Vyom shook his head, smiling faintly. "I can't o that. Bye."
"Bye, hero," Anand said, grinning as they split paths near the crossing.
Vyom continued walking alone. The cool wind brushed against his face. For a moment, he looked at the sky — soft orange fading into blue. He didn't realize it, but his ring glowed faintly under the sunlight again, the green line shining almost imperceptibly.
---
That night, Vyom couldn't sleep early. He tossed and turned, staring at the ceiling until the clock struck 1 a.m. before his eyes finally closed.
But this night was different.
He didn't know if he was dreaming… or if it was something else entirely.
He found himself standing in a strange place — a place where nothing existed.
No ground, no sky, no air.
Just emptiness.
A space that looked infinite, stretching endlessly in every direction.
He looked around, confused. "Where… am I?" he murmured, his voice echoing softly in the void.
Then he noticed something.
Under his feet, faint green gridlines were glowing — as if space itself was drawn in light.
And on his hand, the ring he always wore — its thin green line was slowly glowing brighter, pulsing gently like a heartbeat.
Vyom raised his hand and stared at it, puzzled.
He didn't understand what was happening, but the light felt warm, not dangerous — more like it was calling him.
He began walking forward.
But no matter how far he walked, the place didn't change. There were no walls, no end, only that same grid under his feet and darkness all around.
Minutes passed. Or maybe hours — it was impossible to tell.
Eventually, Vyom grew tired. His steps slowed, and he sat down, resting his head on his knees.
He sighed. "What is this place…?"
His mind wandered. He thought about college, about Anand, and of course, about Keya — her smile, her notes, the way she always scolded him for being careless.
A faint smile crossed his face. "Maybe I'm just overstudying," he said softly to himself.
After a while, his eyes began to feel heavy again. He lay down on the glowing surface, his body sinking into a strange peace. The green light flickered once more, then dimmed as Vyom's eyes closed.
The next thing he knew — he was back in his bed.
---
Vyom sat up suddenly, breathing hard. "Was that… a dream?"
He looked around. Everything seemed normal — his books scattered on the table, his phone charging, the morning light seeping through the window.
He turned to check the clock. 7:00 a.m.
"Wait, what? Only seven?"
He rubbed his eyes and sighed. "I thought I overslept… but it's still early."
Getting up, he washed his face and got ready.
As he wiped his hands, something shiny caught his eye — his ring.
He brought his hand closer. There was a faint line across it now — half of the ring was filled with a dull green shade.
"Huh?" he whispered. "Was it always like this?"
He turned it under the light, but the color looked faded, not bright like in his dream. Shrugging, he muttered, "Maybe just paint or reflection…" and pushed the thought aside.
He had no idea what that glow really meant.
---
Later, at college, everything seemed as usual.
Classes went by, students chatted, the day passed quietly.
After lectures ended, Vyom and Anand left together, walking home as they always did.
The evening breeze felt cool, carrying the faint smell of chalk dust and canteen food. Anand stretched his arms.
"Today's classes were really good," Anand said with a grin. "And you're finally adapting to study — that's really good for you."
Vyom chuckled. "Yeah, either I study or I fail. No third option."
Anand laughed. "Well said! But hey—speaking of studying…" He gave Vyom a playful look. "It's a good thing Keya asked you to study. But tell me—why did you ask me to come along?"
Vyom blinked. "Because I don't feel comfortable going alone."
Anand raised an eyebrow. "Oh, come on. Your childhood friend invites you to her house for a study session, and you bring me along? What's wrong with you?"
Vyom sighed. "Nothing, bro…"
Anand grinned. "You know what's worse? You didn't just invite me—you messaged my mom directly!"
Vyom's eyes widened. "No, no, bro—listen! At night—"
---
It had happened the previous night.
At around 7:30 PM, Vyom's phone buzzed. A message from Keya.
Keya: Hi Vyom.
Vyom: Hello.
Keya: I was wondering… should we do a group study for tomorrow?
Vyom: Yes, sure.
He paused, staring at the message, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Group study," he whispered. "Just me and her?"
Anand, hearing about it later, laughed out loud. "Wait a minute! Can you tell me where I come in?"
Vyom chuckled. "Then I told her…"
He scrolled through his chat, remembering the rest of the conversation:
Vyom: Who would you invite for the group study?
Keya: I won't invite anyone.
Vyom: Then this isn't a group study, is it?
Keya: What's wrong with that? We used to study alone before, didn't we? It's fine if you tell someone else.
Vyom: No, I don't have a problem if it's just the two of us.
Keya: No, you can invite someone.
Vyom: Okay, then I've told Anand. Good night.
Keya: Good night, bye. Come tomorrow at 5 PM.
---
Anand couldn't stop laughing. "You really said that?"
Vyom rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "Yeah, I thought it would sound polite…"
Anand shook his head, still smiling. "You're hopeless, man. Do you even realize what that girl was hinting at?"
Vyom blinked. "What do you mean?"
Anand sighed. "Never mind. You'll figure it out one day."
The two kept walking, the streetlights flickering as the evening deepened into night.
Vyom, however, walked quietly, his thoughts drifting.
The strange dream, the glowing line, the half-colored ring — they all lingered somewhere in the back of his mind.
But for now, he pushed them aside.
Today, he would meet Keya again.
And somehow, he felt — something was going to change.
---
(To be continued…)