It was a bright Saturday afternoon, and Anaya's new college group had planned a spontaneous outing to explore the city. They wanted to unwind from the busy college schedule, and after strolling through street markets and clicking dozens of candid pictures, they stumbled upon a quaint little café tucked in the corner of an old alley. With fairy lights hanging on trees and soft music playing, it felt like the perfect place to rest.
Anaya, dressed in a simple white dress, looked serene under the golden sunlight. Her charm was effortless, and though she wasn't trying to draw attention, she always did. Her friends—Anna, Tia, and a few boys from their group—walked in laughing, joking, and teasing each other as they took the biggest table near the window.
They had just ordered their coffees and were pulling out UNO cards when Anna suddenly nudged Anaya, "That guy over there is kinda cute, right?"
Anaya turned casually to look, and her heart stopped.
Aarav.
He was there. Sitting at a far table with his college project team, laptops open, notebooks scattered, and coffee mugs half full. But it wasn't the work that caught her attention—it was Nitya, sitting beside him, her hand lightly brushing his as she pointed something on the screen. They both were laughing.
Anaya's breath hitched.
She hadn't seen him in weeks. Not since they left for their separate colleges in the same city. They hadn't spoken. No texts, no calls. Just silence.
And now, there he was. Laughing. With someone else.
She quickly looked away, trying to stay composed, but her fingers trembled as she shuffled the cards. None of her new friends knew who he was. And he didn't know any of them either.
Aarav, too, had seen her the moment she entered. His eyes involuntarily followed her as she walked in, her white dress flowing gently with each step. She was glowing. Happy. Her smile was brighter than he remembered.
And she wasn't alone.
There were boys in her group. One of them pulled a chair for her. Another passed her a drink. She was laughing, talking, enjoying… without him.
Something twisted in his chest.
Nitya, sitting beside him, noticed the shift in his expression. She followed his gaze and saw Anaya.
So she was the girl. The girl whose name Aarav had never mentioned but whose shadow was always present in his silences. Nitya clenched her jaw but said nothing.
The air was heavy with unspoken words.
Aarav's friends continued discussing project points, unaware of the silent storm brewing in his mind. He couldn't hear them anymore. All he could think about was how easily Anaya seemed to have moved on… and how hard it still was for him.
At her table, Anna whispered, "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Anaya forced a smile. "Just… spaced out."
For the next hour, both of them tried pretending. Pretending not to notice. Pretending not to care.
When Anaya got up to leave with her group, she walked past Aarav's table, not sparing him even a glance. But she could feel his eyes on her, watching her go.
He wanted to say something. Maybe call her name. But what would he say?
And just like that, she was gone.
Outside the café, Anaya let out a slow breath she didn't realize she was holding. Her heart was thudding. Anna asked again if everything was okay, and this time Anaya smiled genuinely.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
But deep down, she wasn't sure if she believed it.
And back inside, Aarav sat quietly, staring at the door long after she had left, a thousand unsaid feelings burning in his chest.
Two hearts. Still connected in ways they both couldn't admit.
Two paths. Intertwined by fate, yet separated by choice.