Grown up
Years passed in the quiet lanes of Dehradun, like gentle songs on a loop.
The seasons changed, mango trees bore fruit and then stood bare again.
Rain fell, drenched rooftops and childhood dreams. Winters brought sweaters and shared cups of masala chai.
But one thing never changed:
From school benches to college canteens, they had grown together.
Not just taller, but closer, tighter, like vines that didn’t know where one ended and the other began.
Everyone knew them as “those two.”
Teachers smiled knowingly when they sat side by side. Auntyjis in the colony whispered,
Neighbor
Dono shaadi hi kar lenge.
(Both will definitely get married)
Even his bhabhi would tease,
Aarav's Bhabhi
When are you going to tell Meher ?
Aarav's Bhabhi
What your eyes have been screaming since you were thirteen?
Because Meher still saw him as “her best friend”
Her partner in mischief, her emotional punching bag, her daily ride to college.
The boy she helped walk, and never once suspected of hiding a storm in his chest.
The courtyard smelled of wet earth and sun-warmed bricks.
Monsoon had left a few puddles behind, and Meher was hopping across them barefoot like she always did...
Balancing a steel thali in one hand, filled with two mugs of tea and a plate of samosas.
She shouted from the gate.
Meher Khanna
Don’t act like you didn’t see me!
He was pretending to fix the broken lock on his bicycle, squatting beside it,
His sleeves rolled up, the usual faint frown on his forehead.
But his eyes flicked up for just a second and then quickly returned to the chain,
As if she hadn’t caught the small smile that escaped him.
Meher Khanna
Yeh kya aadat hai teri?
(what's this behavior of yours)
Meher Khanna
Whenever I bring food, you act all busy.
He replied, not looking up.
Aarav Malhotra
This chain is stuck again.
Meher Khanna
And this chain always breaks when you see me coming with food?
Meher Khanna
How convenient.
Author ❤
I rewrote this chapter as I mistakenly deleted the last one so I did some changes
Comments
nickki
this is so good author 👏👏👏
2025-07-07
1