The sun was bright and hot, making the air feel heavy and still. Everything seemed to move slower under the strong, warm light.
But....
The mall buzzed like a living, crowded hive
It was back-to-school season, which meant the mall had transformed into a battlefield.
kids clutching fresh backpacks, parents navigating crowded aisles, and teens scanning racks for the perfect look—all blending into a lively, bustling scene beneath the glow of bright fluorescent lights.
Then...
a girl walked in with her two friends—books and uniforms already bought , thanks to their school's sponsorship.
but they were here now just to shop for fun, even though her friends looked totally over the "let's just browse and chill" plan.
The girl is none other than Avyanshi Agarwal
Her best friends Sahasra Trivedi and
Dristhi Desai
" dekho tum dono ! Books mil gaye aur uniform bhi , ghar chal the hai na
Papa ghussa hoga " avyanshi said already imagining her father scolding her , " aur... yaha koi kaam bhi nhi hai"
Trying to reason the situation
[Look, u two! We got book and uniform too, let's go to our houses,my father will be angry
,and what's even there here? ]
" tum dekho madam ji , we are meeting after a long time and we should have fun at least now .... about ur dad , we will talk with him later " said sahasra trying to convince her friend
[You look,]
" she's right " said drishti agreeing " we are 12 th grade , if school starts we will get busy with our own streams and university entrance etc etc... we better enjoy it right now ! "
Avyanshi looked at her both friends , defeated with a small pout
She can't argue with them
After all ,
They are meeting after so many years
Sahasra and dristhi smiled brightly
" where should we start ? " dristhi said looking around the mall with a determined look
" maybe... we should go eat something frist " said avyanshi , already eyeing the food court
" avvu ! My love , i am dead hungry
How can u understand me so well "
Said sahasra , dramatic as ever, side hugging avyanshi while pecking her check .
Avyanshi hugged her back with a dramatic look on her face.
" Am I stuck with these two foodie fools?" murmured Dristhi , shooting them with side–eye ,folded her arms over her chest.
Before Dristhi could take three steps, one had already stopped at a food stall, eyes sparkling like she'd found treasure.
"We came for fun," Dristhi reminded them.
"And food is fun," came the instant reply , By sahasra , who is now busy ordering her pasta "Now stop acting like a mom just enjoy" continued sahasra, unaffected by dristhi's death glare.
And... avyanshi , rolled her eyes over their drama like "these idiots won't change".
" bro ! I want some ice cream " said avyanshi as her eyes landed on a ice cream parlour buzzing with people .
" Fine ! Come fast , we will be sitting here " drishti, ever the responsible one said pointing at a empty table in the corner
Sahasra interrupted,turning her head from the menu,looked at avyanshi's direction" get me vanila " With a lip–tighted smile , less like a request , more like a expectation.
" ooh ! And a strawberry for me " drishti added quickly with a smile " i–know–-u–love–me " blowing a kiss.
Avyanshi stopped , and sighed.
"Good to know I'm not a friend," she muttered.
"I'm a service."
🍒
"What would you like to have, ma'am?" the cashier asked with a polite smile.
"Oh! One vanilla, a strawberry, and a chocolate," she replied, pointing at the menu hung at the top, her eyes lighting up after waiting in line for so long.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, but we've run out of those flavors. However, you can choose any ice cream from the freezer," the cashier said apologetically, gesturing toward the freezer.
"No problem!" Avyanshi responded with a gentle smile, moving toward the freezer ,grabbing her ice creams.
Avyanshi reached for the last chocolate ice cream—only to find a tiny hand already gripping it.
"Hey! That's mine!" the boy declared, puffing up like a little boss.
Avyanshi mockingly grinned, raising an eyebrow.
"Really? That's mine." she said .
The boy gave a mock serious look.
"I spotted it first. You snooze, you lose!"
" You shouldn't eat ice cream u know ! It's bad for your health !"
"Then , why are YOU eating ?" He responded by stressing over you,crossing his tiny arms.
"Im elder than u, kiddo"
"Then,shouldnt u give me that ,i'm a small kid"
He fired back
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
" How about a challenge? Rock-paper-scissors for the ice cream?"
The boy's eyes lit up.
"You're on!"
They both threw their signs.
Avyanshi won.
"Ha! Guess the ice cream's mine!" she teased,grinned proudly like a soldier won a war , holding it just out of his reach.
But to her bad luck , he suddenly lunged at her making the ice cream fall on the ground
" You little demon " she said , eyes blazing at the kid
" Oops ! My bad... ig " he said , feigning innocence , running back to his mother
With a satisfied smirk
Leaving avyanshi in disbelief and with the mess .
" Bacha nhi , rakshas hai ye " she murmured with a sign, regretting her life decisions.
[ He is not a child but a monster ]
Little did she know , someone was watching her all along .
[ Guess who ? 🙂🤭]
❤️✨️
Across the mall, Ivaansh Mathur arrived with his friends, casually strolling .
"Bro, how can you be this calm?" Dhruvith Trivedi said, slinging an arm over Ivaansh's shoulder.
"I mean, this guy said 'no' just like that. She's beautiful, bro—seriously."
"Then why don't you go date her?" Ivaansh replied evenly, rolling his eyes.
Dhruv grinned, his gaze turning distant. "Too late. I've already got my eyes on someone else," he said dreamily, lost in the thought of her.
" Dhruv, who is that girl ? siddarth asked curiously , as they settled themselves at a table.
"You never tell us about her , idiot"
"Yeah, bro. Who is it?" Mayuk smirked, already knowing exactly who the girl was.
Siddarth's sister.
And he knew one thing for sure—if Siddarth ever found out, he wouldn't think twice before breaking Dhruv's bones
"Ha dhruv bhai ! Kon hai ye apna dream girl?"
Ivaansh asked , with a tight smile .
[Yes dhruv bro, who is ur dream girl?]
"Koi guess …." Ivaansh continued , his gaze fixed on Dhruv with a smirk .
[Any guess]
"...Sid?"
"As long as it is not my sister , I am happy for him" Siddarth replied , casually flipping over the menu.
"NoNo , why would I date your sister ?" Dhruv replied , nervousness visible in his voice
.
"Why are you so worked up ?" Siddarth asked, glancing at him ,then back at the menu.
"I didn't say you are dating my sister"
"Ha ha , vahi tho" Mayuk smirked , and winked at him.
[Yes, yes , that's right ]
"Kutte kahika" Dhruv punched his arm ,glared at him.
[You dog]
Did it affect ?
No ! Definitely not
Just then, Siddharth's phone rang
Chudail👻
[Ghost]
Mayuk cracked up , after seeing the caller id
"bhai! Chudail! Seriously!?"
"Meri behan" he answering the call
"Ha! Bol chudail"
"Aur ek baar muhje chudail boli na, papa ko batungi tumhi uska perfume tod diya tha" she warned him,he could feel her smirking from the other side.
[If u call me chudail , one more time , i will tell dad that ur the one who broke his favorite perfume]
He rolled his eyes and shook his head knowing he couldn't do anything .
"Kyu call kiya ?"
[Why did you call me?]
"Ha! Tumhare saath dhruv bhai hai kya"
[Yes ! Is there dhruv bro with u ]
"Ha! Hai kyu?" He replied,putting the call in speaker " Speaker mei hai call,kuch hai tho batav"
[Yes,he's here!why?,
I have kept the call on speaker, if there's anything tell]
"Dhruv bhai! Aaj raat tak sahasra mera ghar mein reh sakti hai ?" She asked her voice, gentle , mostly pleading for him to agree.
[Dhruv bro ! Can sahasra be in my house until night ]
"Aunty aur uncle ghar mein nahi hai na,bhai! ? Isliye aapko puch raha hu?"
[Aunty and uncle are on a business trip right ! That's why i am asking you ]
Why the hell ! She is so into calling me bhai?
Dhruv thought , suddenly annoyed .
He replied masking his irritation
Ha ha ! Ismei kya hai ! Bilkul reh sakti hai!" with a lip tightened smile.
"I will pick her up when u guys are done"
[Yes yes ! Definitely ! She can definitely be with you !]
To his irritation,
"Thank u so much bhai ! You're the best brother than that monkey"
Her brother looked offended, scoffed mockingly
Before Siddharth could react ,her line went dead.
Dhruv's face went blank with irritation.
Ivaansh and Mayuk both noticed his irritation right away and smirked.
"Dhruv BHAI, jaa ke food order kar dena" Mayuk said, with a lip tightened smile.
"The best brother of the year goes to Dhruvith Trivedi"Siddarth, joining in,sarcastically remarked.
Did Siddharth understand why they are teasing him?
No ! But he joined in
Only if he knew
Poor dhruv
Ivaansh coughed over nothing but air.
Hiding his laugh.
"I'm going to order food" he stood up, escaping.
"I will come too" Dhruv joined, his face still blank.
Just like that, Both disappeared into the crowd.
"Why is he suddenly so irritated after talking to my sister?" Siddarth asked, noticing Dhruv's behaviour .
"He is having mood swings,bechara"mayuk replied , his lips pursed together controlling his laugh,shaking his head in mock pity.
"Yeh pregnant hai kya ?"
✨️🎀
"Dhruv–"before Ivaansh could continue , dhruv interrupted
"Dekh bhai,if it is about Drishti calling me bhai,I am gonna kill you," he said , already irritated .
[Look bro !]
"Sun tho le, pehele" he replied ,side eyeing him. "And what if she calls u brother, u never confessed to her"
[At least listen first !]
"You don't understand anything! You never loved anyone bro!"
Ivaansh dramatically ,placed his hands on his chest and murmured enough for Dhruv to hear.
"Im hurt"
"Tu jaa ke, ice cream la na" Dhruv rolled his eyes.
[You go get ice cream for us]
Ivaansh moved towards the ice cream parlour nearby , rolling his eyes.
He stood in the line , absentmindedly looking around , hands in his pockets .
His gaze caught the sight of a familiar figure standing a few steps away.
Ivaansh froze,
His breath hitched,
shock washing over him as his eyes landed on her .
After all these years—she was standing right there, fighting with the small kid, lively as ever.
And for a moment, all he could notice was her.
Her beauty–
Not the kind that demanded attention, but the kind that held it—effortless, natural.
The way the light caught her features, the quiet grace in her presence, the softness that time had only refined.
Her eyes–the mystery , he would love to solve all his life.
The world moved on around him—but his gaze didn't.
He gulped down his saliva
She stood there like light finding its way into darkness—soft, steady, undeniable.
In a world he had learned to keep dim and guarded, she shone effortlessly.
A slow smirk curved Ivaansh's lips as he murmured under his breath,
"Found you , my rosh ."
But soon , his face changed into some thing unreadable
✨️🎀
Let's see how their fate unfolds.
________
Some stories don't restart with meetings or confessions
they pause—right at the moment fate reminds you
that it never really let go.
________