Aradhya woke up on Saturday morning with her phone buzzing on the nightstand.
She reached for it, eyes still half-closed.
A text from Shant.
"Good morning. Sleep well?"
She smiled, fully awake now.
Typed back: "Good morning. Yeah. You?"
His response came quickly: "Best sleep I've had in a while."
She bit her lip, smiling at the screen.
Another buzz: "What are you doing today?"
"Not much. You?"
"Also not much. Want to do not much together later?"
She laughed out loud.
"Smooth."
"I try."
"What did you have in mind?"
"I could show you around campus? You said you're not familiar with it yet."
Aradhya sat up in bed.
Classes started Monday. She should probably know where things are.
"That would actually be really helpful."
"Cool. Evening? Like 5 or 6?"
"6 works."
"See you then."
She set her phone down.
Stared at the ceiling.
Smiled.
They texted throughout the day.
Nothing important. Just... everything.
At 10:47 AM, Shant sent a photo of his coffee mug with a caption: "Fuel."
She sent back a photo of her breakfast: "Same."
At 1:23 PM, she sent a picture of a bird outside her window.
"New friend."
"Cute. But not as cute as you."
She stared at the message.
Face heating up.
Typed: "You can't just say things like that."
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
"Because it makes me smile like an idiot."
"Good." 😊
At 3:15 PM, he sent a selfie.
Just him. Sitting at his desk. Hair messy. Slight smile.
Caption: "Studying. Or trying to."
Aradhya stared at the photo.
He wasn't bad looking.
Actually, he was...
She shook her head.
Get it together, Aradhya.
She took a selfie. Tried three times before getting one she didn't hate.
Sent it.
"Also trying to study. Also failing."
He responded immediately: "You look beautiful."
Her heart did something stupid.
"You're too much."
"Not enough, actually."
She didn't know what to say to that.
So she just sent a heart emoji.
And spent the next ten minutes staring at his selfie.
Evening: Campus Date
Aradhya met Shant outside the main gate at 6 PM.
He was already there, waiting.
When he saw her, he smiled.
That smile that made her chest feel tight.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey."
They started walking.
"So," Shant said, hands in his pockets. "Where do you want to start?"
"I don't know. You're the guide."
"Alright. Follow me."
He led her through the campus.
Showed her the main administrative building, the library, the cafeteria.
Pointed out shortcuts between buildings.
"This path is faster if you're running late to class," he said, gesturing to a narrow walkway between two departments.
"Good to know. I'll probably be running late a lot."
He laughed. "Somehow I believe that."
"Hey!"
"I'm just saying. You seem like the type who loses track of time."
She wanted to argue.
But he was right.
They reached the Psychology Department.
Shant stopped outside.
"This is mine," he said. "Want to see inside?"
"Yeah."
He led her through the doors.
Showed her the lecture halls, the study lounges, the notice boards covered in research posters and seminar announcements.
"This is where I spend most of my time," he said, gesturing to a small study room with glass walls. "When I'm not in class, I'm usually here."
Aradhya looked around.
Imagined him sitting at one of the desks. Books spread out. Focused.
"It suits you," she said.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. It feels... thoughtful. Quiet."
He smiled. "That's probably the nicest way anyone's described the psych department."
They walked through a corridor lined with faculty offices.
And then Shant stopped.
Mid-step.
Just... froze.
Aradhya turned back. "You okay?"
He blinked. "Yeah. Sorry. Just... déjà vu."
"Of what?"
He looked at her. "This. You. Here. I feel like I've... I don't know. Like I've walked this hall with you before."
Aradhya frowned. "We just met like a week ago."
"I know. It's weird." He shook his head. "Never mind. Let's keep going."
But as they walked, Aradhya couldn't shake the feeling.
She felt it too.
Not déjà vu, exactly.
But something.
Like this was familiar.
Like she belonged here.
With him.
Next, they went to the Botany Department.
Aradhya's future home.
Shant showed her the main lecture hall, the labs, the faculty offices.
"And this," he said, pushing open a door, "is the greenhouse."
Aradhya stepped inside.
And gasped.
It was beautiful.
Glass walls and ceiling. Sunlight pouring in even though it was evening now, just the last golden rays.
Plants everywhere. Rows and rows of them. Different species, different stages of growth.
The air was warm and humid. It smelled like earth and green and life.
"This is amazing," she breathed.
Shant watched her.
She walked between the rows, running her fingers over leaves, bending to look at flowers.
"This is why I chose botany," she said quietly. "This feeling. Being around living things. Watching them grow."
Shant didn't say anything.
Just watched.
And felt his chest tighten.
Because he'd seen this before.
In a dream.
Her. In a greenhouse. Exactly like this.
Running her hands over plants. Face lit up with wonder.
He blinked.
The moment passed.
But the feeling stayed.
They left the Botany Department and walked across campus.
The sun was setting now. The sky streaked with orange and pink.
"Hungry?" Shant asked.
"Starving."
"There's a café near here. Nothing fancy, but the coffee's good."
"Lead the way."
They ended up at a small café just off campus.
Ordered coffee and sandwiches.
Sat across from each other at a corner table.
Talked about everything and nothing.
Aradhya told him about her grandmother's garden. How she used to spend hours there as a kid.
Shant told her about his favorite psychology theories. The ones that made him want to study the subject in the first place.
She asked about his family.
He hesitated.
"They're... complicated," he said finally.
"Most families are."
"Yeah. But mine's a special kind of complicated."
She didn't push.
Just waited.
He looked at her. At the way she was listening. Not just hearing. Actually listening.
"My parents fight a lot," he said quietly. "My dad... he's not around much. My mom sacrifices everything. And I'm just... stuck in the middle."
Aradhya reached across the table.
Her hand covered his.
"That sounds really hard."
He looked down at their hands.
"It is. But it's been better lately. Things feel... calmer."
"That's good."
He turned his hand over. Palm up.
She didn't pull away.
Their fingers intertwined.
Just for a moment.
Then her phone rang.
She jumped. Pulled her hand back.
Checked the screen.
"It's Ananya."
"Answer it."
She did.
"Hey! What's up?"
Ananya's voice was bright, enthusiastic. "Are you free tomorrow? Sunday?"
"Uh, I think so. Why?"
"Rishi and I are going to Delhi Gate. You know, the open book market at Mahila Haat. Want to come?"
Aradhya glanced at Shant.
He raised his eyebrows. Shrugged. Clearly had no idea what Ananya was planning.
"Is Shant coming?" Aradhya asked.
"Obviously! Rishi will make sure of it."
Aradhya looked at Shant.
Mouthed: You want to?
He nodded.
"Yeah, okay. I'm in."
"Perfect! We'll text you details. See you tomorrow!"
Ananya hung up.
Aradhya set her phone down.
Looked at Shant.
"So. Looks like we have plans tomorrow."
He smiled. "Looks like it."
"Did you know about this?"
"Not a clue. But I'm not complaining."
She laughed.
They finished their coffee.
Walked out into the cooling evening.
Shant walked her to the metro.
At the entrance, they stopped.
"Thanks for today," Aradhya said. "I actually know where things are now."
"Anytime."
"See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah. Looking forward to it."
She turned to leave.
Stopped.
Looked back.
"Shant?"
"Yeah?"
"Today was really nice."
He smiled. "Yeah. It was."
And then she was gone.
Down the stairs.
Into the station.
Shant stood there for a moment.
Then pulled out his phone.
Texted her: "Home safe?"
A minute later: "Almost. Thanks for checking." 💛
He stared at the yellow heart.
Smiled.
And headed home.
Sunday Morning
Shant woke up to sunlight and the smell of chai from the kitchen.
He got up. Stretched.
Checked his phone.
A text from Rishi: "Delhi Gate. 2 PM. Don't be late."
Shant smiled.
Typed back: "I'll be there."
He went to the kitchen.
His mother was there. Making breakfast.
And his father was there too.
Sitting at the table. Reading the newspaper.
Shant stopped.
His father was rarely home on Sunday mornings lately.
"Good morning," his mother said, glancing at him.
"Morning."
His father looked up. "Morning, beta."
Shant nodded.
Sat down.
His mother set a plate in front of him. Parathas. His favorite.
They ate in relative silence.
But it wasn't uncomfortable.
Just... quiet.
Normal.
For the first time in a long time, it felt almost normal.
After breakfast, Shant went to his room.
Got ready to go out.
Jeans, t-shirt, casual.
When he came back to the living room, his father was still there.
"Going somewhere?" his father asked.
"Yeah. Meeting friends. Delhi Gate."
His father nodded. "Do you have money?"
Shant hesitated. "Some. Not much."
His father reached for his wallet.
Pulled out a few bills.
Handed them to Shant.
Shant stared at the money.
Then at his father.
"Thanks, Papa."
His father smiled. Small, but genuine.
"Have fun."
Shant pocketed the money.
Turned to leave.
Then stopped.
Turned back.
His father was handing something to his mother.
An envelope.
Salary.
Full amount. On time.
His mother took it. Surprised.
Looked at his father.
He just nodded.
Shant watched.
Something in his chest loosened.
Maybe things were getting better.
Maybe his father was trying.
Maybe.
Shant left the apartment.
Headed toward the metro.
But on the way, he made a detour.
Fortune Teller
Shant stood in front of the fortune teller's stall.
The cloth was pulled down over the entrance.
Closed.
He frowned.
Checked the time. 10:30 AM.
Other vendors around were open. Setting up. Calling out to passersby.
But the fortune teller's stall was dark. Silent.
Shant waited.
Maybe she was just running late.
Five minutes passed.
Nothing.
Ten minutes.
Still nothing.
He checked his phone. He'd need to leave soon to meet the group on time.
He looked at the closed stall one more time.
Then turned and left.
Behind the cloth, the old woman sat.
Cross-legged. Still.
She'd heard him arrive.
Heard him wait.
Heard him leave.
A vendor from the neighboring stall called over.
"Aunty, there was a boy looking for you. Should I have told him you're inside?"
The fortune teller shook her head.
"No."
The vendor shrugged. Went back to arranging his wares.
The fortune teller sat in the dim light.
Closed her eyes.
"It's too soon, boy," she whispered to the empty air. "You're trying to see the end before you've lived the beginning."
She opened her eyes.
Stared at the cloth barrier between her and the world outside.
"The wheel must turn at its own pace. You cannot rush the river. You cannot force the flower to bloom."
She reached for her cards.
Shuffled them slowly.
"Some questions must be answered by living. Not by asking."
She set the cards down.
And waited.
For the wheel to turn.
Shant walked away from the market.
Frustrated.
Confused.
The dreams had stopped.
He'd wanted guidance.
Reassurance that he wasn't making mistakes.
But the fortune teller was closed.
Maybe that was the answer.
Maybe he was supposed to stop looking for signs.
Stop trying to control what happened next.
Just... live.
His phone rang.
He pulled it out.
Aradhya.
His chest tightened.
He answered.
"Hey."
"Hey!" Her voice was bright. A little nervous. "Are you busy?"
"Not really. Why?"
"I'm around campus. And I realized I have no idea how to get to Delhi Gate from here. I could figure it out, but..." She paused. "Would you maybe want to go together? I mean, if you're not doing anything."
Shant stopped walking.
She was asking him.
She could have taken the metro alone. Looked it up. Found her way.
But she was asking him.
He smiled.
"Yeah. Of course. Where are you?"
"Near the main gate. South entrance."
"Stay there. I'm on my way."
Twenty Minutes Later
Shant found her standing near the campus gate.
Leaning against the wall. Phone in hand.
When she saw him, her face lit up.
"Hey! Thanks for coming."
"Anytime."
They started walking toward the metro.
"You really didn't know how to get there?" Shant asked, teasing.
Aradhya laughed. "I mean, I could have figured it out. But it's more fun with company."
"So you're using me as a tour guide."
"Exactly."
He grinned.
They walked side by side.
Easy. Comfortable.
Like they'd done this a hundred times.
At the metro station, Shant helped her buy a token.
Showed her which line to take.
They got on the train together.
Found seats near the window.
"So," Aradhya said as the train started moving. "What were you doing before I called?"
Shant hesitated.
"Just... walking around. Thinking."
"About what?"
He looked at her.
At the way she was watching him. Genuinely curious.
"Just stuff. Nothing important."
She didn't push.
Just nodded.
They rode in comfortable silence for a while.
Watching the city blur past.
Then Aradhya said, "I'm glad you came with me."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I don't know. It's nice. Having someone to do things with."
Shant looked at her.
"I feel the same way."
She smiled.
And they kept riding.
Toward Delhi Gate.
Together.
Delhi Gate: Mahila Haat Open Book Market
They arrived at Delhi Gate around 1:45 PM.
The market was already crowded. Vibrant. Alive.
Aradhya pulled out her phone.
"Ananya said they'd be near the entrance. Let me text her."
She typed quickly.
A response came back almost immediately.
"She says they're by the fountain. This way."
They walked through the market entrance.
Past vendors selling books, stationery, notebooks, colorful pens.
Everything budget-friendly. Perfect for students.
Aradhya looked around, eyes wide.
"This place is amazing."
"Yeah. It's pretty popular. Especially at the start of the semester."
They found Rishi and Ananya near a small fountain.
Ananya waved when she saw them.
"Finally! We've been waiting."
"You said 2 PM," Shant said. "We're early."
"Barely."
Rishi grinned. "She's been excited all morning."
"Where's the lie?" Ananya looped her arm through Aradhya's. "Come on. Best deals are in the back."
They wandered through the market together.
All four of them.
Aradhya was looking for textbooks. Botany. First year.
Shant helped her look.
Pulled books from shelves. Checked prices. Compared editions.
Rishi and Ananya wandered ahead.
Intentionally giving them space.
Shant and Aradhya ended up at a stall together.
Browsing in comfortable silence.
She found a book. Flipped through it.
"This one's good," she said. "Professor recommended it."
"Get it."
"It's kind of expensive."
"It's for your classes. Get it."
She hesitated.
Then added it to her small stack of purchases.
Shant found a psychology book.
Something on cognitive behavioral patterns.
Showed it to her.
"Look at this. It's about how people form habits without realizing it."
She leaned over to look.
Their shoulders touched.
Neither moved away.
"That's cool," she said. "Are you going to get it?"
"Maybe."
He set it back on the shelf.
They moved to the next stall.
And then Aradhya stopped.
"Oh."
Shant looked.
She was holding a small book.
Hardcover. Illustrated.
The Language of Flowers: Symbolism and Meaning
She opened it.
Flipped to a page.
"Look," she said softly.
Shant leaned in.
The page showed yellow marigolds and white roses.
Side by side.
Yellow Marigolds:Associated with the sun, these flowers represent joy, optimism, and the simple beauty of friendship. They are honest in their brightness.
White Roses:Symbolizing new beginnings and hope, white roses speak of purity and the courage to start again.
Both Together:When yellow and white flowers are combined, they represent love in all its forms. The joy of companionship, the hope of new beginnings, and the willingness to hold contradictions. Love is not one thing. It is everything at once.
Aradhya looked up at him.
"Your grandmother's flowers," she said.
Shant's chest tightened.
Not his grandmother.
Hers.
But he didn't correct her.
"Yeah," he said quietly.
She stared at the page for a long moment.
Then closed the book.
"I'm getting this."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
She paid for it.
Along with her textbooks.
They left the stall.
Walked through the market.
Found Rishi and Ananya at a street food vendor.
Eating chaat.
"There you are!" Ananya said. "We thought we lost you."
"Just browsing," Aradhya said.
They all got food.
Sat on a low wall nearby.
Eating. Talking. Laughing.
Rishi told a story about a disastrous group project.
Ananya teased him.
Aradhya laughed.
Shant watched her.
The way her eyes crinkled when she smiled.
The way she tucked her hair behind her ear.
The way she seemed so at ease.
And then she did something.
Tossed her head back. Laughing at something Rishi said.
Hair catching the light.
And Shant froze.
Because he'd seen this.
Exactly this.
In a dream.
Her. Laughing. Hair tossed back. Sunlight.
The same moment.
The same her.
His heart pounded.
Aradhya noticed.
"You okay?"
He blinked.
Came back.
"Yeah. Just... you remind me of someone."
She raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
He smiled. "I'll tell you sometime."
She looked at him for a moment.
Then let it go.
But she was smiling.
Later, as they walked through the market, Aradhya stopped.
Pulled the flower book from her bag.
"Here," she said, holding it out to Shant.
He blinked. "What?"
"This is for you."
"Why?"
"You taught me what my name means. Made me love it. So... this is for you. A thank you."
Shant stared at the book.
Then at her.
"You don't have to…"
"I want to."
He took it.
And the moment he did, it hit him again.
Déjà vu.
Her. Handing him something. Smiling at him like this.
He'd seen this before.
He didn't know when.
Didn't know how.
But he'd seen it.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "I love it."
She smiled. "Good."
They stood there for a moment.
Just looking at each other.
Then Rishi called from ahead.
"Come on, you two! We're losing daylight!"
They laughed.
And kept walking.
Evening
The group split up around 6 PM.
Rishi and Ananya headed toward Noida.
Shant walked Aradhya to the metro.
"Today was fun," she said.
"Yeah. It was."
"Your friends are great."
"They like you."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
They reached the metro entrance.
Stopped.
"So," Aradhya said. "Classes start tomorrow. I'm kind of nervous."
"You'll be amazing."
"You don't know that."
"I do, actually."
She looked at him.
"How?"
"I just do."
She smiled.
"Want to meet after?" Shant asked. "I can come to campus. We can get coffee or something."
Her face lit up.
"Really? You'd do that?"
"Of course."
"Okay. Yeah. I'd really like that."
"Text me when you're done."
"I will."
Pause.
"Goodnight, Aradhya."
"Goodnight, Shant."
She walked toward the entrance.
Stopped.
Looked back.
Waved.
He waved back.
And then she was gone.
Shant stood there for a moment.
Then pulled out his phone.
Texted Rishi: "Thanks for today."
Response: "Anytime, man. You looked happy."
Shant smiled.
"I am."
He pocketed his phone.
And headed home.