The hum of campus life wrapped itself around the university as another week began. The courtyard was buzzing more than usual—clubs putting up banners, students rushing with armfuls of papers, and a group of seniors dragging a cart full of decorations across the lawn.
The annual Cultural Festival was only a month away, and preparations had begun in earnest.
Shiva walked toward his lecture hall with his backpack slung lazily over one shoulder, watching the commotion with his usual quiet detachment. The world seemed louder around him than inside him—voices overlapping, laughter spilling across the pathways. He didn't complain; he'd always been comfortable as an observer.
"Oi! Mr. Mysterious!"
The shout broke his thoughts. Rohan jogged up beside him, carrying two steaming cups of tea in his hands. "Caught you before you vanished again." He shoved one cup toward Shiva.
"I wasn't vanishing," Shiva replied, though he took the tea.
Rohan grinned. "You're always vanishing. Like a ninja with zero social obligations."
Shiva raised an eyebrow. "Ninjas don't usually drink chai on their missions."
"Correction," Rohan said, wagging a finger. "Good ninjas do."
They walked together, sipping their tea, until a voice called out behind them.
"You two better not be late again!"
Priya hurried up, clutching a thick folder of notes against her chest. Her expression was equal parts exasperated and stern. "The professor is already annoyed at people skipping."
"We're not late," Rohan said defensively.
"You will be if you keep stopping for tea breaks," Priya retorted.
Shiva glanced at her folder. "Exams?"
"Exams," she confirmed, adjusting her glasses. "You might want to consider studying this time."
Rohan groaned dramatically. "Priya, exams are a conspiracy. Designed to rob us of joy, freedom, and my precious nap time."
"Then fail," Priya said coolly. "Less competition for the rest of us."
Shiva smirked slightly into his cup.
---
Lecture Hall
The classroom buzzed with low chatter as students filed in. Leonor was already seated near the window, sunlight spilling across her desk as she read through a thick textbook. Her posture was poised, focused, as if the noise around her didn't exist.
Shiva slid into the seat beside her without a word. She glanced up, her expression softening. "Morning."
"Morning," he echoed.
Rohan plopped down behind them, immediately pulling out a doodle pad instead of notes. Priya followed, shooting him a withering look.
The lecture began, but Shiva found his gaze drifting toward Leonor more than the chalkboard. She scribbled notes with quick precision, her concentration unshaken. There was something about her calm persistence that always struck him—like she carried an invisible thread between her and her goals, pulling her forward no matter what.
At one point, she caught him looking. Their eyes met briefly. Shiva looked away first, pretending to copy something from the board. A faint smile tugged at her lips before she bent back to her notes.
---
Afternoon Library
Later, the four of them gathered in the library. Books were spread across the table, Priya already drilling through past papers with frightening intensity.
"You know, Priya," Rohan muttered, tapping his pen against his notebook, "you're turning into a mini-army general."
"If it gets you to pass, I'll take the title," she shot back.
Leonor chuckled softly. "She's right. Discipline is half the battle."
Shiva leaned back in his chair, flipping idly through a textbook. "And the other half?"
"Consistency," Leonor answered without hesitation.
Rohan groaned. "I was hoping the answer was snacks."
Priya rolled her eyes so hard Shiva thought they might get stuck.
Despite the complaints, the study session wasn't unpleasant. Rohan, for all his whining, managed to retain information surprisingly well once engaged. Priya's explanations, though sharp, often clarified tricky concepts. Leonor's patience balanced them both, while Shiva's quiet focus steadied the group.
There was something harmonious about it, like pieces of a puzzle clicking together.
---
Festival Preparations
After hours in the library, the group finally gave in to hunger and stepped out into the courtyard again. The festival committee was setting up booths for rehearsals, music floating faintly from the practice stage.
Rohan's eyes lit up. "We should do something for the festival!"
Priya frowned. "We don't have time. Exams come first."
"Exams will end," Rohan countered. "Memories are forever. Imagine it—our stall, our performance, something legendary!"
Leonor tilted her head thoughtfully. "It could be fun. Festivals bring people together."
Shiva glanced at her, then shrugged. "What do you have in mind?"
Rohan's grin widened. "Leave it to me. I have ideas."
"Dangerous words," Priya muttered.
But as they walked past rows of colorful stalls being built, the possibility lingered between them. Something about being part of it—leaving a mark—felt strangely important.
---
Evening on the Rooftop
That evening, Shiva found himself on the rooftop of his dorm, the city spread out below in glittering lights. The cool breeze carried the faint hum of traffic and distant music from the streets.
He wasn't surprised when Leonor appeared beside him. She often sought the same quiet corners he did.
"Escaping the noise?" she asked.
He nodded. "It helps to breathe up here."
They stood side by side, watching the horizon. For a while, neither spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable—it was steady, grounding.
Finally, Leonor said, "Sometimes I wonder if we'll remember all of this. The exams, the festivals, even the arguments. Or if it'll blur together once life moves on."
Shiva thought for a moment. "I think we'll remember. Maybe not everything. But the important parts. The people. The feelings."
She looked at him then, her expression unreadable but soft. "And what about you? What will you remember most?"
He met her gaze steadily. "I'll know when the time comes."
Something flickered in her eyes—curiosity, perhaps, or understanding—but she didn't press further. Instead, she turned back to the city, her hair catching the wind like strands of night itself.
The moment stretched quietly, and though unspoken, something deeper began to weave between them.
---
Closing Scene
When Shiva returned to his dorm room later, he found Rohan sprawled across his bed, munching on chips.
"Your bed is comfier," Rohan announced.
Shiva sighed. "Get out."
Rohan grinned, tossing him a chip. "Festival plans are on. Just wait—you'll thank me later."
Shiva shook his head, but the faintest smile tugged at his lips.
Unseen to them, threads of tomorrow were already knitting quietly into place—moments of laughter, sparks of rivalry, glimmers of something deeper. And though they couldn't yet imagine the worlds that awaited them, these threads would become the foundation strong enough to carry them across eternity.
To be continued....