Aarohi rolled her eyes dramatically, shifting her bag over her shoulder.

“Yeah, whatever. Let him do whatever he wants. Why should we care? Hmph.”

She paused for a second, then let out a small sigh.

“Ugh, but I seriously can’t focus on my studies these days. I’m not even able to complete one full chapter. And yet, I’ve promised myself academic comeback. I have to make one.”

Mahi smirked like a queen, her voice rich with exaggerated pride.

“Well, the world definitely needed legends like you apkae jaisae  Mahaan aur utkrisht logon ki toh iss dharti ko zarurat thi, madam.”

Aarohi gave her a sarcastic look, her lips curling into a small smile. “Uff! Don’t praise me too much. I’m not that awesome, okay?”

Mahi threw her hands in the air dramatically. “Modesty doesn’t suit you!”

Unknown  to Aarohi,  a pair of intense eyes had been watching her quietly silently drinking in her presence like she was poetry come to life. Akash leaned casually on his seat, arms crossed, but his eyes never wavered.

His friends sat beside him, chuckling about something irrelevant, when one of them elbowed him..
“She’s pretty, huh?”

Akash didn’t blink. His voice was soft, almost dreamlike.

“Not just pretty… beautiful. even the moon would shy away in comparison. The moon has dark patches but her ? Not even a single sight of spots. She’s like a dream someone dared to turn into reality. Even if I wrote an entire book about her, it wouldn’t be enough to describe how stunning she is. And even after that… I’d still have more to say.”

Udti jhulfae uski , chand sa chehra
Dheerae dheerae uskae chehrae ko sehlati hain
Uski hasi ki masoomiyat
Mere dil ko behalati hain
Gehrai hain uski ankhon main
Samoondar sa sukoon hain
Doob Janae ko man krta hain
Bina swarth ka Junoon hain.

{AKB’s note: I know I’m bad at poetry. I just tried, okay? Don’t judge me, please.}

“Brooo?” one of his friends snapped his fingers in front of Akash’s face, dragging him back from his poetic daydream.

“What are you saying? I was talking about my drawing, is it really that nice!”

Akash blinked, realized what he had just said aloud, and looked down at the open sketchbook in front of his friend.

“Eww… who spoiled this beautiful page with such mess?”

His friend gasped dramatically. “You punk! You literally just praised it like it was the most beautiful sketch in the world , and now you call it a mess?”

Akash smirked, shaking his head as he looked away, stealing one more glance at Aarohi. “I wasn’t talking about your sketch, bro.”

His friend narrowed his eyes. “Then whose art were you describing, huh?”
Akash just smiled, his eyes once again drifting toward Aarohi.

AFTER COLLEGE HOURS

Aarohi strolled through the college corridor, scrolling through her phone, completely absorbed in some funny meme Misthi had sent.

She didn’t notice the people walking past her, or even Mahi sneaking up behind. Out of nowhere, Mahi gave her a light shove.

Before Aarohi could react, her balance slipped, and she tripped forward falling straight into someone’s arms.

Her phone nearly slipped out of her hand as she gasped, only to look up and find herself cradled securely in none other than Akash’s arms.

For a second, the world froze.

Aarohi’s heart did a backflip while Akash stared down at her, his arms strong around her waist.

“Let me go!”Aarohi blurted out, trying to wriggle away, but Akash didn’t loosen his grip.

He raised an eyebrow and smirked.
“Umm… and what do I get in return?”

Her eyes widened.
     “What do you want?”

Akash leaned closer, voice low.   
        “You.”

Aarohi blinked.
What did you say??

He quickly looked away.
“Nothing! I mean… an ice cream treat. That’s all.”

Aarohi narrowed her eyes.
“Why should I treat you? You’re rich! You probably have more money in your wallet than I do in my bank account.”

But Akash cut her off mid-sentence. His voice dropped to something softer. “Maybe. But you have something I don’t.”

“What?” Aarohi asked, genuinely confused.

He looked at her for a moment… and then simply smiled. “Forget it. Just buy me  ice cream. Come on.”

With that, he let her go. Aarohi dusted herself off, confused , and followed him outside the gates.

Mahi, who had been watching from behind, ran to catch up.

They all headed toward a small local ice cream parlour at the corner of the street.
The wind picked up slightly, blowing through their hair, and Aarohi shivered as goosebumps prickled her skin. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stay warm.

“Cold?” Akash asked, his voice gentle She shook her head stubbornly.Still, without asking, Akash took off his black jacket and draped it over her shoulders. It was warm.
It smelled faintly of cologne and something comforting.

But Aarohi was having none of it. She picked it up and flung it back at him.

“This is not a Bollywood movie, okay? You’re not some Shahrukh Khan wannabe!”aya bada sasta Shahrukh khan huh Shahrukh from meesho..

Akash simply laughed at her reaction.

As they reached the shop, Aarohi was about to pull the glass door open when her phone vibrated.

The screen flashed brightly with a ridiculous contact name: GANJI CHUDAIL (Misthi).

Aarohi rolled her eyes and answered. “What now?”

Misthi’s furious voice shouted through the speaker. “YOU LITTLE DEVIL! Where are you? I’ve been waiting outside your college for fifteen minutes!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Aarohi laughed. “Calm down.”

Turning to Akash and Mahi, she apologized. “Sorry, guys. You enjoy without me. I’ve gotta go.”

She handed them some cash and ran off in the direction of the college gate.

As Aarohi disappeared around the corner, Mahi saw her golden opportunity.

She stumbled dramatically, pretending to faint into Akash’s arms.But fate had other plans.

Akash’s phone buzzed at the exact same moment. He stepped aside to check it, and Mahi ended up falling straight onto the ground.

“YOU IDIOT!” she cried out, looking up at him, pouting.

Akash looked down at her and burst out laughing. “Are you okay?” he asked between chuckles, helping her up gently.

Mahi batted her lashes, trying to regain her dramatic charm. “Hmm… maybe. Only if you get me more ice cream.”
“Come on, let’s go,” Akash said, still smiling.

They walked into the shop together, picked their favourite cones, and as Mahi flicked her hair again, Akash casually brushed a strand off her forehead.

{AKB: kutta playboy khi ka }

Aarohi reached the parking lot. Misthi stood leaning against her black shiny car, arms crossed and one foot tapping against the tire with all the dramatic flair of a frustrated  bhen jasi dost.

Aarohi, breathless from the run, knocked lightly on the car window with a sheepish smile, mouthing a guilty “sorry.”

Misthi didn’t waste a second she rolled down the window and launched into her signature mini lecture.

“WHERE were you, little angel? I’ve been waiting for you in here for fifteen whole minutes!”

Aarohi opened the car door and slid in beside her with a grin, her cheeks flushed from both the jog and the scolding.

“I was just treating Mahi and Akash to ice cream, okay? I’m sorry, don’t fry me alive.”

Misthi’s glare softened. “Tshhh. Typical angel behavior. Ugh, fine. But next time, I’m charging interest on waiting time.”

Both girls burst out laughing as Misthi started the engine, The road was calm, with the occasional streetlamp glowing warmly above them.

The windows were rolled down just enough for the cool evening breeze to dance in, brushing through their hair ..

“So,” Misthi said casually, eyes still on the road. “I think I miss someone…”

Aarohi’s head turned instantly, curiosity flashing in her eyes. “aaeeyy! Who? Don’t keep secrets from me! Found my jijuuu already?”

Misthi smacked her arm playfully. “Shut up, idiot! It’s not like that it’s just a tiny crush!”

“A tiny crush?” Aarohi leaned closer, practically vibrating with interest. “On whom, huh? Spill the tea!”

Misthi bit her lip and looked ahead dreamily. “I don’t even know his name. Just that he was with Siddhartha yesterday.”

Aarohi huffed dramatically. “Ugh, that mr whatever again. Although…” she added teasingly, “his friend was kind of hot, I won’t lie.”

“Hey hey hey!” Misthi shouted in mock horror. “Don’t you DARE set your eyes on my man. You keep your eyes on your own future husband,Siddhartha Singhania!”

Aarohi gagged dramatically, pretending to choke. “EW! I'd rather die than marry with him.”

Misthi laughed so hard she had to grip the steering wheel tighter. “Okay, okay, enough drama queen. But I’m serious, I really want to know more about that guy.

So guess what I have a plan. You’re staying at my house tonight.”

“Nope!” Aarohi said instantly, shaking her head. “Not happening..”

“Then I’ll stay at your place,” Misthi offered smoothly.

Aarohi blinked. “Wait… that actually works. Okay, let’s do it.”

Misthi grinned and pulled out her phone. With a quick tap, she sent a message ”hi mom staying at aaru’s place don’t worry..

AAROHIS HOME :-

The gate creaked softly as the girls entered, laughing about some ridiculous reel they’d seen earlier.

Aarohi’s grandmother greeted them briefly before they ran upstairs to her room their usual safe haven where giggles, gossip, and snacks never ended.

Aarohi’s room was warm and familiar. Fairy lights wrapped around the edges of the ceiling glowed softly, casting a magical golden hue.

The scent of vanilla-scented candles drifted faintly in the air, and her bookshelf stood proudly against one wall, half-filled with novels and half with random notebooks and glitter pens.

“Alright, madam Misthi,” Aarohi said, tossing a pillow at her. “Go bath first and change into my comfy clothes. You can use the attached bathroom. I’ll use the one upstairs.”

Misthi saluted like a soldier and marched off dramatically.

Soon, the sound of the shower filled the air from both bathrooms, like a rhythm of relaxation and reset.

After about twenty minutes, both girls emerged from their respective showers, fresh and glowing, dressed in oversized t-shirts that hung past their shorts.

Aarohi wore one that said “Not your bae” while misthi reads “Sassy since birth.”

Their faces were free of makeup, their hair loosely tied back or air-drying in a messy buns..

[AAEEEEE VOTE KRO AUR COMMENT BHI HEHE JO KAR DIYAE I LOVE YOU GUYS😽💋✨️]

They flopped onto the giant bed, giggling again as Misthi held up her phone.

“Tonight is officially Girls’ Night Out At Home version.

We are going to post the cutest, funniest stories on Instagram. Also…” she said with a conspiratorial look, “we’re doing detective work.”

Aarohi raised an eyebrow, already knowing what was coming. “The boy?”

“THE BOY,” Misthi said dramatically, her eyes twinkling. “The one with Siddhartha. I need to know everything. His name, work,girlfriend , exes everything.”

Aarohi burst into laughter, rolling on the bed. “You're insane.”

“And you’re helping,” Misthi replied..

I regert being your bestfriend, Aaarohi replied..

Misthi just laughed..

As the night stretched deeper, the sound of their laughter, whispered secrets, and excited shrieks filled the room.

Chips were eaten, soda bottles were opened, hair was braided, and stories from the past were shared.

For that one night, there were no worries no boys to impress, no teachers to fear, no homework to cry over. Just two best friends, wrapped in the warm comfort of friendship and fairy lights, they both fallasleep

At Midnight :-

Misthi jumped out of bed, “Aarohi! Wake up! I need to find out who that boy is! Don’t make me drag you out of bed!”

Aarohi grumbled and pulled the pillow over her head, trying to escape the relentless buzz of Misthi’s excitement. “Ugh, I’m tired, Misthi. Let me die in peace.”

“Come on, you’ve had your sleep,” Misthi called out. “And you promised to help me with this investigation!”

With a resigned sigh, Aarohi pushed the blanket off her and sat up. . “Fine, fine. But you owe me icecream later.”

“Deal!” Misthi said, as if she had already won the lottery.

Both girls sat down cross-legged on the bed, their laptops open in front of them. Misthi’s fingers flew over the keyboard, her focus intense.

"Lets search Siddhartha id he is famous so itll be easy"..“Okay, okay, Siddhartha’s tagged posts.

Aarohi leaned forward, her curiosity piqued.

Misthi was already on a roll.

“Hold up, I’m checking his following list after scrolling she shouted..found him!

His name is  AARAV OBEROI ..Aarohi stared at the screen, tapping her fingers against her chin. “AARAV OBEROI, huh? I like the sound of that.”

Aarohi was half-asleep, she muttered, “Misthi, I’m sleeping, madam.

But Misthi couldn’t wait. Her voice was rushed, panic creeping into every word.

“No, no! Aarohi, ..I..I did something... I made a small mistake! I accidentally followed Siddhartha from your account while we were stalking Aarav. And. and now he sent you a friend request!”

Aarohi’s eyes snapped open in horror.

“What?! You followed Siddhartha?! Are you out of your mind?!” She jumped up from the bed, her heart racing.

“I’m going to kill you, Misthi! This is a disaster! What if he thinks I’m stalking him?

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