Anaya stayed quiet for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the half-full coffee Mug on the table.
Aarav, sitting across from her, leaned in just a little. His voice softened.
"I know I messed up, Anaya. But I promise—on everything I've got—that I won't ever hurt you again."
She didn't respond immediately. Her fingers traced the rim of the glass slowly, as if her thoughts were as tangled as her heart.
"I'll think about it," she finally said, voice barely above a whisper.
They didn't talk much after that—just quietly sipped their coffee and shared a plate of fries. Simple, almost peaceful.
When it was time to leave, Aarav insisted on dropping her back. He called a cab, and the ride back was filled with silence and glances—comfortable in some ways, confusing in others.
As the cab pulled up near Anaya's hostel, he turned to her. "Take care."
She nodded, stepping out without saying much.
Back in her room, Anaya had barely taken off her shoes when her phone buzzed.
Meera Calling...
She answered.
"So? How did it go?" Meera asked, excitement bubbling in her voice.
Anaya flopped onto her bed. "He apologized… said he feels guilty… made promises. But I haven't agreed to be friends yet."
Meera's voice softened. "That's okay. Aarav… he's not someone who makes promises lightly. You know that. If he said he's changed, I think you can trust that."
Anaya didn't say anything, but her fingers played with the velvet pouch still in her bag. A tiny smile touched her lips—uncertain, yet sincere.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the city, Aarav entered his hostel room with a grin that refused to leave his face.
His roommate smirked. "Hey, what's with the shy smile? Met someone special?"
Aarav blushed slightly, waving him off. "Nothing like that…"
But deep down, he was smiling for a reason. A message. A meeting. A maybe.
Not far from him, Nitya sat in her room, staring at her phone. She had been waiting all day for Aarav to come find her, like he usually did. She tried to call him but he didn't answer.The phone finally rang.
She answered quickly. "Aarav! Where were you today? I was looking for you at campus."
"I had some stuff to do outside," he said flatly. "I was busy."
Before she could say more, he added, "Talk later," and hung up.
The line went dead.
Nitya's jaw clenched. Her brows furrowed. Something was off. Something was wrong.
The next morning came wrapped in golden sunlight and cooler winds.
Anaya stood in front of her mirror, brushing her hair, when her eyes caught the velvet box on her desk. Slowly, she picked it up and opened it. The necklace shimmered in the light.
She held it to her neck, smiled, and clipped it on.
There it was—memories, emotions, everything she tried to bury—hanging right there, beautiful and confusing.
Still, she hadn't replied to Aarav's request.
Meanwhile, Aarav walked toward class when Nitya joined him with a wide smile.
"Good morning," she chirped. "Join me for breakfast?"
He hesitated but nodded.
She bought his favorite snack, trying to impress him with casual charm. As they sat down, she leaned closer and said, "I've been learning about AI lately. Maybe we could use it in our next project."
Aarav smiled politely, nodded a few times—but his thoughts were elsewhere.
Anaya.
He kept checking his phone during class breaks, hoping for a message. A sign. A word.
By lunch, he had made a decision.
He had to do something.
He googled ideas. "How to surprise a girl you like?" "Best gifts to win her heart."
He even turned to his friends for advice.
"Bracelet!" one said.
"No, a beautiful dress and take her out!" another added.
As Aarav nodded thoughtfully, already planning a surprise, Nitya overheard the conversation. Her eyes widened.
A surprise gift?
Her heart fluttered.
She smiled to herself, completely unaware of who the gift was really for.
Later that evening, Aarav texted his friend.
Aarav: "Can you come with me tomorrow? I need help choosing a dress."
This time, he wasn't leaving it to chance.
He was ready to take the next step.
But will Anaya accept it?
And what happens… when Nitya finds out the truth?