4

It had been almost three months since Akriti met Aarav.

Three months of small talks, long walks, and shared smiles.

They were friends — at least, that’s what everyone thought. But deep inside, both knew it was more than that.

Akriti had started seeing the world differently. Every morning felt brighter, every evening softer. Even the sound of her phone notification made her heart race — wondering if it was him.

Aarav was always gentle. He never crossed the line, never said anything she could not answer. But his eyes spoke enough — they said what words could not.

---

One evening, the college was almost empty after classes. The sky looked heavy with clouds again, as if it would rain. Akriti was waiting near the gate, her books hugged close to her chest.

Aarav came running towards her, slightly breathless.

“You’re still here?” he asked.

“I missed the bus,” she said, smiling faintly. “So I thought I’d wait for the next one.”

“Good,” he said, smiling. “Then I’ll wait too.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” he said simply.

She didn’t argue. They stood near the gate, watching the wind move through the trees. Slowly, the first drops of rain began to fall. Aarav opened his umbrella and held it above them.

“You and rain again,” he teased. “You’re like a magnet for it.”

Akriti laughed softly. “Maybe it follows me.”

“Then I’m lucky,” he said quietly.

She looked at him, confused. “Why?”

“Because I always end up near you when it rains.”

Her heart skipped a beat. His voice was calm, but his words carried weight. The kind that stays.

---

The rain got heavier, and they ran to the shade near the canteen. The air was filled with the smell of wet soil and coffee. They sat on the bench, close enough to hear each other’s heartbeat.

Aarav broke the silence.

“Akriti,” he said softly. “Can I ask you something?”

She nodded.

“Do you believe in love?”

The question came like lightning. Simple, but too direct. She blinked, unsure how to answer.

“I don’t know,” she said after a pause. “Maybe yes. Maybe no. I’ve never thought about it.”

He smiled slightly. “Then think now.”

She frowned playfully. “Why?”

“Because,” he said, looking straight into her eyes, “I think I’m in love with you.”

---

The words hung between them — quiet, real, and trembling.

The sound of rain faded. All she could hear was her heart.

“Aarav…” she whispered. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

“I mean it,” he said. “From the day you smiled in the library, I knew you were different. You see the world the way I do — simple but full of feelings. You make silence feel warm, not empty.”

She couldn’t speak. Her hands trembled slightly.

He continued softly, “I don’t expect anything. I just wanted you to know. Even if you never say it back, I’ll still be glad I told you.”

Akriti looked down, her eyes filled with tears she couldn’t stop. “You shouldn’t love me, Aarav.”

“Why not?” he asked gently.

“Because I can’t promise anything,” she said. “My life is not like yours. My family… they won’t understand.”

“I’m not asking for promises,” he said. “Just truth. Do you feel something too?”

She looked at him — his wet hair, his hopeful eyes, his trembling smile. And for the first time, she let her heart speak.

“Yes,” she whispered. “I do.”

---

Aarav smiled — the kind of smile that looked like sunlight breaking through clouds. He reached out slowly and held her hand.

They sat there in silence, their hearts saying everything their words couldn’t.

After a long time, Akriti spoke again, her voice soft but steady.

“But Aarav… life is not easy for people like me. My father already talks about my marriage. I don’t know what future will bring.”

He squeezed her hand gently. “Then let’s not think about future today. Let’s just be here — now.”

She nodded, tears still falling but her heart strangely calm.

The rain continued to pour around them, washing away their fears for a moment.

---

That night, Akriti wrote in her diary —

> “He said he loves me. And I said yes. Maybe it’s wrong. Maybe it’s right. But for once, I felt alive.”

She kept her hand on the page and closed her eyes, whispering to herself —

> “Dear God, if this is a sin, please forgive me. Because my heart didn’t mean to love him… it just did.”

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