she forced it away.

She climbed onto her bed and wrapped her blanket tightly around herself like a shield.

Aditi's last inner monologue (biting her lower lip):

Lekin seriously… usse kaise pata chala…?

Aditi started rummaging through her books until her eyes darted to a letter she left in the table only the letter she wrote every weekend to the person who she doesn't know.

A letter.

She froze.

Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the envelope, instantly recognizing the familiar blue ink in her own handwriting. “For someone I never met again...” it read, faintly smudged with time. Her breath hitched.

Damn!

She had forgotten she kept it here.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she unfolded the letter, her eyes scanning the first few lines that now felt like a soft whisper from her younger self.

A bittersweet smile played on her lips as memories surged like a wave—untamed, unstoppable.

No one knew this. No one.

But tucked within the corners of her heart—beneath the laughter, the attitude, and the sarcasm—was a truth she never dared to say aloud.

She had loved someone once.

It wasn’t supposed to be love. Not in the beginning.

At first, it was just gratitude.

A child's overwhelming thankfulness for being pulled out of the jaws of death. But over the years, as the memory replayed itself in quiet moments, she realized—it had turned into something deeper. Softer. Eternal.

10 Years Ago – Aditi’s Flashback

It was one of those sunny afternoons, full of laughter and chatter.

Her parents and relatives were all inside the villa—busy planning for some festival. Little Aditi, barely 7 years old, was playing in the courtyard, chasing after her favorite red ball.

The ball bounced once… twice… and rolled out through the gate, slipping away like a naughty secret.

Aditi's eyes widened.

It was nearing the lake.

She panicked and turned around.

“Shivam bhaiya!” she called, running inside.

“Mele saath ball lene chalo na…” she tugged on his sleeve.

Shivam, only 8 or 9 at the time, was sipping juice on the sofa like a mini king.

“Itni chhoti thodi hai tu, akeli ja.” he said with the confidence of every older brother who couldn’t be bothered.

“Par... merko dal lagta hai.” she whispered, hugging herself.

(Fear—she couldn’t pronounce her R’s right back then.)

Shivam blinked and smirked, “Aur dar tujhe 'R' sound mein problem kyu hoti hai?” he teased, laughing.

Aditi frowned and pulled his arm again.

“Chalo na bhaiya…”

“Akeli ja, darpok.” he waved her off.

Pouting and annoyed, she stomped her little feet and walked out by herself.

The path to the lake was quiet. The sunlight flickered through the trees, and the wind hummed a lullaby. She picked up the ball, but as she turned to leave—

a shadow fell over her.

A tall boy, around 15, stood there. Thin mustache, loose shirt, and that sly smirk on his face.

“Arrey chhoti bacchi… naam kya hai tumhara?” he asked in a sing-song tone, inching closer.

Aditi blinked and took a step back.

“Main ni bataungi... aanjano se baat ni kalni chahiye.” she declared, remembering her mother's advice and puffing up with fake confidence.

The boy laughed cruelly. “Oh really?”

And in one swift motion—he picked her up by the waist and threw her straight into the water.

Splash.

The coldness swallowed her.

She thrashed in panic, arms flailing, mouth open but her cries drowned in the water.

“Mujhe saans ni aali... Mujhe saans—” her voice faded into bubbles.

( Don't get cringed bhai she is just 7-8 this time)

Water rushed into her nose, her chest tightened, and her vision blurred into spirals of blue and white. Her small body started to sink, like a forgotten doll in the dark.

And then—

A hand.

Small. Strong. Warm.

It grabbed her wrist firmly.

Another arm slid around her shoulder, pulling her up with sudden urgency.

She coughed, eyes barely open, lashes heavy with water. Her soaked lashes parted just enough to catch a glimpse of her rescuer.

A boy.

Barely 8 or 9 years old.

Eyes filled with fear and determination. Hair clinging to his forehead.

His lips moved—he said something—but she couldn’t hear.

The sun flared behind his head like a halo. And then...

Everything went dark.

She fainted in his arms.

Back to Present – Aditi’s Room

The memory ended with her staring at the last line of the letter.

Her heart thudded painfully.

“I never got to thank him. I never saw his face properly. But that moment… that moment stayed. And stupid me, I kept falling for a memory.”

She blinked hard, pushing the letter under her pillow again, clutching it as if it still had his warmth.

“Whoever you were…” she whispered to the silence, “I hope you’re doing okay out there and just once i want to meet you.”

A knock sounded on the door, and she quickly wiped her eyes.

“Aditi! Dinner!” Shivam called.

“Aa rahi hoon!” she shouted back, voice normal, face unreadable.

But deep inside, the ache of a long-lost boy—her silent savior—lingered like a half-healed bruise.

Keyansh’s POV

Damnn!!

My wildcat is seriously the cutest when she's angry. Those narrowed eyes, that little pout, her nose flaring like she’s ready to slap me with a dictionary—even her anger is adorable. Sometimes I wonder if she knows how much I fall for her every single day.

But what’s driving me crazy now is something bigger.

She actually loved the person who saved her. Not just gratitude… love. That letter said it all.

And what she doesn’t know—what she still doesn’t know—is that the boy who saved her back then was me.

Yeah. Me. Keyansh Singhania.

Ten years back, she was barely 7 or 8. And I… I was around 9. A stupid party, a stupid crowd, a stupid reason my biological mom forced me to go and “socialize like a good little heir.”

I didn’t want to be there. I had fought with her that day. I still remember her voice echoing in my head:

"Go behave like a proper child, Keyansh. Or else..."

Or else... whatever. That day I was angry. Lost. I just wanted to vanish somewhere no one could find me. So I walked off toward the edge of the property, where the little artificial lake was. It was peaceful.

But then I heard a scream. A tiny voice, trembling, scared.

"Mujhe saans nahi aa rahi..."

And I saw her.

A small girl, her arms flailing in panic, her bright dress soaked and clinging to her tiny frame. Someone had pushed her in—some older jerk, I think—and she had no idea how to swim. She was going down, quick.

“Arey usne theek nahi kiya… aise kaun dhakka deta hai?” I remember muttering in fury.

Without thinking, I leaped into the water.

The cold hit me, but it didn’t matter. I knew how to swim, and I was already cutting through the water toward her. Her body was sinking like a feather underwater—limp, helpless.

I reached her just in time, wrapping one arm around her and paddling hard toward the shore with the other. She was light. So light. And so tiny. I could feel her chest rising weakly against mine—like she was barely holding on.

“Hey… wake up! Are you okay?” I asked once we reached land, gently patting her cheek. She looked so angelic up close, even unconscious—her lashes stuck together from the water, lips parted slightly, breathing faint.

I felt something strange inside me. Like I wanted to protect her. Like something had changed forever.

But before I could even process anything, I heard footsteps. Panic rushed through me.

I looked up and saw a couple—her parents—running toward us from the far end of the path. I froze.

I didn’t want attention. I didn’t want to be dragged into it. So I did what a scared 9-year-old would do.

I hid.

Behind the hedges, I watched her slowly open her eyes, her little body twitching back to life. Her parents cried and hugged her. I took a deep breath of relief. She was safe. That was all that mattered.

I didn’t wait for thanks. I didn’t need it.

I just walked away.

That day, without even knowing her name, I fell in love.

And today… she’s here. In my life. My chaos. My love. And she doesn’t even know I was that boy.

And maybe she doesn’t need to know. Not yet.

Some truths are meant for the right time. And this one? This one’s going to hit her like a storm someday. But

until then… I’ll keep watching her fall for that mystery savior, while secretly smiling, knowing she’s always been mine.

Because from that very moment ten years ago, when she looked into my eyes before slipping into unconsciousness…

I was hers too.

Forever till eternity.